A Cross-Cultural Study of EFL/ESL Learners Requestive Strategies

Strategies employed by L2 learners engaged in negotiation of face relationships during social interactions like requests vary according to their L1 background. Differences in nonnative speakers pragmatic performance may lead to serious communication problems. Although previous research has investigated different types of request strategies employed by L2 learners, it is still unclear whether they use different/similar types of request strategies in different contexts. This study investigated cross-cultural variation in the use of request strategies by EFL/ESL learners to their faculty. To this aim, the request strategies elicited from 50 intermediate Iranian EFL learners studying at Shahrekord University, Iran and 24 intermediate ESL learners studying at 4 language institutes in England were examined. A DCT was used to elicit the request strategies. Chi-square findings suggest the preference for the use of more conventionally indirect request strategy (i.e., query preparatory) to their faculty by the learners. Results indicate that the learners’ L1 had no effect on the choice of request strategies employed by such learners to their faculty. Conclusions are that EFL/ESL learners generally use more negative politeness strategies to mitigate their requests to their faculty.