Refusal strategies and perceptions of social factors for refusing: Empirical insights from Turkish learners of English

This study aims to examine refusal strategies of Turkish learners of English and explore their perceptions of social factors that are influential in their strategy use. The study was conducted at a private university in the west of Turkey, and eighty Turkish L2 learners enrolled at an English language preparatory program participated in the study. The data were obtained through an enhanced DCT, retrospective verbal reports, and interviews. The enhanced DCT included four situations where refusals were elicited through email invitations and requests. The results demonstrated that explanation/reason/excuse was the most frequently used semantic formula. The results also showed that the distribution of refusals to email invitations and requests differ in quantity, and that Turkish learners of English employed a lot more strategies when the initiating act was invitation. Additionally, Turkish learners of English were found to use indirect strategies more than direct strategies and adjuncts. Finally, the perception data revealed four general themes regarding the social factors that affect Turkish learners of English' refusal responses, and these are namely type and degree of relationship, content and purpose of the situation, emotions and expectations, and finally sociocultural understanding and practices.