Page 250 - Handbooks of Applied Linguistics Communication Competence Language and Communication Problems Practical Solutions

228 Helen Spencer-Oatey and Jianyu Xing

had done this, he invited each of the Chinese visitors to introduce themselves.
This immediately caused confusion among the visitors. The delegation leader
turned to consult the others, and one of them requested in Chinese that he do it
on their behalf. It was almost a minute before the delegation leader responded to
the chairman’s request, and at this point he began reading out a speech. Immedi-
ately the interpreter interrupted him saying, in Chinese, that they should first in-
troduce themselves. This resulted in further worried faces and discussion in
Chinese, before the visitors started introducing themselves individually. This
can be seen from the following extract. (All names of the participants have been
changed in all the extracts.)

(1) Welcome Meeting, just after the British participants have finished introduc-
ing themselves. Int = Interpreter.
Jack: could could I now ask if if the members (.) could each introduce them-
selves so that we can learn (.) um (.) who they are and what their interests
are.
Int: ta shuo jiushi rang nimen jiushi ziwo jieshao yixia jiushi yixie xingqu
huozhe jiushi yixie er danwei ya yixie er zhege ziji de yixie xingqu aihao
jieshao yixia??? [he says that is he wants you that is to introduce your-
selves that is your interests or that is something about your work unit or
introduce some of your interests and hobbies.]
Sun: [turns to colleagues and discusses with them and the interpreter in Chi-
nese]
Sun: we each introduce ourselves
Shen: it’s best if you do it on our behalf
Sun: [reading from a script] first of all, to [X] Company=
Int: bu shi bu shi. ta shuo xian jieshao yixia (.) wo shi jiushishuo shi jiushis-
huo wo shi gongsi de, wo shi danwei ?? [no no. he said first you intro-
duce yourself (.) I am that is I am that is I am from such and such a com-
pany, I am from such and such an organization]
Sun: I am [surname] from Company [name]
Int: He is from [name of Company]
Chen: say what you do
Sun: I’m involved in design
Xu: give your full name (.) full name (.) full name (.) say you’re a design en-
gineer
Sun: design engineer
Int: His name is [name] and he is a design engineer.
Ma: I am from [name of Company], and manager of the [product] Depart-
ment
Int: He is the manager of the [name of Department] of [name of Company]
[Chinese delegation members continue to introduce themselves.]