Denguray, Vivialyn

POLITENESS and
INTERACTION
A linguistic interaction is necessarily a social
interaction.
We take part in a wide range of interactions, mostly
with strangers, where the social distance determined
by external factors is dominant.
However, there are other factors, like amount of
imposition or degree of friendliness, which are
often negotiated.
POLITENESS

“Polite social behaviour” within a culture. We

assume that participants in an interaction are
generally aware of such cultural norms and
principles of politeness.
POLITENESS

Face: the public self-image of a person. It refers to

that emotional and social sense of self that everyone
has and expects the others to recognize.
Politeness in an interaction can be defined as the
means employed to show awareness of another
person’s face.
Examples:

Social distance: respect or deference

“Excuse, Mr. Buckingham, can I talk to you for a
second?”
Social closeness: friendliness, camaraderie, or
solidarity.
“Hey, Bucky, got a minute?”
POLITENESS

Face Wants: A person’s expectations that their

public self-image will be respected.
If a speaker says something that represents a threat
to another individual’s expectations, regarding self-
image, it’s described as a face-threatening act.
When someone says an utterance that avoids a
potential threat t a person’s face, it’s called face-
saving act.
Examples:

“I’m going to tell him to stop that awful noise right

now!!” (Face-threatening act)

“Perhaps you could just ask him if he’s going to stop

because it’s getting late and we need to sleep…”
(Face- saving act)
Self and Other: Say nothing
Imagine you arrive at a lecture but you’ve forgotten
a pen to take your notes. You think that the person
next to you may provide the solution.
In this scenario, you’re going to be SELF, and the
person next to you OTHER.
You: (look in bag, rummage in, search in pockets)
The Other: “Here, use this.”
That was called a “Say nothing approach”

Without uttering a word, you have the intention that

your problem will be recognized.
Many people prefer to have their needs recognized
by others without having to express those needs in
language.
When those needs are in fact recognized, more has
been communicated than was said.
Say something: Off and On record

“Uh, I forgot my pen”

“Hmm, I wonder where I put my pen”
These statements are not directly addressed to the
other. The other can act as if they have not even been
heard.
Off record expressions: utterances not directly
addressed to another one.
On record experssions: are direct
address froms.

“Give me a pen”
“Lend me your pen”
These are known as bald on record- they’re the
most direct approach, like the use of imperatives.
On record experssions: are direct
address froms.

Would you lend me a pen, please?”

Here we use mitigating devices, like would and
please, that soften the demand.
Questions & Discussion