INDIRECTNESS OF REQUESTING IN PASHTO LANGUAGE

Abstract

This research study aims at finding out the requesting pattern of indirectness in the Pashto
language. The methodology for the study used was to gather the data by using the open role play
situations adopted from Reiter`s (2000) Study and further more for data analysis, Cross Cultural
Speech Act Realization Project (CCSAR) of Blum-Kulka, House and Kasper was applied to
know the phenomenon of indirectness in the Pashto language. Moreover, the uses of
conventional indirectness and non-conventional indirectness have also been noticed. The Pashto
language respondents made a marked preference for conventional indirectness and their request
forms were less tentative but they were cognizant of their relationship role to the addressors. It is
further concluded that the Phenomenon of conventional indirectness was more frequent and thus,
on the basis of the findings of the study, Pashto language should be considered a polite language.