• Journal of Korean language education
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.225-254
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to contrast the patterns of realization and understanding of refusal speech acts between Korean and Thai learners. This study intends to answer the following questions: (1) Do Koreans and Thai learners perform refusal speech acts differently? (2) Do Koreans and Thai learners understand refusal speech acts differently? A DCT and a follow-up interview were conducted to collect data of two groups of 30 native Korean speakers and 30 native Thai speakers. For research question 1, we analyzed the refusal strategy and provided reasons given by Koreans and Thai learners depending on the context. For research question 2, we ran a chi-squared test on the elements of the follow-up interviews, such as the weight of burden of refusing, and whether the participant would actually refuse or not. The differences between the refusal strategies of the two groups could be categorized by the preceding inducing speech act. In refusing a request, the difference was prominent in the apologizing strategy, whereas in refusing a suggestion, the difference was mainly in the direct refusal strategy. When refusing an invitation, the most evident difference was the number of refusal strategies employed. When providing an explanation of refusal to people with high social status, Koreans gave more specific reasons for refusals, whereas Thai learners tended to use more vague reasons. Moreover, when refusing an invitation, Koreans primarily mentioned the relationship, and Thai learners showed the spirit of Greng Jai. When asked the weight of burden of refusing, Koreans felt pressured to refuse a request from people with high social status, and a suggestion or invitation from people with high level of intimacy while Thai learners found it highly difficult to make a refusal in all cases. In answering whether they would actually refuse or not, Koreans tried not to make a refusal to people with high level of intimacy, and such a trend was not evident among the Thai. This study can help us better understand the learner's pragmatic failure, and serve as a basis in establishing a curriculum for teaching speech acts.

• Journal of Korean language education
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.83-113
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• 2014

This study aims to examine the change of strategy use by analyzing the refusal sequence of beginner Japanese Korean learners by time difference of 10 weeks. The results of the study are as follows; First, in the solidarity system of politeness(power-, distance-), learners showed similar ability as native Koreans after 10 weeks. Second, in the deference system(power-, distance+), there was a difference according to the situational burden when using strategies. In the invitational setting, the learners sought justification for their refusal or tried to negotiate by explaining in detail as time passed. However, in the request setting, they showed no will to compromise by refusing directly and leading the listener to give up. Third, similar difference was found in the use of strategies depending on the situational burden in the hierarchical system(power+, distance+). While learners could present their justification for refusal by showing their interest in the invitation as time passed in the invitation setting, they expressed straight refusal and were not willing to negotiate in the request setting.

• Korean Linguistics
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• v.76
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• pp.187-211
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate the speech act realization of speculative expressions and to present their teaching-learning contents. It is hard for Korean learners to use speculative expressions appropriately because there are various similar expressions and their meaning is distinctive in detail. This study describes speech act realizations of '-는 것 같다, -을까, -나 보다, -을걸'. All these forms have the meaning of speculations, so they are mainly used to present uncertain information or thoughts of speaker. But they show distinctive aspects. '-는 것 같다' is mainly used to present contents contrary to their counterparts' opinions or irritating for their counterparts. It is used as polite forms because it conveys meanings of uncertainty. Especially in these contexts, it performs the refusal speech acts. '-을까' has the characteristic feature in the complex forms such as '뭐랄까', '뭐라고 할까' and it performs request speech acts more frequently than '-는 것 같다'. Also it is used to express the speakers' opinions contrary to their counterparts'. '-나 보다' expresses speaker's speculations based on hearer's conditions or his speech, so it is used to respond to hearer actively and express interests unlike other speculative expressions. '-을걸' isn't used to perform request, to express interests to hearer. However, it is mainly used when speaker has the contrary assumptions or expectations to hearer's. Based on the analyze, this study presents and grades teaching-learning contents of speculative expressions.