A Study of Silence as Illocutionary Force in ESL Context through Dennis Kurzon's Theory

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the role of silence within the ESL context in Pakistan & the illocutionary force attached with use of silence, specifically through Dennis Kurzon's (1998) theory of the discourse of silence. Silence is interpreted in this research as more than just the absence of oral communication and includes various methods of communicating; therefore, it has pragmatic value. The study uses a mixed-method design to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 95 participants using a structured, questionnaire-based survey. The quantitative data regarding the existence of various psychological barriers present for ESL students during oral participation were significant. The findings demonstrate how a cultural compromise between institutional authority and personal identity contributes to silence in Pakistani ESL classrooms to further develop Kurzon's model of theoretical understanding. The instructional implications of this research recommend those large-scale reductions in students' perceptions of the teacher as an authority figure can be accomplished; culturally appropriate instructional materials containing no linguistic biases; and an environment of psychological safety for students to generate spoken language.