INVESTIGATING STRATEGIES EMPLOYED IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUESTS: THE CASE STUDY KOHAT UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KUST

Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate the realization and preference of request patterns in English language usage at Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) in Pakistan. The study adopted mixed model research utilizing the Discourse Completion Test (DCT) and a structured questionnaire, evaluating qualitative and quantitative data based on a coding manual from the Cross-Cultural Speech Act Project by Blum-Kulka et al. (1989). 150 both male and female English Language Users participated in the study. English language users (ELUs) at KUST employ eight different request strategies, with direct requests being the most common, followed by nonconventional and conventional indirect requests. ELUs tended to favor direct requests, especially when communicating with interlocutors of equal or higher status, despite cultural norms suggesting a preference for indirectness. Female learners demonstrated higher frequencies of pragmatic competence in their requests compared to male students, particularly when approaching higher-ranking counterparts. This study contributes to understanding English request strategies among Pakistani learners and the impact of power dynamics on request patterns. It sheds light on the challenges posed by pragmatic competence and appropriateness in making requests, particularly in interactions with higher-status interlocutors. The study acknowledges limitations such as the lack of triangulation and the focus on a single speaking act. Future research is recommended to employ triangulation, examine additional speech acts, increase the number of request scenarios, utilize alternative data collection methods, and explore pragmatic transfer between Pashto, Urdu, and English. Furthermore, investigating the teaching of speech acts in different pragmatic contexts is highlighted as a potential area for further research.