Many researchers have adopted the classification of Blum-Kulka et al. (1989) in their Cross Cultural Speech Act Realization Project when coding and analysing requests in cultural and cross-cultural studies. This data analytical framework has been criticized by a number of scholars for weaknesses such as overlapping and lack of consistency across a large number of speech act classifications (Atawneh, 1991, Al-Gahtani, 2010). However, the CCSARP notion of head acts has proved its effectiveness and has been used in several studies to analyse and classify request strategies, for the Arabic context (Al-Khatib, 2006; Al-Momani, 2009; Marrani & Sazalie, 2010a; Marrani & Sazalie, 2010b).
3.7.1 Directness level
The CCSARP proposes the term ‘Head Acts’ which is defined as “the part of the sequence which might serve to realize the act independently of other elements” (Blum-Kulka et al., 1989:17). According to the CCSARP, the coding of head acts is based on breaking down the concept of Brown and Levinson's (1978) negative and positive face into sixty types of expressions. According to Blum-Kulka et al., (1989) speakers across several languages employ three main categories in accordance to the level of directness. These expressions are then classified into three levels of directness: direct, conventionally indirect and non- conventionally indirect as shown in Table 3.4.
66
5 Table 3.4 Requesting Strategies According to Blum – Kulka (1989)
Strategy Subcategory Example
MD
1. Mood Derivable (MDD) ‘sheelii el’aghradh’, .ضارغلأاَيليشََ)Pick up the stuff.)
2. Direct Question (DQ) mita elmow’ed?’ َ؟دعوملاَىتم (When is the appointment?) َ 3.Pre-Decided Statement
(PD)
‘tara bakhed sa’etik’ َ.كتعاسَذخابَىرت (I’ll take your watch) َ
4. Locution Derivable (LD) ‘ana laazim alghii elmuhadarah al’aan’, َيغلأَمزلاَانأَ ةرضاحملا (I have to cancel the class now)
5. Hedged Performatives ‘aamul teebaa’at al’elaan’, نلاعلإاَةعابطَلمآ (I wish the announcement to be printed)
6. Want Statement (WS) ‘abgha asta’eer qalamic’,.كملقَريعتساَىغبأ (I want to borrow َ your pen)
CI
7. Suggestory Formulae (SF)
‘laish ma titfaddal tijliss’ , ؟سلجتَلضفتتَامَشيل (Why don’t َ you sit down?)
8. Query Preparatory (QP) The expression contains reference to a preparatory condition for the feasibility of the request, typically one of ability e.g. ‘tigdar tiftah elbab, raja’an?’ َ،بابلاَحتفتَردقت ؟ءاجر (Can you open the door, please?), willingness ‘etha ma’endik mani, eftah ’eshubbak’ .كابشلاَحتفاَ،عنامَكدنعامَاذإ َ (If you don’t mind opening the window), or possibility ‘hal min almumkin tu’eeranii qalamuk?’ َنكمملاَنمَله ؟كملقَينيريعت (Would it be possible to lend me your pen?), as conventionalized in the given language.
NCI
9. Strong Hints (SH) ‘almatbakh yahtaj tarteeb’ .بيترتَجاتحيَخبطملا (The kitchen needs to be arranged), as a request for someone to arrange the kitchen
10. Mild Hints (MH) ‘eash haalfustan elhiloo!’ ؟ولحلاَناتسفلاهَشيا (What a َ wonderful dress!), as a request to borrow a dress.
MD= Most Direct, CI= Conventionally Indirect, NCI= Non-Conventionally Indirect Strategies
3.7.2 Conventionally indirect strategies
There is more detailed analysis for the conventionally indirect strategies since their use is usually subjected to the cultural dimensions and the social aspects of languages (Al-Momani, 2009; Blum-Kulka et al, 1989). The analysis of conventionally indirect strategies was based on two components: request perspectives and conventions of means.
67
Request perspectiveConventionally indirect strategies are subjected to the analysis of request perspectives that are also employed as mitigating devices to soften the force of requests. The following are request perspectives as classified in Blum-Kulka et al. (1989) while the examples are from the Saudi spoken variety:
1- Speaker-oriented requests e.g. mumkin asta’eer galamik? ؟كمَلق ريعتسا نكمَم “Can I borrow your pen?”
2- Hearer-oriented requests e.g. mumkin t’eernii galamik? ؟كمَلق ينيريعت نكمَم “Would you mind lending me your pen?”
