FACE-GIVING (BAGI MUKA) AND FACE-PROTECTING (JAGA MUKA) THROUGH METAPHORS: ANALYSIS OF VERBAL INDIRECTNESS STRATEGIES AND POLITENESS IN POLITICAL DISCOURSE

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: FACEWORK Facework is fundamental to human interaction. In many languages there are special terms for face-giving and face-saving. In Malay/Indonesian, we have terms such as bagi muka ‘give face’ and jaga muka ‘protect face’. Facework is important in daily life, not only in the personal domain but also the professional and public domains as well. FOCUS OF THIS TALK We focus on facework in political discourse from a cross-cultural perspective. In particular, we focus on politicians’ use of metaphor as a verbal indirectness strategy: - constructing positive political identities for self - constructing negative political identities for rivals METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK Conceptual Blending Theory (Fauconnier & Turner 2002) Interactional Linguistics framework (e.g. Selting & Couper- Kuhlen 2001) DATA Data for our analysis come from recent election campaigns in Asian regions, including Singapore and Hong Kong. Findings from a perception study will also be discussed to examine the effects of metaphor in enhancing, maintaining, or damaging a speaker’s public image. OBJECTIVES To examine how electoral candidates construct political identities through the use of metaphors in electoral discourse: - Constructing favorable political identities for self - Constructing unfavorable political identities for rivals To analyze the facework implications of these political metaphors. WHY USE METAPHORS? Metaphors are ”innovative and creative; they do not stem from pre-existing similarities, but induce similarities between different objects” (italics added). In this way, they help trigger a sense of awe , wonder and delight in us and “contribute to our new understanding and perception of the world”. (Yeung, Yung & Fan 2013: 7; citing Hausman 1989)