The influence of gender on complaint emails in service encounters by B2 EFL Spanish speakers

eliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaelia eliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaelia eliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaelia eliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaelia eliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaeliaelia 43 ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice encoun e s by B2 EFL Spanish speake sencoun e s by B2 EFL Spanish speake s La in luencia del géne o en los emails de queja en in e acciones La in luencia del géne o en los emails de queja en in e acciones de se icio de es udian es españoles de inglés como lengua de se icio de es udian es españoles de inglés como lengua ex anje a en ni el B2 ex anje a en ni el B2 Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía Uni e sidad de Jaén [email p o ec ed] Ca men Maíz-A é aloCa men Maíz-A é alo Uni e sidad Complu ense de Mad id [email p o ec ed] Abs ac Abs ac The speech ac o complaining p esen s a conside able challenge due o i s ace- h ea ening na u e, equi ing a high le el o p agma ic compe ence. This challenge is in ensi ied when complainan s communica e in a language o he han hei na i e ongue, as hey may lack amilia i y no only wi h he linguis ic o ms equi ed bu also wi h he sociop agma ic nuances in ol ed. The p esen s udy adop s a mixed-me hod co pus-lea ne app oach by analysing a da ase o complain emails om se ice encoun e s au ho ed by 50 Spanish s uden s lea ning English as a o eign language (EFL). Speci ically, i seeks o add ess wo esea ch ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 44 The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice encoun e s... ques ions: (a) Wha s a egies and mo es shape he s uc u e o complain emails w i en by Peninsula Spanish EFL s uden s in se ice encoun e s? And (b) To wha deg ee does he a iable o gende in luence he composi ion o complain emails in his con ex ? I is hypo hesised ha s uden s, albei pa ially awa e o he s uc u e o his kind o emails, migh ans e some s a egies om hei L1. Rega ding gende , i is expec ed ha emale s uden s will mi iga e hei complain while male s uden s will pe o m complain s mo e di ec ly. The indings suppo bo h hypo heses as s uden s ecognise he necessi y o ollowing a ou -mo e s uc u e and acknowledge he impac o he a iables o powe and in e pe sonal dis ance. Howe e , no able dis inc ions eme ge be ween emale and male s uden s ega ding hei u ilisa ion o s a egies and sub-s a egies wi hin each mo e, po en ially pe pe ua ing gende -based s e eo ypes. These indings highligh he need o a ge ed language ins uc ion ha add esses bo h linguis ic and sociop agma ic aspec s. Keywo ds: EFL lea ne co pus, emails, complain s, se ice encoun e s, Peninsula Spanish s uden s ResumenResumen El ac o de habla de la queja p esen a un desa ío debido a su na u aleza amenazan e pa a la imagen, lo que equie e un al o ni el de compe encia p agmá ica. Es e desa ío se in ensi ica cuando el indi iduo o mula la queja en un idioma dis in o a su lengua ma e na, ya que es posible que no es é amilia izado an o con las o mas lingüís icas eque idas, como con los ma ices sociop agmá icos. Desde una pe spec i a mix a, es e es udio analiza una mues a de co eos elec ónicos de queja esc i os po 50 es udian es españoles de inglés como lengua ex anje a (EFL). Se p e ende da espues a a dos p egun as de in es igación: (a) ¿Qué es a egias y mo imien os es uc u an los co eos de quejas de es os es udian es en las in e acciones de se icio? (b) ¿En qué medida ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 45 Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía y Ca men Maíz-A é alo in luye el géne o en la composición de dichos co eos en es e con ex o? Pa imos de la hipó esis de que los es udian es son conscien es de la es uc u a de es e ipo de emails, pe o que se p oduci án ans e encias desde su L1. En cuan o al géne o, se espe a que las es udian es empleen un mayo g ado de mi igación en e a un es ilo más di ec o de los es udian es. Los esul ados p ueban ambas hipó esis, mos ando que los es udian es siguen una es uc u a de cua o mo imien os y econocen la impo ancia de las a iables de pode y dis ancia in e pe sonal. Sin emba go, exis