Apology strategies in Tashelhit: linguistic realization and religious influence

M’hand Aatar; Hassan Skouri; Lalla Asmae Karama

doi:10.1515/lpp-2024-2005

Article

Apology strategies in Tashelhit: linguistic realization and religious influence

M’hand Aatar
M’hand Aatar is a Ph.D. student at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, Ibnou Zohr University. He earned his master’s degree in applied linguistics and language studies from Ibnou Zohr University. He has been a teacher of English since 2017. His research interests involve pragmatics and linguistic politeness.
, Hassan Skouri
Hassan Skouri is a Professor at the National School of Business and Management, Ibnou Zohr University in Agadir. He is a Professor of English language, culture, communication and business English. His research interests involve language, education, media, pragmatics, politics, anthropology, etc.
and Lalla Asmae Karama
Lalla Asmae Karama is a Professor in the Department of Languages and Communication at the National School of Business and Management, Ibnou Zohr University in Agadir. Her expertise is centered on the dynamics between language, its practitioners, and its utilizations, examining how cultural contexts influence disciplines such as translation, educational methodologies, learner autonomy, and intercultural communication practices.

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From the journal Lodz Papers in Pragmatics Volume 20 Issue 1

Abstract

This study adopts the Cross-Cultural Speech Act Realization Patterns (CCSARP) framework to investigate the apology strategies used by L1 speakers of Tashelhit, a variety of Amazigh spoken in central Morocco. To this end, 82 university students either filled an assessment questionnaire or participated in an oral closed role-play. The findings indicated that L1 speakers of Tashelhit employed seven strategies to apologize, namely taking on responsibility, Illocutionary Force Indicating Devices (IFIDs), explanation or account, offer of repair, promise of forbearance, determinism, and self-criticism. While taking on responsibility, IFIDs, and explanation or account were used most frequently in all the role-play situations to realize apologies, the other apology strategies appeared to be situation-dependent. There was also a tendency for L1 speakers of Tashelhit to use certain religious expressions to modify their apologies. These findings yielded a number of recommendations for further research and suggestions for improving the teaching of apologies in Tashelhit.

Keywords: apology strategies; religious expressions; CCSARP; Amazigh; Tashelhit

Corresponding author: M’hand Aatar, Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, Ibnou Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco, E-mail: m'hand.aatar@edu.uiz.ac.ma

About the authors

M’hand Aatar

M’hand Aatar is a Ph.D. student at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, Ibnou Zohr University. He earned his master’s degree in applied linguistics and language studies from Ibnou Zohr University. He has been a teacher of English since 2017. His research interests involve pragmatics and linguistic politeness.

Hassan Skouri

Hassan Skouri is a Professor at the National School of Business and Management, Ibnou Zohr University in Agadir. He is a Professor of English language, culture, communication and business English. His research interests involve language, education, media, pragmatics, politics, anthropology, etc.

Lalla Asmae Karama

Lalla Asmae Karama is a Professor in the Department of Languages and Communication at the National School of Business and Management, Ibnou Zohr University in Agadir. Her expertise is centered on the dynamics between language, its practitioners, and its utilizations, examining how cultural contexts influence disciplines such as translation, educational methodologies, learner autonomy, and intercultural communication practices.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Bader Aghoulid and Fadma Raji for their help with data collection. We would like also to express our gratitude to Lahcen Bouchouar and Larbi Moumouch for their helpful comments.

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Published Online: 2024-06-17

Published in Print: 2024-05-27

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https://doi.org/10.1515/lpp-2024-2005

Keywords for this article

apology strategies; religious expressions; CCSARP; Amazigh; Tashelhit