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Preliminary Draft
Speech act of Warning
Comparative Study between 1ordanian and Malaysian
Students at UKM
BY
Ala' Eddin Abdullah Ahmed Bani kalef
Mohammed Qarqz
Qasem Mohamed Suliman
Yousef Zeriqat
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Introduction:

During the past two decades, much work in linguistics has focused on sentences as minimal units
of communication, and the project of rigorously characterizing the structure of sentences in
natural language has met with some success. Not surprisingly, however, sentence grammars have
contributed little to the analysis of discourse. Human discourse consists not just of words in
sequences, hut of words in sequences directed by a speaker to an addressee, used to represent
situations and to reveal intentions. Only when the addressee has apprehended both these aspects
of the message communicated can the message be interpreted (David Andreoff Evans,1981)

Language plays a great role in our life. It is the system of human communication which
consists of the structured arrangement of sounds (or their written representation) into larger units,
e.g. morphemes, words, sentences, and utterances. In common usage it can also refer to non-
human systems of communication such as the language of bees, and the language of dolphins.
(Jack C. Richards: 196).
Language is an integral part of human behavior. It is the primary means of interaction
between people. Speakers use language to convey their thoughts, feelings, intonations, and
desires to others. Language is enriched by the uses that people make of it these uses, and the
meaning transmitted, are situational social and cultural .Situational meanings are conveyed
trough forms of language that occur or are excluded in various context. (Bonvillain 2008).
Likewise, De Laguna (1927: 20) (cited in Nerlich 1956: 328) states that "speech is the
great medium through which human cooperation is brought about". This means that language is
fundamentally a medium for functional communication. Further, Communication is defined,
according to (Devito 1997), as a process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt
to create shared understanding. This process requires a vast repertoire of skills in intrapersonal
and interpersonal processing, listening, observing, speaking, questioning, analyzing, and
evaluating. Use of these processes is developmental and transfers to all areas of life: home,
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school, community, work, and beyond. It is through communication that collaboration and
cooperation occur.
Moreover, it is a fact that speech functions are not determined by the type of the sentence,
i.e. whether declarative, imperative, etc. The following utterances (a) and (b) do things. There are
no special grammatical marks that identify them (they just look like ordinary imperative
sentences, but they differ in function):
a. Do that one more time and see what happens. (Warning)
b. Get out of here! (Giving instructions)
It is axiomatic to say that sentences can convey various functions. A simple single
sentence can express different functions. For example, a simple declarative sentence such as
'This is my chair' can be viewed as a statement, an interrogative, an exclamatory sentence or an
order. A sentence like I will see you after three hours can be taken as a warning, a promise or a
prediction, also In saying, "Watch out, the ground is slippery", we performs the speech act of
warning someone to be careful.. All of these acts share the same proposition; i.e., I will see you
after three hours, but they differ in their illocutionary force: a warning, a promise, or a
prediction. This, of course, depends on the way the speaker exploits the same words, behind
which he or she wants to convey his or her message to the addressee(s). Moreover, in order to
know which of these views or meanings is implied, we require the pragmatics of the sentence.
This would include the following sort of information: about the identity of the speaker and
listener, the speaker's intention in using the utterance, or the context within which the sentence
took place.
Depending on the previous preview, the researcher will adopt the speech act theory in
analyzing and comparing the speech act of warning in 1ordanian Arabic and Malaysian
English varieties. In this study, the researchers will examine, depending on a questionnaire made
in UKM, the definitions, strategies, expressions, patterns and means that determine and specify
warning acts in communicative interplays and interactions: how does an interlocutor express and
comprehend warnings in particular social contexts?

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In this study, the researchers will examine some strategies, realizations, expressions, patterns and
means that determine and specify warning acts in communicative interplays and interactions:
how does an interlocutor express and comprehend warnings in particular social contexts?
The study provides some imaginative situations along with its responses from both Jordanian and
Malaysian participants to investigate and scrutinize the linguistic and pragmatic features that
show and characterize the function of warning as a speech act in both Jordanian and Malaysian
social contexts.



LITERETUARE REVIEW

One of the powerful theoretical paradigms thatimpacted the course of linguistic inquiry in this
regard is Speech Act Theory (Austin, 1955).
Austins theory described three acts of statements: Locutionary acts, Illocutionary acts
andPerlocutionary acts. He focused on illocutionary acts,asserting that here we might find the
force of a statement and establish its performative nature. For example, to say:
1. Dont run with scissors.
2. I warn you, dont run with scissors.
The first statement has the force of a warning when spoken in a certaincontext. This
utterance may be stated in an explicitly performative way. The second statement is neither
truenor false. Instead, it creates a warning. By hearing the statement andunderstanding it as a
warning, the auditor is warned, which is not to saythat the auditor must or will act in any
particular way regarding thewarning.

