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As this is an exploratory study and the first of its kind in terms of a collectivity's face, the questions listed above are rather broad. Empirical data are collected to give concrete proof of the existence of face at the national level. At the same time, this thesis would try to explore and confirm the ways of doing facework by the press. Since one of the research data would be collected as face strategies, the present study would also examine the feasibility of studying face and facework by way of face strategies.
The Sample
To study the nation's face and the strategies concerned in the verbal contents of the press, the sample must be extracted from a representative newspaper in China and they must carry potential for the study of the concept which comes to the surface only when it is at stake. Also they must offer the chance to study a nation's face. National/international events are therefore ideal samples. In the present study, the sample consists of the People's Daily reports and comments on the following sports events:
Olympic Games 1984 (July 28-August 12, L.A., USA); World University Games 1985 (August 23-Sep 4, Kobe, Japan); Asian Games 1986 (September 20-October 5, Seoul, South Korea); World University Games 1987 (July 8-19, Zagreb, Yugoslavia).
The time frame in respect of each event would start five days before the opening and would end ten days after the closing of the Games. That is, articles concerning the above events over a total of 177 days would be looked into.
Sports games are always in the form of competition in which success or failure are clearly defined. They would therefore easily present to incumbents situations that could change their face. The winners may grasp the chance to boost their prestige by stressing their success. The losers may absolve from humiliation by excusing their failure. Even in the case of a draw, the incumbents' performance could be gauged against expectations prior to competition. The discrepancy between the two could be passed as success or failure of living up to expectations. These situations are fairly visible and therefore would create crises to the face of those concerned. This is ideal for studying the concept of face with surfaces when it is at stake.
30
As this is an exploratory study and the first of its kind in terms of a collectivity's face, the questions listed above are rather broad. Empirical data are collected to give concrete proof of the existence of face at the national level. At the same time, this thesis would try to explore and confirm the ways of doing facework by the press. Since one of the research data would be collected as face strategies, the present study would also examine the feasibility of studying face and facework by way of face strategies.
The Sample
To study the nation's face and the strategies concerned in the verbal contents of the press, the sample must be extracted from a representative newspaper in China and they must carry potential for the study of the concept which comes to the surface only when it is at stake. Also they must offer the chance to study a nation's face. National/international events are therefore ideal samples. In the present study, the sample consists of the People's Daily reports and comments on the following sports events:
Olympic Games 1984 (July 28-August 12, L.A., USA); World University Games 1985 (August 23-Sep 4, Kobe, Japan); Asian Games 1986 (September 20-October 5, Seoul, South Korea); World University Games 1987 (July 8-19, Zagreb, Yugoslavia).
The time frame in respect of each event would start five days before the opening and would end ten days after the closing of the Games. That is, articles concerning the above events over a total of 177 days would be looked into
Sports games are always in the form of competition in which success or failure are clearly defined. They would therefore easily present to incumbents situations that could change their face. The winners may grasp the chance to boost their prestige by stressing their success. The losers may absolve from humiliation by excusing their failure. Even in the case of a draw, the incumbents' performance could be gauged against expectations prior to competition. The discrepany between the two could be passed as success or failure of living up to expectations. These situations are fairly visible and therefore would create crises to the face of those concerned. This is ideal for studying the concept of face with surfaces when it is at stake.
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