What about speech acts? A comparative analysis of speech acts in isiZulu and English for the development of business writing skills in English second language learners.
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Date
2021
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Abstract
The current study investigates students' awareness and challenges with using speech acts and
politeness in written business correspondence.
The research is motivated by the researcher's observations and experience as an English
Communication Skills practitioner at the tertiary level. She found that most first-year English
second language (L2) students battle with using appropriate speech acts and politeness
strategies when writing business correspondence. Furthermore, students struggle with
understanding both transactional and interactional functions of business letters. Yet, university
graduates must develop and possess effective business writing skills to meet global
communication needs because future employers expect their employees to communicate
successfully internally, nationally, and internationally with people of various cultures through
business correspondence.
In addressing these challenges, the study explores to what extent an understanding of isiZulu
speech acts and politeness strategies can be used in developing practical written business
communication skills for English business communication.
Data was collected by a mixed-method approach, using a student questionnaire, a politeness
scoring task, focus group interviews and business letters on the speech acts of COMPLAINT and
REQUEST in English and isiZulu. A total of 150 first-year tertiary students, who are isiZulu first
language and English second-language speakers, participated in the study.
The study's findings show that while the students recognize the importance of politeness in
business writing and have an awareness of the pragmatic function of speech acts in English and
isiZulu, they experience difficulties in choosing the appropriate words that show politeness and
achieve the intended meaning in English. The students understand both the transactional and
interactional intentions of writing business letters in isiZulu. However, they struggle with
performing these language functions when writing the same letters in their L2. The study found
that the L1 can be used to enhance pragmatic competence in English business correspondence
and intercultural communication. Hence, in the teaching of business communication at the
tertiary level, the acknowledgment of the students’ existing competencies in their L1 seems to
be crucial in addressing challenges with intercultural communication.
Description
Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.