Face saving discursive strategies of negation: A Saudi-Japanese comparison

Surveys on Inshallah

1. Introductory survey: Demographic information and personality questions for non-Saudis

   General Information

   1. What is your age group?

      1. 19-25

      2. 26-60

      3. 60+

   2. What is your nationality?

   3. What is your ethnic background?

   4. What languages do you speak at home?

   5. What is your religion?

   6. Do you speak Arabic? If yes, how well do you speak it?

   Background Information

   1. How long have you lived in Saudi Arabia?

   2. Which cities have you lived in?

   3. How many Saudis do you know personally, on a friendly level?

   4. Do you know the meaning of Ahamdulillah? What is it?

   5. Do you know the meaning of InshAllah? What is it?

   6. Do you know the meaning of wallah? What is it?

   7. Do you know the meaning of bukrah? What is it?

   8. Do you know the meaning of seeda? What is it?

   9. Do you know the meaning of niqab? What is it?

   Personality Questions

   1. How do you normally greet people (strangers, co-workers, friends of friends)?

      1. Smile and greet only

      2. Shake hands.

      3. Hug.

      4. Kiss cheeks.

   2. You promised to bring your close friend something they wanted and you forgot. You:

      1. feel bad and don’t mention it.

      2. feel bad and don’t stop apologizing

      3. ‘I’ll bring it for you tomorrow!’

      4. go home to get the item immediately.

   3. An acquaintance invites you along to a lunch with a large group of their loud friends. You:

      1. Refuse, saying you have other plans.

      2. Refuse, thanking them

      3. Accept, it’ll be fun!

      4. Accept, but escape early.

   4. You have lunch and are running a bit late for your next class/back to work. You say to your superior:

      1. Sorry, I was feeling sick.

      2. Sorry, I’m late…

      3. Sorry, I took too long eating lunch.

      4. I’m not late, am I? Haha!

   5. There is a spare seat in the middle of the shopping centre and you really want to sit down. As you are about to sit down a young man appears and sits in the seat before you do. You:

      1. Smile and say he is welcome

      2. Apologize and explain you need to sit.

      3. Apologize and walk quickly away

      4. Shout and tell him to stand up.

   6. You are an honest and straightforward person who isn’t afraid to say what you think.

      1. Strongly agree

      2. Agree

      3. Not sure

      4. Disagree

2. Survey: Mother and child questions

   1. What is your nationality?

   2. What is your ethnic background?

   3. What languages do you speak at home?

   4. Do you speak Arabic? If yes, then what is your level of proficiency?

      1. Fluent

      2. Good

      3. Satisfactory

      4. Poor

   For mothers:

   1. What is your age group?

      1. 15–20

      2. 20–30

      3. 30–40

      4. 40–50 50+

   2. How many children do you have?

   3. What age groups are they in? How many are in that age group? (You may circle more than one)

      1. 0-4 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

      2. 5-10 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

      3. 10-15 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

   4. Your child asks you for something but you can’t buy it for him/her. He/she starts to whine. You:

      1. Tell him/her “I’ll buy it for you another day”.

      2. Tell him/her “I’ll buy it for you another time”.

      3. Tell him/her “No, I won’t get it for you”.

      4. Explain the reason why you can’t buy it.

      5. Ignore his/her whining.

   5. Your son/daughter tells you he/she wants to go to China to see pandas. You:

      1. Tell him/her “You can’t go”.

      2. Tell him/her “I’ll take you”.

      3. Tell him/her “You’re crazy”.

      4. Ignore him/her.

   6. Your child says: “Mum, can we go to the US, I would like to meet Emily Osment? What do you say? (What do you mean by that?)

   7. If your son/daughter asks you to take him/her to the park or mall but you are very tired, what would you tell him/her? (What do you mean by that?)

   8. Your child sees a commercial about a toy they really want. They ask you for it. What do you say? (What do you mean by that?)

   9. Your child wants to drive a car and starts to bother you about getting a license. What would you say? (What do you mean by that?)

   10. Your family is invited to an important friend’s house. Your daughter tells you she wants to meet her friends at a mall that same night. What do you tell her? (What do you mean by that?)

   11. You planned to go to your friend’s house, but your children want you to watch a movie with them that night. What do you tell them? (What do you mean by that?)

