REFUSAL SPEECH ACTS: A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF POLITENESS STRATEGIES IN DRAMATIC DISCOURSE

Abstract

Refusal is one of the most complex speech acts because it involves rejecting a request, invitation, offer, or suggestion while maintaining social relationships. Since refusals are inherently face-threatening, speakers often employ indirect strategies to minimize conflict and preserve politeness. This study investigates refusal speech acts in dramatic discourse from a pragmatic perspective. Using Speech Act Theory and Brown and Levinson's Politeness Theory as the theoretical framework, the research analyzes refusal strategies found in English drama scripts through qualitative descriptive analysis. The results reveal that speakers predominantly employ indirect refusal strategies rather than explicit forms of rejection. The most frequently observed refusal strategies included apologies, explanations, expressions of regret, and alternative suggestions, all of which served to mitigate the potential threat to interpersonal relationships. The findings also confirm that dramatic discourse reflects natural communicative interaction, where contextual variables, social distance, and power relations influence speakers' pragmatic choices.