This thesis explores the apology strategies in Central Kurdish. It sheds light on analysing the data collected with the discourse completion task (DCT) from 120 Kurdish subjects in the Garmian region in Iraqi Kurdistan
, supported by 24 interviews and triangulated by 44 observed real situations. The participants are divided by gender into 60 males and 60 females in the DCT data; 12 males vs 12 females in the interview data and 11 females vs 33 males in the real observed situations. The results show the use of similar apology strategies by both gender groups over the situations, but with proportionally different frequencies, except in certain situations due to
gender differences. In addition to gender as a striking social variable in Kurdish culture, the study also explores the significance of age and social status of the subjects in conceptualising apology acts. The study also displays the effect of the apology recipient’s social features on the subjects’ conceptualisation and their obligation to apology. The clear significance of the apology supporting sub-strategies is also revealed in the study.
The findings of the study are not consistent in many cases to those of other researchers, mainly Western ones, with regard to the effect of gender and the use of responsibility strategy as an essential strategy in English and some other cultures. Importantly, the study shows the collective features of the Kurdish culture which make them apologise differently, in certain situations, from other cultures. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the diversity of the apology strategies is based on the nature and severity of an offence that can vary according to the social
norms prevailing in the Kurdish culture.