SPEECH FUNCTIONS, POLITENESS AND CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Exercise 1
Identify in example 1
(a) An utterance that serves a primarily expressive function.
Answer:
Good morning Sue.
Lovely day.
Yes it’s beautiful.
Makes you wonder what we’re doing here doesn’t it.
Mm, that’s right.
Thanks that’s great.
No problem.

(b) An utterance which serves a primarily directive function.

Answer:
Makes you wonder what we’re doing here doesn’t it.
Mm, that’s right.
Thanks that’s great.
No problem.

(c) An utterance which serves a primarily referential function.

Answer: Yes sure and I need them for a meeting.

Exercise 2
Directives are linguistic utterances intended to get someone to do something. Think of five obvious
and five less obvious verbal ways of getting someone to sit down.
Answer:
There are many obvious and relatively direct ways such as:
 sit down
 please take a seat
 would you please sit down?
 would you mind sitting down?
 could you possibly sit down?
There are also many indirect forms such as
 Your legs must be tired
 You must be worn out
 Here’s a seat
 Do you want to rest?

Exercise 3
Identify at least two functions which could be expressed simultaneously by each of the following
utterances.
(a) Fire!
Answer: could act as an informative as well as a directive to run or get out (or to shoot!)
(b) Keep up that excellent work. Expressed
Answer: expresses admiration (expressive) as well as encouragement to continue behaving in a
particular way (directive)
(c) I’d like to see Sam in my office at four.
Answer: could be expressing a wish but is more likely to be a directive which also provides
Information.
(d) I’m very tired.
Answer: expresses how the speaker feels, but is simultaneously informative, and could be directive
if it serves as a hint that it is time to leave.

Exercise 4
At the end of a telephone conversation which he had initiated, a German professor said to his English
colleague, Tom, that is very good then. Good evening.
What is odd about this form of farewell?
Answer:
There are two odd features of the German professor’s farewell from Tom’s point of view. First, there
is no opportunity for Tom to respond to the professor’s pre-closing formula. A pre-closing formula
checks out that the other person is ready to close the conversation. It often takes the form of is that
OK then? or right ? to which the other person responds similarly, but with a falling intonation. The
professor pre-closes with a slightly odd but recognisable formula That is very good then. But he then
proceeds immediately to a fi nal closing formula without giving Tom a chance to respond. The second
odd usage is the phrase good evening. Good evening is a greeting formula, not a farewell. Goodbye
would be more appropriate. Note that good night , which closely resembles good evening in its form,
is a farewell formula, but not one generally considered appropriate on the telephone between
acquaintances. The reasons appear to be that good night has connotations of intimacy, or perhaps it
implies that the call has been unreasonably late.