An american vietnamese cross cultural study of interrupting and asking for clarification in business meetings m a thesis linguistics 60 22 02 01

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONALSTUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES BÙI THỊ MAI AN AMERICAN –VIETNAMESE CROSS –CULTURAL STUDY OF INTERRUPTING AND ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION IN BUSINESS MEETINGS (Nghiên cứu giao văn hóa Việt-Mỹ cách thức ngắt lời yêu cầu làm rõ ý họp kinh doanh) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 60220201 HANOI – 2016 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONALSTUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES BÙI THỊ MAI AN AMERICAN –VIETNAMESE CROSS –CULTURAL STUDY OF INTERRUPTING AND ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION IN BUSINESS MEETINGS (Nghiên cứu giao văn hóa Việt-Mỹ cách thức ngắt lời yêu cầu làm rõ ý họp kinh doanh) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 60220201 Supervisor: Prof NGUYỄN QUANG, Ph.D HANOI – 2016 DECLARATION I certify that the work presented in this research report has been performed and interpreted solely by myself I confirm that this paper is submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the M.A Degree and has not been submitted elsewhere in any other form for the fulfillment of any other degree or qualification Hanoi, 2016 Bùi Thị Mai i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This M.A thesis could not have been accomplished without the invaluable help, encouragement and support form a number of people who I would like to show my sincerest gratitude and appreciation To begin with, I would like to express my greatest and deepest thankfulness to Prof Nguyen Quang, my supervisor, for his enthusiastic and precious guideline and advice throughout the duration of my thesis Without his instruction and supervision, this thesis could not have reached the fulfillment Additionally, I wish to send my special thanks to Mr Hoang Van Nam, a sales representative at Danko Logistic Company, for his wholehearted facilitation Without his support, I cannot obtain emails for contacting American and Vietnamese businesspeople to ask for their participation in my study Thus, my honest thanks also come to the American and Vietnamese businesspeople who passionately provide their responses to my DCT and MCQ Last but not least, I owe a great debt of gratitude to my family and relatives particularly my father, mother and brother who have always supported me and supplied the best conditions for me to complete this thesis ii ABSTRACT This paper is carried out at endeavor of exploring the linguistic politeness strategies utilized by the Vietnamese and the American businesspeople in making interruption and asking for clarification in business meetings From that, major similarities and differences between the two languages in this regard are revealed On the basis of quantitative method, discourse completion task (DCT) is employed to collect data from participants including thirty Vietnamese native speakers and American ones who are currently working in business sector The result reveals that the positive politeness strategy namely “minimizing imposition” is the most common strategy used by American businesspeople while their Vietnamese counterparts prefer “apologizing and minimizing imposition” in semiformal and informal business meetings Moreover, the speaker‟s ages, genders and positions have great influence on the choice of politeness strategy for Vietnamese businesspeople while those factors make no significant influence on the American ones iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration i Acknowledgements ii Abstract iii Table of contents iv List of abbreviations vii List of tables viii List of figures ix CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Significance of the study Aims and objectives of the study 3.1 Aims of the study 3.2 Objectives of the study Scope of the study Research questions Research method Structure of the study CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND Key concepts defined and discussed 1.1 Culture 1.2 Business culture 1.2.1 Overview of American business culture 1.2.2 Overview of Vietnamese business culture 1.3 Cross- culture and cross-cultural communication Overview of cross-cultural pragmatics Interrupting as a speech act iv 3.1 Definition of interrupting 3.2 Theory of speech act 10 3.3 Interrupting as a speech act 11 Politeness strategies in interrupting and asking for clarification 12 4.1 Politeness and politeness strategies 12 4.1.1 Politeness 12 4.1.2 Politeness super-strategies 13 4.2 Politeness strategies in interrupting and asking for clarification 17 4.3 Previous studies on interrupting and asking for clarification 18 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY 21 Data collection instruments 21 1.1 Multiple choice questionnaire 21 1.2 Discourse completion task 21 Participants 22 Data collection procedure 23 Data analysis method 23 CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 24 Comments on MCQ 24 How Vietnamese and American businesspeople interrupt and ask for clarification in business meetings? 