Request Strategy

Definition:

A request strategy is the specific linguistic approach a speaker uses to ask someone to perform an action — a subtype of indirect speech act or direct command. Request strategies range across a directness scale: from the most bold, on-record direct request (Gimme that) through conventional indirect forms (Could you give me that?) to off-record, non-conventionally indirect hints (That looks heavy — I wonder if anyone will help me). Which strategy is selected depends on social variables including power differential, social distance, size of imposition, and cultural norms. The study of request strategies is at the core of cross-cultural pragmatics and interlanguage pragmatics research.

The Directness Scale

Blum-Kulka et al. (1989) developed a widely used directness scale for classifying request strategies, from most to least direct:

Modification Strategies

Request strategies are also modified by internal modification elements that adjust the level of directness or face-threat:

Softeners (downgraders):

• please — ritual politeness marker
• possibly, perhaps — tentativeness hedge
• when you have a moment — grounder showing imposition awareness
• I was wondering if… — preparatory hedge

Intensifiers (upgraders):

• right away, immediately — increase urgency
• absolutely must, really need — emphasize necessity

Request Strategies Across Cultures

CCSARP cross-cultural data (Blum-Kulka et al., 1989) showed:

• Australian English speakers prefer conventionally indirect query preparatory forms (Could you…?)
• Hebrew speakers use more direct strategies than English speakers
• German speakers use more direct requests in peer contexts than English speakers
• L2 speakers use significantly less varied strategies and fewer internal modification devices than native speakers

L2 Request Strategies

Key interlanguage pragmatics findings:

• Untrained L2 learners often use direct strategies because they mirror L1 patterns or lack the L2 forms for conventionally indirect requests
• Explicitly instructed L2 learners produce more native-like request strategies but may still lack the full range of internal modification devices
• Pragmatic transfer from L1 is documented — directives from first languages with different norms bleed into L2 production

History

Systematic research on request strategies began with CCSARP in the 1980s. Subsequent research by Kasper, Rose, Bardovi-Harlig, and others applied request strategy analysis to L2 learning populations.

Common Misconceptions

• “More indirect = always more polite” — Context determines which level of directness is appropriate; over-indirectness can be perceived as evasive or unclear
• “Native speakers always use the most indirect strategy” — Native speakers are experts at calibrating directness to context; they use very direct requests frequently in appropriate contexts

Criticisms

• The directness scale has been criticized as too simplified and may not capture all pragmatic nuances
• CCSARP used written discourse completion tasks — generalizability to spontaneous oral requests is debated

Social Media Sentiment

Request strategies are indirectly discussed in online communities as “how to ask for things without sounding rude” — particularly relevant for non-native speakers seeking naturalistic English request phrasing. Last updated: 2026-04

Practical Application

• Teach L2 learners a range of request strategies and their appropriate contextual use, not just a single formula
• Use discourse completion tasks (DCTs) and role-plays to practice request strategies across a range of social variables (high/low power, intimate/stranger, small/large imposition)

Related Terms

• Indirect Speech Act
• Pragmatics
• Cross-Cultural Pragmatics
• Interlanguage Pragmatics
• Pragmatic Transfer
• Mitigation
• Politeness Theory

See Also

• Sakubo

Research

• Blum-Kulka, S., House, J., & Kasper, G. (Eds.) (1989). Cross-Cultural Pragmatics: Requests and Apologies. Ablex. — CCSARP data and the foundational request strategy taxonomy.
• Kasper, G., & Rose, K. R. (2002). Pragmatic Development in a Second Language. Blackwell. — Comprehensive treatment of request strategy learning in L2.
• Brown, P., & Levinson, S. (1987). Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage. Cambridge University Press. — Social variable model underlying request strategy selection.