On the Use of Apology Strategies by Iranian EFL Learners: Do Gender and Proficiency Level Matter?

Abstract

The current body of knowledge presents a great emphasize on teaching EFL learners to become pragmatically competent. Despite such an emphasis on pragmatics competence, apology strategies in English and Persian have been ignored. Moreover, it is known that EFL learners’ gender and level of proficiency affect the use of these strategies while second language communication. To this purpose, 120 EFL students from State and Azad universities of Zahedan and Zabol were selected (60 males and 60 females). Two instruments were used for collecting data including Oxford Placement Test and Discourse Completion Test (DCT). The participants were divided into three levels (pre-intermediate, intermediate, and upper-intermediate) based on their scores on the placement test, then they received DCT; they were required to provide the L2 equivalents of apology strategies depending on the communication situations. Data were tabulated and analyzed based on Olshtain and Cohen (1983) model. The results of the study showed that the most frequent used apology was IFIDs; (59%), Offer of Repair (15%), taking on Responsibility (8.3%), and Explanation or Account (7.17%).The findings further revealed that male and female respondents differed in the order of the secondary strategies they used. Females were intended to use intensifications twice more than males. Also it has been cleared that level of proficiency is a significant factor in determining the kind of the strategy an individual is intended to use. However the percentage of intensified IFIDs for males were increased by raising the level of proficiency, while decreasing happened for females by raising their level of proficiency.