en dis inciones no ables en e ellos con espec o a las es a egias y sub- es a egias empleadas en cada mo imien o, pe pe uando cie os es e eo ipos de géne o. Es os hallazgos sub ayan la necesidad de una ins ucción que abo de aspec os lingüís icos y sociop agmá icos. Palab as cla e: Co pus de ap endices de inglés como lengua ex anje a (EFL), co eos elec ónicos, quejas, in e acciones de se icio, es udian es españoles peninsula es 1. In oduc ion1. In oduc ion Mas e ing p agma ic compe ence in o eign languages is challenging ye c ucial. Complaining is an in ica e speech ac o bo h na i e and non-na i e speake s o he language, as i akes place in a ace- h ea ening con ex ha pu s he EFL speake a a disad an age. P o iciency in exp essing complain s encompasses mo e han jus linguis ic s a egies; i also in ol es he cul u e- speci ic no ms and unspoken ules go e ning complain s ac oss di e en cul u al backg ounds (Chen e al., 2011). The CEFR-CV (Council o Eu ope, 2020) unde sco es he impo ance o demons a ing p agmalinguis ic compe ence by ini ia ing, ollowing up on, and nego ia ing a complain ac oss ace- o- ace and digi al communica ion, in bo h w i en and spoken in e ac ion, and wi hin media ion en i onmen s a B1 and abo e. ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 46 The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice encoun e s... This co e s a spec um o complexi y, om e e yday ansac ions like eques ing ood o d ink o add essing con lic s and demanding sa is ac ion. Fo mal e-mails and le e s o complain a e in eg a ed in o w i en in e ac ion ac i i ies. Resea ch has o en ocused on o al and w i en complain s by EFL s uden s. Howe e , he conside a ion o emails is ela i ely ecen (Nguyen & Pham 2021). Besides, wi h e y ew excep ions (Usó- Juan & Ma ínez-Flo , 2017; Maíz-A é alo and Méndez-Ga cía, 2023), he e has been minimal ocus on w i en complain s by Spanish EFL lea ne s. Simila ly, al hough he e is compelling bu limi ed esea ch on how he lea ne ’s gende in luences he pe o mance o complain s among English lea ne s om a ious L1, e y li le conside a ion has been gi en o Peninsula Spanish. This pape seeks o ed ess his balance by ocalising on he e ec o gende on he mo es and s a egies displayed in B2 emails o complain s au ho ed by Peninsula Spanish EFL s uden s, pa icula ly in he con ex o se ice encoun e s. The a ionale o ocusing on B2 le el is oo ed in he CEFR-CV ’s expec a ion (2020) ha B1 lea ne s should possess he compe ence o p o icien ly compose complain emails. 2. Complain s in se ice encoun e s2. Complain s in se ice encoun e s Se ice encoun e s ypically encompass b ie and ansi o y ac s o communica ion o an impe sonal a he han social na u e be ween a se ice seeke and a se ice p o ide . They o e oppo uni ies o lee ing appo cons uc ion, c ucial in cus ome complain se ices, whe e mee ing cus ome expec a ion is pa amoun (Ke oe-Feldman, 2018). The a ionale behind his lies in he likelihood ha complaine s a e equen use s o he o ganisa ion’s p oduc s o se ices. Hence, he p edisposi ion o complain is p opo iona e o he pe cei ed g a i y o he ansg ession, discon en leading o nega i e wo d-o -mou h (Goodman & Newman, 2003). ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 47 Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía y Ca men Maíz-A é alo Complain s can be di ec o ace- h ea ening, add essing he accoun able pa y o he o ence, o indi ec o non- ace- h ea ening, ocusing on a hi d pa y (Ke oe-Feldman, 2018). In his con ex , when clien s a e dissa is ied wi h he se ice p o ided, hey hold he complainee liable o he ansg ession and issue a complain o pass judgemen and eques o epai o ed ess he objec ionable si ua ion (Laabidi and Bous iha, 2020). Complain s may hinde appo cons uc ion, o en challenging he ecipien ’s nega i e ace and po en ially leading o hos ili y and con on a ion (Yuan and Zhang, 2018; Wijayan o e al., 2017). Consequen ly, wi hin he se ice p o ide sec o , complain s o en en wine wi h complain managemen , se ice eco e y ac ions, and e o s o p e en complain s om escala ing. Complain s o en mi o s o y elling, as complaine s sha e hei expe ience wi h s o y- ecipien s expec ing an a ilia e esponse. This p ocess in ol es a ec i i y; emo ions like us a ion, blame o disappoin men a e wo en he e, which can p omp complaine s o di ulge p i a e in o ma ion (O habe & Má quez Rei e , 2011). Howe e , om a sociop agma ic pe spec i e, he ela ionship be ween bo h in e locu o s ends o be asymme ical, whe e he clien is ypically iewed as being in he igh and dis an , which clea ly in luences how complain s a e a icula ed and he mo es and s a egies employed in he p ocess. 