Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Competence: A Comparative Analysis of Request Speech Acts in Saudi ESL Learners and British English Speakers

Abstract

Why do proficient second language speakers still struggle to sound polite in everyday communication? This study examines the development of intercultural pragmatic competence in request speech acts by comparing Saudi English learners and British English speakers, with a focus on how sociocultural norms influence language use. While grammatical competence is often emphasized in second language instruction, pragmatic competence—the ability to communicate appropriately in context—remains an underexplored yet essential component. The study aims to identify differences in the use of request strategies and politeness markers across the two groups and to examine their implications for English language pedagogy. A total of 129 participants (65 Saudi and 64 British) responded to ten discourse completion task scenarios. A mixed-method approach was employed, combining statistical analysis of request strategies and politeness markers with thematic analysis of participant responses in formal and informal contexts. Results indicate that Saudi participants employed a direct strategy in 39.8% of cases, whereas British participants used it in only 24.2% of cases. British participants relied more heavily on indirect strategy (75.8%) and politeness markers, such as "please," "thank you," and hedging expressions. Saudi participants tended to use more direct strategies in informal settings but showed greater awareness of indirectness in formal settings. These findings highlight a pragmatic gap and underscore the need to integrate pragmatic competence training into English language curricula. The study concludes by recommending that educators explicitly teach context-sensitive strategies to enhance intercultural communication skills and suggests that further research be conducted into culturally responsive language instruction.