Task 10. Translate the dialogue into Russian. Learn it and then reproduce it in class. Think of a similar situation and role play your dialogue.

 

Waiter serves a drink to Victor

VICTOR:	Thank you very much.
SAM:	Hello, I don’t think we’ve met. Sam Eriks.
VICTOR:	Victor Tang. Pleased to meet you.
SAM:	And what company are you from, Mr Tang?
VICTOR:	OceanWide. I’m the sales representative for this region.
SAM:	Ah yes. I know your company. Your business is expanding very rapidly at the moment.
VICTOR:	Yes, we’re doing quite well. And you? Who do you work for?
SAM:	Actually I work for myself. I’m head of a small export and packaging company. We specialize in seafood.
VICTOR:	It’s a growing market.
SAM:	Yes, but a very competitive one, Mr Tang.
VICTOR:	Please call me Victor.
SAM:	Sam. Victor, let me introduce you to someone. Lin – this is Victor Tang – he’s the regional rep. for OceanWide. This is Lin Chan, my sales manager.
LIN:	How do you do, Mr Tang?
VICTOR:	I’m very well, thank you. Nice to meet you, Ms Chan.
LIN:	And you.
VICTOR:	Can I get you another drink?
LIN:	Thank you.

Task 11. Readthe script from a BBC programme about formal greetings and comment on difference between formal and informal greetings.

Hello! I’m Jackie Dalton. This programme is about greetings and the language you might use if you’re greeting people in quite formal situations, when you want to sound polite.

 

The greeting “Good morning, sir/madam” sounds very formal. It gives extra status or importance to the person you are talking to and there are several situations where you might hear it. One of the most common situations is in the service industry. It could be a hotel receptionist talking to a guest, a waiter talking to a customer in a restaurant. Or it could be in a shop – anywhere where people are dealing with customers or clients.

 

 If a waiter says “good evening, sir/madam” you would just reply with “good evening” but you wouldn’t say “good evening, sir” back. This is because, in this particular situation, you are the one with a higher social standing here, so you don’t need to show this extra sign of respect. Likewise, if you walk into a hotel and the receptionist says “good afternoon, madam/sir”, it would usually sound strange to say “good afternoon, madam/sir” back. In the service industry there are other situations where you might hear “sir” and “madam”. For example: “Good morning, sir/madam. It’s a real honour to have you here”.

 

The situation that makes me think of is of greeting a VIP – perhaps a very important politician or leader who you meet. In some cases, people use it when they are greeting someone much older than they are, as a sign of respect. Or you may occasionally hear it in the workplace, where employees want to show respect for their superiors.

- Good morning, sir.

- Hello, James.

 

You use might “sir” or “madam” in the service industry, with VIPs, with much old people and, sometimes, with bosses at work. But, as well as using these kinds of words, what else is it that makes language in greetings sound more formal and polite? Here are two different versions of a greeting between James and his boss Mr Jones.

 

Dialogue 1                                                           Dialogue 2

 

- Morning! - Hi! How’s it going? - Good thanks – you? - Yeah, fine.

- Good morning, Mr Jones. - Hello, James. How are you? - I’m very well, thank you. How are you? - Fine, thank you.

The second greeting is more formal. One of the most obvious differences is in how long the phrases are. ‘Good morning’ sounds more formal than “morning” because ‘morning’ is shorter and it’s an easier way of greeting someone. “Hello” is also a bit more formal than ‘hi’. “I’m very well, thank you” also sounds more formal than “fine, thanks” or “good, thanks” again, mainly because it takes longer to say. This doesn’t mean you should never say “hi” in formal situations, it’s just that if you want to sound more polite, using more complete words and phrases will help.

Words that are longer tend to sound more formal and polite, while shorter, abbreviated words are more likely to sound informal and friendly.