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Allwood (1977) claims that we often recognize our utterances as being of a certain type
of action through the conventional content of the words we use. Then he turns to the question of
in what sense illocutionary forces are conventional. He gives the following examples:
(1) There is a bull in the meadow. (Implied Performative)
(2) I warn you there is a bull in the meadow. (Explicit Performative)
The lexical content of warn in conjunction with the indicative form of (2) makes it natural to
think that (2) has the force of a warning not a promise. This means that no specific conventions
for warning other than the lexical conventions connecting the word warn with its content are
really required.

Korta (2006)claims thatspeech acts are communicative acts performed through the oral or
written use of language. He focuses on the fact that a certain speech act can be variously
expressed; for example, he states that the following utterances express the same function, i.e.
warning: "I bet that there is a dangerous animal there," "I guarantee that there is a dangerous
animal there," "I warn you that there is a dangerous animal there." The word dangerous is often
employed for the speech act of warning.

There are differences between direct speech act and indirect speech act between researchers.
According to (Ferris, 2007; Riley and Mackiewitz, 2003) indirect speech act is preferred for
them than direct speech act because it is very motivated and encouraged to learning process and
learnsto correct the mistakes. They state that indirect speech act helps persons to discover their
own errors and they create new informationand ideas. On the other hand,(Champagne, 2001;
Holtgraves, 1999), point out that indirect speech acts may be more difficult to understand than
direct speech act, and indirect speech often takes significantly longer to reply to than direct
speech because it may take more mental processes to realize and understand.(Mills, 2003) states
that teachers may use politeness strategies such as indirect speech forms to soften a face-
threatening situation. He gives one comment requested the student to change a verb to past
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tense.The direct form was change the verb remember to past tense, the indirect form was
could you change the verb tense? We can notice the indirect form is more polite than direct
form.Cited in Baker and Bricker (2010).
Wunderlich (1980) state that speech acts can form sequences, where complex speech acts can
have elementary speech acts as their components, and where the perlocutionary object of one
illocution can be the sequel of another. Austin (1962) uses the speech act of warning as an
example: a warning may produce the sequel of deterrence, and saying something which aims at
deterrence may produce the sequel of alerting or even alarming.

Methodology
- The participants:
The participants of this study were 10 graduate participants. Six graduate Malaysian
participants provided native Malaysian data; four Jordanian graduate participants
provided the native Jordanian data. The participants of this study are doing their masters
or PH.D degrees. The age of the participants ranged from 23 to 37 years of age. The
participants are selected graduate because they are expected to have acquired the
appropriate sociolinguistic or social communication rules that represent the norms of their
cultures.
The participants are not required to follow any rules, but to express their reactions to
obtain realistic responses. Jordanian participants are asked to express their reactions in
their mother tongue to achieve real and serious responses.
- Data collection:
Data for this study was collected through an open ended questionnaire based on
interview data. The researchers interview graduate participants for eight imaginative
situations. The participants are asked about their reactions if they were in those specific
situations. The researchers record the reactions of participants of the eight situations
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which are divided into three sections according to the relationship between the Warner
and the Warned: from Higher to Lower, from Lower to Higher, and from Equal to Equal.

- Data analysis
There are three sections in analyzing the data: from High to Low, from Low to High, and
from Equal to Equal. After collecting the data, warning strategies have been classified
into four strategies (requesting, alerting, threatening, and advising). Some of which
have appeared in the three sections (Higher to Lower, from Lower to Higher, and from Equal
to Equal), others in either one of them. During the analysis, politeness in acting warning
will be taken into consideration.
Data Analysis for 1ordanian participants' reactions

We suggest two general aspects in analyzing the data: formal and informal situations.
Each aspect will be looked at according to the relationship between the Warner and the Warned
which is of three sections: from High to Low, from Low to High, and from Equal to Equal. In
this analysis I will shed light on Browns theory of politeness to see to which extent Jordanian
Arab participants use polite expressions in their warnings.


General Overview

To most people act of warnings are multi-word hazard statements such as Danger, watch
out, watch up, and Keep out. However, most of the research that has systematically compared
differences in the word of warnings has examined individual signal words, such as danger,
Warning, and Caution. When presented individually, some signal words have been shown to
connote different levels of risks (e.g., Wogalter & Silver, 1995). For example, Danger is usually
rated higher than Warning or Caution, but there is little difference between perceptions of
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WARNING and CAUTION. Some of Malaysian participants used single word in warning
hearer .For example, Student's No 6 who expressed most of warning situations with one word,
he used ,caution , danger , and watch up .

