Ostensible Refusals in the Jordanian culture

Abstract

This study comprehensively analyzes ostensible refusals, a type of ostensible communicative act. The research utilizes the Joint Action theory framework proposed by Clark to highlight the functions and structure of this communicative act in Jordanian culture. The data of the study is collected through informal interviews with twenty participants and direct observation and recalls, and a qualitative analysis is conducted. The study shows that, like other cultures, ostensible refusals in Jordan often follow a multipartite structure like ‘invite-refuse-invite-accept’ and are characterized as immediate, unmitigated, and short. These refusals play crucial roles in different contexts, such as avoiding support, responding to compliments, mitigating embarrassment, adhering to cultural rituals, fostering customer loyalty, expressing frustration, and negotiating offers. The research significantly contributes to understanding the complexity of verbal interactions and cultural communication practices in Jordan.

Keywords

• Face
• ostensible communicative acts
• ostensible refusals
• speech acts
• Jeroen van de Weijer
• Shenzhen University