2.1. Mo es and s a egies in he speech ac o complain 2.1. Mo es and s a egies in he speech ac o complain Mo es e e o “seman ic and unc ional uni s o ex s ha ha e speci ic communica i e pu poses” (Bibe e al., 2007: 31). The selec ion o a complain mo e pa e n is shaped by he social a iables o dis ance, powe and anking o imposi ion (Moon, 2001). The speech ac o complain is o en poly-mo e (P yka pa ska, 2008). E en hough i “has no p ede e mined o m [...] and is mo e ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 48 The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice encoun e s... in ica e and di icul han many o he speech ac s” (Yang & Wu, 2022, p. 2), p e ious esea ch on complain s gene ally ou lines a ou -mo e pa e n ini ia ed by an opene , ollowed by a s a emen o he p edicamen , a p oposal o emedia ion and a closing, each con aining mul iple s a egies (T ench, 1995; P yka pa ska, 2008; Yuan & Zhang, 2018; Nguyen & Pham, 2021; Maíz-A é alo & Méndez Ga cía, 2023). Howe e , al e na i e pa e ns ha e also been p oposed. T ench (1995) iden i ies i e mo es –opene , ac s a emen o exp ess he p oblem, speake ’s jus i ica ion, emedy and closing. Hasyim and Hasyim (2020) dis inguish he ou mo es o ini ia ing, ques ioning, c i icising, and eques ing epai . Meanwhile, Chen e al. (2011) p esen a clus e o six mo es, he mos equen being dissa is ac ion + eques o epai . Each mo e wi hin a complain sequence is ealised by one o se e al s ages o s a egies, linguis ic o discu si e choices made by he speake o achie e hei communica i e goal. Fo ins ance, in he opening mo e, a complaine may di ec ly ini ia e he complain o seek he complainee’s a en ion; o when s a ing he p oblem, s a egies could ange om implici exp essions o annoyance o explici s a egies such as blaming o accusing he add essee (Olsh ain & Weinbach, 1987). The choice o s a egy hinges on ac o s such as he speake -lis ene ela ionship, he se e i y o he p oblem and cul u al expec a ions. Unde s anding he a ailable s a egies enables complaine s o be e ailo hei complain s o achie ing desi ed ou comes. In se ice encoun e s, he speech ac o complain in spoken in e ac ion comp ehends i e mo es: g ee ing, agg ession- educ ion, con lic -se lemen , p oblem-solu ion and conclusion. Despi e he inhe en di e si y in each complain scena io, esea ch a es s ha he eason o he complain is equen ly exp essed du ing he g ee ing phase (O habe & Má quez Rei e , 2011). Among he a e s udies on he o mula ion o complain s in se ice encoun e con ex s by EFL lea ne s, Ami youse i e al. (2018) ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 49 Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía y Ca men Maíz-A é alo examine how I anian EFL lea ne s, Pe sian na i e speake s and English na i e speake s handle appo managemen s a egies. Resul s highligh he widesp ead use o social ela ions o appo managemen s a egies, pa icula ly, appo enhancemen , main enance, challenge and neglec s a egies. Howe e , cul u e-speci ic di e ences a e iden i ied in he equency o use o hese s a egies, appo enhancemen and main enance s a egies being mo e common among Pe sian na i e speake s, whe eas appo challenge s a egies a e mo e equen among Pe sian na i e speake s and I anian EFL lea ne s. 2.2. EFL lea ne s’ o mula ion o complain s2.2. EFL lea ne s’ o mula ion o complain s S udies o EFL lea ne s’ complain s o en del e in o c oss-cul u al and acquisi ional pe spec i es agains he backd op o an in e language amewo k ha ypically compa es lea ne s’ use wi h ha o na i e speake s, hough his app oach is inc easingly conside ed limi ed (Chen e al., 2011; da Sil a, 2014). These s udies s ess he nega i e p agma ic ans e o lea ne s’ na i e language and cul u e (Chen e al., 2011; da Sil a, 2014). Some in es iga ions sugges ha EFL lea ne s end o be mo e explici in hei complain s han na i e speake s (da Sil a, 2014; Kakolaki & Shah okhi, 2016; T ench, 1995). Ye , o he s udies unde line ha na i e speake s