Socio cultural Transfer in Punjabi ESL Speech Behaviors: Case Study of Request Patterns

Abstract

This exploration study has examined the effects of Punjabi language and its socioculturalspeech norms in the realization patterns of speech act of requests by Punjabi ESLs. The data were collected by using the Discourse Completion Test (DCT), which was developed on the basis of the observational field notes. There were three groups of the participants in this study i.e.one target group (P-ESL) and two reference groups (Punjabi L1 & English L1). By using the semantic formulas as unit of analysis, the responses of native Pakistani ESLs were compared with the responses of native Punjabi speakers (Punjabi L1) and of native English speakers(English L1), to detect whether sociocultural language transfer had occurred.The statistical devices; frequencies and percentages for the selection and the content of the semantic formula for the core request patterns and the supportive move strategies were used for the purpose of analysis. The framework for the data analysis was adapted from the coding scheme of the most pivotal research project in cross-cultural and interlanguage studies— Cross-Cultural Speech Act Realization Project (CCSARP) by (Shushana Blum-Kalka, Juliane House & Gabriele Kasper, 1989). The finding exposed a clear evidence of sociocultural transfer from the Punjabi language to English language in the English spoken by the Punjabi ESLs.This exploration study helped to advance the cross-cultural communication by having mindfulness about the distinctions in the social shows to evade the correspondence failures and to limit the oblivious repulsiveness among English and Punjabi native speakers