go2study - zep columns 001

在异国他乡生活和学习，你会有很多的机会与同学和朋友往来。在工作之馀、假期、周末或是温课迎考之际，朋友会邀请你参加各种社交活动，如看电影、参加展览会、野餐、聚会、朋友生日宴会等，对此你会感到欣慰，但也会使你感到不安，甚至産生误解。这是什麽原因呢？

一般来说，对於正式的社交活动，美国人一定会向客人发出书面邀请。但属日常生活中非正式的社交活动，如节假日或周末的聚会、野餐、看戏、外出就餐等，邀请者往往通过电话或见面时口头邀请的方式告知客人，邀请者使用的语言也属非正式语体，表达方法也因人因事而异。不管对於哪种邀请，被邀请者应作出接受或谢绝的明确答复，形式可以不一，但切忌简要地说声“谢谢”，而未附加接受或谢绝的语句，因爲对方仍然不能听懂“谢谢”真实含义，是接受邀请而说声谢谢，还是不能接受但感谢对方的盛情呢？当你不能立即作出明确的答复时，你可在社交活动的前几天告诉邀请者，以便邀请者重新作出安排。由於美国人时常使用“邀请”用语，而这些用语的功能却不尽相同，从而使外国人难以理解其真正的用语含义而産生误解，误把对方发出结束交谈的用语当作是一种邀请。下面我们以案例阐述“邀请”用语的理解与使用，并介绍一些交际技能。

Situation	Two mothers, Carmen and Judy, are talking to each other at a park while their children are playing. They have a friendly relationship, but are not close friends.
Carmen	"Hi, Judy. ( Judy and Carmen's children begin playing together in the sand.)"
Judy	"Hi, Carmen. How are you?"
Carmen	"Fine. I'm glad to see that our children like to play together."
Judy	"Yeah, me too. I remember just a month ago they weren't sharing their toys."
Carmen	"Now it looks like they're enjoying each other."
Judy	"Finally! Maybe we could get together at each other's houses sometime. I'm sure the kids would enjoy that."
Carmen	"Sure. That would be nice."
Judy	"Well, let's do it soon."
Carmen	"O.K." (Judy and Carmen continue to talk while their children play.)

	Two weeks later at the park.
Judy	"Hi, Carmen."
Carmen	"Hi, Judy. How are you?"
Judy	"Fine. How about you?"
Carmen	"Pretty good."
Judy	"I've been so busy lately, but I still want to get together soon. I know our kids would enjoy that."
Carmen	"Yes. They would."
Judy	"Let's do it soon."
Carmen	"O.K. That sounds like a good idea." (Judy and Carmen continue to talk for a minute)
Judy	"I can't stay long. I promised my kids that I would take them to the library across the street."
Carmen	"Yeah. I have to go too." (Carmen and her children begin to get ready to leave.) "Let's get together soon. I'll give you a call."
Judy	"O.K. That sounds good. Bye." "Bye."
Question	Do you think that Judy and Carmen really want to get together? Why or why not?