问题：

Dialogue 2

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答案：

The second difference consists in the strategy adopted by both A and B. In dialogue A, A asks an indirect question first and then, after getting a positive answer, goes on to ask whether B is willing to go shopping with him/her. This, according to Brown and Levinson’s face-saving theory, is a face-saving act. Sure, this is considered to be polite to B. So in return, B cooperates well in the conversation and accepts the invitation, which is also meant to be face-saving in nature and hence polite to A. In dialogue B, however, A directly asks whether B is willing to go with him/her, and does not even make clear what it is for, which constitutes a face-threatening act and hence a little impolite to B. Therefore, in response, B, instead of answering yes or no, asks A a question. After getting to know the answer, B chooses to refuse the invitation. In other words, in dialogue A, A applies the face- saving theory and PP in the communication successfully while in dialogue B, A fails to apply these two very important theory and principle governing conversation. This leads to the different results in real communication.