FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SPEECH ACT OF REFUSALS OF OFFERS BY NATIVE SPEAKERS OF AMERICAN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE PEOPLE

Refusal speech acts are prevalent across all languages. Similar to other speech acts, declining of an offer is affected by linguistic and cultural factors. The formulations for expressing declination vary between languages and civilizations due to distinct linguistic features and cognitive patterns linked to each society. These result in misinterpretations and disputes in intercultural communication. The paper examines factors influencing the strategies by which Americans and Vietnamese decline offers. All data have been collected and categorized from over eighty Vietnamese and American literary works and films in two languages. By identifying the factors that affect the rejection of offers, the authors aim to furnish insights regarding the determinants influencing how individuals decline offers, thereby contributing to the enhancement of English language instruction in Vietnam and the teaching of Vietnamese to foreigners.