POLITENESS STRATEGIES

Strategies Sub-strategies Realization Examples

Notice, attend to H - S should take notice of aspects of H's condition (noticeable - Goodness, you cut your hair! (…) By the way, I came to borrow some flour.
(his interests, wants, changes, remarkable possessions, anything which looks as though H - You must be hungry, it's long time since breakfast. How about some lunch?
needs, goods) would want S to notice and approve of it) - What a beautiful vase this is! Where did it come from?
- When H makes an FTA against himself (a breakdown of body - God you're farty tonight!
control, or any faux pas), S should 'notice' it and indicate that he's not - We ate too many beans tonight, didn't we!
embarrassed by it. He can do this by a joke, or teasing H about his - When H has a running nose, S offers tissues.
penchant for faux pas or including S himself as part of the act
Exaggerate (interest, - Exaggerated intonation, stress - Hi, John. I bought you a coffee. We really appreciate your help last week. No one can split wood like
approval, sympathy - The use of intensifying modifiers you can. We could not have managed without you. Could you help us again?
with H) - Emphatic expressions (really, absolutely, exactly, for sure)
Intensify interest to H - Draw the hearer to the narration using the vivid present - Yesterday, when I came to the office, Mr. Yamada was already there, and when he saw me…..
- Use of directly quoted speech, tag questions or expressions that - See what I mean, isn’t it
draw H as participant into the conversation ('you know?', 'see what I - There were a million people in the Co-op tonight.
mean?', 'isn't it?')
- Exaggerate facts
Use in-group identity - Address forms (dear, honey, brother, sister, son, mate, sweetheart) - Here mate, I was keeping that seat for a friend of mine.
marker + generic names and terms of address: mac, mate, buddy, pal, honey, - Lend us two quid then, wouldja mate?
POSITIVE
dear, duckie, luv, babe, Mom, blondie, brother, sister, cutie, - Lend us two bucks then, wouldja Mac?
(P)
sweetheart.) or in-group forms + imperatives - Got any Wilsons?
Claiming
- In-group language or dialect - Tom, mind if I smoke?
common
- Use of jargon or slang, brand name
ground
- Contradiction and ellipsis
Seek agreement - Repetition/ repeated part or all of what have been said -A: I had a flat tyre on the way home. B: Oh God, a flat tyre.
- Safe topic like weather, the beauty of gardens - Isn't your new car a beautiful colour! (Although it is a hideously huge pollution-producing car)
- Find aspects of topics to agree and stick to them.
Avoid disagreement - Token agreement (pretend to agree). The H may agree or hide his - That’s where u live? – That’s where I was born
disagreement by twisting his utterances so as to appear to agree - - I’ll meet u in front of the theater just before 8, then.
instead of saying 'no', H responds with 'yes' to a preceding utterance. - So when are u coming to see us?
- Pseudo-agreement (using then and so) - I do like your new hat.
- White lies - It’s really beautiful, in a way.
- Hedging opinion (sort of, kind of, like, in a way, etc.)
Presuppose, raise, - Gossip, small talk - I had a really hard time learning to drive, didn't I.
assert common ground - Point-of-view operation - It's at the far end of the street, the last house on the left, isn't it?
- Person-center switch: S to H is - A: Oh this cut hurts awfully, Mum. B: Yes dear, it hurts terribly, I know.
+ where S speaks as if H were S, or H's knowledge were equal to S's - Ok now, let's stop the chatter and get on with our little essays.
knowledge. - I really had a hard time to drive, you know?
+ where H couldn't possibly know, having just met S; or when giving - John says he really loves your roses.
directions to a stranger, unfamiliar with the town. - There is a man I could trust.
+ in giving empathy, one asserts what only H can know - Do you want to come/ go with me to the moves?
+ by merging the 'I' and 'you' into an inclusive 'we', although it is (Come conveys participation and cooperation; go – distance and less participation
only H who is really being referred to. - Wouldn't you like a drink? (for offers)
+ the use of 'you know', where H couldn't possibly 'know'. - Well I was watching High Life last night and…
- Time switch: The use of the 'vivid present', a tense shift from past
to present tense,
- Place switch:
+ Use proximal rather than distal demonstrative
+ Use of verbs of movement to and from, take vs. bring, go vs. come
+ Avoidance of adjustment of reports to H’s points of view (Use
direct quoted speech)
+ Presupposition manipulations:
 * Presuppose knowledge of H’s wants and attitudes: Use negative
questions with presume “Yes” as an answer
* Presuppose H’s values are the same as S’s values
* Presuppose familiarity in S-H relationship: he use of familiar
address forms like honey or darling presupposes that the addresser
is 'familiar'. (Use of familiar address forms: honey, darling, mac,
mate, buddy, luv)
* Presuppose H’s knowledge: use of language, dialect, jargon, local
terminology
Joke Use jokes to stress shared background or shared values. How about lending me this old heap of junk? (H's new Cadillac)
Assert or presuppose To put pressure on H to cooperate with S, is to assert or imply I know you have roses but the florist didn't have any more, so I brought you geranium instead. (offer +
S’s knowledge of and knowledge of H's wants and willingness to fit one's own wants in apology)
concern for H’s wants with them.
Offer, promise S claims that (within a certain sphere of relevance) whatever H We do not have any positions open at this time, but we will keep your application on file for six month.
wants, S wants for him and will help to obtain.
- Offer
- Promise
POSITIVE
- Suggestion
Conveying
Be optimistic - Presuming the H’s willingness to cooperate, and a positive - You’ll come to help me on Tuesday, won’t you?
that S and
outcome: I hope, won’t you, I imagine, I’m sure, right, ok I hope you can finish the project this week.
H are
- The imposition is minor. - That wouldn’t be too much to ask, would it?
cooperators
Include both S and H Use inclusive “we”; let’s; us - It’s time for our medicine.
in the activity - We don’t like that color, do we?
Give or ask for reasons - Involving H in his reasoning process so that the suggestion will be - Our old rattletrap is not going to last the winter, so isn’t it better we buy a new one?
seen as a mutual decision - Why don’t we go to the seashore?
- Indirect suggestion
Assume or assert S highlights or suggests an ongoing, mutually beneficial relationship. - This is your round.
reciprocity - I’ll do X for you if you do Y for me.
Give gifts to H (goods, S anticipates H’s wants, tangible or intangible; shows support - We wish you good luck in finding a job suitable for your many talents.
POSITIVE
sympathy, towards their fulfillment and make efforts to satisfy particularly the
Fulfilling
understanding, desire for goodwill.
H’s want
cooperation)
NEGATIVE Be conventionally The use of indirect speech act - the use of phrases and sentences that Can you please pass the salt? (Request, not a question)
(N) indirect have contextually unambiguous meanings which are different from
their literal meanings.
Question, hedge - S’s opinions and assumptions about the H’s wants, beliefs and - Yes, she is a kind of beautiful, in a way. (She is not my type)
abilities by using I think, maybe, perhaps... - If I were you, I would …
- The use of tags, adverbials like in fact, in away, in a sense, if
clauses (if you can; if you want
Be pessimistic - Minimizing the imposition by the implication that the S does not - I don’t suppose you could lend me the book.
expect a positive outcome. - Perhaps you would care to help me.
- The use of the negative with a tag.
- The use of the subjunctive
- The use of remote-possibility markers
Minimize the Minimizing the imposition by using: I just need a moment of your time.
imposition - I just want to ask you if …
- A tiny little bit, a sip, a taste, a drop, a smidgen, a little, a bit
Give deference S humbles and abases himself while raising H. It’s probably not what you are used to, but it’s the best we have.
- Using honorifics: Just as you like.
+ S-addressee axis: the relation of S to H (addressee honorifics): Sir,
madam, lady,
+ S-referent axis: the relation of S to things or persons referred to
 (referent honorifics): Dr. A; dine; gentleman, bestow, piece, volume
(of book) …
+ S-bystander axis: the relation of S or H to bystander or over-
hearers (bystander honorifics)
+ S- setting axis: relation b/w S and situations.
- Conveying that your wants are more important than mine, and
hence become mine.
- Behaving incompetently and make fool of oneself by bumbling, by
the kinetics, prosodics and language of slow-wittedness or
buffoonery.
Apologize - Admitting the impingement I know it’s a lot to ask, but you are the only one who can help me.
- Indicating reluctance
- Giving overwhelming reasons
- Begging forgiveness
Impersonalize S and H - Avoiding the pronouns you and I. in using imperatives or 50 million would really help the re-election campaign.
performatives. It should be done by Friday.
- The use of impersonal verbs (dative-agent deletion) as in: Ok, you guys, let’s get on with this.
It appears/ seems/ (to me) that … We regret to inform you that ...
It looks (to me) like … His Majesty is not amused. (The King says)
It would be desirable (for me) … I was wondering whether you could do me a little favor.
NEGATIVE - Passive and circumstantial voices: using passive + agent deletion as There, there, that will be alright.
(N) in:
It is regretted that …
It would be appreciated if …
It is expected …
If it is possible …
- Replacement of the pronouns I and you by indefinites like one(s),
folks, you guy, you all.
- Pluralization of the “you” and “I” pronoun.
- Address terms as “you” avoidance like sir, miss, Mac., Mate.
Mister.
- Reference terms as “I” avoidance: S distances himself as an
individual from acts he would rather have attributed to the duties and
rights of the office.
- Point-of-view distancing:
+ Time distance: Tense switch from present into the past
+ Deictic place switches by using that, there.
State the FTA as a State the FTA as an instance of some general social rule, regulation, Passengers will please refrain from flushing toilets on the train.
general rule or obligation. We don’t sit on the table; we sit on chairs, Johnny.
- Pronoun avoidance.
- General obligation.
Nominalize - Nominalization of subjects. Your good performance on the exam impressed us favorably.
- Nominalization of Predicate Your good performance on the exam made a favorable impression on us.
- Nominalization of Complements I am surprised at your failure to reply.
Go one record as a S explicitly claims his indebtedness too H or disclaims any - If you helped me, I would be grateful forever.
incurring a debt, or as indebtedness of H by using: - Oh, it won’t take me but a minute
not indebting H. I’d be eternally grateful if you would… - Thanks a lot. I won’t forget it.
I’ll never to repay you if you … - It was nothing.
OFF- Give hints S says something that is not explicitly relevant to invite H to search for an interpretation of the possible relevance.
RECORD Give association clues Mentioning something associated with the act required of H, either by precedent in S-H’s experience or by mutual knowledge irrespective of their interaction experience.
(Violation Presuppose Implied criticism by using the word “again.” Or “yet again.”
of the Use contrastive stress.
Relevance
Maxim)
Understate Saying less than is required.
OFF- - Choose a point on a scalar predicate that is well below the point that is actually describes the states of affairs.
RECORD - Hedge a higher point which will implicate the lower actual state of affairs.
(Violation - Hedging on the amount of some (good) attribute one may implicate that one doesn’t think it’s good at all.
of Quantity - Hedging on the amount of some (potentially bad) attribute one may implicate that one doesn’t think it’s very bad.
Maxim) Overstate Exaggerating or choosing a point on a scale which is higher than the actual state of affairs.
Use tautologies Maintain dignity in an uncomfortable situation and are offered instead of an apology, excuse or explicit refusal.
Use contradiction Stating two things contradict each other to make it appear that S cannot be telling the truth.
Be ironic - Say something the opposite of what S means by using prosodic (nasality), kinesics (a smirk), or contextual.
- Can be combined with understatement
OFF-
- Can be marked by such hedges as real, regular, just, exactly, or exaggerated stress
RECORD
Use metaphors - Can be marked with hedging particles(real, regular, sort of, as it were)
(Violation
- Can use euphemisms proceeded by metaphorical substitution.
of Quality
Use rhetorical Ask a question with no intention of obtaining an answer.
Maxim)
questions
Be ambiguous
OFF- Be vague
RECORD Over-generalize - Use rule instantiation
(Violation - Use proverbs.
of Manner Displace H S pretends to address the FTA to someone whom it wouldn’t threaten, and hope that the real target will see that the FTA is aimed at him.
Maxim) Be incomplete, use - Use elliptical utterances
ellipsis - Leave an FTA half undone.