DISCOURSE ANALYSIS CONVERSATIONAL PRINCIPLES: LEECH’S POLITENESS PRINCIPLES

GEOFFREY LEECH’S POLITENESS MAXIMS

Politeness concerns a relationship between self and other. In conversation, self is
identified as the speaker and other is the hearer. Besides that, the speaker also shows
politeness to the third parties who may be present or not. The politeness principle (PP) is
introduced by Geoffrey Leech. PP is Minimizing (other things being equal) the expression of
impolite beliefs, and there is a corresponding positive version (maximizing (other things
being equal) the expression of polite beliefs) which is somewhat less important. PP proposes
how to produce and understand language based on politeness. The purpose of PP is to
establish feeling of community and social relationship. Thus, PP focuses on process of
interpretation that the center of the study is on the effect of the hearer rather than the speaker.
There are six maxims of the politeness principle that are used to explain relationship between
sense and force in daily conversation.
He lists six maxims: tact, generosity, approbation, modesty, agreement, and sympathy. The
first and second form a pair, as do the third and the fourth. These maxims vary from culture
to culture: what may be considered polite in one culture may be strange or downright rude in
another.
1. The Tact maxim
The tact maxim states: “Minimize the expression of beliefs which imply cost to
other; maximize the expression of beliefs which imply benefit to other”.
The first part of this maxim fits in with Brown and Levinson’s negative politeness strategy of
minimizing the imposition, and the second part reflects the positive politeness strategy of
attending to the hearer’s interests, wants, and needs.
FOREXAMPLE:

 Could I interrupt you for a second? If I could just clarify this then.

This maxim is applied in Searle’s speech act, commissives and directives called by Leech as
impositives. Commissives is found in utterances that express speaker’s intention in the future
action. Then, Directives/ impositives are expressions that influence the hearer to do action.
The example of the tact maxim is as follows:

“Won‘t you sit down?”

It is the directive/ impositive utterance. This utterance is spoken to ask the hearer sitting
down. The speaker uses indirect utterance to be more polite and minimizing cost to the
hearer. This utterance implies that sitting down is benefit to the hearer.
2. The Generosity Maxim
Leech’s Generosity maxim states: “Minimize the expression of beliefs that express
or imply benefit to self; maximize the expression of beliefs that express or imply cost to
self.”
Unlike the tact maxim, the maxim of generosity focuses on the speaker, and says that others
should be put first instead of the self.

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DISCOURSE ANALYSIS CONVERSATIONAL PRINCIPLES: LEECH’S POLITENESS PRINCIPLES

FOREXAMPLE:
 You relax and let me do the dishes.
 You must come and have dinner with us

It is an advice utterance that is involved in directive illocutionary act. In this case the speaker
implies that cost of the utterance is to his self. Meanwhile, the utterance implies that benefit is
for the hearer.
3. The Approbation Maxim
The Approbation maxim also known as the “flattery maxim” states: “Minimize the
expression of beliefs which express dispraise of other; maximize the expression of beliefs
which express approval of other”.
It is preferred to praise others and if this is impossible, to sidestep the issue, to give some sort
of minimal response (possibly through the use of euphemisms), or to remain silent. The first
part of the maxim avoids disagreement; the second part intends to make other people feel
good by showing solidarity.
This maxim instructs to avoid saying unpleasant things about others and especially about the
hearer. This maxim occurs in assertives/ representatives and expressives. Assertives/
representatives are utterances that express the true propositional. Meanwhile, expressive are
utterances that show the speaker feeling.The example is sampled below.
A: “The performance was great!”
B: “Yes, wasn’t it!”

In the example, A gives a good comment about the performance. He talks the pleasant thing
about other. This expression is a congratulation utterance that maximizes praise of other.
Thus this utterance is included the approbation maxim.
Another example is;
 Gideon, I know you’re a genius – would you know how to solve this math problem
here?

4. The Modesty Maxim

The Modesty maxim states: “Minimize the expression of praise of self; maximize
the expression of dispraise of self.”
This maxim is applied in assertives/ representatives and expressives like the approbation
maxim. Both the approbation maxim and the modesty maxim concern to the degree of good
or bad evaluation of other or self that is uttered by the speaker. The approbation maxim is
exampled by courtesy of congratulation. On other hand, the modesty maxim usually occurs in
apologies. The sample of the modesty maxim is below.

“Please accept this small gift as prize of your achievement.”

In this case, the utterance above is categorized as the modesty maxim because the speaker
maximizes dispraise of himself. The speaker notices his utterance by using “small gift”.
Another example is:

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DISCOURSE ANALYSIS CONVERSATIONAL PRINCIPLES: LEECH’S POLITENESS PRINCIPLES

 Oh, I’m so stupid – I didn’t make a note of our lecture! Did you?

5. The Agreement Maxim

The Agreement maxim runs as follows: “Minimize the expression of disagreement
between self and other; maximize the expression of agreement between self and
other.”
It is in line with Brown and Levinson’s positive politeness strategies of ‘seek
agreement’ and ‘avoid disagreement,’ to which they attach great importance.
However, it is not being claimed that people totally avoid disagreement. It is simply
observed that they are much more direct in expressing agreement, rather than
disagreement. The disagreement, in this maxim, usually is expressed by regret or
partial agreement. This maxim occurs in assertives/ representatives illocutionary act.
There example will be illustrated below.

A: “English is a difficult language to learn.”

B: “True, but the grammar is quite easy.”

From the example, B actually does not agree that all part of English language difficult
to learn. He does not express his disagreement strongly to be more polite. The polite
answer will influence the effect of the hearer. In this case, B’s answer minimize his
disagreement using partial agreement, “true, but…”
A: I don’t want my daughter to do this, I want her to do that.
B: Yes, but ma’am, I thought we resolved this already on your last visit.
6. The Sympathy Maxim
Minimize antipathy between self and other; maximize sympathy between self and
other.
 In this case, the achievement being reached by other must be congratulated. On other hand,
the calamity happens to other, must be given sympathy or condolences. This maxim is
applicable in assertives/ representatives. The example is as follows.

“I’m terribly sorry to hear about your father.”

It is a condolence expression which is expressed the sympathy for misfortune. This utterance
is uttered when the hearer gets calamity of father’s died or sick. This expression shows the
solidarity between the speaker and the hearer.

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