However, some of participants mixed between using warning and threatening statements in
their reactions .for example Student's No 2 in his answer on the warning situation No 7 she said
'' This is the third time you late ,one more time you will be terminated'' .According to Donaghy ,
there are four kinds of speech act , advice , warnings ,promises and threats. Nicoloff claims
(1989, p.501) that the contrast between threatening and warning is very crucial .First; warning is
cooperative, whereas threats are uncooperative. Warning is an act of collaboration where the
speaker alerts the addressee to be on guard against potential danger .Threats, in contrast, are acts
of aggression.
Austin, furthermore; differentiates between threatening and warning (Recanati, 1987, p.68)
when he categorized threats in the perlocutionary act whereas warning in illocutionary category.
Illocutionary acts: such as informing, ordering, warning, undertaking, &c., i.e. utterances which
have a certain (conventional) force. Perlocutionary acts: what we bring about or achieve by
saying something, such as convincing, persuading, deterring, and even, say, surprising or
misleading. Austin focused on illocutionary acts, maintaining that here we might find the
force of a statement and demonstrate its performative nature. For example, to say Dont run
with scissors has the force of a warning when spoken in a certain context. Also Nicoloff
(1989.p.501) puts threats in the category of prelocutionary acts because perlocutionary acts are
reactions to, or aftereffects of, the utterance made in speech act.
According to Austin, also; the speech act of warning may be expressed by both Declarative
clauses (Bro , the seat is dirty) and imperative as ( Don't move further). One distinction Austin
makes in relation to Speech act of warning is that between implicit performatives and explicit
performatives. The intended illocutionary force of the imperative 'Don't do it', for example, is
implicit, as what the speaker has in mind by saying, it is not specifically indicated. Due to the
implicit nature of the clause, 'Don't do it' can be, depending on the paralinguistic or kinesic cues
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given by the speaker, and on the power or status relationship between the speaker and hearer, a
warning, a command, a request or an advice.
In order for the speaker to make the illocutionary force explicit, he or she has to indicate the
speech act involved by adding in what is called the performative verb before the clause. If the
clause is not declarative, this will involve its grammatical conversion into a declarative clause (or
a clause complex with declarative components): 'I warn you not to do it', 'I order you not to do it',
'I advise you not to do it' etc. In fact, all Malaysian participants' answers on the situation No one
are explicit warning statements.
Malaysian Participants, Moreover, fluctuate in using both direct speech and indirect speech in
their answers .Some of them used indirect speech as an act of politeness. According to Brown
and Levinson, politeness strategies are developed in order to save the hearers' "face." Face refers
to the respect that an individual has for him or herself, and maintaining that "self-esteem" in
public or in private situations. Beside the indirect speech, they used some of words that express
polite warning such as: Excuse me, please, and sorry. I f we examine participants' answer on the
same situation No sex, we will find that six participants out of eight use those words.

In addition, Malaysian participant use both speech and gesture to warn others and the most
common gesture for warning someone (Student NO 2 said This is the third time you late, one
more time you will be terminated, for example) consist of extending the index finger from a fist,
and then moving the hand back and forth with the index finger pointing towards the person being
warned .In fact, the pointing of a finger at someone in Arabic culture may be considered an
extreme insult or threat. They also used facial expression and shaking head as sign of warning or
to alert other. Student No 4said, for example, " Shake my head and hands and point to the seat''


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Participants, also, used different verbs in warning act as warn, advise, alert, and caution.. To
warn someone to do something is to suggest that he do it, while presupposing that it would be
bad for him not to do it (preparatory condition). On the other hand, to advise a course of action is
to suggest that someone perform that action while presupposing that it would be good for him to
do it. This opposition in the preparatory conditions explains why one and the same speech act
can be both a warning in the assertive sense and advice in the directive sense. For example, in
warning you that this part of town is dangerous at night, I can also advise you indirectly to stay
away from it. To caution is to warn or advise the hearer to take care of something (propositional
content condition). An alert is a warning to prepare for action against imminent potential danger
(such as the possibility of attack, "walking on thin ice", etc.).
Deep Analysis
In this phase, the writers will take into account two types of warning situations: formal and
informal. Then, the situations will be analyzed according to felicity conditions. In other words,
the relationship between the Warner and the addressee will be taken into consideration according
three sections: from High to Low, from Low to High, and from Equal to Equal.


