UNIT12
I’mSorry
MakingandAcceptinganApology
Introduction
Everyonemakesmistakes,andeveryoneneedstoknowwhattodoandsayaftermakingamistake.Whatwouldyousayifyouaccidentallysteppedonthefootofthepersonsittingnexttoyouatalectureorifyouturnedyourbicycleintothepathofanotherbicyclistandcausedanaccident?Itmaybedifficulttowriterulesthattellexactlywhenyoushouldapologize,butwithsomeknowledgeofthecultureitisnotdifficulttolearnhow.Ifwehavedonesomethingtohurtsomeone’sfeelings,orifwehavebeenimpolite,orevenifwecallsomeoneearlyinthemorningorlateatnight,weshouldapologize.Anapologyindicatesthatwerealizewe’vemadeamistake,andwe’resorryforit.Thefunctionoftheapologyistoshowregretforthewrongdoingand,ifrelevant,toofferanexplanationoraremedy.Anotherfunctionofanapologyistohelpyouletgooftheguiltyoufeelaboutthewrongdoing.AnswerstotheQuestions:
1.Itisdifficulttotellexactlywhenweshouldapologize.Generallyspeaking,ifwehavedonesomethingwrong,orifwehavebeenimpolite,orevenifwecauseinconvenience,weshouldapologize.(Theanswerstothisquestioncanbevaried)
2.No,withknowledgeandunderstandingofthecultureitisnotdifficulttolearnhowtoapologize.
3.Anapologyindicatesthatwerealizewe’vemadeamistake,andwe’resorryforit.BackgroundInformation:
Apologiesvary,dependingontheformalityofthesituation,therelationshipbetweenthetwopeople,and,moreimportant,theseriousnessofthemistake.Steppingonsomeone’stoeaccidentallywouldnotrequirethesametypeofapologyasknockingoverapedestrianwithabicycle.Ingeneral,themoreserioustheerror,themoreelaboratetheapologyshouldbe.Therearefivepossiblepartstoanapology:
1.Formalexpressionofregret.Thismaybeexplicit,asin“I’msorry,”orimplied,asin“Ididn’tmeanto.”
2.Explanationorexcuse,whichshowswhythemistakeoccurred.
3.Offertoremedythesituation,ifsomedamagehasbeendone,oraremedyispossible.
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4.Assurancethatthemistakewillnotberepeated.
5.Admissionofguilt,whichshowsthatthepersonapologizingacceptstheblame.
Thefirstpart,theformalexpressionofregret,isalmostalwaysincludedintheapology.Theotherpartscanbecombinedwiththefirstpartinvariousways.Note,however,thatthemoreserioustheinfraction,themoreoftheseparts,exceptmaybeexplanationorexcuse,willbeincluded.PartOne
ListeningIn
SandraandPaularevisitingtheirhometownduringspringbreak.Sandrahasjusttoldaneighbor,Mrs.Wallace,aboutPaul’snewjobaftergraduation.ShealsotoldherhowmuchPaulwasgoingtobeearning...
Paul:Aw,Sandra!Whatdidyouhavetogoanddothatfor?Sandra:Dowhat?
Paul:YouknowwhatI’mtalkingabout.WhydidyoutellMrs.WallacehowmuchmoneyI’m
goingtomake?Nowshe’llgoandtellthewholeworld!Sandra:Well,I’msorry.
Paul:Yeah,butyouknowhowshetalkstoeverybodyandtheirbrother!
Sandra:Well,Iapologize.IguessIwasn’tthinking.Igotallexcited.Iwon’tletthissortof
thinghappenagain.IwishIcouldmakeupforit.
Paul:Ohwell,it’sdonenow.Iguessitdoesn’tmatterthatmuch,anyway.Theywereboundto
sgotaverybignose!findouteventually.EverybodyinthistownhahasSandra:Youknow,itisalotofmoneyforafirstjob...Paul:YouthinkI’llbeabletobuyaPorsche?
Sandra:Well,Ithinkyou’dbetterwaitandseehowmuchisleftafterUncleSam
getshisshare.
Notes:
1.Makeupformeanscompensateforawrongdoingormistake.
2.UncleSamgetshissharemeanstheamountofincometaxpaidtothefederalgovernment.AnswerstotheQuestions:
1.HecomplainsthatSandratoldMrs.Wallacehowmuchmoneyhe’sgoingtomake.2.Sandrasaysshe’ssorryandapologizes.Sheexplainsthatshegotsoexcitedthatshewasn’tthinkingwhenshetoldMrs.WallacehowmuchPaul’sgoingtoearn.
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3.Shepromisesthatshewon’tletthissortofthinghappenagain.
4.“Ohwell,it’sdonenow.Iguessitdoesn’tmatterthatmuch,anyway.Theywereboundto
findouteventually.Everybodyinthistown’sgotaverybignose!”Bysayingthis,PaulshowsacceptanceofSandra’sapology.
5.Peoplewhohavegotbignosesareinterestedinfindingoutthingswhichdonotconcern
them.
