LCS 221

Cross-Cultural
Communication

Lecture 8: Politeness
Theory
(Unit 7)
Lecturer: Amy Hiss
[email protected]

2024
Semester 2, term 4
Lecture 7 Recap: Politeness & ‘Face’
Theory
 Positive face

threatening acts (FTAs)

(a person’s need to be wanted, accepted, approved
of)
1. FTA done baldy

4 Degrees of Face
 Negative face
with no politeness
(a person’s need to be independent and to act
unimpeded)
2. FTA done with
 Involvement face needs positive politeness
(addresses positive face ‘wants’)

 Independence face needs

3. FTA done with
(addresses negative face ‘wants’) negative
politeness
 Politeness strategies
Politeness strategies of involvement 4. FTA done
(characteristics: speaking, listening, convergence, in- indirectly or off-
group membership etc) record
 Politeness strategies of independence
(Characteristics: silence, divergence, apologising etc)
Lecture 7
Objectives
K
E
Factors considered in selecting politeness
Y strategy: Power (P), Distance (D), Ranking
of imposition (R)
C
Politeness systems:
O Solidarity politeness system
N Deference politeness system
Hierarchical politeness system
C
E AIM:
Define and explain the above concepts in
P your own
T words
Apply these concepts to personal
S experiences
and practical problems
Prescribed Reading:
Course Reader: Unit 6: Bowe & Martin (2007:28-33) Communication Across cultures: Mutual understanding in a global
world
Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage (Vol. 4). Cambridge university press.
 io n:
u ss
i sc y o u ne
D do meo
w
Ho ss so :
d re ho is
ad w

Your boss or
your lecturer

A close
A total stranger
friend
to you
Power (P) – one’s
capacity to impose upon 3 basic
others/control their
factors that
actions … (e.g. teacher-
student, parent-child, determine
student-student) which
Distance (D) –
degree of politeness
familiarity between strategy we
interlocutors (e.g. may select in
friends, family, a particular
strangers, colleagues, They are
context:
student-student)
Rank of imposition (R) constantly
– the degree to which
what we are considered in
communicating counts our everyday
as imposition (e.g.
interactions
 Systems of
Politeness
I. Solidarity Politeness
System
This strategy is based on no power
no social distance difference
between speakers [-P-D]. Typical
interaction between people who
know each other very well won't
have a distinction with regards to
power – e.g. friends, spouse,
siblings. Speakers use the
involvement strategy. e.g. Use
 II. Deference
Politeness System

This is based on no power difference

but there is social distance between
speakers [- P +D] .
The participants consider
themselves equals but they will treat
each other with deference (showing
respect). They will use independence
strategies e.g. Use titles and
surnames when addressing each
other. This is typical of people who
are colleagues, they work together
III. Hierarchical Politeness
System
This is based on presence of power difference
between speakers, but social distance may/may
not be present [+P +/-D]. Emphasis on
superordinate -subordinate relationship.
Participants do not use the same politeness
strategies:

Sub-ordinates will use the politeness strategy of

independence when speaking “up” to the super-
ordinate: e.g. They use titles and surnames to
address their superiors.

Super-ordinate will use the politeness strategy of

 What system of
politeness is in
operation in this
interaction?

Deference System
-P +S, Interviewer
and female group –
equal power, hold
Context: Interview with popular 90’s female different social
group, ‘Destiney’s Child’
positions, different
 What system of
politeness is in
operation in this
interaction?

Solidarity
System
[-P-D]
Both host and interviewee
Context: Celebrity/Family entertainment are celebrities. Have
show wealth, popularity, social
circle, ‘well-known’.
Host: offers friendly and comfortable
space to ‘talk’
 What system of
politeness is in
operation in this
interaction?

Hierarchical System
[+P +/-D]
Context: Family Show, ‘Dr Phil’ Talk show centers on
people with behavioral
Host: offers friendly and comfortable issues
space to ‘talk’ Host is ‘professional
psychiatric doctor. And
interviewee – ‘the
 y o u r
Q: I n e n c e in
e r i s
exp o li t e n e s  A student asks a professor for an
i c h p b e
wh w o u l d extension on a final paper.
Hierarchic
sy s t e m t h e al
a t io n  An employee asks his/her boss for
e r
in op g time off to go to a concert.
Hierarchical
i n
follow s? 
/Deference Solidari
t i o n A person whose car just broke
ty
si t u a down asks a stranger for a ride to
the closest gas station.
 A student who frequently misses
Deferen
class asks to borrow a classmate’s
ce
notes. Solidarit
 A student asks
y his/her roommate
 REMINDER

1. Sick test available on Friday, online, 2hr limit –notification to

successful candidates will be sent via email

2. Major Assignment in the process of being marked.

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