24 2.1 In formal meetings 24 2.2 In semi-formal meetings 26 2.2.1 Vietnamese findings 26 2.2.2 American findings 29 2.3 In informal meetings 32 2.3.1 Vietnamese findings 32 2.3.2 American findings 34 v The similarities and differences 37 3.1 Similarities 37 3.2 Differences 37 3.2.1 Differences in semi-formal meetings 38 3.2.2 Differences in informal meetings 40 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION 42 Summary of main findings 42 Limitations 43 Suggestions for further study 43 REFERENCES 44 APPENDIXES I vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS DCT: Discourse completion task FTA: Face threatening act H: Hearer MCQ: Multiple choice questionnaire NPS: Negative politeness strategy PPS: Positive politeness strategy S: Speaker vii LIST OF TABLES Table III.1Vietnamese businesspeople and their American counterparts‟ responses in formal meetings Table III.2 Vietnamese businesspeople‟s use of politeness strategies in semiformal meetings Table III.3American businesspeople‟s use of politeness strategies in semiformal meetings Table III.4Vietnamese businesspeople‟s use of politeness strategies in informal meetings Table III.5American businesspeople‟s use of politeness strategies in informal meetings Table III Vietnamese businesspeople versus their American counterparts in the use of politeness strategies in semiformal meetings Table III Vietnamese businesspeople versus their American counterparts in the use of politeness strategies in informal meetings viii ……………………………………………………………………………… e The speaker is female ……………………………………………………………………………… f The speaker is of higher position ………………………………………………………………………………… g The speaker is of equal position ………………………………………………………………………………… h The speaker is of lower position ………………………………………………………………………………… Situation (a semi-formal meeting) You are in a business meeting within your company with the participation of Boards of Directors, Heads of Departments and all staff The meeting is about the company’s development plan next quarter The speaker is saying something which is out of context What you say to interrupt him/her and ask for clarification in the following cases? a The speaker is older than you ……………………………………………………………………………… b The speaker is your age ……………………………………………………………………………… c The speaker is younger than you ……………………………………………………………………………… d The speaker is male ……………………………………………………………………………… e The speaker is female ……………………………………………………………………………… f The speaker is of higher position ………………………………………………………………………………… III g The speaker is of equal position ………………………………………………………………………………… h The speaker is of lower position …………………………………………………………………………………… Situation (an informal meeting) You are in a business meeting with your team, which is consists of three staff The meeting is set up weekly to evaluate the results your team obtained in a week The speaker is saying something that you not understand, what you say to interrupt him/her and ask for clarification in the following cases? a The speaker is older than you ……………………………………………………………………………… b The speaker is your age ……………………………………………………………………………… c The speaker is younger than you ……………………………………………………………………………… d The speaker is male ……………………………………………………………………………… e The speaker is female ……………………………………………………………………………… f The speaker is of higher position ………………………………………………………………………………… g The speaker is of equal position ………………………………………………………………………………… h The speaker is of lower position …………………………………………………………………………… Thank you very much for your assistance! IV Câu hỏi khảo sát Chúng lập bảng câu hỏi khảo sát nhằm phục vụ cho đề tài nghiên cứu tiêu đề “ Nghiên cứu giao thoa văn hóa Việt-Mỹ cách thức ngắt lời yêu cầu làm rõ ý họp kinh doanh.” Chúng tơi biết ơn Q vị bớt chút thời gian giúp trả lời câu hỏi đây.Xin Qúi vị tin không nêu danh tính Qúi vị trường hợp hình thức Theo Qúi vị tình đây, Qúi vị thường ngắt lời yêu cầu làm rõ ý họp kinh doanh? Xin Qúi vị vui lòng dánh dấu (v) vào tr Cột nghĩa là: Cột nghĩa là: Cột nghĩa là: Cột nghĩa là: STT Tình Khi Qúi vị bị nhầm lẫn vấn đề Khi Qúi vị không