COMMUNICATIVE STRATEGIES OF REFUSAL IN ORAL DISCOURSE: A PRAGMATIC AND CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

This article examines communicative strategies of refusal in oral discourse from a pragmatic and cross-cultural perspective. Drawing upon speech act theory, particularly the classifications proposed by John Austin and John Searle, refusal is analyzed as an expressive illocutionary act reflecting the speaker’s psychological and social stance. The study explores the interaction between illocutionary force, cultural scenarios, and discourse dynamics in Uzbek and English communicative contexts. The findings demonstrate that refusal strategies are shaped by sociocultural norms, politeness principles, and communicative intentions, highlighting the adaptive and integrative nature of discourse.