Expressions of Gratitude

Expressions of Gratitude
Exercise Eight

Review

Directions: Please read the various directions for the questions below. After you have submitted your answers, please review the feedback.

Multiple-Answer: Please choose the correct answers. Choose all that apply.

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Scenarios in China

Directions: The following scenarios take place in China, and the given responses were produced by learners of Chinese. Evaluate/rate to what extent you think these expressions of gratitude are appropriate by assigning a number to each of them, and also provide your reasons based on what you have learned so far. Please click Rating Scale to read the six-point scale.

Acceptability Scale

(adapted from Eisenstein and Bodman, 1986, 1993)

0      Extremely Poor/Not comprehensible
Extremely hard to comprehend, often a combination of pragmalinguistic failure and sociopragmatic failure. Failure to complete the task
1       Very Poor/Not acceptable
Comprehensible, but a violation of social norms, utterances that may potentially offend the hearer, often instances of sociopragmatic failure. Very poor completion of tasks
2         Poor/Problematic
Errors that might cause misunderstandings, but of a less serious nature. Often instances of pragmalinguistic failure
3         OK/Acceptable
Appropriate language expressions, but may contain some small grammatical errors that do not interfere seriously with native speakers' understanding
4        Good/Near-native
Grammatically accurate and pragmatically appropriate expressions, but still sounds a little awkward compared to native speakers, e.g., its length, choice of vocabulary, or register
5        Excellent/Native
Clear and appropriate responses, close to native responses in content, syntax and lexicon

Scenario 1:

Your best friend in China travels to Hong Kong this summer and brings a gift back for you. When she/he gives the gift to you, what will you say to your friend?

Response: 多谢多谢。Duōxiè duōxiè.

Scenario 2:

You don't know Tianming, who is your Chinese friend's classmate, but you have helped him/her translate an English document before. Tianming travels to Hong Kong this summer and brings a gift back for you. When Tianming gives you the gift, what will you say to him/her?

Response: 你真好！我很喜欢。Nǐ zhēn hǎo! Wǒ hěn xǐhuān.

A Real-World Scenario

Directions: Find a realistic scenario in which a native speaker of Chinese expresses gratitude to his/her best friend or a stranger in Chinese. You may find the scenario on TV, in a movie, or other media (including online sources). Describe the scenario and interlocutors in this scenario (in English), record the expression of gratitude (in Chinese characters or Pinyin with tones), and analyze the use of thanking strategies based on what you have learned so far.

(1) Describe the scenario and interlocutors (including the source)

Tip: Pay attention to the social variables (e.g., social distance) involved in this scenario.

(2) Record the thanking expressions

(3) Analyze the use of thanking strategies in this scenario (according to the social variables involved)