Factors Contributing to the use of Conversational Silence in Academic Discourse among Malaysian Undergraduate students

Bashir Ibrahim,Ain Nadzimah Abdullah,Zalina Mohd Kasim,Shameem Rafik-Galea

doi:10.17576/3l-2018-2403-04

Abstract

Asians are said to use silence in academic situation more than other learners from Europe and America. With the increased need for students’ oral participation in the language learning classroom and other academic situations, the Asian silent behavior has been considered a problem. The aim of this study is to investigate factors that contribute to the use of conversational silence by Malaysian science and non-science undergraduate students in academic discourse. Seventeen undergraduate students from a local university in Malaysia participated in a focus group interview which required them to respond to questions related to the beliefs of their culture on the use of silence, the extent to which the participants practice silence in academic discourse, and factors that contribute to the use of conversational silence. There were two groups each from the Departments of English and Computer and Communication System who informed the research. The study was underpinned by Brown and Levinson Politeness Theory, which is tied to the concept of ‘face’ as something that is highly valuable, and must be guarded in interaction. The findings suggest that some factors such as socio-cultural upbringing, personality and intimidation by the environment play a role in the use of silence by the informants of this study. Keywords: Use of conversational silence; Academic discourse; Politeness; Malaysian undergraduate students; Focus Group Interview

Highlights

Conversational silence – an act of saying nothing where talk is expected, has been a common practice in everyday conversation
This article investigates factors that contribute to the use of conversational silence in academic discourse by some Malaysian science and non-science undergraduate students
Following past research on the use of silence in academic situation, this study investigated factors contributing to the use of silence by Malaysian undergraduate students

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Conversational silence – an act of saying nothing where talk is expected, has been a common practice in everyday conversation. Where silence is used instead of talk, a conversation partner tries to decipher the meaning based on the culture, context and situation of its use. In the Vietnamese culture, for example, the tendency for hiding one’s feelings, preservation of face, respect for hierarchy, and maintenance of social/interpersonal harmony are paramount social behaviours (Phuong 2014). Quoting Hunt (2002), Phuong (2014) stated that: Vietnamese people often engage in prescribed behaviours such as avoiding direct eye contact and affective expression, remaining silent and showing attentive listening when speaking to someone older or an authoritative figure, avoiding interrupting, talking back or questioning because ―asking questions or disagreeing with an authoritative speaker is like challenging the senior person’s social status which is seen to be rude in Vietnamese culture. In the Malay culture, the face is safe guarded during conversation by means of refraining from talking or delaying a negative reply. Silence seems to function as a means of expressing politeness and preserving one’s face

OBJECTIVE

LITERATURE REVIEW

METHODOLOGY

CODING METHOD AND METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS

AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION