Home> Archive> 2013> Volume 3 Number 3 (May 2013)
IJSSH 2013 Vol.3(3): 268-273 ISSN: 2010-3646
DOI: 10.7763/IJSSH.2013.V3.242

Males and Females in Making Apologies in Chinese Daily Conversations: the Differences and the Similarities?

Yao Chunlin

Abstract—Gender differences in language have been paid more attentions to by scholars. It is a pity that in Chinese research few scholars pay their attentions to gender differences in apology and apology response. Therefore, the present study makes a tentative research in Chinese on gender differences in apology frequencies, in apology strategies and in apology response strategies. Based on 70 copies of valued “Apology and Apology Recording Table” and 260 copies of valued “Apology and Apology Response Questionnaire” that collected from teachers, students, managers, bosses, cadres, manual workers, typists, accountants, technologists, and salesmen in 9 different provinces in China, with the help of the software of SPSS 14.0, the research gets its findings. Firstly in Chinese there are no significant differences between males and females in apology frequencies, but, females receive more apologies than males. The findings result from Chinese social and cultural backgrounds. Secondly in Chinese there are significant differences in the choice of apology and apology response strategies between men and women. Men prefer to choose the IFID strategy in apology and apology response; while, women prefer to choose the RESP strategy in apology and accept strategy in apology response. Another thing should be pointed out is that the gender differences in the choice of apology and apology response strategies are the results of gender differences in politeness.

Index Terms—Apology, apology response, gender differences

Yao Chunlin is with Hebei United University, Tangshan 063009 China; Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 100081 China (e-mail: yao_chunlin@ 126.com).

[PDF]

Cite:Yao Chunlin, "Males and Females in Making Apologies in Chinese Daily Conversations: the Differences and the Similarities?," International Journal of Social Science and Humanity vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 268-273, 2013.

PREVIOUS PAPER
NEXT PAPER

Copyright © 2008-2024. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity. All rights reserved.

E-mail: ijssh.editorial.office@gmail.com