6.0 Introduction

As observed in previous research (see Chapter 2), speakers vary their strategies and their use of linguistic forms in performing requests. The actual choice of request strategy is influenced by a number of social factors. According to Brown and Levinson (1978; 1987), there are three major social factors: the relative power of the hearer over the speaker, the social distance between the speaker and the hearer, and the degree of imposition involved in performing the act. Claiming that these three are not the only relevant factors that affect the choice of strategies, Blum-Kulka et al. (1985) select the variables of sex, age of addressee, power relationship, social distance or familiarity, request goal, setting, and communication medium, in order to investigate the variation in requesting behaviour in Israeli society. They find that the most important factors in accounting for variation in request strategies are the type of request goal, the age of the addressee, and the relative power of the speaker (see Chapter 2).

As shown in Chapter 4, Yao deployed all seven types of request strategies. This and the following chapter investigate the extent to which Yao's requests varied with situational contexts, in particular, request goals and addressees, which are two out of the three most important variables identified by Blum-Kulka et al. Specifically, these two chapters ask whether there are any observable relationships between the goals of requests and their realisation, and between addressee and request realisation. This chapter is concerned with the following research question.

6.1 Types of Request Goal

Requests are purposeful. Speakers have goals they want to achieve. They select strategies appropriate to the achieving of those goals. As Blum-Kulka et al., 1985: 118) states, 'the notion of "goal" relates to the relationship between the speaker's intention and the hearer's compliance ...'.