Refusal Strategies on Request Speech Acts by Indonesian University Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v14i1.10902Keywords:
Refusal Strategies; EFL Learners; Speech Act; Indirectness; Discourse Completion TestAbstract
This study aims to investigate how Indonesian EFL learners realize refusal strategies in response to request speech acts across different communicative contexts, with particular attention to the influence of sociocultural norms and pragmatic competence.
The study employed a qualitative descriptive research design to explore the context-sensitive nature of refusal speech acts. Data were collected through an open-ended Discourse Completion Test (DCT) consisting of ten hypothetical scenarios adapted from previous studies. The participants were 40 Indonesian undergraduate students majoring in English Education, selected through purposive sampling based on their academic exposure to English. The responses were analyzed using a semantic formula framework to classify refusal strategies into direct and indirect types. The analysis yielded 77 instances of refusal strategies, comprising 34 direct and 43 indirect forms, indicating a clear preference for indirectness. Direct strategies were primarily realized through explicit negation, reasons, and explanations, often accompanied by mitigating elements such as regret. Indirect strategies were more varied and frequently involved complex combinations, with “reason + explanation” and “regret + reason + explanation” emerging as the most dominant patterns. These findings suggest that learners employ multi-layered strategies to balance clarity and politeness in managing face-threatening acts. This study contributes to interlanguage pragmatics by providing empirical evidence from the Indonesian EFL context, an area that remains underrepresented in the literature. The findings highlight the importance of integrating explicit pragmatic instruction and context-based learning into EFL curricula to enhance learners’ ability to perform speech acts appropriately across diverse communicative situations.
References
Abdulzahra, M. (2021). A pragmatic study of refusal speech act: a gender perspective. International Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities, 11(01), 510-519. https://doi.org/10.37648/ijrssh.v11i01.029
Ahmed, E. (2024). Conversational norms in speech acts: a study of the effect of deficits on communication. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 14(7), 2135-2141. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1407.21
Alalawi, B. (2022). The role of gender on Saudi English language learners’ performance of refusals. Arab World English Journal, 13(3), 220-235. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no3.14
Ali, S. and Ashraf, M. (2021). Pragmatic competence: difficulties faced by Pakistani EFL learners. Sir Syed Journal of Education & Social Research (Sjesr), 4(2), 444-451. https://doi.org/10.36902/sjesr-vol4-iss2-2021(444-451)
Al-Zubeiry, H. and Alzahrani, M. (2024). Variation in dispreferred responses among rural and urban Saudi Arabian speakers: a socio-pragmatic analysis. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 11(1), 229-248. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/1986
Amiri, M. and Birjandi, P. (2015). Reliability and content validity of a comprehensive discourse completion test of interlanguage pragmatics for academic situations. Sino-Us English Teaching, 12(9). https://doi.org/10.17265/1539-8072/2015.09.002
Anhar, M. and Yusra, K. (2022). Pedagogic illocutionary strategies enacted by experienced and novice teachers in EFL classes, 204-214. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-494069-21-3_23
Athuman, M. and Tibategeza, E. (2021). Politeness strategies in health care providers and patients’ communication. Sumerianz Journal of Education, Linguistics and Literature, (41), 30-39. https://doi.org/10.47752/sjell.41.30.39
Aufa, F. (2011). The use of discourse completion task (DCT) as explicit instruction on Indonesian EFL learners' production of suggestion acts. Journal of English and Education (JEE), 21-43. https://doi.org/10.20885/jee.v5i2.5597
Austin, J. L. (2011). How To Do Things With Words. In How To Do Things With Words. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198245537.001.0001
Bakboord, C., Keuzenkamp, S., & Saharso, S. (2022). Surinamese–Hindustani same-sex love individuals: coping with negative responses from parents in a collectivistic culture. Sexuality & Culture, 27(3), 843-862. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-022-10041-3
Bashir, S., Ashraf, R., & Khaliq, A. (2023). Linguistic accommodation in multilingual conversations: a cross-cultural study of Pakistan. Vfast Transactions on Education and Social Sciences, 11(1), 149-154. https://doi.org/10.21015/vtess.v11i1.1448
Beebe, Leslie M, Takahashi, Tomoko, Uliss-Weltz, R. (1990). “Pragmatic Transfer in ESL Refusals.” In Robin Scarcella, Elaine Andersen, and Stephen Krashen (eds.), Developing Communicative Competence in a Second Language. January, 55–73. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309352845_Pragmatic_Transfer_in_ESL_Refusals/link/601376b092851c2d4dfee097/download
Brown, P., &Levinson, S.C. (1987). Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Demirkol, T. (2019). Refusal production via dct and role play. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 15(1), 200-209. https://doi.org/10.17263/jlls.547703
