1: Delaying 4: Showing Respect
2: Regret and Apology 5: Giving an Alternative 3: Excuse/reason/ explanation 6: Mixing different ways
Figure 2: Hedging strategy provided by the English and Vietnamese participants in situation 3 and situation 4
As we can see in the figure 2 that Delaying strategy is used most in these cases, especially Vietnamese participants employed the highest tactic among 6 situations (10% in situation 3, 6.6% in situation 4). The extent is 6.6% and
3.3% respectively for the English ones. This might be seen as a common characteristic of the two cultures: people in both cultures are cautious when they consider how to explain the reasons to their conversational partners of equal status. Thus, they need some more time to find the best way to decline.
Some of the typical answers are as follows:
- Well... thanks. But I don’t think I can go. (S3) - Ừm, chiều thứ 7 tớ lại về quê mất rồi (S3)
(Um…I’m going to my homeland this Sunday) - Gee, you see...I’m trying to lose some pounds.(S4) - Ờ, thực ra thì tớ thích sô cô la đắng hơn. (S4)
(Actually...I prefer dark chocolate)
It is pointed out in figure 2 that Excuse/reason/explanation is strategy that Vietnamese participants employ most, especially in situation 4 (36.6%). As a matter of fact, to Vietnamese participants, Excuses seem to be a very significant part of the decline when the inviter is same power setting because they are afraid that the inviter may misunderstand their good will. To familiar inviter, nevertheless, this tactic is nearly 10% lower (26.4%). Like Vietnamese participants, the English ones employ Excuse more in situation 2 (23.1%), and a bit lower in situation 1(13.5%). However, the strategy that English participants used most is Regret and Apology without the distance difference (26.4% in situation 3 and 24.9% in situation 4). To Vietnamese ones, there is 6.6% different between 2 situations when employ Regret and Apology. They tend to choose this strategy to decline unfamiliar inviter more frequency than familiar ones (23.1% and 16.5% respectively). Some of the typical answers are as follows:
Excuse/reason/explanation:
- I’m afraid to say sorry! My boss will send me to business trip on that day (S3)
- Xin lỗi cậu. Hôm đấy tớ lại có việc không hoãn được (S3)
(I’m sorry! I have some work that can’t be postponed on that day) - I’m sorry but I’m on a diet (S4)
- Xin lỗi tớ không thích ăn ngọt lắm (S4) ( I’m sorry, I don’t like sweets)
Regret and Apology:
- Unfortunately. I can’t come on Saturday (S3)
- Ước gì tớ đến dự được. Tớ lại phải đi trực cả ngày chủ nhật (S3) (I wish I could come. I’m on duty all day on Sunday)
- Bad luck, I’m on a diet now (S4) - Tiếc quá, tớ đang muốn giảm cân (S4)
(What a shame! I’m trying to lose weight)
It is clearly seen a similarity between the number of Vietnamese and English who employ Showing Respect towards different kinds of partner in both situations (17.5%). There is only a bit lower when Vietnamese decline unfamiliar inviter (16.5%). There is also not much different of using Mixing different ways strategy in equal power settings. It is 11.5% in situation 3 and 14.8% in situation 4 of English participants, and 10% and 10.9% respectively of Vietnamese ones. Some of the typical answers are as follows:
Showing Respect:
- Thank you for your invitation, but I don’t think I can come (S3) - Tớ muốn đến dự lắm, nhưng chủ nhật vẫn ở quê ngoại (S3)
(I really like to come, but we’ll still be in my wife homeland this Sunday)
- Thanks for thinking of me, but I don’t like sweets (S4).
- Cảm ơn bạn, nhưng tớ không thích ăn vặt trong lớp (S4) (Thank you! But I don’t like eating in the classroom) Mixing different ways:
- Aw, what a shame! It must be so much fun. But I’m sorry, I can’t come. (S3)
- Ôi, ước gì tớ có thể đến được. Tiếc là tớ lại có hẹn tối chủ nhật rồi (S3) (Oh, I wish I could come. What a pity, I’ve a date on Sunday night) - Oh, it looks great! But I can’t. You know, I’m on a diet. (S4)
- Cảm ơn cậu, trông ngon quá. Nhưng ăn đồ ngọt khát nước lắm (S4) (Thanks! It’s look delicious. But eating sweet make me thirsty)
The biggest difference occurs when the participants employ Giving an Alternative strategy. None of the participants uses this strategy to decline unfamiliar inviter. To familiar ones, the English people tend to choose Giving an Alternative more than Vietnamese ones (24.9% and 19.8% respectively).
Some of the typical answers are as follows:
- I’ll be on vacation this Sunday, but I’ll bring you a big gift when I come back (S3)
- I’m not sure to come but I’ll try my best (S3)
- Tớ sẽ cố gắng về sớm để đến dự, nhưng tớ không dám hứa chắc chắn đâu nhé! (S3)
( I’ll try to finish work early to attend, but I can’t promise certainly)