A Pragmatic Evaluation On Efl Textbooks-a Study On The Speech Act Of Refusals In Fun With English

In EFL settings in China, textbooks play a crucial role for learners in getting access to authentic language models and comprehensive pragmatic information. The research subjects of this study are Fun with English for junior middle school. It is a set of textbooks compiled in the light of English Curriculum Standards (2001), published by Yilin Press, together with Phoenix Publishing&Media Group in2007. It is compiled under multi-syllabus principle, uses topics as its main thread, and employs modules to design its activities.Searle (1976) classified speech acts into five categories in terms of their illocutionary force. Speech act "refusal" is chosen to receive further analysis in this study, which is one of-the speech acts belonging to commissives. This study attempts to find out the distribution of refusals in Fun with English textbooks, the way refusals are presented, and compared with the Beebe, et al.’s (1990:72-73) classification, whether the refusal strategies presented in textbooks are all-inclusive.This study shows that the percentages of speech acts "refusing a suggestion","refusing a request","refusing an offer" and "refusing an invitation" are only1.68%,1.68%,0.34%and0.17%respectively. There is only one sentence expressing "refusing an invitation"; the way applied by Fun with English series to teach pragmatic knowledge of refusals is before every conversation, there is an introduction to tell learners the background of this conversation and information about the speakers. Most conversations presented in Fun with English series happen between friends, lacking the presentation of status and distance difference between speakers; Fun with English series adopt ten kinds of semantic formulas and two kinds of adjuncts to present refusal strategies. There are still twenty kinds of semantic formulas and two kinds of adjuncts are not adopted.Based upon the findings of this research, some implications are given to compilers, teachers and classroom instruction. For compilers, more examples of the target speech acts need to be given and contexts in textbooks can be diversified, not just conversations made between friends. Compilers need to extend the range of refusal strategies in Fun with English series. Teachers need to adjust teaching contents and add some formal contexts. Classroom teaching should increase learners’ culture awareness.