Are You Deaf I’Ve Said “No, No, No”

Cem BALÇIKANLI Gazi University, Faculty of Education, English Language Teaching Department E-mail: [email_address] The 8th International Language, Literature and Stylistics Symposium İzmir University of Economics May, 2008 Are you deaf? I’ve said “No, No, No”

The term ‘speech act ’ has been defined as a minimal unit

of discourse by Searle (1969) and as a basic and a

Functional unit of communication by Cohen (1996).

We perform speech acts when we offer an apology,

g reeting,request, complaint, invitation, compliment, or

refusal .

What speech act?

In order to achieve approximate native-speaker levels of pragmatic competence, learners need to acquire the rules of politeness of the target culture and to develop interaction skills, knowing who may or may not speak in certain settings, how they should talk to people of different statuses and roles, what nonverbal behaviors are appropriate for them to use in various contexts, what routines they should use for turn taking in conversation, and how to perform and comprehend speech acts such as requesting, apologizing or REFUSING ( Saville-Troike, 1996). Why speech acts?

REFUSALS can be a

tricky speech act to perform linguistically

and psychologically since the possibility of

offending the interlocutor is inherent in the

act itself (Kwon, 2004:340).

Why refusals?

At a summit meeting between President Nixon and the late Prime Minister Sato of Japan in 1969 , Nixon asked Sato whether he would agree to curtail Japan’s fabric exports to the United States in exchange for the return of Okinawa. Sato answered, “ Zensho shimasu ”, which was literally translated into English as “ I’ll take a proper step ”, but in Japanese is usually understood as a rejection. Nixon thought he had received a commitment and was furious when Sato failed to take any effective action. But in fact, Sato did not feel that he had made any commitment, as this kind of statement in Japanese culture is a polite way of refusing (Beebe and Takahashi, 1990).

Sample, Instrumentation, and procedures

Aim

to investigate refusals of English learners in Turkey and in Czech Republic

Sample

forty-two Turkish learners in Turkey and thirty-five Czech learners in Czech Republic

Instrument

DCTs are written questionnaires

including a number of brief situational descriptions, followed by a short dialog with an empty slot for the speech act (Kasper and Dahl, 1991).

! A big thank you to Czech and Turkish

colleagues and student teachers.... 

! “I’m sorry. I wish I could come to the party

with you but I’ve lots of homework to do”.

* I’m sorry ............  Statement of regret

* I wish I could... ..  Wish

* But I ’ve a... .......  Excuse

Data Collection & Analysis

Ercetin, N. G. (1995). “Pragmatic transfer in the realization of apologies:

The case of Turkish EFL learners”.

Dogancay-Aktuna, S. and Kamıslı, S. (1997). “Pragmatic transfer in

interlanguage development: A case study of advanced EFL learners”.

Bulut, D. (2000) “A Cross-cultural study of refusals in American English

and Turkish.”

Karatepe, Ç. (2001) “ Pragmalinguistic Awareness in EFL Teacher

Training”.

Demir, S. (2003). “ Bidirectional pragmatic transfer: An investigation on

refusal strategies of Turkish users of English”.

Madak, M. (2004). “Gender differences in the use of requests by Turkish

EFL learners”.

Kal Ünal, F. (2004). “ Requests in English and in Turkish in the language

of Turkish student teachers: A comparative study”.

Tekyıldız, Ö. (2006). “A comparative study on the use of refusals by

Turkish learners of English and Native speakers of English in urban and

rural areas”.

Some Studies

SITUATIONS

SITUATION 1:

You are the owner of a bookstore. One of

your best workers asks to speak to you in

private.

Worker: As you know, I’ve been here just

a little over a year now, and I know you’ve

b een pleased wit h my work. I really enjoy

working here, but to be quite honest I really

need an increase in pay

YOU: ...............................................................

Worker: Well...then I guess I’ll have to l ook

for another job.

SITUATION 2:

You are a junior in college. You attend classes

regularly and take good notes. Your classmate

often misses class and asks you for the lecture

notes.