Dewi, I., Tantra, D., Artini, L., & Ratminingsih, N. (2019). Refusal strategies used by multi-nationality students. Jpi (Jurnal Pendidikan Indonesia), 8(1), 40. https://doi.org/10.23887/jpi-undiksha.v8i1.14764
Dwiana, N. and Syahri, I. (2024). Indonesian EFL learners' refusal: refusal-speech act specific motivation on refusal realization. Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 151-160. https://doi.org/10.21462/ijefl.v9i1.763
Félix-Brasdefer, J. C. (2004). Interlanguage Refusals: Linguistic Politeness and Length of Residence in the Target Community. Language Learning, 54(4), 587–653. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2004.00281.x
Ghayebi, K. and Farrokh, P. (2020). The impact of raising awareness of the speech act on speaking ability across gender and proficiency level. How, 27(2), 93-111. https://doi.org/10.19183/ho2.27.2.556
Guo, Y. (2012). Chinese and American refusal strategy: a cross-cultural approach. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.2.2.247-256
Hidayat, D., Fadhilah, F., & Septiawan, Y. (2022). Speech acts in English classroom: a case at a junior high school in Indonesia. Edulite Journal of English Education Literature and Culture, 7(2), 251. https://doi.org/10.30659/e.7.2.251-265
Iliadi, P. and Larina, T. (2017). Refusal strategies in English and Russian. Rudn Journal of Language Studies Semiotics and Semantics, 9(3), 531-542. https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-2299-2017-8-3-531-542
Izadi, A & Zilaie, F. 2014. Refusal strategies in Persian. International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 25. DOI 10.1111/ijal 12065
Kim, M. (2016). Intercultural conflict. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.24
Khoram, A. (2019). Pragmatic competence of young children in Persian: a case study of thanking, requesting and apologizing. Applied Linguistics Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.14744/alrj.2019.47965
Koutsantoni, D. (2007). “I can now apologize to you twice from the bottom of my heart”: apologies in Greek reality TV. Journal of Politeness Research, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1515/pr.2007.005
Liu, H. and Qian, M. (2018). A study on gender differences in the speech act of refusal of Chinese college students. https://doi.org/10.2991/icem-17.2018.61
Masruddin, M., Amir, F., Langaji, A., & Rusdiansyah, R. (2023). Conceptualizing linguistic politeness in light of age. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 11(3), 41-55.
Meihami, H. and Khanlarzadeh, M. (2015). Pragmatic content in global and local EFL textbooks. Sage Open, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244015615168
Mohebali, S. and Salehi, N. (2016). The relationship between Iranian EFL students’ language proficiency and their cross-cultural speech act knowledge. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 6(2), 378. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0602.21
Nasriandi, N., & Masruddin, M. (2021). The Use of British Parliamentary Debate Style in Teaching Speaking Skill. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 9(1).
Norris, A., Pettigrew, J., Miller‐Day, M., Hecht, M., Hutchison, J., & Campoe, K. (2014). Resisting pressure from peers to engage in sexual behavior. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 35(4), 562-580. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431614544962
Nuzulia, R. and Agustina, P. (2022). English literature students’ pragmatic knowledge: analysis of strategy and politeness of refusal. Salee Study of Applied Linguistics and English Education, 3(2), 296-317. https://doi.org/10.35961/salee.v3i2.486
Okamoto, S., Helm, S., Giroux, D., & Kaliades, A. (2011). “I no like get caught using drugs”: explanations for refusal as a drug-resistance strategy for rural native Hawaiian youths. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 20(2), 150-166. https://doi.org/10.1080/15313204.2011.570131
Okamoto, S., Helm, S., Giroux, D., Kaliades, A., Kawano, K., & Kulis, S. (2010). A typology and analysis of drug resistance strategies of rural native Hawaiian youth. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 31(5-6), 311-319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-010-0222-8
Prayitno, H., Ngalim, A., Rohmadi, M., & Riyanto, U. (2018). Strategies of refusal speech act by Javanese culture-based students at Darul Ihsan Muhammadiyah Islamic Boarding School, Sragen. Journal of Education and Learning (Edulearn), 12(3), 520-528. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v12i3.9300
Rafieyan, V., Sharafi-Nejad, M., & Eng, L. (2014). Effect of pragmatic instruction on sustainable development of pragmatic awareness. Journal of Studies in Education, 4(1), 206. https://doi.org/10.5296/jse.v4i1.5088
Rusdi, R., Purwanti, I., & Dahnilsyah, D. (2022). Refusal strategies used by EFL learners of the English study program in Riau, Indonesia. Ideas Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning Linguistics and Literature, 10(1), 175-186. https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v10i1.2581
Sa’d, S. and Qadermazi, Z. (2014). Refusal strategies of Iranian university English as a foreign language and non-English learners in their native language: a comparative study. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, 4(4), 121-142. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.188