demons a e asse i eness and a p e e ence o explici complain s a egies (Laabidi & Bous iha, 2020), con as ing his o EFL lea ne s’ inclina ion owa ds o e - poli eness and indi ec complain s (Esh aghi & Shah okhi 2016). These indings also indica e ha lea ne s’ p agma ic compe ence o hei local cul u e in luences hei use o mi iga o s and indi ec s a egies o so en complain s. Addi ionally, con ex ual a iables signi ican ly impac he s a egies employed by lea ne s. In Spain, Hidalgo e al.’s (2014) in es iga e he complain s made by Spanish uni e si y s uden s in bo h hei L1 and in EFL, ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 50 The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice encoun e s... e ealing a b oade ange o s a egies and a mo e di ec app oach when complain s a e made in Spanish. In e es ingly, s uden s end o associa e di ec ness wi h Spanish and indi ec ness wi h English. Likewise, Usó-Juan & Ma ínez-Flo (2017) look in o he impac o language p o iciency on he complain s a egies among emale EFL uni e si y s uden s in Spain and ind ha , ega dless o p o iciency le el, s uden s employ a bu e ing s a egy o mi iga e he message p io o oicing he complain . While s udies ha e p ima ily ocused on ace- o- ace in e ac ion, a signi ican numbe o complain s a e now issued digi ally, especially h ough email. 2.3. EFL s uden s’ cons uc ion o emails2.3. EFL s uden s’ cons uc ion o emails Emails ha e become a p e alen mode o handling complain s. They domina e long-dis ance ela ionships due o hei asynch onous na u e (Chen, 2015; Halenko e al. 2021), a e ex ensi ely used in he wo kplace and se e as a medium o young indi iduals o communica e wi h adul s in w i ing (Economidou-Koge sidis, 2018). Teaching and lea ning he skill o email w i ing in English p esen e iden challenges. The wide a ay o sende - ecipien ela ionships and in e ac ion con ex s, coupled wi h he a iabili y in email con en ions ac oss cul u es, has led o a lack o consensus on he p agma ics o na i e speake s’ email w i ing. Emails di e signi ican ly om adi ional le e -w i ing due o hei con ex ual a iabili y and hyb id cha ac e . Resembling o he o ms o co espondence, e-mails can exhibi s ylis ic and linguis ic ea u es o w i en o mali y o e-poli eness (Biesenbach-Lucas, 2007), and ypically adop an epis ola y o ma wi h g ee ings, main body and a ewell. No ably, hey lack non- e bal and pa alinguis ic cues, “al hough he use o emo icons and capi aliza ion can be seen as a way o make up o hese cues” (Economidou-Koge sidis, 2018, p. 491). ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 51 Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía y Ca men Maíz-A é alo Mo eo e , like o he w i en ex s, emails can be e ised and edi ed by he sende (Economidou-Koge sidis, 2018). Con e sely, hei in e ac i e, ansien and dynamic na u e, allows o in o mal ea u es akin o speech such as single wo ds, sho sen ences, non- s anda d spellings o emo icons, and he exclusion o openings, closings and signa u es (Biesenbach-Lucas, 2007; Economidou- Koge sidis, 2018). S udies explo ing emails au ho ed by EFL lea ne s p ima ily add ess he powe dynamics in s uden s’ communica ion wi h p o esso s, p edominan ly in s uden s’ o mula ion o eques s (Biesenbach-Lucas, 2007; Codina-Espu z, 2022; Chen, 2015; Economidou-Koge sidis, 2015, 2016, 2018; Laza escu, 2020), demons a ing no only a mani es powe imbalance bu also subs an ial disc epancy in pe cep ions ega ding app op ia eness and email p agma ics. Addi ionally, esea ch ocuses on o ms o add ess and g ee ings/closings o mulas (Bou-F anch, 2011; Schaue , 2021). In EFL s uden s’ eques emails dis inc pa e ns su ace, including highe di ec ness, omission o g ee ings ( e med as a oidance s a egy o ze o o m o add ess) o a oidance o de e ence o ms (like “dea ” o ‘ i le’ + name) and absence o closings alongside insu icien mi iga ion (Codina-Espu z, 2022). The e is a endency o impose on he eade , wi h mo e eques s o ac ion han o in o ma ion (Laza escu, 2020). Rema kably, some s uden s belie e ha me ely using “please” o “ hank you” cons i u es “poli e” o mulaic u e ances (Economidou-Koge sidis, 2016). Besides, ecen esea ch indica es ha despi e s uden s ecognising he s a us di e ence, hey o en o e look his dissimila i y and choose no o mi iga e o downg ade hei