چکیده:
The process of globalization entails the acquisition of a construct, cultural intelligence, with which EFL students can function appropriately in intercultural situations. This study was, first, intended to find the relationship between cultural intelligence and the use of expressions of gratitude by Iranian EFL learners. Second, it sought to determine whether there were any significant differences between low and high culturally intelligent EFL learners in the way they used expressions of gratitude in English. To this end,
118 intermediate learners were selected through convenient sampling, with their proficiency level being controlled. A discourse completion test (DCT) for the expressions of gratitude and a cultural intelligence scale were given to the participants of the study. Learners’ DCT responses were rated on a five-point Likert scale and then analyzed. Statistical tests including Pearson Correlation Coefficient and t-test were used to investigate the research questions. The results of the analysis revealed that there was not a significant relationship, either positive or negative, between cultural intelligence and use of expressions of gratitude. Furthermore, no difference was found between the two groups, high and low culturally intelligent, in the way they used English expressions of gratitude. These findings have implications for the instruction of pragmatic competence.
خلاصه ماشینی:
Second, it sought to determine whether there were any significant differences between low and high culturally intelligent EFL learners in the way they used expressions of gratitude in English.
A discourse completion test (DCT) for the expressions of gratitude and a cultural intelligence scale were given to the participants of the study.
Because of the rapid growth of globalization, technology development, and population migrations (Chen & Starosta, 2008), the need for communication with people from other cultures was recognized in ELT in the 1980s, which then resulted in the intercultural perspective towards language teaching (Derin et al.
However, the findings of the studies by Eisenstein and Bodman (1986, 1993), Bardovi-Harlig, Rose, & Nickels, (2008), and Janani (1996) revealed that advanced learners of English had considerable pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic problems while expressing thanks.
Is there any significant relationship between cultural intelligence (intercultural competence) and the use of expressions of gratitude among Iranian EFL students?
The t-test was used to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups of the study, culturally low- and high-intelligent students, in the way they used the expressions of gratitude.
5. Results and Discussion The first research question dealt with the relationship between cultural intelligence (intercultural competence) and the use of expressions of gratitude among Iranian EFL students.
Another explanation for the lack of a significant relationship between cultural intelligence and the use of expressions of gratitude and difference between the groups in this study might be due to the fact that expressing gratitude is universal across all languages (Brown & Levinson, 1978; Fraser, 1978).