Thanks: Research Notes
American Thanks
The Anatomy of American Thanking
- Thanks beforehand (for a promise, offer, invitation) - thanks afterwards (for a favor, invitation (afterwards))
- Thanks for material goods (gifts, services) - thanks for immaterial goods (wishes, complaints, congratulations, information)
- Thanks for some action initiated by the benefactor - thanks for some action resulting from a request/wish/order by the beneficary
- Thanks that imply indebtedness - thanks that do not imply indebtedness
Above passages from Hinkel (1994), p. 78.
Reference
Hinkel, E. (1994). Pragmatics of interaction: Expressing thanks in a second language. Applied Language Learning, 5(1), 73-91.