Pragmatic transfer in advice-giving under power asymmetry: insights from Saudi EFL learners

Abstract This study examines pragmatic transfer in advice-giving expressions among Arab learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), with particular focus on power asymmetry across royal, middle, and lower social classes. Employing a quantitative methodology , data were collected from 80 participants–comprising British English speakers (BritS) and Arab EFL learners–consisting on four groups: British English speakers (BritS), Arab EFL Royal Class (ArbE/RC), Arab EFL Middle Class (ArbE/MC), and Arab EFL Lower Class (ArbE/LC). Two instruments: a Discourse Completion Task (DCTs) and a Scale Response Questionnaire (SRQ) were used. Data were analyzed using contingency table via JASP software, guided by Couper-Kuhlen and Thompson’s (2022, p. 116) typology of advice-giving expressions. Results reveal that advice-giving expressions differ significantly across groups in power asymmetrical situations, with all chi-squared tests exhibiting highly significant differences (p < .001). British English spakers and Saudi EFL learners differed in their strategies: Arab EFL learners relied on comparative/superlative adjectives, whereas low status favored modal verbs. Power asymmetry constructed usage, with imperatives and conditionals strongly dominating in high control contexts, and comparative adjectives more common in mid-control situations. Overall, advice-expressions are systematically determined, demonstrating sociolinguistic norms, authority, and interactional styles. These findings offer valuable implications for English Language Teaching (ELT), contributing guidance for ELT instructors and curriculum designers seeking to enhance pragmatic competence of Arab EFL learners.