Section 1: from Higher to Lower
Warnings expressed by Malaysian participants, in questions number 2,5 and 7, show that
warning from higher to lower can be formulated by various statements:

1. Requesting
Malaysian participant use both imperative and declarative sentences to warn other, for example:

Declarative sentences:
A. ''Mr. please be careful, the wires are bare ''.
B. Hey look ,watch out , look at the wires''

Utterances (a) and (b) refer to the same situation, which represent the formal relationship
from higher to lower. Utterance (a) shows that the Warner 'headmaster' alerts the addressee
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''teacher'' in polite way by using implicit performatives and by using the word 'please' that
soften the harshness of a direct request . Whereas statement (b) represents explicit warning, in
one hand, since the Warner cautions the addressee by using these words hey , look and watch
out. In other hand, utterance (b) represents negative politeness because the Warner cautions the
addressee without using any nickname.

Requesting, also, can be with justifying reason or not. Statement (a) is an example of
requesting with reasoning ''be careful'' because ''the wires are bare'' but (b) shows requesting
without reasoning. Reasons were used, to allow the person making the request, and to smooth the
harshness of a direct request and to appear polite.
Imperative sentences:
A. Don't move further
B. Hey , students do not go over there its danger

Negative imperative sentences were used by Malaysian participants to represent requesting may
function as a warning. In these sentences (a) and (b), one person is in a subordinate position
(student) and the other in a superordinate position (teacher). Utterance (a) direct request appear to
be threatening and the power of the Warner is clearly appears and tends to be a command,
thought the Warner did not give any reason for this command ,while (b) the Warner asked
students to avoid going over because it's dangerous .

3. Alert
A. ''I will alert the teacher, please be careful there is some wires are bare''.
B. ''Watch up your steps''.
An alert is a warning to prepare for action against imminent potential danger cited in (Daniel
Vanderveken. p. 174).Also alert may be expressed in two forms .Firstly, polite form that is
formulated by adding both, the marker please that help to excite agreeable emotions with
addressees, and the name of the hearer or his nickname, and this clearly appear in sentence (a).
Secondly, impolite form represents in sentence (b) and the social position of the speaker is
clearly visible in this utterance. Hence, the speaker used the imperative form to alert the hearer to
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be more caution with his steps without mentioning reasons for this instruction, which may
interpret as an insult that embarrasses the addressee.

3. Threatening
According to Brown and Levinson, positive and negative face exist universally in human
culture. In social interactions, face-threatening acts are at times inevitable based on the terms of
the conversation. A face-threatening act is an act that inherently damages the face of the
addressee or the speaker by acting in opposition to the wants and desires of the other.
Threatening act is another way of requesting that reflect the social status of the speaker and the
hearer. In this section, the authors will point out to the threatening between the higher'' speaker''
and the lower ''hearer''. Thus, the author will examine different Malaysian participants' answer on
the same situation particularly situation number seven.

A. ''This is the third time you late ,one more time you will be terminated''
B. ''If you late again tomorrow , do not bother to come to work again next week''
C. ''This will be the last warning for you; I hope do not repeat it again''.

Utterances (a) and (b) are for the speaker. He directly indicates that he dislikes some aspect
of the hearers personal attributes (hearer's punctuality).Requesting by threatening is that the
speaker believes that the hearer can do this request, otherwise the hearer will be punished
(fired).Threatening someone verbally can be analyzed, according to Nicoloff, as speaker saying
something to an addressee in order to get the addressee to think that the speaker is going to cause
harm to the addressee with the purpose of frightening the addressee and thereby getting the
addressee to do as the speaker wishes. Explicit act of threatening that were used by Malaysian
participants by using explicit if clause as in (a) or implicit one as in (b). On other hand, utterance
(c) the speaker did not use either implicit or explicit if cause, and he used the word hope to
mitigate the hearer's feeling so the utterance(c ) is considered to be more polite than (a) and (b).

Section two: Lower to Higher

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1. Requesting
Warning through requesting is common use by Malaysian participants .They used various
utterances in warning addressees. Hearers' social status in this section is higher than the speakers'
social position. Consider the following utterances:




A. ''Careful Mom, dad tea is hot''
B. ''Mom and dad ,be careful the tea is very hot''
The above utterances are one of them is in the declarative form (a), and the other is in
imperative. In both sentences, the speaker used vocative words (mom.dad) which represent high
mark of veneration the addressee. Also in both utterances, the speakers used implicit warning
which considers another way of felicitous requesting.


2. Alerting
A. I will shout on my father ,dad there is a cat
B. Scream, Watch out there is cat dad!
C. Shout cat, cat!
D. Pa, there is a cat! Stop!
E. Dad , that is cat sitting over there


In above utterances (a,b,c), the speaker alerted the addressee by shouting and scramming,
which represent impolite way in warning, since it may startle the hearer, and then the worst will
happen as an (accident).While utterances (d,e) the speaker alert the hearer in appropriate way by
using the vocative word (pa and dad) so, these utterances are an example of polite way of
communicating with other who is in superordinate position.