Searle, J. R. (2011). Speech Acts: An Essay In The Philosophy Of Language, 34th Ed
Sulastri, F. and Saptiany, S. (2023). Speech acts in EFL context: a literature review. Jelita Journal of Education, Language Innovation and Applied Linguistics, 2(2), 72-80. https://doi.org/10.37058/jelita.v2i2.6879
Supatmiwati, D., Mubin, C., Sudewi, K., & Suktiningsih, W. (2023). Refusal politeness strategies of the main characters in ‘It Starts with Us’, a novel by Colleen Hoover. Humanitatis Journal of Language and Literature, 10(1), 123-134. https://doi.org/10.30812/humanitatis.v10i1.3023
Tabarek, A., Abbas, N., & Chee, M. (2023). Refusal and politeness strategies favoured among Iraqi and Malaysian learners in marriage proposals. Discourse and Interaction, 16(2), 29-50. https://doi.org/10.5817/di2023-2-29
Tabatabaei, S. (2019). Language proficiency and appropriateness of using the refusal speech act by Iranian EFL learners. Applied Linguistics Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.14744/alrj.2019.64936
Taguchi, N. (2022). Analysis of appropriateness in a speech act of request in L2 English. Pragmatics Quarterly Publication of the International Pragmatics Association (Ipra), 513-533. https://doi.org/10.1075/prag.16.4.05tag
Taguchi, N. and Ли, Ш. (2017). Replication research in contextual and individual influences in pragmatic competence: Taguchi, Xiao & li (2016) and Bardovi-Harlig & Bastos (2011). Language Teaching, 52(1), 128-140. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444817000222
Taguchi, N., Xiao, F., & Ли, Ш. (2016). Effects of intercultural competence and social contact on speech act production in a Chinese study abroad context. Modern Language Journal, 100(4), 775-796. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12349
Tajeddin, Z. and Dabbagh, A. (2015). Interlanguage pragmatic test tasks: Does a low-stakes test have washback to L2 teachers and learners?. The Journal of Asiatefl, 12(4), 129-158. https://doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2015.12.4.5.129
Tulgar, A., YAĞIZ, O., & Han, T. (2017). Üniversite düzeyinde akademisyen ve öğrencilerin bakış açısıyla edimbilimsel yetenek ve öğretiminin değerlendirilmesi. Balıkesir Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 20(38), 589-604. https://doi.org/10.31795/baunsobed.645125
Tuncer, H. and Turhan, B. (2019). Refusal strategies of Turkish pre-service teachers of English: a focus on gender and status of interlocutor. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 15(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.17263/jlls.547578
Turki, H., Hussein, J., & Al-Kubaisy, A. (2020). Cross-sectional study of refusal speech act used by Iraqi undergraduate students. Koya University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(1), 166-173. https://doi.org/10.14500/kujhss.v3n1y2020.pp166-173
Usó Juan E. . y Martínez Flor A. . (2022). Using audiovisual material to teach refusals from a discursive perspective: a research-based proposal. Complutense Journal of English Studies, 30, 53-66. https://doi.org/10.5209/cjes.81875
Wang, Q. (2019). A comparative study of gender differences in refusal strategies from English majors. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 9(8), 1040. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0908.24
Wijayanto, A. (2019). Evaluating impoliteness in l2: a study of pragmatic competence of indonesian efl teacher trainees. The Journal of Asiatefl, 16(4), 1152-1167. https://doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2019.16.4.6.1152
Xu, L. and Wu, X. (2025). Assess differences in polite expressions between second language learners and native speakers based on scenarios involving the combination of multi-factors. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6246285/v1
Xu, L. and Wannaruk, A. (2017). Investigating interlanguage pragmatic competence in a Chinese EFL context. Suranaree Journal of Social Science, 11(2), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.55766/dqnz9834
Yadav, A. (2025). The effect of cultural orientation on bargaining behaviour. International Journal of Scientific Research in Engineering and Management, 09(05), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsrem49104
Yang, X. and Maarof, N. (2024). Effects of exposure to L2 input and language proficiency on pragmatic competence during study abroad. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.59400/fls.v6i2.1118
Yue, X. (2023). A study of the effects of language transfer on refusal strategies for second language acquisition among Chinese English major students. Communications in Humanities Research, 3(1), 592-601. https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7064/3/20220510
Zhu, W. (2012). Polite requestive strategies in emails: an investigation of pragmatic competence of Chinese EFL learners. Relc Journal, 43(2), 217-238. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688212449936
Zughaibi, A. (2022). The barefoot shoemaker's son: examining efl teachers' pragmatic competence in a saudi context. Saudi Journal of Language Studies, 2(2), 68-83. https://doi.org/10.1108/sjls-02-2022-0013
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nuri Emmiyati
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See the Effect of Open Access)
