Assignment for ESL 115G (due Sept 14)
By Xuan
Interviewer: Xuan
Interviewee: Westley is the technician in our lab, and he is a really nice man. He teaches me a lot of things in the lab. He is a undergrad of PSU, and he live not far from the campus. He loves soccer, and running.
Xuan: Have you recently struck up a conversation with someone you didn’t know? What were the circumstances? Do you remember how you started the conversation? That’s a weird question.
Wes: Yeah. I did strike a conversation with somebody new. With someone works in the lab next me, and I started the conversation by saying “Hi, my name is Wes. What’s your name?” After I asked her, she responded that “XX”. And I followed by asking her what her role in lab? She is a graduate student or technician.
Xuan: So, is that person over there?
Wes: Yeah.
Xuan: Oh, I see. Let’s go on. If you causally introduce yourself to another person, such as in class, in your neighborhood, at a social function, or at your work, would you shake hands?
Wes: Yeah.
Xuan: Yeah? Maybe in some particular circumstances, you don’t shake hands.
Wes: Yeah, it’s… I don’t know that’s a individual thing, and what it is. But, you know, in the formal , I will definitely shake hands, male or female. If it is in informal, just between friends introduce other friends, a lot of time I shake hands with guys, but to the girls, not that much.
Xuan: uhm, maybe when you meet a girl, you have to know that whether she agree to shake hands with you.
Wes: Yeah. In actually, my dad said with the girl, never just stretch you hand out, make her do it first, because otherwise, she will feel uncomfortable.
Xuan: Yeah. Do you ever use the expression,”how do you do?” When might you use it? What might you say instead?
Wes: “How do you do? Then, “Hi, how do you do?” or… I guess it depends on the context, you are going to say “hi, how do you do?” and “Hey, what’s going on?” or “how are you?”
Xuan: In Chinese text book that “how do you do?” is used in the situation you meet strangers for the first time. But I didn’t hear once.
Wea: Yeah. Actually, I probably haven’t said that ever, or maybe once twice. I guess they ? how are you, how are you doing.
Xuan: If you are sitting down and someone introduced you to a friend of his, under what circumstances would you stand up?
Wes: Formal. Second formal. Once again, if it is formal, I will always stand up and shake people’s hands. If it is informal, I think it is situational, depends on the circumstances, maybe reach over and shake hands, and say hi.
Xuan: So usually, you stand up and shake hands?
Wes: Yeah, it depends. I won’t always stand up, I just sit down. But in formal stand, I will stand up and shake person’s hands.
Xuan: Where would you likely to begin a conversation with someone you didn’t know? For example, the laboratory, class, bus stop or just on the road.
Wes: I guess, for me, around my apartment, somebody waking their dogs on the neighborhood. Or in the laboratory somebody is new. I guess any social studying, new people I usually say hi, I won’t give a long conversation.
Xuan: Maybe you meet someone…
Wes: like the bar…
Xuan: Yep. Maybe sometimes you meet someone you are very interested, and then you can have a long conversation.
Wes: Yep.
Xuan: How might you strike up a conversation with someone sitting next to you in class?
Wes: I guess I usually in class meet somebody that I don’t know. I would probably start with something class related. This teacher is pretty good. I can’t believe there is homework again. Something like that. And I will eventually say “my name is Wes.”
Xuan: Would you start a conversation with a person you didn’t know? What would motive you to talk to a stranger?
Wes: I guess most of time; I won’t go out of my way to bother somebody to introduce myself. But if there is somebody that, like new to the area, new to the lab, to work, I will introduce myself just to be friendly and have somebody around, not to be alone.
Xuan: Yeah, when you waiting a bus, and it would be boring.
Wes: Yeah, causal…
Xuan: Can you think of a conversation you recently began with a stranger? Where were you? What did you talk about? I think you have answered this question.
Wes: yeah, exactly.
Xuan: Yeah, the last question. If you meet a girl you are very interested, would you come up to talk to her. And how will you introduce yourself to let the girl feel comfortable, and that you are not aggressive or disgusting?
Wes: I guess if I knew that, I’d had a girlfriend. That’s a million dollar question. I think, for me, I don’t like, I don’t tend to walk up to a girl when she is with her friends. But if she by herself, I will try to walk up there and introduce myself, but, usually, only if I have something to talk about. I don’t like just walk up and say hello and ask for her number. I think it depends on setting, and it’s just a conversation.
Xuan: Will you be very nervous in that situation?
Wes: I guess it depends. I tend to talk to a lot of around of people. You know, being friendly, when you in a bus stop and feel boring. But …girl….it really depends. I am not ?? those girls I never met. Hey, what’s your name, ask for her number. Is that good?
Xuan: Yep. Thanks very much.
Wes: You are welcome.
