English refusal strategies used by native Thai-speaking and native English-speaking staff members in multinational companies

Name: Thanitha Jeenmuang

keyword: Refusal speech act

; Refusal strategies

; Discourse completion test

; Politeness strategies

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to examine the refusal strategies employed by Thai-speaking and English-speaking staff that are influenced by their L1 as well as the effect of gender, which influences the similarities and differences of refusal strategies. In addition, the study investigated the implications of the various social status of the interlocutor on refusal strategies in relation to politeness. The data were elicited through the discourse completion test (DCT). 60 native Thai-speaking staff, comprising 30 males and 30 females, and 8 native English-speaking staff, comprising 4 males and 4 females, were asked to complete the DCT, which is designed to elicit spontaneous responses to 12 possible real-world scenarios. The obtained data were analyzed based on the modified taxonomy of refusal strategies proposed by Beebe, Takahashi, and Uliss-Welts (1990). A triangulation of semi-structured interviews was also used to collect data from 10 Thai-speaking staff members who had completed the DCT in order to gain an in-depth comprehension of the factors that influence the English refusal strategies used by non-natives. The findings were analyzed in accordance with the research questions. The refusal strategies were categorized into three main groups: direct refusal, indirect refusal, and adjuncts of refusal strategy. The majority of participants, both NTs and NEs, favored indirect refusal strategies when of giving an explanation, reason and excuse. Additionally, adjuncts of refusal relating to gratitude or appreciation were widely employed. In contrast, direct refusal strategies were rarely used by both groups, notably those involving performative verbs to refuse. Closer examination of the effect of gender of the refuses revealed not much influence on the pattern of refusal strategies because both male and female staff mostly preferred to employ indirect and supplement the adjuncts of refusal to mitigate the tension. However, an additional detailed comparison showed that females utilized more semantic formulas than males overall. Despite using indirect less frequently than men, women were more likely to use direct and adjuncts. It might be inferred that women made an effort to act more politely. Regarding the social status of persons, it has greatly influenced the use and selection of refusal strategies among the respondents ; specifically, when Thai-speaking staff employed the refusal strategies, they inevitably concerned the power of social distance related to the use of politeness strategies. When refusing someone who had a different social status and in different situations, the choice of refusal was employed differently according to the interlocutors’ social status and the particular situations. The findings of this study have implications for the teaching of pragmatics in English as a second language (ESL) and help better understand socio-cultural communication in a multicultural context

Thammasat University. Thammasat University Library

Address: BANGKOK

Email: preserv@tu.ac.th

Name: Chanika Gampper

Role: advisor

Created: 2022

Modified: 2024-02-05

Issued: 2024-02-05

วิทยานิพนธ์/Thesis

application/pdf

DOI: 10.14457/TU.the.2022.1245

eng

DegreeName: Master of Arts

Level: Master's Degree

Descipline: English Language Teaching

Grantor: Thammasat University

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