3- Inclusive requests e.g. 'eash raykum nit’akhar elyoum ‘ashaan nkhallus ettaqreer? مكيار شيا ريرُتلا صلُن ناشع مويلا رخأتن
؟ “How about if we stayed longer so we can finish the report?” 4- Impersonal request e.g. hal fii ‘imkaneeyah ‘inn ettaqreer yikhalis elyoum? ريرُتلا نإ ةيناكمإ يف ه
؟مويلا صلُي “Is there any possibility of getting the report done today?”
Conventions of means
According to the CCSARP, the choice of requests under the classification of conventions of means is classified as follows:
1- Ability, e.g. tigdireen tsheeleen ma’ay hathy el’agradh? ؟ضارغلْا يذه ياعم نيليشت نيردُت “Can you / are you able to carry this stuff with me?”
2- Permission e.g. mumkin t’eereenii sa’atik, albasha fi elhaflah? ؟ةلفحلا يف اهسبلا كتعاس ينيريعت نكمَم “Can I borrow your watch? I want to wear it at the party.”
3- Possibility e.g. hal fii ‘imkaneeyah ‘innik t’ajleen maw’id ettasleem? دعوم نيلجأت كنإ ةيناكمإ يف ه ؟ميلستلا “Is there any possibility to get an extension for the submition date?”
4- Willingness e.g. habeebii, ma’alaish tkhallii ‘ummii tijlis makanik? سلجت يمأ يلُت شيلعم يبيبح ؟كناكم (Sweetheart, would you mind if my mum took your seat?), as a request to a child to give up his seat for the speaker’s mother.
5- Suggestion e.g. 'eash rayik trooh elheen biatkom wu tejii b’aden? ؟نيدعب يجتو نيحلا حورت كيار شيإ “How about if you go now and come back later?”, as a request for a neighbour's child visiting the speaker’s house to leave.
6- Knowledge e.g. habeebii, t’erif biat Mona? ؟ىنم تيب ٍّ رعت ،يبيبح “darling, do you know Mona’s house?”
3.7.3 External modifications (supportive moves)
In the context of requests, external modifications are the strategies that are used before or after the head acts to serve various functions. According to the CCSARP, external modifications/supportive moves are used to mitigate the force of requests. In the current study, supportive moves were analysed according to the classification employed by Al-Momani (2009), as described in Table 3.5.
68
6 Table 3.5 The Classification of the External Modifications Strategy Example
Preparator Kaifik khalii, tara ‘endii mushkilah, mumkin salaf khams alaf riyal we a’ridha ba’deen? كفيك نكمَم .ةلكشم يدنع ىرت ؟يلاخ
؟نيدعب اهدرأو ريال ٍّ لَّآ سمَخ فلس
َ (How are you uncle? I have a problem.
“Can I borrow 5000 riyals and give them back to you later?”
Grounder ‘ummii, 'abgha essa’ah elli ‘endik li’annhaa tnaasib elfustaan elli ‘endii كدنع يللا ةعاسلا ىغبأ يمأ بسانت اهنلْ
.يدنع يللا ناتسفلا (Mum, I want your watch, because it matches my dress.) Getting a
pre-
commitment
Ta’aalii habibtii, mumkin tsa’adeenii? ؟ينيدعاست نكمَم ،يتبيبح يلاعت “Come here, sweetheart. Can you help me?”
Disarmer m’alaish, ‘ana ’aarfah ‘innik jideedah fii elqissim bas ‘’ana ‘endii daght marrah….. ةفراع انأ ،شيلعم ....ةرم طغض يدنع انأ سب ،مسُلا يف ةديدج كنإ “It’s alright, I know that you are new in the department, but I’m really backed up with work…”
Promise of reward
Mumkin taateenii elmeetain riyal wu’aw’idk nitla fii youm malahii ‘ow mat’am? نيتيمَلا ينيطعت نكمَم ؟معطم وأ يهلمَلا موي يف علطن كدعوأو “Would you mind giving me the 200 riyals and I promise you that one day I’ll take you to the fun city or to a restaurant.”
