This research aims to investigate the following questions; to identify the types of request strategies used by male and female EFL learners, to identify the types of politeness strategies of request used by male and female EFL learners, to describe the similarities and the differences of the request strategies used by male and female EFL learners, to define the factors contribute in choosing the politeness strategies of request used by male and female EFL learners.
This research was a qualitative case study focuses on request strategies. Data were obtained through written Discourse Completion Test (DCT) consisted of nine situations. Forty eleventh graders of MAN 1 Sragen were selected as participants. Data were analyzed by determining the request strategies based on Trosborg (1995), politeness strategies based on Brown and Levinson (1989), and factors contribute in choosing politeness based on Leech (2014).
Results revealed that learners conducted eight strategies proposed by Trosborg (1995). Request strategy used by most learners was ability/ willingness, while least used strategy was hints. Male learners found to be more direct rather than female. Related to politeness strategies, there were found eleven strategies conducted by learners: non-minimization of face threat; notice, attend to H; intensify interest to H; use in group identity markers, be optimistic; be conventionally indirect; question, hedge; be pessimistic; give deference; apologize; give hints. Politeness strategy used by most learners was be convientionally indirect while give hints found to be least used by learners. Female learners found to be more polite rather than male learners. P, D, R were influenced in defining similarities and differences of request strategies used by male and female learners. At last, data showed that the factors contribute in choosing politeness much relied on P, D, R within level of intimacy (close, familiar, unfamiliar).