To what extent requesting money connects or separates face ? : relational challenges among Iraqi men and women

Abstract EN

This paper examines ways in which interlocutors gain face in requesting money interactions in an Iraqi context, namely the University of Basrah.

Following Arundale (1999, 2004) and Wilson et al (1984) , the notion of face is adopted as an interactional and relational phenomenon which is conjointly co-constituted by interlocutors as they conjointly co- constitute meanings and actions in talk -in- interaction .

According to Wilson et al., some acts are inherently face- threatening and others incur potential threats resulting from context.

The data for analysis is taken from an open ended questionnaire plus interviewing some of the informants.

Selected segments from the participants were analyzed to investigate how the participants achieve face in such a sensitive speech act, i.e.

requesting money.

The findings show that even in close relationships, requesters tend to explain first the reason behind requesting money.

It has also been shown that women are more sensitive and more indirect in requesting money than men.

In addition, most of women never think to borrow money from men except when they are obliged to do so and a great degree of solidarity is involved.

If they plan to borrow from men, they start their interaction with nice juicy words.

Refusing to give money definitely results in a relational damage with a potential face threat that terminates the interaction.