Refusals in Jordanian Arabic and Chinese: A cross-cultural pragmatic study of language and gender

This study investigates refusal strategies in Jordanian Arabic and Mandarin Chinese from a comparative pragmatic approach. The study also explores gender differences and similarities in refusals and highlights the social and cultural contexts that account for the realization of this speech act. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses to reveal cross-cultural nuances in the use of refusals more thoroughly. The data were collected using a Written Discourse Completion Task (WDCT) with 128 participants: 64 Jordanian Arabic speakers (32 males and 32 females) and 64 Chinese speakers (32 males and 32 females). The analysis of the responses was done using the framework of Beebe et al. (1990) , which includes refusal strategies that are direct, indirect, and adjunct to refusals. The results show a strong tendency among both language groups to use indirect refusal strategies, with Chinese speakers employing them far more than Jordanians. All participants from both groups used Direct strategies very little. Both cultural groups showed some gender differences. In Jordanian Arabic, females used wish strategies significantly more than males did, indicating their greater propensity for face and nurturing discourse. Among Chinese participants, males produced more adjuncts than females. Jordanian Arabic speakers often used swearing to God and offering prayers along with refusals, which helped reinforce social harmony through religion. On the other hand, Chinese speakers placed more importance on politeness markers such as excuses and regretful statements, indicating a desire to protect one’s image. • Both Arabic and Chinese speakers prefer indirect over direct refusal strategies. • Chinese participants relied heavily on excuses, while Jordanians diversified with regret, wishes and promises. • Jordanians frequently used religious adjuncts; the Chinese favored gratitude and pause fillers. • Gender influenced refusals: Jordanian women used more wishes; Chinese men used more adjuncts. • Findings enhance cross-cultural pragmatic competence and inform second language teaching of refusals.