Comparative Pragmatic Analysis of Negative Politeness Strategies in Request Employed by Jordanian and Omani Students: A Conceptual Paper

Abstract

This study explores the pragmatic application of negative politeness strategies in requests produced by Jordanian and Omani students. By comparing the negative politeness strategies utilized by each group, the research aims to highlight both similarities and differences in their approaches. A qualitative methodology, incorporating observation and semi-structured interviews, will be employed to gather data from a sample of 10 Jordanian students at Jerash University in Jordan and 10 Omani students at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. The study will test the following hypotheses: Jordanian and Omani students tend to favor similar negative politeness strategies when making requests, and the enactment of these strategies may vary in terms of request formulation and specific linguistic choices. Future research directions include examining positive politeness strategies in requests among these populations, potentially enriching the current findings through a deeper investigation of politeness behaviors in their daily communicative interactions.