AWEJ Volume.4 Number.2, 2013                                                                    Pp.137-151

Abstract PDF
Full Paper PDF 

Closing Techniques for Face-to-Face Conversation in Saudi Educational Institutes

  Khadija Abdullah Al-Amoudi
King Abdulaziz University
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

 

 Abstract
This paper addresses the issue of techniques used by English Language Institute teachers at King Abdul-Aziz University to end their face-to-face conversation. In recent years, conversation analysis trends have been the focus of much research. A considerable number of studies have been conducted on conversation closing strategies and techniques (e.g. Stenström, 1992; Dwi-Nugroho, 1993; Schegloff & Sacks 2000; Marlina, 2001; Stockwell, 2002; Saptiana, 2004; Sambo, 2005); yet, due attention is not given to this linguistic phenomenon in Saudi society. In an attempt to fill in this gap in the literature, this research utilizes Saptiana’s (2004) method of closing functions and techniques which proposes twenty techniques based on three theories: five techniques from Albert and Kessler (1976), nine techniques from Wardhaugh (1985), and six techniques from Stenström (1992). The data in the current study is taken from a recording of open informal conditioned conversations between two faculty members. The findings demonstrate that ELI teachers utilize eighteen different techniques. This proves the hypothesis that well-educated people use a wide range of closing techniques. Dismissing oneself and giving reasons are found to be the most frequent closing techniques. In addition, the findings reveal that six techniques in Saptiana’s (2004) study are found to be irrelevant to our data. Her classification is also found to be insufficient for the purpose of analyzing all the data in this research. Thus, additional expansions were required.
 Keywords: Conversation analysis, closing strategies, closing functions, closing techniques, ELI teachers’ conversation closing techniques

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Reddit
Email
StumbleUpon
Digg

Mrs Khadija Abdullah Al-Amoudi is a lecturer at the English Language Institute in King
Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She obtained her Master degree in
English Linguistics. Currently, Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages is the main
area of her research interest.