Note:
This situation is adapted from a situation in a DCT developed by
Cheng in 2005 for her pilot study:
You are writing a term paper for one of your courses. There is a book you need to read to complete the paper. You go to the library, but the book has
been checked out. Fortunately, a friend of yours, whom you know very well, has a copy of the book and offers to lend it to you for a few days. When you
return the book, what do you say to
your friend?
151
In adapting Cheng ‘s situation, the things which are followed are the theme
of high-imposition favor of lending a book. But, in situation 7 in the present study, the social status and the familiarity of the favor giver are adapted and
changed. In Cheng‘s situation, the thanker and the favor giver have equal
social status and high-familiarity since they are friends who know each other very well. But, in the present study, the favor giver is a freshman
whose lower-social status than the thanker who is situated as a mentor or senior student; and then the thanker and the favor giver have low familiarity
since they are situated to just met a few days ago.
8. Recommending
some books
low-status, low-imposition,
low- familiarity
After the class, you ask Prof. Smith, a lecturer whom you do not know very well, about the books that are recommended for supporting your
comprehension about a topic of the course that you are interested in. After Prof. Smith mentions some books which are recommended, you would say
151
Stephanie Weijung Cheng 2005, op.cit., p.123.
9. Fixing a flash disk equal-status, high-imposition, equal-familiarity
Your flash disk cannot be detected in the computer due to a virus. Unfortunately, you really need the data on the flash disk to complete a paper
that must be submitted the next day. Your best friend, Anna, introduces you to Sam, a student in the same batch with you who can fix the flash disk.
Although you do not know him, you try to ask him to help you repair it. At first, Sam refuses because he is busy. However, he finally agrees to repair it.
After your flash disk is fixed, you would say Note:
This situation is adapted from a situation in a DCT developed by
Cheng in 2005:
You are having trouble with your computer; it keeps crashing. You know someone at school who knows a lot about computers and you
ask the person to help you even though the two of you are not close friends. The person hesitates because heshe is very busy, but then
agrees to help you, and ends up spending the whole afternoon fixing your computer. After the computer is fixed, what would you say?
152
In adapting Cheng‘s situation, the things which are followed by situation 9 in the present study are the theme of high-imposition favor of fixing
something and familiarity of the favor giver. However, i n Cheng‘s, the favor
is fixing computer. In situation 9 in the present study, the favor is fixing a flash disk. Then, in Cheng‘s, there is no specific explanation which
specifically mentioned either the student is junior or senior student. But, in situation 9 in the present study, the social status of the favor giver is
specified. It is clear that the thanker and the favor giver have equal status since they are specifically situated as students in the same batch.
152
Ibid., p. 128.
10. Showing the location of the book low-status, low-imposition, high-