Classmate: Oh God! We have an exam tomorrow

but I don’t have notes from last week. I am sorry to

ask you this, but could you please lend me your

notes once again?

YOU : ..................................................................

Classmate: Well, then. I guess I’ll have to ask

someone else.

SITUATION 12:

You are at the office in a meeting with your boss. It

is getting close to the end of the day and you want

to leave the office.

Boss: If it’s okay with you, I’d like to spend an

extra hour or two tonight so that we can finish up

with this work. Can you stay little longer at the

office?

YOU: ...................................................................

Boss: Well, that’s too bad…I was hoping you

could stay.

REFUSAL OF REQUEST

Situation 1: Refusing a lower status person’s request

Situation 2: Refusing an equal status person’s request

Situation 12: Refusing a higher status person’s request

Some refusals...

TURKISH LEARNERS

S1: I pay you more than other

bosses!

S1: I have pleased with your work

but that doesn’t mean “I will

increase in your pay.

S2: I’m sorry, but I’m not a slave

who always have to attend the

class all the time while you’re

having fun.

S2: If you had attended your

lectures regularly, I would have

given the notes, but I’m not a

green or a jerk.

S12: It’s not possible because my

mom is sick. I have to go home

S12: I wish I could but my

husband’s waiting for me at home.

CZECH LEARNERS S1: Unfortunately, we have no budget for this although I’m very satisfied with your work. S1: I’m sorry but I can’t afford it. S2: Sorry man, I just left my notes at home by accident. S2: I’m sorry but do you think that I should? I regularly attend and you do not. S12: I’m really sorry but my husband and I will celebrate our anniversary, and we have already booked a place in the French restaurant. S12: I’m so sorry, but my wife has prepared delicious food for me, so I can’t disappoint her. Sorry again.

SITUATION 3:

You are the president of a big printing company. A

salesman from a printing machine company invites

you to one of the most expensive restaurants,

Lutece, in New York.

Salesman: You have met several times now, and

I’m hoping you will buy my company’s printing

machine. Would you like to have dinner with me at

Lutece to sign the contract?

YOU: ........................................................................

Salesman: Well…maybe we can meet another

time.

SITUATION 4:

You are an executive at a very large software

company. One day the boss calls you into his

office.

Boss: Next Sunday my wife and I are having a

little party at my house. I know it’s sudden.. but I’m

hoping all my executives will be there with their

views/husbands. Will you come to the party?

YOU: .....................................................................

Boss: Well, that’s too bad.. I was hoping everyone

would be there.

SITUATION 10:

A friend invites you to dinner, but you

really don’t like this friend’s husband/wife.

Friend: How about coming to my house Sunday

night? We’re having a small dinner party.

YOU: .............................................................

Friend: Well…maybe next time.

REFUSAL OF INVITATION Situation 3: Refusing a lower status person’s invitation Situation 4: Refusing a higher status person’s invitation Situation 10: Refusing an equal status person’s invitation

Some refusals...

TURKISH LEARNERS

S3: I’m afraid it is my daughter’s

today and I believe that being a

big businessman first of all

requires to have a big heart for

your family.

S3: I’ll meet my lover at that time.

S4: Sorry, but my wife and I

broke up.

S4: I feel proud of myself since

you’re so kind to invite me, but

I’m afraid I can’t.

S10: Thank you, but I’ve

promised my wife to go to her

parents.

S10: I don’t like parties.

CZECH LEARNERS S3: I would like to have a dinner with you but, I have no time right now. Maybe later. S3: Sorry, I don’t have time for this. S4: Sorry, I can’t come. My husband is in a hospital and I’ll have to take care of my children. S4: I’m sorry but, we are invited to my sister’s engagement. S10: I’m sorry I can't. My husband is mentally ill, so we can’t visit any friends now. S10: I’m sorry but I’ve already been invited to another one.

SITUATION 5:

You are at a friend’s house watching TV. Your

friend offers you a snack.

You: Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve been eating like a

pig and I feel just terrible. My clothes don’t even fit

me.

