Impoliteness and Threat Responses in an Iraqi-Kurdish EFL Context

Arab World English Journal ◽

10.24093/awej/vol12no2.3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 31-48

Author(s):

Shurooq A. Ali

Keyword(s):

Data Analysis ◽

Focus Group ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Focus Group Interview ◽

Illocutionary Force ◽

Group Interview ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Efl Context ◽

Completion Task ◽

Face Saving

This study shows impoliteness as a form of face-threatening that can be intentionally caused by verbal threats in a particular setting. It investigates: what strategies and mitigators do Iraqi-Kurdish English as a foreign language (EFL) learners use in situations of threat responses? The present investigation paper aims to examine impoliteness strategies and mitigators by these learners when they respond to threatening situations in their context. Thus, it fills a gap in pragmatics literature by investigating the reactions to threats in an Iraqi-Kurdish EFL context. To this end, 50 participants have participated in this study. An open-ended questionnaire in the form of a Discourse Completion Task (DCT) is used to elicit responses from the participants. Besides, a focus group interview is conducted to support the data analysis. The data are coded based on Limberg’s (2009) model of impoliteness and threat responses to figure out the strategies used by the learners. Blum-Kulka, House, and Kasper’s (1989) taxonomy of mitigators is adapted to analyze the mitigators. Overall, the findings reveal that the preferred responses surpass those which indicate dispreference by the learners. They tend to use face-saving acts when they comply with the threatener’s demand and opt for face-threatening acts when they reject that demand indirectly. Moreover, these learners use mitigators to attenuate the illocutionary force of their responses. Finally, this study provides some recommendations and pedagogical implications.

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Gender and Supportive Moves of Criticism: Evidence from Iraqi-Arabic and Malay Speech Communities

Journal of the College of languages ◽

10.36586/jcl.2.2020.0.42.0027 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 0 (42) ◽

pp. 27-50

Author(s):

Shurooq Abboodi Ali ◽

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Focus Group Interview ◽

Group Interview ◽

Speech Communities ◽

Completion Test ◽

Similarities And Differences

This study aims to reveal the similarities and differences between Iraqi and Malay university learners and their genders in producing the supportive moves of criticism. To this end, 30 Iraqi and 30 Malay university learners have participated in this study. A Discourse Completion Test (DCT) and a Focus Group Interview (FGI) are conducted to elicit responses from the participants. Nguyen’s (2005) classification of criticism supportive moves is adapted to code the data. The data are analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. Overall, the findings unveil that both groups use similar categories of supportive moves, but Iraqis produce more of these devices than Malays in their criticisms. Although both females and males of both groups use identical devices, they differ in their preference for producing particular types. Iraqi and Malay females prefer to produce more supportive moves than Iraqi and Malay males in their criticisms. Finally, the study provides some pedagogical implications for teachers of English as a second and foreign language.

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Smartphone Screen Recording Apps: An Effective Tool to Enhance Fluency in the English Language

Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal ◽

10.14483/22487085.14202 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 208-229

Author(s):

Catherine Vanessa Pardo Soto ◽

Cecilia Cisterna Zenteno

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Foreign Language ◽

English Language ◽

Sampling Method ◽

Focus Group Interview ◽

Video Recording ◽

Group Interview ◽

Video Recordings ◽

English Speaking ◽

Convenience Sampling

This investigation intended to assess the effectiveness of smartphone video recording applications in increasing the speaking fluency of students of English as a foreign language (EFL). The study was conducted on a group of thirty-one 7th grade students aged between 12 and 13 years and enrolled in a subsidised school in Chile. The convenience sampling method was employed to select the participating students and the participants’ manner of communication was analysed through several English speaking sessions in which they used their smartphone video recording applications. Data collection was undertaken through pre- and post-speaking tasks used in this action research. The collected data were examined using a specific analytic rubric and a focus group interview. Data analysis was accomplished via two techniques: a simple percentage analysis and a thematic examination. The findings revealed an increase in the speaking fluency of the participating students, specifically with regard to the ‘pace’ criterion identified in the analytic rubric used to assess improvement in the speaking performance of students as evidenced by video recordings. Also, the results of the focus group interview conducted with the students evidenced the participants’ positive response to the use of smartphone recording video applications in ameliorating their English communication fluency.

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