Imposition minimizer
‘Mumkin taateenii galam ‘etha ma ’endik mani’? inshallah baraj’ah lik كدنعام اذإ ملق ينيطعت نكمَم .كل هعجراب الله ءاش نإ ؟عنام “Could you lend me your pen? If Allah permitted, I’ll give it you back.” Sweetener ‘Enti ma sha Allah ‘aliak saree’ah betibaha’ah. Mumkin tsa’adeenii fii hatha ettaqreer? ءاش ام يتنإ
ريرُتلا اذه يف ينيدعاست نكمَم .ةعابطلا يف ةعيرس كيلع الله
َ؟ “You are very good at printing. May Allah protect
you. Would you mind helping me with this report?”
Small talk habeebii, ta’aal. law samaht, ‘ana adaawer ‘ala biat saahibtii bas habbiat bat’akkad, hatha bait- hum?ََ ؟مهتيب اذه ،دكأتأ تيبح سب يتبحاص تيب رودأ انأ ،تحمَسول لاعت ،يبيبح “darling, come here, please. I’m looking for my friend’s house and I want to be sure. Is this hers?”
Appreciation mumkin tsa’adeenii? Wu’akoon lik shakrah .ةركاش كل نوكأو ؟ينيدعاست نكمَم “Can you help me? I’d appreciate it if you did.”
Self-
introduction
Assalam aliakum, ‘ana Hana, ‘ana ashtghil fii hatha elqessim… اذه يف غتشا انأ ،ءانه انأ .مكيلع ملسلا ...مسُلا “Peace be upon you. I am Hana and I work in this department……”
Affective appeal
Nouf, ‘ana elheen marrah mudghootah wu mub gadrah akhalus, Allah yiikhaleek tijeen tsa’adeenii? ؟ينيدعاست نيجت كيلُي الله ،صلخأ ةرداق بمو ةطوغضم ةرم نيحلا انأ ،ٍّ ون “name, I am honestly very busy now and I can’t finish. May Allah keep you, can you come and help me?..”
Apology ‘ana ’aasfaah ‘innii ‘awaal maarrah ’akallmk, wu lakin ithtarriat ma‘endii ‘ella ‘intii… ةفسآ انأ نا لَّإ يدنعام تيرطضا نكلو ،كمَلكأ ةرم لوأ ينإ
...يت (I’m sorry. This is the first time I talk to you, but I really have to because I don’t know anyone else…”
3.7.4 Internal modifications
Another significant element in the context of requests are internal modifications. Based on the CCSARP, there are two types of internal modifications: downgraders that mitigate the force and upgraders that add intensity to the speech acts. Unlike compliments and apologies, requests do not include upgraders. Thus, the focus in the current study is on the use of downgraders as a linguistic means to mitigate the force of requests (Al-Momani, 2009). The analysis of the internal modifications in the current study employed the
69
coding schema followed by Al-Momani (2009). Furthermore, religious expressions and in-group identity markers were added to the classification and were analysed as internal modifications. The classification of the internal modifications is shown in Table 3.6.
7 Table 3.6 The Classification of the Internal Modifications
Strategy Example
Politeness marker mumkin, ma’alaish , law samaht, تحمَسول ،شيلعم ،نكمَم “Is it possible?, Is it okay?, If you would permit.”
Conditional clause ‘etha ‘endik wagt تقو كدنع اذإ “If you have time”
Embedding Raah ‘akoon lik shakrah .ةركاش كلنوكأ حار “I’d appreciate it.”
Understater mumkin astakhdim galamik shoayiah? كمَلق مدُتسا نكمَم ؟ةيوش “Would you mind using your pen a little bit?”
Interrogative ؟ينيدعاست نكمَم “Can you help me?”
Downtoner/hedge ‘mumkin tsa’adeenii? Bas fii hathii eljuz’eeyah?, .؟ةيئزجلا يذه يف سب ؟ينيدعاست نكمَم “Can you help me? Just with this part?”
Consultative device
'eash rayik ‘etha.., ‘etha ma ’endik mani. ...اذإ كيار شيإ ،عنام كدنعام اذإ “If you don’t mind, would you mind if, how about…”
In-group identity marker
‘ukhtii, ‘ukhouy, يوخأ ،يتخأ “my sister, my brother”, ’ammii, ’ammitii, يتمَع ،يمَع “uncle, auntie”
Since the main study of this reaserch project focuses mainly on politeness and request strategies in social and cultural contexts, the qualitative analysis was mainly from a socio-pragmatic approach. In addition, the analysis focuses on the role of power status, social distance, and the degree of imposition as significant social variables. The gender of the hearer was taken into consideration as another important factor in the context of requests.