Apology strategies of Jordanian EFL university students

Abstract

This study is an investigation of Jordanian EFL university students’ apologies, using a 10-item questionnaire based on Sugimoto's (1997). The findings revealed that male and female respondents used the primary strategies of statement of remorse, accounts, compensation, promise not to repeat offense, and reparation. They also resorted to the use of non-apology strategies such as blaming victim and brushing off the incident as unimportant to exonerate themselves from blame. The findings further revealed that male and female respondents differed in the order of the primary strategies they used. In addition, female respondents opted for non-apology strategies that veered towards avoiding the discussion of offense while male respondents used those which veered towards blaming the victim. This research is hoped to have implications for ESL/EFL pedagogy as well as the study of intercultural communication. The researchers put forth a number of relevant recommendations for further research.