SAYING `NO` IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: EFL LEARNERS` ELICITED REFUSALS

Abstract

This study aims to shed light on the pragmatic development of EFL learners by investigating their uses of refusals. EFL learners aged between 20 and 29 were invited to take a video-mediated DCT. Although the EFL learners may express their refusals indirectly in general, they appear to alter their refusal strategies with regard to the communicative situation. In addition, the advanced EFL learners appear to perform refusal strategies by the use of refusal routines, while the intermediate EFL may find it difficult to do so. Moreover, the use of a video-mediated DCT seems to elicit interesting uses of adjunct strategies. It can be conjectured that the discrepancy between the advanced and the intermediate EFL learners in the performance of refusal strategies may reflect their interlanguage pragmatics and linguistic competence. Compared to the refusing strategies used by the L1 speakers of Mandarin Chinese, those used by the EFL learners may not entirely be an outcome of pragmatic transfer.

本研究的目的，主要透過探討英語外語學習（EFL）者表達拒絕時的語言表現，以瞭解他們的語用發展（pragmatic development）。年屆二十至二十九歲之英語外語學習者受邀完成影音輔助之言談情境填充問卷（DCT）。結果指出，儘管英語外語學習者普遍使用間接策略表達拒絕，他們的拒絕語言表現與策略似乎也會因溝通情境而調整。此外，高階的英語外語學習者傾向利用慣用的語言模式來表達拒絕，而中階的學習者相對地較無此傾向。同時，他們普遍使用了不少的附屬性策略（adjunct strategies），這可能與影音輔助有關。整體而言，外語學習者之語用發展，不能完全歸因於第一語的語用遷移（pragmatic transfer）作用，而是他們的語法能力與語用能力所交織而成的語用能力之展現。