eques emails o p o esso s (Codina- Espu z, 2022). Consequen ly, EFL s uden s o en al e na e be ween o mal o casual language, using clipped syn ax, symbols o abb e ia ions (Biesenbach-Lucas, 2007). Howe e , p o esso s end o pe cei e casual language as inconside a e o ude based on pe cei ed s a us- ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 58 The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice encoun e s... Figu e 1. Mo es and s a egies in emails o complain (Maíz-A é alo and Méndez-Ga cía, 2023: 32) Figu e 1. Mo es and s a egies in emails o complain (Maíz-A é alo and Méndez-Ga cía, 2023: 32) As shown in Figu e 1, emails o complain ollow he cus oma y ou -mo e s uc u e, wi h a se o s a egies and sub-s a egies in each o hem. Some o he s a egies seem ecu en in all emails o complain , acco ding o he li e a u e, while o he s (in o ange) may de i e om he con ex ual cons ain s whe e he in e ac ion is p oduced and become appa en in he EFL Peninsula Spanish sample in es iga ed by Maíz-A é alo and Méndez Ga cía (2023). Thus, he opening mo e (o opene ) ypically includes a salu a ion in di e en deg ees o o mali y. In he case whe e he ela ionship be ween he in e locu o s is no dis an , i may include bo h appo cons uc ion (“I hope his inds you well”) and e en an apology o add essing hem (“I’m so y o bo he you by email”). Rappo cons uc ion and he need o apologise in o de o epai a possible h ea o he ecipien ’s nega i e ace seem qui e ela ed o Spanish cul u e’s endency ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 59 Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía y Ca men Maíz-A é alo As shown in Figu e 1, emails o complain ollow he cus oma y ou -mo e s uc u e, wi h a se o s a egies and sub-s a egies in each o hem. Some o he s a egies seem ecu en in all emails o complain , acco ding o he li e a u e, while o he s (in o ange) may de i e om he con ex ual cons ain s whe e he in e ac ion is p oduced and become appa en in he EFL Peninsula Spanish sample in es iga ed by Maíz-A é alo and Méndez Ga cía (2023). Thus, he opening mo e (o opene ) ypically includes a salu a ion in di e en deg ees o o mali y. In he case whe e he ela ionship be ween he in e locu o s is no dis an , i may include bo h appo cons uc ion (“I hope his inds you well”) and e en an apology o add essing hem (“I’m so y o bo he you by email”). Rappo cons uc ion and he need o apologise in o de o epai a possible h ea o he ecipien ’s nega i e ace seem qui e ela ed o Spanish cul u e’s endency owa ds posi i e poli eness –e.g., as a way o p ese e g oup ha mony (Iglesias Recue o, 2007). The second mo e (o s a emen o he p edicamen ) is whe e he w i e exp esses hei complain . E en hough he exp ession o he complain is he main s a egy in his mo e, i may also include o he s a egies such as p epa ing he e ain be o e he ac ual complain is ai ed (“I am w i ing o you o exp ess my disappoin men ”), o e ing jus i ica ion o he complain o exp essing nega i e emo ions. The hi d mo e is also known as he emedia ion, and i is whe e he w i e asks o compensa ion and a ed ess o he p edicamen . As in he p e ious mo es, his main s a egy can o en be accompanied by o he s such as p o iding some al e na i e solu ions o emedy he p oblem. Finally, he ou h mo e closes he email and is o en s uc u ed along h ee main s a egies: a p e-closing whe e he w i e usually appeals o u u e ac ion (“I look o wa d o hea ing om you”), hanking he ecipien o eading he email and ac ually closing i wi h a a ewell, which can also a y in e ms o o mali y in line wi h he g ee ing. ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 60 The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice encoun e s... Taking hese mo es and s a egies as a poin o depa u e, he da ase was agged acco dingly. Resul s a e p esen ed in he ollowing sec ion which, o he sake o cla i y, has been di ided in o ou sub-sec ions acco ding o each o he mo es. 4. Resul s 4. Resul s 4.1. Opening mo e4.1. Opening mo e As summa ised in Table 1, esul s show ha he con ex ual a iables o dis ance and powe play an impo an ole in how s uden s open hei email o complain as hey e ain om c ea ing any appo wi h hei in e locu o o apologising o w i ing o hem. The eason o his is ha , as cus ome s, hey eel empowe ed o ile he complain wi hou he need o c ea e appo