Levinson's Politeness Research Articles

A Pragmatic Analysis on Politeness Strategies Used in Online Class

With the rapid shift to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding how politeness is conveyed in virtual classroom settings has become increasingly important. Drawing from Brown and Levinson's politeness theory and utilizing a qualitative pragmatic analysis approach, this research analyzes transcripts of online interactions to identify common politeness strategies employed by instructors and students. The findings reveal that both instructors and students utilize Tact maxim, generosity maxim, approbation maxim, modesty maxim, agreement maxim and sympathy maxim. Also, it was revealed that positive politeness, negative politeness, bald on record and off record are the common politeness strategies used by students and teachers in online class. Also, the functions of politeness strategies revealed in the online communication between teachers and students are locutionary act, illocutionary act and perlocutionary act. By exploring politeness in online classes, this research contributes to our understanding of pragmatic competence in computer-mediated communication and offers practical insights for enhancing effective and respectful interactions in virtual educational settings. The implications of the findings for online pedagogy and the development of pragmatic awareness in online contexts are discussed.

Japanese Speech Acts and Politeness in Hospitality Services

In the world of hospitality, staff provide service to guests through verbal communication. The purpose of this research is to determine the phenomenon of speech acts that are often used by hotel staff when communicating directly with Japanese guests. Conversation data is obtained through recording dialogue between hotel staff and guests when providing services. Data were analysed using Searle's (1969) speech act theory and Brown & Levinson's (1987) politeness theory. From the data analysis, it was known that in hotel services, direct voice is most widely used by hotel staff. Speech acts used by the staff are directive (50.9%) and expressive (25.4%) speech acts, assertive speech 21.8%, and commissive speech 1.8%. Judging from the principle of politeness, directive speech acts that were delivered directly by the hotel staff have the potential to threaten guests' faces. However, because hotel staff use teineigo (standard polite) form of Japanese, it can be said that the speech of hotel staff in Bali is relatively polite and safe (does not threaten the face) of guests and staff as service providers. Considering that body posture is also part of politeness in hotel guest service, this element needs to be studied further.

Kesantunan Berbahasa dalam Media Sosial : Kajian Pragmatik terhadap Komentar Online

This research aims to analyze politeness strategies in online comments on social media, with a focus on the application of Brown and Levinson's politeness theory. Social media as a virtual public space presents challenges in maintaining communication ethics, especially regarding user anonymity and spontaneity. Research data is obtained from online comments on platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, which are relevant to certain public topics. A qualitative approach with pragmatic discourse analysis is used to identify forms of positive politeness, negative politeness and politeness violations. The research results show that positive politeness strategies are more dominant than negative politeness, especially on emotional topics. Speech act patterns that are often found include illocutionary acts in the form of support or praise, as well as perlocutionary acts that create an emotional response. Cultural factors, discussion topic, level of anonymity, and age of the user influence the application of politeness. The findings also revealed that politeness violations occurred more frequently in controversial discussions. This research provides practical implications in increasing social media users' awareness of communicating politely. In addition, digital platforms are expected to strengthen moderation features to create a healthier communication space. Further research is recommended to explore the relationship between language politeness and digital conflict in various cultural contexts.

Pragmatic Analysis of Undergraduate Male and Female Students’ Politeness Strategies in Initiating and Terminating Conversations Online

This study examines the politeness strategies employed by male and female undergraduate students in online interactions, focusing on conversation initiation and termination. A pragmatic analysis was conducted using House and Kasper's (1981) linguistic politeness theory alongside Miles and Huberman's model for data interpretation. The findings indicate that male students predominantly used committers, consultative devices, and downtoners to initiate conversations, while employing downtoners, understaters, and politeness markers for termination. In contrast, female students utilized committers, consultative devices, politeness markers, and playdowns for initiation, and committers, playdowns, and politeness markers for termination. Applying Brown and Levinson's (1987) politeness theory, male students mainly favored positive politeness, negative politeness, and bald-on-record strategies during initiation, while employing both positive and negative strategies for termination. Female students exhibited a preference for positive and negative politeness strategies, along with off-record strategies for initiation, relying solely on positive politeness for termination. These findings highlight distinct gender-specific communication patterns in online environments, providing valuable insights for linguistics, communication studies, and gender studies. The results can guide educators, policymakers, and practitioners in developing inclusive and effective communication strategies tailored to digital learning contexts.

