More than a Language Itself: The Speech Act of Refusal in Constructed Languages

This paper relies on the widely accepted concept that the speech act of refusal, which is intrinsically face-threatening and sometimes subtle to understand, requires pragmatic competence and cultural understanding. In light of this, the present study investigates the speech act of refusal in both natural and constructed languages, proposing that the speech act of refusal in constructed languages is a much more complex phenomenon, influenced by factors beyond language itself. This paper then demonstrates that the refusal strategies in two constructed languages, Esperanto and Unish, are similar to those in natural languages in accordance with linguistic typology; indirect refusals are more frequently used than direct ones. However, it is found that Esperanto interlocutors employ more direct strategies than Unish interlocutors, reflecting the low-context nature of Esperanto culture and the common values shared by Esperanto speakers.