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3. Advising

A. ''Dad there is a kitten there at the parking. I think you should park somewhere else!''
B. ''Mother, father, I think the tea is too hot to drink!''

The above utterances are examples show how Malaysian participants used advising to warn
other who is in superordinate position. Utterance (a) the speaker used direst strategy in
suggestion, in which the speaker clearly states what he/she means, cited in (Koester 2002).
However; the use of imperatives as in (a) are also regarded as the most direct and impolite forms
of making a suggestion (Edmonsonand House 1981; Koike 1994; Hinkel 1997) since they have
the most literal pragmatic force. In other hand; utterance (b), the speaker applied different type of
advising . This type of conventionalised forms used to make suggestions (Banerjee and
Carrell1988) still allow the hearers to understand the speaker's intentions behind the suggestion.




Section three: Equal to Equal
1) Requesting
A. ''Tell him to be serious and tell him about the important of coming on time''.
B. ''Brother please comes on time, or else we will die''.
C. ''Make sure you are on time, or not, I will not join you anymore.''
The above utterances describe the same situation. These utterances have different level of
politeness as the following:

o (A) and (c) have not any mark of politeness, since the speaker used the direct imperative
and the implicit Result clauses which is considered as a sign of threatening, while,
o Utterance (b) the speaker used lovely vocative words as ''brother and please'', so this
utterance has high level of reciprocal emotions.
o

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2) Alerting

A. ''Excuse me sir the seat is not clear''.
B. ''Excuse me sir the seat is very dirty was spill some milk''.
C. Excuse me please do not sit on this seat because I already spilled a bottle of milk on this
seat, I am truly sorry.
D. ''Hey , do not sit there is a milk , sorry I accident''
E. ''Bro, the seat I dirty''.
Although all the above utterances relate to the same situation, they have disparate level of
politeness as well different ways in apology. Goffman (1971) defines apologies as remedial
interchanges used to reestablish social harmony after a real or virtual offense. He further claims
that a successful apology has felicity conditions the most important of which are for the
apologizer to acknowledge an offense has taken place, to take responsibility for that offense, and,
finally, to offer some compensation or reparation. In order for an apology to have an effect, it
should reflect true feelings. Utterance has higher level of politeness than other utterances,
because the speaker applied the apology strategy as the following:
Expressing regret for the offense through the use of intensifiers such as sorry and truly.
Requesting the acceptance of the given apology with clauses such as Excuse me and
please.
Acknowledging responsibility for the act. Cited in (Fraser (1981:263)
Implicit or explicit explanation or account by the offender to mitigate his/her
responsibility. Cited in Trosborg (1987:150152)



3) Threatening

A. ''Make sure you will reach before 10 :.am we will be in deep trouble if we failed to make
it , okay''!
B. ''Deal or die''
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Utterances (a) and (b), show that the speaker used inimical threatening since he/she
cautioned the hearer by giving the negative ramifications if the addressee does not respect the
appointment.
Results
The findings revealed that Malaysian respondents used the following warning patterns:
Requesting
Alert
Advising
threatening



The authors note the following:


A. The formulas of speech act of warning are determined by social distance, formality of the
situation, and status of the participants.
B. Findings further reveal that the majority of the respondents used explicit rather than
implicit warning strategies.
C. Malaysian participants tend to use repetition strategy in warning such as, shout shout or
hot hot.
D. Empirical findings seem to suggest that gender differences do exist in warningso much
so that female are considered to be more polite, less harshness, and prone to using more
softening devices than are men.
E. L2 learners tend to transfer their native sociopragmatic strategies to warn in L2. Also L2
learners tend to warn differently in L2 from L1 (Bro , the seat is dirty).
F. The findings reveal that although the speech act of warning are universal, its
conceptualization and verbalization vary across cultures since the Malaysian respondents
are from different origins (Malay, India, and china ) so their reactions were different.
The same situation, for example will have different reactions:

''I will shout on my father, dad there is a cat''. ( the respondent is from Indian origin)
Dad there is a little kitten there at the parking. I think you should park somewhere else.
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(The respondent is from china origin)
''Dad , that is cat sitting over there'' (The respondent is from Malay origin)





Table 1 clarifies the similarities and differences between both Jordanian participants' reactions
and Malaysian participants:







Malaysian Participants' Reactions

Jordanian Participant' Reactions
Malaysian respondents ' reactions influenced
by their social distance and formality of
situations
Jordanian respondent's reactions influenced by
their social distance and formality of situations
Malaysian Respondent's reactions used explicit
rather than implicit warning strategies
Jordanian respondent's reactions applied
implicit more than explicit warning strategies.
Malaysian participants tend to use repetition
strategy in warning such as hot hot , stop, stop.
Jordanian respondent's reactions rarely use
repetition strategy in warning.
Warning reactions are influenced by genders.
(Females' reactions are more polite than
males').
Unfortunately, there are no Jordanian female
participants in this study.
Table 1; comparison between Jordanian participants' reactions and Malaysian participants' reactions
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Malaysian participants prone to use gestures
and facial expressions in warning.
Jordanian respondents constantly use gesture
as well as body language.
Malaysian participants are usually using
directness in warning whether form higher to
lower or from lower to higher position.
Jordanian respondents use politeness
expressions such as vocative and indirectness
specially in lower to higher position.
Warning reactions are also effected by age.
The elder respondents' reactions are wiser
that younger .
Warning reactions are influenced by age (elder
participants employ more effective expression
than younger do.


Conclusion
The conclusions drawn in this research are preliminary and need to be supported by further
research to arrive at more definite conclusions about warning realizations by Malaysian L2
learners. The generalizability of findings may be constrained by the following considerations:

1. Collecting natural data would be more reliable, for what one claims one will do in a given
situation is not necessarily what one actually does in a real life situation.

2. Gender was the only variable examined. Variables relating to how the participants
perceived context-external factors such as differences in power, social distance,
perception of seriousness, and type of social contract have not been controlled.


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Since warning is an area of language that causes problems for speakers of English as a
second/foreign language, the following recommendations are put forth:


Further pragmatic research is still needed in order to achieve a better understanding of
cultures and to avoid stereotypes.
Having learned English as an L2, the researchers believe that school curricula should
focus not only on structure and vocabulary but also on language functions such as
warning , apologizing and making requests

Since speech acts are cultural in essence, ESL/EFL learners must be made familiar with
the culture driving the speech acts, which would go a long way in facilitating successful
communication.

It is important for L2 learners to understand that speech act realizations vary because
social relationships in L1 may not apply to L2 and, thus, may not be understood by the
addressed.


In spite of the researchers belief that this study has thoroughly examined the questions at
hand, they still feel that warning, like other types of speech acts, need further
investigation. The fact that the use of speech acts may create major problems in
communication between people from different cultures renders it imperative that further
research be done in closely related matters such as:


1. Comparing and contrasting the warning strategies used by participants from
different age groups of the same culture to determine the potential differences
between the strategies used by various social groups;

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2. Addressing other variables such as gender, age, education, and status of the
warned to find out their potential effect on the use of a warning.
























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12. Ruba Fahmi Bataineh a,*, Rula Fahmi Bataineh. Apology strategies of Jordanian EFL
university students, Journal of Pragmatics 38 (2006) 19011927


22

13. Locher, A. Miriam, (2004). Power and politeness in action: disagreements in oral
communication, Berlin.

14. Zambrano, Marjorie J, (2005) The interpreters linguistic power: a new courtroom
reality in immigration hearings university of Pittsburgh.
http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-08042005-144716/

15. Smith, C, (1970). Synonyms Discriminated Detroit: Gale Research
Company.

16. Jennifer McCormick & Sarah Richardson (2006), Vocatives in MICASE, Michigan
Corpus Linguistics Home
http://www.elicorpora.info/

17. Wierzbicka, A. (1996). Semantics: Primes and Universals, Oxford: Oxford University
Press.

18. Allwood, J. 1977. A critical look at speech act theory.
(http://www.ling.gu.se/~jens/publications/docs001-050/012.pdf).

19. Baker,W and Bricker, R. 2010. The effects of direct and indirect speech acts on native
English and ESL speakers perception of teacher written feedback. System 38, 7584.

20. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pragmatics/.

21. http://www.e-anglais.com/thesis.html#2.2

22. David Andreoff Evans, 1981, A situation semantics approach to the analysis of speech
acts 1, Stanford University.

23

23. Bonvillain, Nancy, 2008, Language, culture and communication: the meaning of
message 5
th
edition.

24. Jack C. Richards, John Platt, Heidi Platt / 1985. Dictionary of Language Teaching &
Applied Linguistics.

25. Nerlich, Brigitte, 1956, Language, action and context: the early history of pragmatics in
Europe and America.

26. Devito, Joseph, Human Communication, 7th ed. Longman, 1997.









Recording script for participants of Malaysian Students
Questions that have been asked to the participants
1. You offered tea for your Mom and Dad. You drank first. You felt that the tea was too hot
to drink. If this were real, how would you warn your parents?
24

2. You are a teacher. You went for a trip to water dams with the school. When you reached
one of the dams, you saw a label saying DANGER. Your students were approaching to
water. If this were real, how would you warn them?
3. Your father is driving his car. He wants to park his car somewhere. You see a small cat in
the same place your father wants to park at. If this were real, how would you warn him?
4. Someone is getting down from upstairs. There is a small boy sitting on the stairs. You
want to warn him not to step on the boy. If this were real, how would you warn him?
5. You are a headmaster. Some of the electric wires are bare. A teacher is coming towards
the wires. If this were real, how would you warn him?

