COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG MULTI-ETHNIC PUPILS

This study was conducted to explore the use of communication strategies among pupils of various ethnic groups. Interview and Questionnaires Discourse Completion Task were used to obtain the data. The researcher has conducted a case study in Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru, and about 72 pupils were selected randomly. The politeness scale of Geoffrey Leech has been used as a theoretical framework for this study. The study found that Malay pupils used a variety of pronouns in communication. Pronoun 'aku-kau' and 'saya-awak' were more frequently used by Malay pupils compared to non-Malay pupils who were more comfortable using 'saya-kamu'. The wrong usage of proper pronouns can lead to implications in harmonious relations between ethnic. The fact is, learning pronouns should not be seen as a language learning process only but emphasis should also be given in the pronouns function as part of politeness strategies in communication processes.