Indonesians’ Perceptions and Evaluations of Apology Strategies

This study investigates the realisation of apology speech act strategies of Bahasa Indonesia by 60 Indonesian people from across Indonesia as well as their perceptions and evaluations of apologies. For triangulation, the data was collected using three methods: Oral Discourse Completion Task (DCT), Likert scale surveys, and in-depth interviews. The results revealed that Indonesian participants generally use IFID (Illocutionary force indicating device or expression of regret) in their apology strategy, followed by EAS (Explanation or account of cause), OR (Offer of repair), TOR (Taking on responsibility) and lastly, POF (Promise of forbearance). The findings also indicate that most Indonesians tend to easily forgive and accept apologies, they agreed that their apologies were likely to be accepted. Especially when they held higher social power. Interestingly, rather than perceiving apologies as face-threatening acts, most individuals viewed apologies as a means of preserving face and repairing offenses. This reflects a strong cultural emphasis on politeness and the maintenance of social harmony, where apologies play a crucial role in fostering positive relationships. Indonesian apologies are shaped by social status. However, the emphasis is on using polite language and showing respect rather than on the hierarchical structure itself.