WELCOME

says “X” (explicit) believe “Y”

“Y” (implicit)  do “Z”

A B
Mother: You’re going to have an exam tomorrow. (X)
 go to bed (Y)
Son: *turn off the TV and go to bed* (Z)
 7 POLITENESS AND
INTERACTION

“A linguistic interaction is necessarily a

social interaction.”
MINH NHỰT
Social distance (vị thế xã hội)
and closeness (mức độ gắn bó)
MINH NHỰT
 Ladies and gentlemen Mesdames et messieurs
External factors Internal factors
- Relative status – age, power, - Amount of imposition or degree
gender of friendliness
- Established prior to an - Change during its course
interaction
MINH NHỰT
“Bình thường gọi là chú
Khi bù khú gọi là anh distance lessened
Đến khi họp hành thì là đồng chí” (1) distance
lengthened
“bù khú”: chuyện trò hoặc cười nói đùa vui một cách tâm đắc
(1)
vietnamnet.vn

 in the process of being worked out

within an interaction
MINH NHỰT
impolite, rude, incautious,
inconsiderate

polite, considerate,
thoughtful, ...

MINH NHỰT
 POLITENESS

 polite social behavior

 etiquette (phép xã giao)
within a culture

MINH NHỰT
 IN A PARTICULAR
IN GENERAL
INTERACTION
specified by principles: tactful, “the means employed to show
generous, modest, sympathetic, ... awareness of another person’s
face.”

face (thể diện) – public self-image of a person

MINH NHỰT
FACE AT WORK FACE AT HOME
MINH NHỰT
 Đến khi họp hành thì là
Khi bù khú gọi là anh
đồng chí

Socially close OR Socially distant

 FRIENDLINESS  RESPECT
 CAMARADERIE  DEFERENCE
 SOLIDARITY
 FACE WANTS

FACE – a person’s public self-

image FACE WANTS: a person’s
expectations that their public
self-image will be respected
WANTS - expectations

MINH NHỰT
1.“Shut up!” say something which represents a threat FACE THREATENING
to another face wants ACT

2. “Do you think you would mind keeping quiet: this is, after all, a
library, and other people are trying to concentrate.” (1)
say something which avoids a potential threat FACE SAVING
to another face wants ACT
MINH NHỰT
(1) ThoughtCo.
Exercise: Decide whether each of the following utterances might
be FSA (face saving act) or FTA (face threatening act):

1. “Thưa thầy, em muốn hỏi thầy một câu được không ạ?” (Nguyễn
Thiện Giáp, 2002:105)
FSA
2. Could you repeat that? FSA
3. What? FTA
4. You’re not smart enough to win always! FTA
5. I was lucky, you’ll do better next time! FSA

MINH NHỰT
KindsSTRATEGIES
of face saving act

Negative face

Positive face

ĐOAN
Negative face
+ Is the need to
BE INDEPENDENT

+ to have a freedom of action

+ not to be imposed by others

ĐOAN
 E.g.: Your friend asks for borrowing some money.

I don’t feel like lending him some money.

My reason is that I need to buy something right now.
So, he can borrow others.

Negative face

ĐOAN
 Positive face
+ Is the need to
BE CONNECTED

To be treated as a member of the group

To know his/ her desires are shared by others

ĐOAN
E.g.: Your friend asks for borrowing some money.

I would lend him because I want him to like me and I want

the reputation of being a generous person.

Positive face
ĐOAN
 Negative politeness
Enhance the sense of distance
The importance of
the other’s time

or concerns
Lịch sự âm tính trong tương tác giữa A và B
(N. Quang/ Tạp chí Nghiên cứu Nước
ngoài, Tập 35, Số 2 (2019) 1-14, Trang 7)

ĐOAN
 Positive politeness
Enhance the sense of solidarity

Both speakers want the same

+ thing

+ goal
Lịch sự dương tính trong tương tác giữa A và B
(N. Quang/ Tạp chí Nghiên cứu Nước
ngoài, Tập 35, Số 2 (2019) 1-14, Trang 7)

ĐOAN
Self and other: say nothing

ĐOAN
People prefer to have their needs recognized by
others without having to express those needs
in language.

ĐOAN
E.g.: Your forget your pen, then try to search it in your pockets,
don’t say anything, but with the vague intention that your problem
will be recognized. (George Yule: 1996)

To look in bag
“Here, use it”

Self Others
ĐOAN
 Quizes:

Q1: Your pen runs out of ink. You try to write down it in
the paper, but with the vague intention that your problem
will be recognized.
What kind of interaction is it?

-> Self and other: say nothing

ĐOAN
 Quizes:
Q2: Your friend asks for a ride to the airport. You
think this is not favorable and have other stuff that
you could be doing something. Ask him to find his
own ride. (Gofman:1967)
Is this situation positive face or negative face?

-> Negative face

ĐOAN
 Quizes:
Q3: Which is negative politeness ?

A B

ĐOAN
 SAY SOMETHING:
OFF AND ON RECORD

PHƯƠNG NGÂN
Not directly address to the other.
Ex: After your search through your bag
“Uh, I forgot my pen.”
“Hmm, I wonder where I put my pen.”
 OFF RECORD
PHƯƠNG NGÂN
Directly address to the other.
Ex: “Give me a pen.”
“ Lend me your pen.”
 ON RECORD
The most direct approach, using imperative forms, is known as
bald on record.

PHƯƠNG NGÂN
1. (When you come to your friend’s house)
a. “You must have some of this fruitcake.”
b. “You may have some of this fruitcake.”
(Georgia M.Green, 1989:148)

 OFFERING
2. (When you come back home after playing football)
“Hand me your dirty shirt.”
 TRYING TO HELP
PHƯƠNG NGÂN
3. EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
a. Don’t touch that!
b. Get out of there!
c. Do be careful!
d. Look out!
PHƯƠNG NGÂN
 POSITIVE AND
NEGATIVE POLITENESS

PHƯƠNG NGÂN
♦ Positive politeness strategy
Ex: How about letting me use your pen?
Hey, buddy, I’d appreciate it if you’d let me use your pen.
Ex: Hi. How’s it going? Okay if I sit here? We must be interested
in the same crazy stuff. You take a lot of notes too, huh? Say, do
me a big favor and let me use one of your pens.

PHƯƠNG NGÂN
♦ Negative politeness strategy
Ex: Could you lend me a pen?
I’m sorry to bother you, but can I ask for a pen or
something?
I know you’re busy, but might I ask you if-em-if you
happen to have an extra pen for me?

PHƯƠNG NGÂN
 How to get a pen from someone else

Say something Say nothing

(but search in bag)

Off record
On record
(‘I forgot my pen’)

Bald on record
Face saving act
(‘Give me a pen)

Positive politeness Negative politeness

‘How about letting me ‘Could you lend me a pen?’
use your pen?’

How to get a pen from someone else (following Brown and Levinson 1987) PHƯƠNG NGÂN
 EXERCISE: Decide whether these statements are Off record, Bald on record,
Positive politeness or Negative politeness.
a. Gimme that wet umbrella. Bald on record
b. Oh, you make such great coffee! I’d appreciate if you’d make me
a cup of it. Positive politeness
c. I’m so tired. A cup of coffee would help. (1) Off record
d. Don’t turn left. Bald on record
e. Oh my god! My pen runs out of ink. Off record
f. I’m sorry to bother you but… Would you mind making coffee? (1) Negative politeness
g. Tiết canh đấy, ngon lắm, anh ăn đi! (2) Bald on record
h. Could you pass me the book? (2) Negative politeness
(1) http://www.glottopedia.org/index.php/
(2) Nguyễn Thiện Giáp, 2002:110
 STRATEGIES
STRATEGIES
Solidarity strategy

Deference strategy

TRÚC LY
TYPE
TYPE 1 1

Solidarity strategy
Þuse POSITIVE politeness forms
( information, nickname,…)

Ex: Hey, Sara. How’s it going ?

Let’s meet up tonight ! Our classmates will
be at the Royal Club.
We’ll have fun.

TRÚC LY
TYPE
TYPE 2 2

Deference strategy
=> use NEGATIVE politeness forms

Ex: There’s going to be a meeting among our

classmates tonight. If you can come, it will be
fun.

TRÚC LY
Exercise: What kinds of strategies are they ?
1. Lisa, let’s pick me up this afternoon at 3 p.m.
=> solidarity
2. Customers may not smoke here, sir ?
Þdeference
3. I would be pleased if you could give me a hand.
Þdeference
4. Cut it down ! Give back my smartphone.
=> solidarity

TRÚC LY
PRE- SEQUENCES

Pre-request

Pre-invitations

Pre- announcements
TRÚC LY
Pre-request
Ex:
A: Have you finished your project ? (pre-request)
B: Nearly done. ( go ahead)
A: Let’s go out for a dinner tonight ( request)
B: Yes. ( accept)

-> Advantage : “Go ahead” or “ stop”

TRÚC LY
Pre-invitations

Ex:
A: What are you going to do this weekend ?( pre-invitation)
B: Oh… Nothing special ( go ahead)
A: Let’s go for a coffee this Sunday ( invitation)
B: Yes, that’s a good idea. ( accept)

TRÚC LY
Pre- announcements

Ex:
A: Jack, do you know what happened ? ( pre-announcement)
B: (Silence)
A: Hey, you know what ? ( pre-announcement)
B: I’ve to go now. I’m late for school ( stop)

TRÚC LY