Research Article
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Year 2020, Volume: 16 Issue: 3, 1237 - 1250, 01.10.2020
https://doi.org/10.17263/jlls.803685

Abstract

References

  • Al-Gahtani, S., & Roever, C. (2013). ‘Hi doctor, give me handouts’: Low-proficiency learners and requests. ELT Journal, 67(4), 413-424.
  • Biesenbach-Lucas, S. (2004). Speech acts in e-mail: A new look at pragmatic competence. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Association of Applied Linguistics, Portland, OR.
  • Biesenbach-Lucas, S. (2006). Making requests in email: Do cyber-consultations entail directness? Toward conventions in a new medium. In K. Bardovi-Harlig, J. C. Felix Brasdefer, & A. Omar (Eds.), Pragmatics and language learning (pp. 81–107). Honolulu, HI: [National Foreign Language Resource Center] University of Hawaii Press.
  • Biesenbach-Lucas, S. (2007). Students writing emails to faculty: An examination of e-politeness among native and non-native speakers of English. Language Learning & Technology, 11(2), 59-81.
  • Blum-Kulka, S., & Olshtain, E. (1984). Requests and apologies: A cross-cultural study of speech act realization patterns (CCSARP). Applied Linguistics, 5(3), 196-213. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/5.3.196
  • Blum-Kulka, S., House, J., & Kasper, G. (Eds.). (1989). Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
  • Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage. In Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C (Eds.), Politeness: Some universals in language usage, (pp. 311-323). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
  • Chen, C-F. E. (2006). The development of e-mail literacy: From writing to peers to writing to authority figures. Language Learning & Technology, 10(2), 35-55.
  • Daskalovska, N., Ivanovska, B., Kusevska, M., & Ulanska, T. (2016). The use of request strategies by EFL Learners. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 232, 55-61. 10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.10.015.
  • Deveci, T., & Hmida, I. (2017). The request speech act in emails by Arab university students in the UAE. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(1), 194-214.
  • Economidou-Kogetsidis, M. (2009). Interlanguage request modification: The use of lexical/phrasal downgraders and mitigating supportive moves. Multilingua, 28(1), 79-111. https://doi.org/10.1515/mult.2009.004
  • Economidou-Kogetsidis, M. (2011). "Please answer me as soon as possible": Pragmatic failure in non-native speakers' email requests to faculty. Journal of Pragmatics, 43(13), 3193-3215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2011.06.006
  • Faerch, C. & Kasper, G. (1989). Internal and external modification in interlanguage request realization. In S. Blum-Kulka, J. House, & G. Kasper (Eds.), Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies (pp. 221-247). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
  • Félix-Brasdefer, J. C. (2012). Email requests to faculty. In M. Economidou-Kogetsidis, & H. Woodfield (Eds.), Interlanguage request modification (pp. 87-188). John Benjamins Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.217.04fel
  • Fukushima, S. (1996). Request strategies in British English and Japanese. Language Sciences, 18 (3–4): 671–688. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0388-0001(96)00041-1
  • Hartford, B. & Bardovi-Harlig, K. (1996). "At your earliest convenience": A study of written student requests to faculty. In L. F. Bouton (Ed.), Pragmatics and language learning. Monograph Series Volume 7 (pp. 55-69). Urbana, IL: DEIL
  • Hassall, T. (1999). Request strategies in Indonesian. Pragmatics. Quarterly Publication of the International Pragmatics Association (IPrA), 9(4), 585-606.
  • Hassall, T. (2001). Modifying requests in a second language. International Review of Applied Linguistics (IRAL), 39, 259–283.
  • Hassall, T. (2012). Request modification by Australian learners of Indonesian. In M. Economidou-Kogetsidis, & H. Woodfield (Eds.), Interlanguage request modification (pp. 203-242). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
  • Hendriks, B. (2010). An experimental study of native speaker perceptions of non-native request modification in emails in English. Intercultural Pragmatics, 7(2), 221-155. https://doi:10.1515/iprg.2010.011
  • House, J. (1989). Politeness in English and German: The functions of 'please' and 'bitte'." In S. Blum-Kulka, J. House, & G. Kasper (Eds.), Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies (pp.123-154). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
  • Pan, C. (2012). Interlanguage requests in institutional email discourse. In M. Economidou- Kogetsidis & H. Woodfield (Eds.), Interlanguage request modification (pp. 119-161). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
  • Searle, J. R. (1969). Speech acts: An essay in the philosophy of language. Cambridge University Press. https://doi:10.1017/CBO9781139173438
  • Sirikhan, S., & Prapphal, K. (2011). Assessing Pragmatic Ability of Thai Hotel Management and Tourism Students in the Context of Hotel Front Office. Asian EFL Journal Professional Teaching Articles, 53, 72-94.
  • Wang, M., & Aaltonen, S. (2004). Sino-Finnish e-mail project: A teaching tool for tertiary business communication course. The Asian ESP Journal, 6(3).
  • Woodfield, H. & Economidou-Kogetsidis, M. (2010). 'I just need more time': A study of native and non-native students' requests to faculty for an extension. Multilingua, 29(1), 77-118. https://doi.org/10.1515/mult.2010.004
  • Zarei, G. R. & Mohammadi, M. (2012). E-politeness in Iranian English electronic requests to the faculty. Research in Applied Linguistics, 3(1), 3-24.
  • Zhu, W. (2012). Modal Verbs [1] for politeness in e-mail requests to professors: The case of Chinese EFL learners. The Asian EFL Journal, 14, 100-141.

