Iranian EFL Learners’ Use of Condolence Expressions in English: From Pragmatic Awareness to Intercultural Sensitivity

This study aimed to achieve a four-fold purpose: First, identifying English native speakers’ and EFL learners’condolence speech patterns based on Samavarchi and Allami’s (2012) framework; second, determining EFLlearners’ intercultural sensitivity competence based on Chen and Starosta’s (2000) scale; third, identifying theextent to which EFL learners’ speech acts would match those of their English-speaking counterparts; and finally,establishing a statistical account of the extent of association between intercultural sensitivity and the focusedspeech act. Thus, a modified version of condolence DCT designed by Samavarchi and Allami (2012) was appliedto 30 advanced Iranian EFL learners. It addressed Brown and Levinson’s (1987) variables of power (i.e., high,low & equal) and social distance (i.e., strange & intimate). To come up with an accurate condolence pattern, theresearchers asked 10 American native speakers to participate in this study and answer the same DCT via email.To fulfill the purposes of the study, Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS; Chen & Starosta, 2000) was alsoconducted. It explores interaction enjoyment, attentiveness and engagement among the participants. On the basisof descriptive as well as statistical analyses, the results suggested differences and similarities in the natives andnon-natives’ frequency of speech patterns. Besides, the results indicated a direct positive correlation between ISSand the application of DCT. The implication is that the mere identification of speech acts is not enough and EFLlearners should comprehend the discursive practice going on in the situation.

کلیدواژه ها:

Pragmatic Awareness ، Condolence Speech Act ، Intercultural Sensitivity