The Impact of Sociolinguistic Competence on EFL Learners’ Performance of the Speech Act of Requesting

Abstract

This dissertation investigates sociolinguistic competence in relation with the performance of speech act of requesting. We mean by sociolinguistic competence, the one’s ability to select the appropriate linguistic means regarding all the socio-cultural aspects like taking account the interlocutor’s status, gender role, and age… when realizing a given speech act, specially the speech act of requesting. It examines students’ productions and perceptions of speech of requesting of third year English students at the University Mohamed Kheider, Biskra. Throughout this study, we tackled the problem of students’ ignorance of strategies and linguistic means used to realize speech act of requesting regarding socio-cultural dimensions. The lack of this knowledge affects seriously their performance. The aim of this research work is to raise students’ awareness of sociolinguistic knowledge and to see to what extent this consciousness contributes to the improvement of their productions. Accordingly, we believe that if the students are conscious (know) of sociolinguistic knowledge, they will be able to produce speech act of requesting appropriately. In attempting to raise the students’ awareness of sociolinguistic knowledge, we have directed a questionnaire. The results from the questionnaire have confirmed the research hypothesis. These results reveal that the majority of the students can make difference between different interlocutors and adapt their requests accordingly. This awareness of the socio-cultural knowledge enables them to perform requests appropriately.