Abstract:
To investigate the pragmatic transfer of the refusal strategies by Thai learners of English. Based on a discourse completion test, the data were collected from 50 American students and 50 Thai students. It is found that the Thais' refusal strategies differ significantly from those employed by the Americans, Thai students resorted to indirectness and hedging when they refused requests and offers. American students, on the other hand, preferred directness. The Thais also used the expression "That's OK./alright." or "I can do it myself." in greater quantity than the Americans. In addition, they often used intensifiers such as 'really' and 'greatly' in their apologies and thanks, whereas the Americans hardly did so. In terms of pragmatic transfer, it is found that the Thai learners of English performed the speech act of refusing in English in a similar manner as when they performed the same speech act in their native tongue. They employed the following strategies whic were not found in the American corpus : (1) using intensifiers in apologies, (2) hedging, (3) using the pattern "yes, but..." in expressing positive remarks, (4) giving reasons based on family and personal matters, (5) using intensifiers in thanks and (6) admonishing employees. In addition, it is found that social status played an important role in refusals in Thai and in English used by the Thai students. When the refusers were lower in social status, they tended to give reasons and employed such strategies as hedging, apologizing and expressing positive remarks. Social status seemed to influence the strategic choices made by the American students in a lesser extent than those made by the Thai students.