LINGUIST List 15.19

Mon Jan 12 2004

Diss: Pragmatics: Economidou-Kogetsidis: 'Re...'

Editor for this issue: Takako Matsui <takolinguistlist.org>

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1. kogetsidis.m, Requesting Strategies and Cross-Cultural Pragmatics

Institution: University of Nottingham
Program: School of English Studies
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2003

Author: Maria Economidou-Kogetsidis

Dissertation Title: Requesting Strategies and Cross-Cultural
Pragmatics: Greek and English

Linguistic Field: Pragmatics

Subject Language: English (code: ENG), Greek(code: GRK)

Dissertation Director 1: Prof. Ronald Carter

Dissertation Abstract:

The stimulus for this study derives from the observation that, despite
their advanced language proficiency, Greek learners of English,
similarly to other non-native speakers, employ requests in such a way
that they often violate social appropriateness in the target
culture. This study tests and confirms the hypothesis that Greek
learners' requests reveal a significant trend for a higher degree of
requestive directness, as compared to British English native speakers'
requests.

UK university/college students (Greek and British) were the target
population. The main research instrument was a discourse-completion
questionnaire. In addition, telephone observation data was gathered
and interviews were carried out.

The study examined two possible interrelated causes, which may be
responsible for the learners' requestive deviation: the possible
pragmatic transfer from their native language and culture, and
possible differences between the learners and the native speakers in
their perception and assessment of social reality. Results suggested
evidence of strong sociopragmatic and pragmalinguistic transfer. It is
argued that the requestive deviation on the part of the learners is
consistent with the ethos of directness, spontaneity and positive
politeness orientation found to characterise the Greek society and
language.

At the same time, the study indicated that there are significant
cross-cultural differences between the Greek learners and the English
native speakers in the relative weight of familiarity, social power
and imposition in the majority of the social situations tested. It is
maintained that differences in the subjects' situational assessment
can be linked to differences in the subjects' linguistic choices.