1: Delaying 4: Showing Respect
2: Regret and Apology 5: Giving an Alternative 3: Excuse/reason/ explanation 6: Mixing different ways
Figure 1: Hedging strategy provided by the English and Vietnamese participants in situation 1 and situation 2
It is clearly seen in figure 1 that Delaying strategy is hardly used in both situations. Only 3.3 % of Vietnamese participants use it in situation 1 (when the inviter is familiar). The number of English participants employ this strategy is a bit higher (6.6 % in situation 1 and 3.3 % in situation 2). The answers are as follows:
- I don’t know if I can go, perhaps not, thanks for the invite. (S1)
- Anh cũng không chắc có đến được không. Hôm đấy anh đi công tác (S1)
(I’m not sure if I can come. I will be on business that day) - Aw, I’m sort of busy today, maybe another time. (S2)
- I’m not sure if I can come. I have some family affair that day (S1)
Regret and apology, perhaps, is English participants’ favorite strategy. They employ it much in both situations (26.4 % and 17.4% respectively). However, only 10% of Vietnamese participants use Regret and Apology to decline in situation 2. The extent is a bit higher (16.5%) when the Inviter is familiar.
Some of the typical answers are as follows:
- What a shame! It must be so much fun (S1) - Tiếc quá hôm đấy tớ lại đi công tác (S1) (What a pity, I’ll be on business that day) - Gosh. I’m sorry. I can’t attend it.( S1)
- Tiếc quá, hôm nay mình không mua được rồi (S2) - ( What a pity, I can’t buy it today)
- What a pity, I’ve just went shopping. (S2)
The figure 1 also shows that a majority of Vietnamese participants tends to used Excuse/ reason/ explanation strategy to someone who is lower or equal power settings. Meanwhile, the number of participants employ this strategy in situation 1 is the most (36.3%). With unfamiliar inviter, the number is a bit lower but still at high level (29.7%). On the contrary, English participants don’t prefer this strategy. There is not much different between 2 situations
also (16.5% and 13.2% respectively). Some of the typical answers are as follows:
- Anh xin lỗi, hôm đấy anh phải tiếp đối tác rồi. (S1) ( I’m sorry, I have to entertain our partner that day ) - I’m really sorry, I can’t come back until next Sunday. (S1) - Xin lỗi, chị đang bận lắm (S2)
(Sorry, I’m very busy now) - Sorry, I need to go now (S2)
Showing Respect and Giving an Alternative are two strategies that occurs much different between 2 situations. As you seen in figure 1, to decline invitation made by someone familiar, both English and Vietnamese participants tend to used Showing Respect (23.1 % and 26.4% respectively) but rarely use Giving Alternative (10% and 6.6% respectively). On the contrary, with unfamiliar inviter, the tactic is nearly upset. There are 6.6% of English participants and 10% of Vietnamese one employed Showing Respect in situation 1, but the number use Giving an Alternative in the second situation is 33% and 27.3% respectively. The tactic employs by English participants is a bit higher (about 5.7%). Some of the typical answers are as follows:
Showing Respect:
- That sounds really nice. But I don’t think I can come (S1)
- Cảm ơn em đã mời. Nhưng chị sợ rằng không tới dự được.(S1) (Thank for your invitation. But I probably will not be able to come) - That sounds really nice. But I can’t make it today (S2)
- Có hàng mới về à? Hấp dẫn nhỉ? Nhưng chị đang vội đi (S2)
(New arrivals? That sounds really nice. But I’m on a hurry)
Giving an Alternative:
- I’ll come as soon as I arrival (S1)
- Tuần sau anh sẽ qua thăm nhà mới nhé!Tối thứ 7 tuần này phải ăn tối với đối tác rồi (S1)
(I’ll visit your new house next week. This Saturday evening, I have to entertain our partner)
- Maybe next time. I’m really busy now (S2) - Mai mình qua xem nhé! (S2)
(I’ll come tomorrow)
Mixing different ways, perhaps, is a safe way to decline. Thus, there is not much difference in the frequency among different distances. In both situations, Vietnamese participants use this strategy with quite same extent (10.9% and 13% respectively). The English participants employ this tactic a little bit more frequent than Vietnamese ones in situation 1 (17.4%). Some of the typical answers are as follows:
- Wow, good news! Unfortunately I have got something planned before.
I don’t think I can come. (S1)
- Đã tân gia rồi à? Nhanh quá nhỉ? Chắc chị sẽ đến chơi sau rồi, chị phải đi công tác 1 tuần. (S2)
(Housewarming? Finished so fast, right? But I’ll probably come another day, I’ll on business trip for one week)
- I’d love to come. But I have to go now. Maybe tomorrow (S2)
- Có chương trình khuyến mại à? Cũng hấp dẫn đấy. Chị sẽ ghé xem sau nhé! Chị đang bận chút việc (S2)
(You are giving promotion? It’s interesting. I’ll come to see later. I’m a bit busy now)