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Final Thesis 1.pdf (1.46 MB)

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A Contrastive Study of the Speech Act of Refusal; Iranian ESL Learners and Native English Speaking Americans

Kazemi Zadeh Gol, Narges
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1370217643

Abstract Details

2013, Master of Arts, University of Toledo, English (as a Second Language).
The current research is a contrastive study of the speech act of refusal. Iranian ESL learners who have been in the US for at least one year and therefore are to some extent familiar with the target language culture are compared to native English speaking (NES) Americans. The data were gathered from 50 Iranian ESL learners and NES Americans using a role play scenario consisting of requests, suggestions, invitations, and offers. Data were then coded based on “The classification of illocutionary acts” by Searle (1976). Statistical analysis reveals that the responses of the two groups are very similar in the speech act categories used. Finding contrasts with the results of other research that compare native Persian speakers or Iranian EFL learners with NES Americans, based on the classification of refusals by Beebe, Takahashi, & Uliss-Weltz (1990) as a unit of analysis, which suggest a high level of differences in producing the speech act of refusal. Generally, the perception and production of refusals as dual face-threatening acts in a second language especially for learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) is a complex task which requires acquisition of pragmatic competence of the target language at a higher degree compared to other speech acts. Since it is the first time that Searle’s classification has been used as a basis of analysis that has more advantages than Beebe et al.’s classification of refusal (1990), the current research recommends future researchers to replicate this study with Iranian EFL learners to observe the results and also offers some solutions to the EFL students and teachers to overcome the negative pragmatic transfer.
Douglas Coleman (Advisor)
75 p.
English As A Second Language

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Citations

  • Kazemi Zadeh Gol, N. (2013). A Contrastive Study of the Speech Act of Refusal; Iranian ESL Learners and Native English Speaking Americans [Master's thesis, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1370217643

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kazemi Zadeh Gol, Narges. A Contrastive Study of the Speech Act of Refusal; Iranian ESL Learners and Native English Speaking Americans. 2013. University of Toledo, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1370217643.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kazemi Zadeh Gol, Narges. "A Contrastive Study of the Speech Act of Refusal; Iranian ESL Learners and Native English Speaking Americans." Master's thesis, University of Toledo, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1370217643

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.