an exploratory study on the use of 'i love you' in the american context

this study explores the use of the english locution i love you in the american context. the data were collected through a focus discussion group and a survey questionnaire. 120 college undergraduate students from a large public american university participated in the study with 28 attending the focus discussion group and 92 completing the survey questionnaire. the findings indicated that the use of i love you is a daily phenomenon. it can be used across a variety of different relationships, in a variety of different modes, during a variety of different occasions, and with a variety of different meanings. the theoretical justification and explanation for americans’ high frequent and varied use of i love you were tentatively probed. the results from this study delineated a preliminary ethnography of how i love you is used in the american context, which can help efl teachers and learners understand it more thoroughly, translate it more accurately, and use it more appropriately.