wi h he add essee. This educes he opening mo e o jus he s a egy o g ee ing o salu a ion. Acco ding o Chen (2015) and Economidou-Koge sidis (2015), salu a ions can be o mal (“To whom i may conce n”, “Dea Si / Madam”), semi- o mal (“Dea wo ke s o Sco -holidays”) o in o mal (“Hello”). Resul s show ha , as expec ed, bo h g oups o s uden s op o o mal and semi- o mal salu a ions. As hey do no know he name o he add essee, he s a egy “name” is ne e employed. All he emails include a salu a ion, which may indica e s uden s a e awa e o he dis ance and o mali y o he si ua ion. Table 1 summa ises hese esul s in aw numbe s and he co esponding a io. A close look a he esul s, howe e , shows in e es ing di e ences be ween bo h g oups, wi h emale s uden s p e e ing a o mal app oach mo e equen ly han hei male coun e pa s (64.3% e sus 50%) e en i esul s a e no s a is ically signi ican (p alue= .59). Male s uden s op o semi- o mal salu a ions mo e o en han emale ones, as in example (1) om he da ase , whe e he ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 61 Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía y Ca men Maíz-A é alo w i e add esses he manage o he company, e en i his was no p omp ed as pa o he ask: (1) Dea Manage , [30170M] A ela ed inding is ha s uden s a e awa e ha he le el o o mali y demands a o mal salu a ion, hence e idencing hei p agma ic compe ence in he L2, e en i hei linguis ic compe ence is insu icien and hei p oduc ion ende s a non-idioma ic exp ession as in example (2) by a emale s uden , who ans e s a o mal exp ession (“ a la a ención de” ) (“ o he a en ion o ”) om he L1: (2) A he a endance o cus ome se ice o Sco holidays.com [301717F] F om a quali a i e pe spec i e, i is in e es ing o poin ou ha o mal salu a ions p esen some di e ences be ween bo h g oups. Thus, male s uden s o en add ess hei email o a mo e indi idualised ecipien (o en male himsel ) while emale candida es ei he add ess a comple e eam o pe o m a dual salu a ion, as illus a ed in examples (3) o (5), p oduced by a male and wo emale candida es: (3) Si . [30179M] (4) Dea Si /Madam, [30117F] (5) Dea cus ome se ice, [30191F] Table 1. Salu a ion and gende Salu a ion Gende = F (28) Gende = M (22) To al (50) Fo mal 18 (64.3%) 11 (50%) 29 (58%) Semi- o mal 7 (25%) 8 (37%) 15 (30%) In o mal 3 (10.7%) 3 (13%) 6 (12%) Name 0 0 0 No salu a ion o mula 0 0 0 To al 28 (100%) 22 (100%) 50 (100%) ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 62 The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice encoun e s... Al hough he sample is undeniably oo limi ed o each gene al conclusions, hese pa e ns seem o e idence he esilience o ce ain gende s e eo ypes -i.e. people in cha ge a e male, especially among he male candida es. 3.2. Second mo e: S a emen o he p edicamen 3.2. Second mo e: S a emen o he p edicamen The second mo e can be conside ed as he main body o he complain , as he w i e uses i o pe o m he complain i sel . Howe e , i a ely appea s in isola ion, bu is ca ied ou by means o di e en s a egies and sub-s a egies (see Figu e 1 abo e). Gi en he con ex ual cons ain s o he ask a hand, i comes as no su p ise ha some o he s a egies pu o wa d by Maíz-A é alo and Méndez- Ga cía (2023) a e no employed by hese lea ne s such as p aising he o he o exp essing ag eemen . O he s a egies, howe e , a e employed (see Table 2): Table 2. Mo e 2 and gende S a egies Female (N= 28) Male (N=22) To al (50) P epa a o 19 (60.7%) 15 (68%) 32 (64%) Apology 2 (7.14%) 0 (0%) 2 (4%) S a emen o complain 6 (21.4%) 2 (9%) 8 (16%) Jus i ica ion 12 (64.3%) 16 (73%) 34 (68%) Exp ession o nega i e emo ions 22 (71.4%) 9 (41%) 29 (58%) To al 28 (100%) 22 (100%) 50 (100%) As shown in Table 2, bo h g oups a e awa e o he impo ance o using a p epa a o o in oduce hei complain . In ac , 32 s uden s include his s a egy in hei email (64% o he da ase ). Howe e , male s uden s seem o be mo e p one o using his s a egy be o e explici ly s a ing he complain in a di ec way, wi h 68% e sus 60.7% in he case o he emale pa icipan s. Some o hem e en men ion his, as in example (6): ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 63 Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía y Ca men Maíz-A é alo (6) Las weekend I wen o Sco land in o de o celeb a e he end o he academyc yea . I needed a place o