Moves in Refusal: How Malaysians Say 'No.'.

Refusals are one of the many speech acts of conversational analysis. Many people find themselves engulfed in problematic situations because they do not know how to say 'No' and many have had to experience negative emotions such as shame, embarrassment, anger, guilt, inferiority complex, resentment or even vengeance when they are caught in the web of the imposition in not knowing how to refuse. The communication process may be two-way, but the feeling conveyed by one party may not always be the same as the other. This study focuses on how Malaysians, ranging from young children, teenagers, adults to the senior adults of various ethnic groups and professions, use language to make refusals. The approach adopted is that of participant observation where people are observed in the various contexts of interactions. The purpose of this study is to explore how people say 'No'. Spontaneous data is subtly entered into a journal as they occur and where possible, the setting, gender, ethnic background, and likely occupation are indicated. Data is then analysed by focusing on two aspects: politeness theory and language and identity. The findings of this data will elucidate aspects of how language is used both positively and negatively to make refusals. The reasons for doing so will be discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]