A Study on the Perception of Jordanian EFL Learners’ Pragmatic Transfer of Refusals
Researcher Name
Ibrahim Fathi Huwari & Yasser Al-Shboul
Name Of Journal
Advances in Language and Literary Studies
Volume No.
Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 1-9;
Date Of Publication
2015.02
Abstract
This study investigates the perception of Jordanian EFL learners’ (JEFL) pragmatic transfer of refusal strategies in
terms of contextual and cultural factors. Data were collected using a discourse completion test (DCT) and a scaledresponse
questionnaire (SRQ) to elicit perception data from the participants. Data from the SRQ were analyzed based
on the speaker’s right to refuse the initiating act. Findings revealed that the right the speaker has to refuse the initiating
act was assigned high ratings by the three groups (i.e., M > 3.00) in all social categories. Individually, however, the
groups displayed the rating value differently where the AEL1 group’s perception of the speaker’s right was relatively
higher than that of the JEFL and JAL1 groups in all the social categories. The JEFL participants’ negative pragmatic
transfer criteria were met in the first and third social categories. The study concludes with a discussion of important
directions for future research.