Making requests in emails to professors: An examination of request modifications performed by Indonesian students in Japan

Year 2020, Volume: 16 Issue: 3, 1237 - 1250, 01.10.2020
https://doi.org/10.17263/jlls.803685

Abstract

This paper examines email requests sent by Indonesian students to Japanese university professors using English as their lingua franca. It particularly analyzes how students modify their email requests using internal and external modifications as a way to soften the force of the imposed requests. Data were gathered from a total of 56 authentic emails and analyzed using a framework contrived by Economidou-Kogetsidis (2011), a modified Cross-Cultural of Speech Act Realization Patterns (CCSARP) coding scheme initially developed by Blum-Kulka, House & Kasper (1989). The result showed that while Indonesian students barely use the internal modifications to soften the imposition of their written requests, they tend to rely more on the use of external modifications using supporting moves. This strategy can indirectly modify the illocutionary force of the request as the students ensure that they provide their professors with enough background information and justify the reason behind their request through grounder moves. This present study also shows a shift in students' communication style where brevity is highly preferable.

References

  • Al-Gahtani, S., & Roever, C. (2013). ‘Hi doctor, give me handouts’: Low-proficiency learners and requests. ELT Journal, 67(4), 413-424.
  • Biesenbach-Lucas, S. (2004). Speech acts in e-mail: A new look at pragmatic competence. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Association of Applied Linguistics, Portland, OR.
  • Biesenbach-Lucas, S. (2006). Making requests in email: Do cyber-consultations entail directness? Toward conventions in a new medium. In K. Bardovi-Harlig, J. C. Felix Brasdefer, & A. Omar (Eds.), Pragmatics and language learning (pp. 81–107). Honolulu, HI: [National Foreign Language Resource Center] University of Hawaii Press.
  • Biesenbach-Lucas, S. (2007). Students writing emails to faculty: An examination of e-politeness among native and non-native speakers of English. Language Learning & Technology, 11(2), 59-81.
  • Blum-Kulka, S., & Olshtain, E. (1984). Requests and apologies: A cross-cultural study of speech act realization patterns (CCSARP). Applied Linguistics, 5(3), 196-213. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/5.3.196
  • Blum-Kulka, S., House, J., & Kasper, G. (Eds.). (1989). Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
  • Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage. In Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C (Eds.), Politeness: Some universals in language usage, (pp. 311-323). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
  • Chen, C-F. E. (2006). The development of e-mail literacy: From writing to peers to writing to authority figures. Language Learning & Technology, 10(2), 35-55.
  • Daskalovska, N., Ivanovska, B., Kusevska, M., & Ulanska, T. (2016). The use of request strategies by EFL Learners. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 232, 55-61. 10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.10.015.
  • Deveci, T., & Hmida, I. (2017). The request speech act in emails by Arab university students in the UAE. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(1), 194-214.
  • Economidou-Kogetsidis, M. (2009). Interlanguage request modification: The use of lexical/phrasal downgraders and mitigating supportive moves. Multilingua, 28(1), 79-111. https://doi.org/10.1515/mult.2009.004
  • Economidou-Kogetsidis, M. (2011). "Please answer me as soon as possible": Pragmatic failure in non-native speakers' email requests to faculty. Journal of Pragmatics, 43(13), 3193-3215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2011.06.006
  • Faerch, C. & Kasper, G. (1989). Internal and external modification in interlanguage request realization. In S. Blum-Kulka, J. House, & G. Kasper (Eds.), Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies (pp. 221-247). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
  • Félix-Brasdefer, J. C. (2012). Email requests to faculty. In M. Economidou-Kogetsidis, & H. Woodfield (Eds.), Interlanguage request modification (pp. 87-188). John Benjamins Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.217.04fel
  • Fukushima, S. (1996). Request strategies in British English and Japanese. Language Sciences, 18 (3–4): 671–688. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0388-0001(96)00041-1
  • Hartford, B. & Bardovi-Harlig, K. (1996). "At your earliest convenience": A study of written student requests to faculty. In L. F. Bouton (Ed.), Pragmatics and language learning. Monograph Series Volume 7 (pp. 55-69). Urbana, IL: DEIL
  • Hassall, T. (1999). Request strategies in Indonesian. Pragmatics. Quarterly Publication of the International Pragmatics Association (IPrA), 9(4), 585-606.
  • Hassall, T. (2001). Modifying requests in a second language. International Review of Applied Linguistics (IRAL), 39, 259–283.
  • Hassall, T. (2012). Request modification by Australian learners of Indonesian. In M. Economidou-Kogetsidis, & H. Woodfield (Eds.), Interlanguage request modification (pp. 203-242). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
  • Hendriks, B. (2010). An experimental study of native speaker perceptions of non-native request modification in emails in English. Intercultural Pragmatics, 7(2), 221-155. https://doi:10.1515/iprg.2010.011
  • House, J. (1989). Politeness in English and German: The functions of 'please' and 'bitte'." In S. Blum-Kulka, J. House, & G. Kasper (Eds.), Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies (pp.123-154). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
  • Pan, C. (2012). Interlanguage requests in institutional email discourse. In M. Economidou- Kogetsidis & H. Woodfield (Eds.), Interlanguage request modification (pp. 119-161). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
  • Searle, J. R. (1969). Speech acts: An essay in the philosophy of language. Cambridge University Press. https://doi:10.1017/CBO9781139173438
  • Sirikhan, S., & Prapphal, K. (2011). Assessing Pragmatic Ability of Thai Hotel Management and Tourism Students in the Context of Hotel Front Office. Asian EFL Journal Professional Teaching Articles, 53, 72-94.
  • Wang, M., & Aaltonen, S. (2004). Sino-Finnish e-mail project: A teaching tool for tertiary business communication course. The Asian ESP Journal, 6(3).
  • Woodfield, H. & Economidou-Kogetsidis, M. (2010). 'I just need more time': A study of native and non-native students' requests to faculty for an extension. Multilingua, 29(1), 77-118. https://doi.org/10.1515/mult.2010.004
  • Zarei, G. R. & Mohammadi, M. (2012). E-politeness in Iranian English electronic requests to the faculty. Research in Applied Linguistics, 3(1), 3-24.
  • Zhu, W. (2012). Modal Verbs [1] for politeness in e-mail requests to professors: The case of Chinese EFL learners. The Asian EFL Journal, 14, 100-141.
There are 28 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Rezky Pratiwi Balman This is me