đồng ý với vấn đề Khi Qúi vị khơng theo kịp người nói trình bày Khi Qúi vị khơng nghe rõ điều Khi Q vị khơng hiểu người nói V trình bày Khi Qúi vị muốn nêu thêm ý kiến Khi Qúi vị bị bỏ lỡ vấn đề mà ngưới nói trình bày Khi người nói sử dụng từ viết tắt Khi người nói nhắc đến vấn đề ngồi lề họp 10 Khi người nói khơng giải thích rõ ý họ Xin Qúi vị vui lịng trả lời giúp chúng tơi câu hỏi theo tình Tình huống1 ( họp trang trọng) Qúi vị tham dự họp thường niên tổ chức hàng năm phòng họp lớn công ty với tham dự cổ đơng, ban giám đốc tồn thể nhân viên Người nóiđang trình bày vấn đề mà Qúi vị khơng đồng ý Qúi vị nói đề ngắt lời người nói yêu cầu làm rõ ý trường hợp sau? a Người nói lớn tuổi Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… b Người nói độ tuổi với Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… c Người nói tuổi Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… VI d Người nói nam giới ……………………………………………………………………………… e Người nói nữ giới ……………………………………………………………………………… f Người nói có địa vị cao Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… g Người nói có địa vị ngang hàng với Qúi vị ………………………………………………………………………………… h Người nói có địa vị thấp Qúi vị ………………………………………………………………………………… Tình (Cuộc họp nửa trang trọng) Qúi vị tham dự họp kinh doanh công ty với tham dự ban giám đốc, trưởng phịng tồn thể nhân viên Cuộc họp bàn kế hoach phát triển công ty quý Người nói trình bày vấn đề ngồi lề họp Qúi vị nói để ngắt lời người nói yêu cầu làm rõ ý trường hợp sau ? a Người nói lớn tuổi Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… b Người nói độ tuổi với Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… c Người nói tuổi Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… d Người nói nam giới ……………………………………………………………………………… e Người nói nữ giới ……………………………………………………………………………… f Người nói có địa vị cao Qúi vị VII ……………………………………………………………………………… g Người nói có địa vị ngang hàng với Qúi vị ………………………………………………………………………………… h Người nói có địa vị thấp Qúi vị ………………………………………………………………………………… Tình (Cuộc họp khơng trang trọng) Qúi vị tham dự họp kinh doanh nhóm gồm thành viên.Cuộc họp tổ chức hàng tuần để đánh giá kết đạt nhóm tuần.Người nói trình bày vấn đề mà Qúi vị khơng hiểu.Qúi vị nói để ngắt lời người nói yêu cầu làm rõ ý trường hợp sau? a Người nói lớn tuổi Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… b Người nói độ tuổi với Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… c Người nói tuổi Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… d Người nói nam giới ……………………………………………………………………………… e Người nói nữ giới ……………………………………………………………………………… f Người nói có địa vị cao Qúi vị ……………………………………………………………………………… g Người nói có địa vị ngang hàng với Qúi vị ………………………………………………………………………………… h NgườinóicóđịavịthấphơnQúivị ……………………………………………………………………………… VIII Xin chân thành cảm ơn giúp đỡ Qúi vị! Appendix 200 Minimizing imposition Apologizing & Verbal off record Apologizing & Minimi 100 -zing imposition Asking for reason Seeking agreement by Count repetition American American vs Vietnamese Figure III.5 Vietnamese businesspeople versus their American counterparts in the use of politeness strategies in semiformal meetings IX 200 Minimizing imposition Apologizing & Verbal off record Apologizing & Minimi 100 Count -zing imposition American American vs Vietnamese Figure III.6.Vietnamese businesspeople versus their American counterparts in the use of politeness strategies in informal meetings X Appendix 3: Vietnamese businesspeople and their American counterparts‟s choice of interrupting situations AM vs.VN * Situations * Ranking Crosstabulation Count Ranking uncommon AM vs.VN moderately common Total AM vs.VN common Total AM vs.VN very common Total AM vs.VN Total Table III Vietnamese businesspeople and their American counterparts‟s choice of interrupting situations Ranking=uncommon 30 Count 20 10 Amer AM vs.VN XI Ranking=moderately common Count 20 10 America Count AM vs.VN AM vs.VN XII Ranking=very common 20 Situations Disagreeing Count 10 American AM vs.VN XIII ... of business meetings namely: formal, semi-formal and informal to find out how the Vietnamese and American businesspeople interrupt and ask for clarification in those contexts How Vietnamese and. .. strategies are used by American and Vietnamese businesspoeple in interrupting and asking for clarification in business meetings? What are the major similarities and differences in interrupting and. .. and American businesspeople interrupt and ask for clarification in business meetings? 2.1 In formal meetings The atmosphere of business meetings can be formal, semi-formal or informal depending