Iolanda Puca

III anno, 2° lingua, LL

Group J

11-05-2009

TASK 2

A DIALOGUE REPRESENTING
A WIN-WIN NEGOTIATION

MARY: Hi mum!

MUM: Hi Mary!

MARY: Yesterday you were ill, how do you feel this arvo? [AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH FOR “AFTERNOON”]?

MUM: Better, thank you! And you? Everything OK at school?

MARY: Yes mum, it’s all right. But about school, today is my classmate’s birthday and she's giving a party this evening… can I go?

MUM: Uhm… your classmate? Who is she?

MARY: Debby, do you remember her?

MUM: No, I don’t…Who are her parents?

MARY: You remember the French family that came here last year, don’t you?

MUM: Ah, yeah, I do…but they don’t attend our Church, do they? [IMPORTANCE OF CHURCH FOR CALVINISTS]

MARY: No, mum. I know it’s important to go to the Church, they aren’t Calvinists, so they don’t attend our Church ... but they do go to church and fear God.

[DAUGHTER SHOWS SHE UNDERSTANDS HER MOTHER].

And their daughter is going to the party, too; you know her, don't you? Her parents think it's OK.

[DAUGHTER RECOGNIZES IMPORTANCE OF NEIGHBOURS' OPINION FOR CALVINISTS].

MUM: Cloe?

MARY: Yes, and her brother' s going, too …

MUM: I see! And the others mates you want to go with?

MARY: All my classmates, you know them. There is also your best mate’s son, I always forget his name…what is it?

[DAUGHTER GIVES IMPORTANCE TO KNOWING WHO WILL BE AT THE PARTY AND INVOLVES HER MOTHER IN IDENTIFYING THE PEOPLE]

MUM: Tom?

MARY: Yes, Tom.

MUM: Good!

[NOW SHE'S LISTENING TO HER DAUGHTER]

What time do you think you'll be coming back?

MARY: Ah mum…that's a problem, because I don’t know. Jessica is driving me, and so I don’t know exactly when she's coming back. You know, her parents don’t impose a specific time to be home. Did you know that?
[Npro SUGGESTS: SHOW THAT YOUR IDEA IS GAINING POPULARITY WITH THE OTHERS]

MUM: Ermm....I understand, but is it before midnight?

MARY: Midnight? No, that's impossible because the party is in a disco, and they start the music at 11 o'clock or midnight; it wouldn't make sense to leave before 2. You know, it's the same disco where we went for my cousin’s birthday…do you remember? That was in the afternoon, but it's exactly the same evenings.
[IMPORTANCE OF GIVE PARTICULARS]

MUM: Yes, I remember. But don't you think 2 o’clock is too late?

MARY: Mum, I know, it’s dangerous; and I know a young girl has to be very, very careful.
[DAUGHTER SHOWS SHE UNDERSTANDS],
And I intend to be prudent. That's why I chose to go with Jessica, she likes being prudent, too. You don't want us to avoid problems, do you? You want us to learn to practice being prudent, right?
[RHETORICAL QUESTION TO GET HER MOTHER’S COMPREHENSION]

MUM: Yes, of course, but there are a lot of people that get drunk in these discos…Why is it so important for you to go in a place of sin?
[MOTHER TRIES TO UNDERSTAND HER DAUGHTER]

MARY: You think it’s important to learn to live in this world, don't you? And that's what I can do tonight... in safe conditions! All my mates are going and so I won't be alone. Besides, if I don't go, at school on Monday everyone will be talking about it, and what will I say? You want my happiness, don’t you??
[THE DAUGHTER TRIES TO GET A “YES” ON A SAFE QUESTIONS BEFORE ASKING THE REAL QUESTION]

MUM: Sure! I realize that you are young and it’s normal to go to parties... but you could go with your mates and come back with your father... and earlier, couldn’t you?
[FIRST SIGN BY MOTHER OF A POSSIBLE YES]

MARY: A good idea… then we have a deal, right?
[Npro: FUNNELING – INDICATE WHAT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED SO THAT IT IS NOT RE-DISCUSSED.]
I'm going with Jessica and Dad's bringing me back home at, say, 1:30? OK?

MUM: Uhm… I think it’s better at 1 o’clock, what do you think?

MARY: Can we wait and see how the party is? I can phone you at 12, 12:30 and we can decide the time then, OK?

[Npro. POSTPONE WORKING OUT DETAILS IF THERE IS A MORE FAVORABLE MOMENT LATER]

MUM: All right…Have you bought a present?

MARY: Not yet, mum.

MUM:OK, we can do it together this arvo
[A.E. FOR “AFTERNOON”]

MARY: Beauty!
[A.E. FOR “VERY GOOD”]
Thank you, mum; you're great!