Investigating Sudanese E Undergraduates' Pragmatics Competence in Speech Acts in Some Sudanese Universities

Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate pragmatic competence in Sudanese EFL undergraduates speech acts when communicating in English. The researcher used descriptive analytical method quantitatively and qualitatively in its design.to collect the data of study , two instruments were used which were discourse completion Task (DCT) for students and questionnaire for teachers who teach English language at Sudanese Universities. The sample of the study consisted of 50 students who study English language at Alzaiem Alazhary faculty of Education and Omdurman Islamic university faculty of Arts and 50 teachers who teach English language at Sudanese universities .To analyze the date statistic programme for social studies (SPSS) was used then there were textual analysis of the subjects the teachers questionnaire and discourse completion Task. The result revealed that Sudanese EFL undergraduates were incompetent in employing pragmatic aspect in their speech acts moreover , teachers face difficulties in teaching pragmatic competence and syllabus and textbook were not well design to provide students with pragmatic knowledge to develop pragmatic competence also ,the study found out that there was significant correlation between students problem in employing pragmatic aspect in speech acts and syllabuses and textbook they study p value =(000.01**) and with teaching difficulties that teachers face p value =(000.1**). Based on the results of this study, the researcher recommends that syllabuses and textbook should be updated , teaching aids and environment should be improved at Sudanese universities and students should make more effort to improve their pragmatic competence in communication in general and speech acts in particular.