6. Suppose that you spilled a bottle of milk on a seat in a public place. A gentleman wanted
to use that seat. If this were real, how would you warn him?.

7. You are a manager of a certain company. One of the employees comes late several times.
He is late again. Now you are face to face with him. If this were real, how would you
warn him?
8. Your friend is not punctual. Both of you have an important interview. You want him to
come on time, or else, something bad will happen. If this were real, how would you warn
him?








Participants Question Answer

1

Most probably, I will warn dad-using gesture that the
tea is hot, if they still do not understand I will tell him
the tea is hot.

2 May be show the symbol to my students, if they still
Student's
Number
1
Name Vicky
Ag 24
Level of
education
Master
Nationality Malaysian
Sex Female
25

do not understand, I will shout at them there danger
and do not go that.

3.

I will shout on my father ,dad there is a cat

4

May I will get instructions to those who getting down
from upstairs, that is a boy sitting over there, please
be careful
5 I will alert the teacher , please be careful there is
some wires are bare
6 Excuse me sir the seat is not clear
7 May be I will advise him in proper manner and
explain the disadvantages when they come late to the
office
8 Because , he or she is my friend so will advise him in
proper manner
Question Answer
1 Mom and dad ,be careful the tea is very hot
2 Hey , students do not go over there its danger
3 Dad there is a wite kitten there at the parking. I think
you should park somewhere else
4 Be careful there is boy !!
5 Take care , do not tough it !
6 Hey , do not sit there is a milk , sorry I accident
spilled milk , its dirty now
8 Because , he or she is my friend so will advise him in
proper manner
7 This is the third time you late ,one more time you will
be terminated
Student's
No
2
Name Christine
Ag 25
Level of
education
Master
Nationality Malaysian
Sex Female
26

8 Make sure you will reach before 10 :.am we will be in
deep trouble if we failed to make it , okay
Question Answer
1 Careful Mom ,dad tea hot
2 Hey, you do not go there danger !
3 Scream, Watch out there is cat dad!
4 Please , stop do not step on him .
5 Hey look ,watch out , look at the wires
6 Excuse me please d not sit on this seat because I
already spilled a bottle of milk on this seat sorry.
7 This will be the last warning for you, I hope do not
repeat it again .
8 Make sure you are on time , or not , I won't join you
any more .
8 Make sure you will reach before 10 :.AM we will be
in deep trouble if we failed to make it , okay





Question Answer
1 Probably shake my hand and heads and tell them not
to drink
Student's
NO
3
Name Alia raman
Ag 30
Level of
education
Master
Nationality Malaysian
Sex female
Student's
NO
4
Name Deva
Ag 37
Level of
education
Master
Nationality Malaysian
Sex female
27

2 I will use a whistle to warn them .
3 Shout cat , cat
4 Shout to the person coming down the stairs
5 Shout to the teacher to be careful
6 Shake my head and hands and point to the seat .
7 Give him a strict warning using the company rules
8 Tell him to be serious and tell him about the
important of coming on time .
Question Answer
1 Mother , father ,I think the tea is too hot to drink
2. Hey boys can you see the lapels, if you want kill
yourself ,go ahead
3 Dad , that is cat sitting over there
4. Please watch up , with the boy
5 Mr please be careful with the wires
6 Excuse me sir the seat is very dirty was spill some
milk
7 If you late again tomorrow , do not bother to come to
work again next week
8 Brother please come on time , or else we will die
Question Answer
1. Oh hot, caution
2. Don't move further
3. Pa , there is a cat !!!!stop
Student's
NO
5
Name Mohamed
faraid
Ag 26
Level of
education
Master
Nationality Malaysian
Sex Male
28































4. Carful, do not step on the bugger.
5. Watch up your steps
6. Bro , the seat is dirty
7. You have come on time
8. Deal or die
Student's
NO
6
Name daharam
Ag 25
Level of
education
Master
Nationality Malaysian
Sex Male
29

Recording script of 1ordanian participants

Participants Question Answer

1

/diiru baalku bacdu saaxini stannu ta yubrud/
;--'- ,- ! ,-- '- ;--~ Q='~ --
Take care! It is still hot. Wait until it cools down

2 /laa tgarrbu minl mai/
-- Q- ;-,-- V
Dont get close to water
3.