   12. Your child wakes you up in the middle of the night to tell you “Mum, I am hungry”. What do you say? (What do you mean by that?)

   For children:

   1. What is your age group?

      1. 4-6

      2. 7-10

      3. 11-15

      4. 16-18

   2. Do you always listen to your mother?

      1. Yes

      2. No

      3. Sometimes

      4. Most of the time

   3. Does your Mum always ask you to do things?

      1. Yes

      2. No

      3. Sometimes

      4. Most of the time

   4. When your Mum asks you for something, do you:

      1. Do it straight away.

      2. Do it only after she tells you again.

      3. Pretend you didn’t hear her.

      4. Get angry and start complaining.

   5. When you ask your Mum for something, does she:

      1. give it to you straight away?

      2. tell you she will give it to you another time?

      3. tell you that you can’t have it?

   6. What would you say if your Mum told you to go do your homework? (What do you mean by that?)

   7. What would you say if you were watching TV and your Mum told you to go to sleep? (What do you mean by that?)

   8. What would you say if you were planning to go outside and play with your friend but your Mum told you to go to your grandmother’s house? (What do you mean by that?)

3. Survey for non-Arab expatriates in Saudi Arabia

   1. Nationality:

   2. Religion:

   3. Mother tongue:

   1. Age group: 19-25

   2. 26-60

   3. 60+

   Languages you speak:

   1. How well do you speak Arabic?

   2. Do you know the meaning of the word Insha’allah?

   3. What is your reaction when you hear the word Insha’allah?

   4. When do you use the word Insha’allah?

   5. Where do you most often hear the word Insha’allah?

   6. Do you ever say Insha’allah to your non-Arab friends/colleagues/relatives?

   7. What response do you prefer to hear?

   8. Have you ever been disappointed when hearing the word Insha’allah?

   9. From your experience, do you feel that you are getting a clear answer when the response is Insha’allah or do you feel that it is a vague response?

   10. Can you recognise the differences in intonation (melody of the voice) when someone says Insha’allah?

   11. Do you tend to say Insha’allah when (circle the answer):

       1. you wish something happened.

       2. you want to please someone out of politeness.

       3. when you don’t know what to say.

   12. Do you think you will continue or ever use the word Insha’allah when you go back to your home country?

   13. Do you say the word Insha’allah to your children?

   14. Would you consider Insha’allah to have a universal meaning in that it can be used in all cultural and religious settings?

   15. Please write an example of your personal experience of the word Insha’allah (good or bad).

Excerpts from the Japanese denial data

Interview1.m4v 00:01:48

Q: Did you go to the train station several days ago?

A: Yes, around May.

Q: No, no, no. I mean recently.

A: Recently?

Q: Hmm, about July. Last Saturday I think I saw you at the train station. I go there with my friends.

A: In the middle of July?

Q: Yes. Last Saturday. Hmm, last week.

A: I think I was at home and didn’t go outside.

Q: Did you remember that clearly?

A: Hmm, last Saturday?

Q: Yes. Last Saturday, I saw you were talking with your friends.

A: Near to the train station?

Q: Yes.

A: Hmm, I think I didn’t see any of my friends. Maybe someone looks like me.

Interview1.m4v 00:04:15

Q: I saw you at 10 o’clock in the morning.

A: At 10 o’clock in the morning?

Q: Yes.

A: I think I just got up at 10 o’clock in the morning. I was at the apartment.

Q: You lie. I saw you. I saw you at the train station.

A: Really?

Q: Yes. I am sure I saw you.

A: Are you sure at 10 o’clock? Not 10:30?

Q: I was waiting for the train, so the time was a little passed at 10 o’clock.

A: I cannot remember that.

Q: But I saw you, even though you forgot that.

A: (Laugh)

Q: Maybe you forgot that.

A: Really?

Q: Yes.

A: Hmm.

Q: It is strange. Did you lie? Did you really go to the train station?

A: Train station? /echo Q/

Q: Yes. Maybe somewhere near the train station.

A: Train station?

Q: Yes. At the train station. In front of Aizu train station.

A: I went to the front of the train station many times.

Q: At the place of Abeko ()

A: Hmm, maybe I had something to do at the train station.