Sangmok Lee This is me

Publication Date October 1, 2020
Published in Issue Year 2020 Volume: 16 Issue: 3

Cite

APA Balman, R. P., & Lee, S. (2020). Making requests in emails to professors: An examination of request modifications performed by Indonesian students in Japan. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 16(3), 1237-1250. https://doi.org/10.17263/jlls.803685
AMA Balman RP, Lee S. Making requests in emails to professors: An examination of request modifications performed by Indonesian students in Japan. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies. October 2020;16(3):1237-1250. doi:10.17263/jlls.803685
Chicago Balman, Rezky Pratiwi, and Sangmok Lee. “Making Requests in Emails to Professors: An Examination of Request Modifications Performed by Indonesian Students in Japan”. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies 16, no. 3 (October 2020): 1237-50. https://doi.org/10.17263/jlls.803685.
EndNote Balman RP, Lee S (October 1, 2020) Making requests in emails to professors: An examination of request modifications performed by Indonesian students in Japan. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies 16 3 1237–1250.
IEEE R. P. Balman and S. Lee, “Making requests in emails to professors: An examination of request modifications performed by Indonesian students in Japan”, Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 1237–1250, 2020, doi: 10.17263/jlls.803685.
ISNAD Balman, Rezky Pratiwi - Lee, Sangmok. “Making Requests in Emails to Professors: An Examination of Request Modifications Performed by Indonesian Students in Japan”. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies 16/3 (October 2020), 1237-1250. https://doi.org/10.17263/jlls.803685.
JAMA Balman RP, Lee S. Making requests in emails to professors: An examination of request modifications performed by Indonesian students in Japan. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies. 2020;16:1237–1250.
MLA Balman, Rezky Pratiwi and Sangmok Lee. “Making Requests in Emails to Professors: An Examination of Request Modifications Performed by Indonesian Students in Japan”. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, vol. 16, no. 3, 2020, pp. 1237-50, doi:10.17263/jlls.803685.
Vancouver Balman RP, Lee S. Making requests in emails to professors: An examination of request modifications performed by Indonesian students in Japan. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies. 2020;16(3):1237-50.