/bii guTTah caTTariig/
_-,=-'- =- --
There is a cat on the road.
4

/?ilwaladi lwalad/
--;- ! --;- !
The boy! The boy!
5 /?il?aslaak mcarrayih/
-,- >~V
The wires are bare
6 / macla ?axi! ilkursi caleeh aliib/
= Q-- ! ~--= --- ~,--
Excuse me, brother. There is milk on the seat.
7 /?ismac ?awwal marra w ?aaxir marra wi?a btiiji
mit?axxir laa tiiji cad-dawaam marra aanyih/
-~ ! --'- =-- V ,='-- =--- -,- ,= -,-
--'- -,-
Listen! This is the first time and the last time to come late.
If you do that once again, don t come to work.
8



/?iltazim bilmawcid can jad laa tZaiyic caleena halfurSah/
~,--' '---- -=- V -= Q- --;--'- ,--
Take it seriously and come on time so that you won't
make us lose this chance.
Student's
No
1
Name Moaath
Ag 23
Level of
education
Master
Nationality Jordanian
Sex Male
30


Question Answer
1 /?iaai zaii n-naar/
'-- '~-
The tea is as hot as fire.
2 /baccdu cani lmai la?inha xaTiirih/
-,-== ')-V -- Q- --

Get away from water because it is dangerous.
3 /?uucak yaabah fii bissih giddami s-sayyarah/
-'-~- -- ~- - -'- _-
Beware, dad. There is a cat in front of the car.
4 /Diir balak fii walad /
-- - 4-'- ,-
Be careful there Is a boy!
5 /tqarbi calislaak/
>~-- Q-,--
Dont be close to the wires!
6 /?ilmaqcad mi naZiif/
~-=- Q- ----
The seat is not clean!
7 /?it-ta?xiir Zid maSla iti - arikah/
,~- =-~- -= ,-='--
Coming late goes against the company's interest.




8
/yaa weel weelak ?i?a btit?xxar halmmarrah/
-,--' ,='--- 4-- J- '-
Woe unto you if you come late this time.

Student's
Number
1
Name Abedalsalam
Ag 27
Level of
education
Master
Nationality Jordanian
Sex Male

31

































Tra
nsc
ript
ion
for
Ara
bic
Wo
Question Answer
1 /?inaragi lsaani ti rabuu ta yubrud/
,-- '- ;-,~- -'~- ,=-
My tongue burned. Don t drink until it cools down.
2 /raja?an ?ilmai xaTar caleeku laa tgarbu/
'= , ;-,-- V ;---- ,== --
Water is dangerous, please don t get so close.
3 /?ucak yaabah fii bissih/
~- - -'- 4-
Beware dad there is a cat.
4 /Law samt camahlak fii walad/
-- - 4-)-- ~=-~ ;-
Please , be careful there is a boy.
5 /intabih mantii aayifi l?aslaak/
--- ! >~- ~-'~ Q---- !
Watch out! Dont you see the wires!?
6 /uuflak kursi aani haaZ wisix/
_~ - -'- ~, 4--;~
Look for another seat this one is dirty.

7
/tacaal bakkiir yaa abiibi/
---= '- ,--- '-
Come early, dear.
8 /tacaal calmawcid willa biSiir ?ii mu kwaiyis/
Q-; ;- ~ ,-~- V --;--'- '-
Come on time, or else something bad will happen to you.
Student's
NO
3
Name Yusif
Ag 30
Level of
education
PH.D.
Nationality Jordanian
Sex Male
32

rds
Following are the Arabic symbols used in this study: - Consonants:
Arabic Consonant Symbol Description
? Voiced glottal stop
b Voiced bilabial stop
t Voiceless dento-alveolar stop
Voiceless inter-dental fricative
J Voiced post-alveolar affricate
Voiceless pharyngeal fricative
X Voiceless uvular fricative
d Voiced dento-alveolar stop
? Voiced alveolar fricative
r Voiced alveo-palatal trill
z Voiced alveolar fricative
s Voiceless alveolar fricative
T Voiceless dento alveolar stop
Voiceless alveo-palatal fricative
S Voiceless alveolar emphatic fricative
Z Voiced alveolar emphatic fricative
Voiced alveolar emphatic stop
c Voiced pharyngeal fricative


Voiced uvular fricative
f Voiceless labio-dental fricative
33


- Vowels:

short long Example in arabic
a aa
u uu
o oo
e ee
i ii



q Voiced uvular stop
k Voiceless velar stop
l Voiced alveolar lateral
m Voiced bilabial nasal
n Voiced alveolar nasal
h Voiceless glottal fricative
w Voiced labio-velar glide
y Voiced palatal glide