Reprimanding and responding to a reprimand: A case study of Peruvian Spanish speakers

Abstract

This paper presents empirical research analyzing the politeness strategies and frames of participation for male and female Peruvian Spanish speakers in two role-play situations: reprimanding and responding to a reprimand. When reprimanding, both male and female participants preferred solidarity over deferential politeness strategies. They also preferred strategies that threatened the interlocutor's face wants rather than their own, and her negative rather than positive face wants. This reflects a preference for being authoritative while maintaining friendliness. Males were far more authoritative than females and participated within what we call a ‘this is business’ frame. On the other hand, females generally expressed concern for the interlocutor and participated within a ‘this is friend’ frame. Older participants, both male and female, and members of the upper middle class were the more forceful and imposing. Unlike what was characteristic of reprimanding, when responding to a reprimand a second set of males and females preferred deferential as opposed to solidarity politeness strategies. In this situation participants threatened their own face wants rather than their interlocutor's, preferring also to threaten their negative rather than positive face wants. This demonstrates once more the preference for expressing friendliness as opposed to imposing on themselves or the interlocutor. There were again decided differences between males and females. Males were confrontational participating in a ‘this is challenge’ frame. Females, on the other hand, balanced their confrontation with an admission of responsibility and participated in a ‘this is acceptance’ frame. Older participants, both male and female, and members of the upper middle class were the more deferential.