s ay h ee days, so I booked a la by you web page. I am going o be di ec , wha I ound was e y disappoin ing. [30175M] Apologies a e a ely employed ollowing he e hos ha “ he clien is always igh ”. Howe e , i is in e es ing o poin ou ha i is only wo o he emale s uden s ha include an apology p io o making hei complain , as in (7) and (8): (7) I am w i ing o complain abou a la ha I en ed om you websi e Sco holidays.com [p epa a o ]. I am eally so y oo say ha I am uly disappoin ed wi h you se ices. [apology] [30185F] (8) I am w i ing wi h e e ence o a la ha I en ed om you agence “Sco holidays” he las weekend in he ci y o Sco land. [p epa a o ] I am u hly so y o need o w i e his email because I know ha his si ua ion is qui e uncom o able o anyone [apology] [30164F] In con as o p e ious s udies (Maíz-A é alo and Méndez-Ga cía, 2023), s uden s in his speci ic con ex end no o exp ess he complain di ec ly bu p e e o desc ibe he si ua ion hey encoun e ed and how he di e ence be ween he expec ed se ice and he cu en expe ience jus i ies hei complain . Thus, jus i ica ion becomes he mos ecu en s a egy in bo h g oups (68%), used by 18 ou o 28 emale s uden s (64.2%) and 16 ou o 22 male s uden s (73%), as can be seen in (9), which adop s a na a i e s uc u e, in line wi h o he s udies such as ha by O habe and Má quez Rei e (2011), who a gue ha complain s o en esemble s o y- elling: (9) Fi s o all, when I a i ed o neighbou hood I el insecu e because people we e d unk in he s ee . They ied be on me and I was igh ened. Despi e his episode, I wen o la o hide me and o ge ing ha . [30181F] The exp ession o nega i e emo ions is he hi d mos ecu en s a egy (58%). En wined wi h jus i ying hei complain , s uden s ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 64 The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice encoun e s... exp ess hei disappoin men and how he si ua ion nega i ely impac ed hei expe ience. In e es ingly, howe e , almos all he emale s uden s in he sample (20 ou o 28, hence 71.4%) eso o his s a egy, which is less equen among male pa icipan s (9 ou o 22, 41%). Mo eo e , emale s uden s o en e e o hei whole amily being nega i ely a ec ed, e en hough being a amily aca ion was no p omp ed in he o iginal ask, as illus a ed by (10) and (11): (10) This la si ua ion eally s essed me ou , and my amily, who I was isi ing, could app ecia e ha upse eeling on me, so indi ec ly his also a ec ed o hem. [30185F] (11) Fo ha eason and o you s mis ake, we couldn’ enjoy ou a el in he o m ha we wan ed. Fo example, I needed o slep wi h my sons when I only wan ed o slep wi h my husband o had a good ime in he nigh . [30200F] Male s uden s, howe e , o en e e o hei a elling ei he indi idually o wi h o he iends a he han wi h amily: (12) Thanks o no ha ing 3 beds one o my iends woke up wi h a emendous pain in he back. Fo ins ance, ha is he eason why he missed he ac i i ies planned o ha day. And he o he iend cough a cold o aking a showe wi h he b oken hea e . [30202M] I could be a gued ha bo h e e ing o amily o iends and he exp ession o nega i e emo ions mos ly by emale s uden s show lea ne s a e inad e en ly pe pe ua ing gende s e eo ypes (Ko ek e al., 2021). Di e ences, howe e , a e no s a is ically signi ican , as Pea son’s X2 es ende s a p alue o .116. 4.3. Mo e 3: Remedia ion4.3. Mo e 3: Remedia ion Toge he wi h he s a emen o he p edicamen , mo e 3 is c ucial in he o mula ion o complain s as i is he s age whe e he w i e asks ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 65 Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía y Ca men Maíz-A é alo o a compensa ion o emedia ion o he p edicamen . In he p esen con ex , whe e s uden s ha e al eady expe ienced he p oblem (i.e. he accommoda ion did no li e up o expec a ions), he e is no chance o emedia ion on he spo bu o a u u e compensa ion (e.g. in he o m o a ouche o a u u e holiday). Fi e s a egies we e used in his mo e: eques o ed ess, demand o ed ess, sugges ion, h ea ening he se ice p o ide and p o iding e idence (in he o m o pho og aphs aken by he dissa is ied cus ome ). Table 3 summa ises he s a egies ound in he hi d mo e acco ding o gende . Table 3. Mo e 3 and gende S a egies Female (N= 28) Male (N=22) To al (50) Reques ing ed ess 16 (40%) 6 (17.6%) 22 (30%) Demanding ed ess 6 (15%) 9 (26.4%) 