6.UncleSamreferstotheU.S.(governmentorpeople),personifiedasatall,sparemanwith
chinwhiskers,dressedinared,white,andbluecostumeofswallow-tailedcoat,stripedtrousers,andatallhatwithabandofstars.PartTwoSectionAConversationOne
’sOfficeInMs.HillHill’
Mr.Sims:Iapologize,Ms.Hill,butI’mrunningalittlebehindschedule.MayIbringyouthe
contracttomorrowinsteadoftoday?
Ms.Hill:That’sfine.Iwon’tneedituntillatetomorrowafternoonanyway.Butpleasemake
sureIhavetimetoreviewitbeforemy4o’clockmeetingtomorrow.
AnswerstotheQuestions:
1.Ms.Hill’ssecretaryorhersubordinate.
2.Becauseshedidnotfinishdoingherworkaccordingtoschedule.3.Yes,shedoes.
4.Sometimebefore4o’clocktomorrow.DiscussionQuestions:
1.IfMs.HillwereangryatMr.Sims,shemighthavereplieddifferently.Giveanexampleofhowshemighthaverespondedifshehadn’tacceptedtheapologyandtheexcuse.2.IfMr.SimshadwantedtoreassureMs.Hillthathistardinesswasnotgoingtobeahabit,whatcouldhehaveaddedtohisapology?
3.Everyonesometimesrunsbehindschedule.Whendoyou?Andwhatdoyousayinthosesituations?Doeswhatyousaytoapologizedifferdependingonwhoyouarespeakingto(superior,inferior,family,friend)?Giveexamples.
BetterListening
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ConversationTwo
’sandMike’sHomesIntheDrivewaybetweenJoanJoan’Mike’
Joan:Oh,Mike!I’msosorryaboutYelsintearingupyournewspaperagain.I’llhaveDanget
youanotherwhenhecomeshome.
Mike:Thanks,Joan,butIwishyou’dkeepabettereyeonyourdog.He’salwaysgettinginto
myflowerbedsanddiggingupmyroses.
Joan:Ireallyamsorryhe’scausedsomuchtroublelately.I’llhavethefencerepairedthis
week,sohecan’tgetoutoftheyard.Ipromiseitwon’thappenagain.Mike:Ihopenot.
AnswerstotheQuestions:
1.Yelsinisadog.DanisprobablyJoan’shusband.
2.JoanissorryaboutYelsintearingupMike’snewspaperandaboutgettingintohisflowerbedsanddigginguphisroses.
3.SheofferstohaveDangetMikeanothernewspaperwhenhecomeshome.DiscussionQuestions:
1.WhatcanweinferaboutthefencearoundJoan’shouse?
2.HowisMikeprobablyfeelingwhenshesays,“Ihopenot”?Ishecompletelyaccepting
Joan’sapology?Whyorwhynot?ConversationThree
éAtaCafafé
(Afterthewaitresshasjustspilledcoffeeonacustomer’sjacket:)
Waitress:Excuseme,Sir!I’msorryI’msoclumsy!I’llgetsomethingtocleanyourjacket
rightaway!
Man:Nogreatharmdone.Ijusthopeitdoesn’tstain.
Waitress:I’llbegladtopaytohaveyourjacketdrycleanedforyou,Sir.Idoapologize.Man:Thankyouverymuch.Idoappreciateit.AnswerstotheQuestions:1.Awaitressandacustomer.
2.Thewaitressprobablyspilledsomething(e.g.coffee)onthecustomer’sjacket.3.Thewaitress’sexcuseisthathe’sveryclumsy.
4.Thewaitressofferstopaytohavethecustomer’sjacketdrycleaned.
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DiscussionQuestions:
1.Thewaitressfindsherselfanexcuse.Couldshehaveusedanother(perhapsabetter)excuse
fortheaccident?
2.Wouldthissituationbehandleddifferentlybyawaitressifthishappenedinarestaurantin
China?Explain.SectionBConversationOne
Janice:Excusemefornotwaitingforyou,honey,butIdidn’tknowhowlongyou’dbe,and
Iwasstarving!
Henri:Noproblem.Ihadalatemeetingandgrabbedabiteonthewayhome.DiscussionQuestions:
1.Wheredidthisconversationprobablytakeplace?
2.IfJanicehadbeenreallyangryatherhusband,whatmightshehavesaid?Howmighthe
haveresponded?
3.Ifyouaregoingtobelatefordinner—foranything,whatdoyoudo?
4.Whendoyousometimesgrababite?Wheredoyoudothisandwhatdoyouusuallyhave?ConversationTwo
Bob:Excusemeforbeinglatetoclassthismorning,Dr.Smith.Ijustdon’tknowwhatto
say.Imusthaveturnedthealarmclockoffandgonebacktosleepagain.
’sOKthistime.Butyouknowit’sdisturbingfortherestoftheclass.Dr.Smith:Well,itit’Bob:Yes,Iknow.You’reright.Iwon’tletithappenagain.DiscussionQuestions:
1.Haveyoueverbeenlatetoclass?Whatwereyourexcuses?2.Didyourprofessoracceptyourexcuses?Whatdidheorshesay?ConversationThree(Thetelephonerings.)Russell:Hello?
Sandy:Hi,Russ?It’sme.Look,I’mhavingabitoftroublewiththecar.I’mverysorrythatIwon’tbeabletomakeittonight.won’Russell:Ohreally?Whatisit?
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