Soften Up! The Fine Line Between Requests and Demands
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Interlanguage pragmatics (e.g., proficiency levels; first language, or L1, interference; etc.) can make communication awkward for English language learners in the workplace. A cross-cultural request, for example, may be misunderstood as a strongly worded demand. Actually, the confusion or miscommunication might be traced back to the English language learner’s first language.
Japanese speakers of English may be unsure how to be polite in English, which does not signal politeness in the same way [as Japanese does]. Similarly, speakers of Russian who are accustomed to a slightly different range of softening strategies, including the use of a variety of diminutives for people and things, and to whom direct requests in the imperative appear perfectly acceptable, may be confused about how to be polite in English. (Yates & Springall, 2010)
These kinds of miscommunications can cause tension in the office. Several suggestions on how to get around these office blunders can be found in Pragmatics: Teaching Speech, Chapter 6, “Soften Up! Successful Requests in the Workplace.” (See resource listed at the end of this tip.)
This teaching tip can help students understand the importance of softening language and, in the long run, improve workplace communication.
Contents |
Content Objectives
- To analyze requests and commands used in a business setting
- To rate certain requests and commands on a scale of rude to polite
- To explore the idea of how L1 interference can complicate situations
Language Objectives
- To communicate commands using culturally sensitive language
- To explore how L1 interference might affect communication
Activity
1. Have students create a list of imperatives on 3x5 cards. For example:
file these papers take a message send an email get me a cup of coffee answer the phone drop by my office edit that copy get out of the way
2. Collect the 3x5 cards and put them in a hat. Have a group of students draw a card, analyze their imperative, then soften it up using culturally appropriate language. Students can write their softer sentence on the back of the card. For example, if the imperative says, "File these papers.", the softer sentence could say, "Tan, I know that you are really busy with the conference coming up, but if you have a moment, would you file the reports that we finished up last week?" Collect cards again; put back in the hat.
3. Redistribute the cards to new students. The new student will read the imperative to the class. Show of hands, “Would this be considered polite in your culture?” (There may be several opportunities to have discussions on cultural sensitivity.) Next, have the student read the softer sentence. The other students can rate the sentence on a scale of 1-5: 5 being rude, 1 being polite. Students express their opinion by a show of fingers.
4. Upon completion of rating sentences, have students explore the idea of how L1 interference can complicate situations. Make a list of cues, both nonverbal and verbal, that might help students.
Materials
3x5 cards
a hat or other small container
Category
Cross-Cultural Communication: self-monitoring, requests, pragmatics, power differences
Learning Theme
Learning to live together; learning to work together
Resource
Yates, L., & Springall, J. (2010). Soften up! Successful requests in the workplace. In D. H. Tatsuki & N. R. Houck (Eds.), Pragmatics: Teaching Speech Acts (pp. 67-68). Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL).
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