Friend: Hey, why don’t you try this new diet I’ve

been telling you about?

YOU: ........................................................................

Friend: Well…you should try it anyway.

SITUATION 6:

Your boss just asked you to bring a report to him.

You can’t find the report on your desk because

your desk is very disorganized. Your boss walks

over.

Boss: You know, maybe you should try to

organize yourself better. I always write things

down a piece of paper so I don’t forget them. Why

don’t you try it?

YOU: (However, you don’t like the boss’

suggestion) .........................................................

Boss: Well…it was only an idea anyway.

SITUATION 8:

You teach English at a university. It is just about

the middle of the semester now. One of your

students asks to speak to you.

Student: Ah, excuse me, some of the students

were talking after class yesterday. We feel that the class would be better if you could give us more practice in conversation and less on grammar.

YOU: .....................................................................

Student: Well…it was only a suggestion.

REFUSAL OF SUGGESTION Situation 5: Refusing an equal status person’s suggestion Situation 6: Refusing a higher status person’s suggestion Situation 8: Refusing a lower status person’s suggestion

Some refusals...

TURKISH LEARNERS

S5: Oh, thanks. But, you know I

have an allergy about diets.

S5: No, thank you. I don’t think I

need a new diet.

S6: Thank you for your suggestion.

S6: Sir, sorry, but it is not my

style.

S8: Yes, it would be wonderful,

but I’m sorry because I have no

time, but If I have time, I can help

you.

S8: We don’t have enough time

to do that. Maybe later.

CZECH LEARNERS S5: You know, I don’t believe in diets. S5: I have my own diet, thank you. S6: That’s a good idea, but I have a good memory. I should rather tidy the mess on my desk. S6: I have my own system about how to organize my things. But thank you for your advice. S8: I’m teaching English grammar, not the English conversation. S8: If you feel so, we can discuss it, but your grammar and practice is balanced acoording to your needs.

SITUATION 7:

You arrive home and notice that your cleaning lady

is extremely upset. She comes rushing up to you.

Cleaning lady: Oh God, I’m sorry! I had a terrible

accident. While I was cleaning, I bumped into the

table and your china vase fell and broke. I feel very

bad about it. I’ll pay for it.

YOU: (Knowing that the cleaning lady is

supporting t hree children) .......................................

Cleaning lady: No, I’d feel better if I paid for it.

SITUATION 9:

You are at a friend’s house for lunch.

Friend: How about another piece of cake?

YOU: ............................................................

Friend: Come on, just a little piece?

YOU: ............................................................

SITUATION 11:

You’ve been working in advertising company now

for some time. The boss offers you an increase in

salary and a better position, but you have to move

to another town. You don’t want to go. Today, the

boss calls you into his office.

Boss: I’d like to offer you an executive position in

our new office in Hicktown. It’s a great town- only 3

hours from here by airplane.

YOU: ..................................................................

Boss: Well…maybe you should think about it

some more before declining.

REFUSAL OF OFFER Situation 7: Refusing a lower status person Situation 9: Refusing an equal s tatus person Situation 11 : Refusing a higher status person

Some refusals...

TURKISH LEARNERS

S7: No, no, no, Don’t feel bad. It’s

not important. Forget it.

S7: It is not important. In fact, I

didn’t like it very much.

S9: Thank you very much, it look

wonderful but I’m on a diet ok, but

just a little piece.

S9: No, thanks. Are you deaf? I’ve

said “no, no, no, no”

S11: You make me happy with

you offering but I’m sorry.

S11: Sir, to be honest. I don’t

want to go another town. I think I’ll

be more efficient if I continue to

work this company.

CZECH LEARNERS S7: No, you don’t have to pay for it.You do a good job in here. Such things happen. S7: Oh, it’s OK. I didn’t really like it all. S9: Not really, I feel like a pig. S9: No, thank you. I said NO! S11: My mother-in-law would kill me if I moved somewhere else. S11: No, I don’t want to move. Does it sound clear to you?

Concluding remarks