Politeness Strategies to Know for Intro to Semantics and Pragmatics

Politeness strategies are key in communication, shaping how we interact based on context and relationships. They include positive and negative approaches, directness, and indirectness, all aimed at maintaining social harmony and respecting individual identities in conversations.

  1. Positive politeness strategies

    • Aim to enhance the listener's self-esteem and create a sense of camaraderie.
    • Use strategies like compliments, showing interest, and expressing solidarity.
    • Often employed in informal settings or among friends to foster closeness.
  2. Negative politeness strategies

    • Focus on minimizing the imposition on the listener and respecting their autonomy.
    • Include strategies such as using indirect language, apologies, and hedging.
    • Commonly used in formal situations or when addressing someone of higher status.
  3. Bald on-record strategies

    • Involve direct and clear communication without any politeness strategies.
    • Used when the speaker wants to convey a message straightforwardly.
    • Often appropriate in situations where social norms allow for bluntness.
  4. Off-record strategies

    • Indirect communication that allows the speaker to avoid responsibility for the message.
    • Includes hints, jokes, or ambiguous statements that require interpretation.
    • Useful for maintaining politeness while conveying sensitive information.
  5. Face-saving acts

    • Actions taken to protect an individual's self-image or social identity.
    • Can include apologies, justifications, or explanations to mitigate potential embarrassment.
    • Important in maintaining social harmony and relationships.
  6. Face-threatening acts

    • Behaviors that challenge or threaten an individual's self-esteem or social identity.
    • Examples include criticism, requests, or commands that may cause discomfort.
    • Require careful management to avoid conflict or negative reactions.
  7. Brown and Levinson's politeness theory

    • Proposes that politeness is a universal phenomenon based on the concepts of face, positive face, and negative face.
    • Suggests that speakers navigate social interactions by balancing the need to be polite with the need to communicate effectively.
    • Introduces the idea of face-threatening acts and strategies to mitigate them.
  8. Power distance

    • Refers to the degree of inequality in power between individuals in a social interaction.
    • Influences the choice of politeness strategies; greater power distance often leads to more formal language.
    • Important in understanding cultural differences in communication styles.
  9. Social distance

    • The perceived closeness or familiarity between individuals in a conversation.
    • Affects the level of politeness; greater social distance typically requires more formal politeness strategies.
    • Helps determine the appropriateness of certain language choices.
  10. Imposition

    • Refers to the burden or inconvenience that a request or action places on the listener.
    • Greater imposition often necessitates more elaborate politeness strategies to soften the request.
    • Understanding imposition is crucial for effective communication in various contexts.
  11. Hedging

    • Involves using language that makes statements less direct or assertive.
    • Commonly used to soften requests, opinions, or assertions to avoid sounding too forceful.
    • Helps maintain politeness and allows for flexibility in communication.
  12. Indirectness

    • A communication style that avoids direct statements, often to maintain politeness or avoid confrontation.
    • Can include hints, suggestions, or vague language that requires interpretation.
    • Useful in sensitive situations where directness may be inappropriate.
  13. Honorifics

    • Special forms of address that convey respect or social status.
    • Used to acknowledge the listener's position or relationship to the speaker.
    • Important in cultures with hierarchical social structures.
  14. Apologizing

    • A strategy used to express regret or remorse for an action that may have caused offense.
    • Helps to repair social relationships and mitigate face-threatening acts.
    • Can vary in formality and effectiveness depending on the context and sincerity.
  15. Complimenting

    • A positive politeness strategy that involves expressing admiration or praise.
    • Can enhance social bonds and create a positive atmosphere in interactions.
    • Requires sensitivity to the context and the recipient's feelings to be effective.


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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.