15 (20%) Sugges ing a solu ion 5 (12.5%) 0 (0%) 5 (7%) Th ea ening he p o ide 1 (2.5%) 9 (30%) 10 (13.5%) P o iding e idence 12 (30%) 10 (45.4%) 22 (29.5%) To al 28 (100%) 22 (100%) 50 (100%) Al hough bo h eques ing and demanding o compensa ion a e di ec i e speech ac s whe e he add esse expec s a u u e ac ion on he add essee’s pa , he main di e ence be ween hem is ha eques s poli ely mi iga e he ace- h ea on he ecipien o he di ec i e whe eas demands do no . Reques s we e employed by 16 ou o he emale s uden s (40%) and 6 ou o 22 male s uden s (17.6%), as in (13) by a emale s uden , and (14), a demand o mula ed by a male s uden . As can be seen, he s uden in (13) employs a g ea deal o mi iga ing s a egies o make he eques less ace- h ea ening o he ecipien , in wha could a guably be conside ed an o e -poli e eques : (13) In o de o ind a solu ion, I was wonde ing i exis any possibili y o e u n ou c edi om you agency, o i you ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 66 The in luence o gende on complain emails in se ice encoun e s... ha e o he sugges ions I would be g a e ul i you could send me mo e in o ma ion. [30180F] (14) This is why, a e his expe ience, I demand a compensa ion. [30170M] I is in e es ing o poin ou an isola ed case o a male s uden who, al hough lacking he linguis ic abili y, ealises his speech ac by means o Spanish ans e s (“ exijo una compensación momena ia ”) (“I demand mone a y compensa ion”): (15) By he way I exigy a mone a ium compensa ion. [30169M] A guably, sugges ions also belong o he mac o ca ego y o di ec i es, albei hei ace- h ea is poli ely mi iga ed (B own and Le inson, 1987). In he da ase a hand, only 5 emale s uden s pe o m his speech ac , as in (16): (16) In o de o ind a solu ion we p opose ge ing a new la in Sco land wi h a 75% discoun and he eimbu smen o he quan i y paid o he p e ious la . [30201F] This seems o con adic p e ious s udies, whe e male lea ne s we e shown o a ou sugges ions as a possible solu ion o a p edicamen (Maíz-A é alo and Méndez-Ga cía, 2023). Howe e , i could be a gued ha , in he sample unde sc u iny, he choice is de e mined ou o poli eness o emale lea ne s whe eas male pa icipan s see his pa icula si ua ion as a con ex whe e hey ha e a igh o demand compensa ion, as dissa is ied clien s, wi hou any need o poli e mi iga ion. The di ec ness o complain s by male pa icipan s is, in ac , in line wi h p e ious s udies, whe e hey a e also shown o be mo e agg essi e han hei emale coun e pa s (e.g. Kakolaki and Shah okhi; 2016). The highe le el o di ec ness and agg ession by male lea ne s may also accoun o he ema kably highe use o h ea s as opposed o he emale s uden s o he da ase . Thus, 9 ou o 22 male s uden s (30%) h ea en he se ice p o ide in con as o only one emale s uden doing so. Th ea s a e qui e di ec and ace- ELIA 24, 2024, pp. 43-77 DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.12795/elia.2024.i24.2 67 Ma ía-del-Ca men Méndez-Ga cía y Ca men Maíz-A é alo h ea ening and ange om aking legal ac ion o pos ing a nega i e e iew in social media, as illus a ed by examples (17) o (19), all o hem by male s uden s: (17) O else I will ake his case o he cou s. [30170M] (18) I no , I will w i e a nega i e commen on Sco holidays.com and nex a elle s will no come a you la s. [30173M] (19) As long as you paid me he compensa ion o wo housand dolla s, he e will no be consequences. I you unpaid me, o su e I am going o alk wi h my ad ocade [30167M] Finally, his mo e includes a con ex -bound s a egy -i.e. p o iding e idence o he complain . Al hough his was included as pa o he p omp o he ask, no e en hal he s uden s (29.5%) complied wi h he ins uc ion. Rega ding gende , howe e , male s uden s we e mo e p one o include his e e ence o pho og aphic e idence han hei emale coun e pa s (45.4% e sus 30%, espec i ely), as illus a ed by (20) and (21) by a emale and male s uden , espec i ely: (20) I will pu in his mail some pho os o see he e ible la ’s condi ions [30187F] (21) Please see he pho os a ached below [30189M] A e ca ying ou Pea son’s X2 es , i was ound ha he di e ences in Mo e 3 we e s a is ically signi ican , wi h p alue ende ing .002. This means gende does a ec he way hese pa icipan s pe o m Mo e 3. 3.4. Mo e 4: Closing3.4. 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