Politeness Strategies in the 2020 Biden - Trump Preseidential Debate: A Pragmatic Analysis

This research explores the use of politeness strategies in the 2020 U.S. Presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The study aims to analyze how each candidate utilized these strategies to navigate the debate and influence public perception. By applying qualitative analysis, the research examines debate transcripts through the lens of Brown and Levinson's politeness theory, while also considering non-verbal cues using McNeill's coding scheme. The results show that Trump frequently employed direct and often confrontational bald-on-record strategies, whereas Biden leaned towards positive politeness, seeking to build a sense of connection with the audience. These findings provide valuable insights into the role of politeness strategies in political communication, highlighting their impact on the dynamics of public discourse.

Politeness Strategies by "Ellie" from the Tv series "The Last of Us."

This research thoroughly explores the captivating world of politeness strategies employed by the main character, "Ellie," in the immensely popular television series "The Last of Us." the data source was meticulously collected from the HBO streaming service website and a comprehensive transcript repository. Employing Brown and Levinson's politeness strategy framework (1987), the study embarked on a qualitative method analysis, carefully examining the dialogue and interactions of "Ellie" throughout the series. The investigation unravels a fascinating array of insights, shedding light on how "Ellie" masterfully employs diverse politeness strategies in her communications. The study identified 16 instances of various politeness strategies found within the series. Among these, the most frequently observed strategy was the "Bald on Record" approach, utilized a remarkable nine times (comprising 52.25% of the instances). Following this, the "Negative Politeness" tactic emerged with four occurrences (25%), while "Positive Politeness" was deployed twice (12.5%). Lastly, the "Off-record" strategy was observed once (10%). The findings of this research unveil a compelling pattern of "Ellie" consistently employing a wide range of politeness strategies throughout the series. It is intriguing that the prevalence of "Bald on Record" may be attributed to the dangerous and challenging circumstances Ellie and the other characters face in the post-apocalyptic world. Direct communication is a pragmatic approach in such dire situations, minimizing misunderstandings and saving precious time. This study's nuanced exploration of politeness strategies in "The Last of Us" offers valuable insights into the complexities of human communication, even in the face of adversity. It mirrors real-life communication challenges and strategies in diverse contexts.

Exploring Directive Acts and Their Connection to FTA in Surat Yusuf: A Pragmatic Study

This research employs Searle's (1969) Speech Acts Theory and Brown and Levinson's (1987) Politeness Theory as core frameworks to meticulously analyse the intricate interplay between directive acts and face-threatening-acts within Surat Yusuf from the Glorious Quran. The study describes the use of these techniques in communication between Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) and his father, brothers, Al Aziz, Al Aziz's wife, and the prisoners. Taking into account variables like social distance and relative power dynamics, the research sheds light on the complex language strategies employed. The questions of the research can be summarized as, is there a strong relation between directive acts and face-threatening acts? Do the context and social distance of the interlocutors effect this relation? The objectives of the study sheds lights on the different ways of expressing directives acts such as requests, questions, orders…etc. with relation to face-threatening acts. The data analysis provides thorough insights into the communication dynamics within religious narratives. The research at hand has inferences for a variety of contexts and disciplines, advancing both academic and applied understandings. Finally, the study is regarded as a qualitative one with no stylistic analysis. The main conclusions of this study show that directive acts have different forms depending on different factors. Directive acts may have a specific form but a different function.

Speech Act Of Refusal On Vertical Line Levels In Japanese And Indian Cultures

This study aims to describe the refusal speech acts of Japanese and Indian people in the context of vertical relationship lines. The research employs a cross-cultural pragmatic approach with a qualitative descriptive paradigm method. Data collection was carried out using the Discourse Completion Task (DCT) method on native Japanese and Indian speakers. Data were analyzed using Brown and Levinson's politeness theory and Ochi Suzuki's refusal strategies, presented through a descriptive analysis model. The results indicate differences in the refusal speech acts of Japanese and Indian people within vertical relationship lines. Japanese people, in this context, tend to use indirect refusals, employing various methods to show respect and avoid offending the interlocutor. This is influenced by factors such as social status, social distance, kinship relations, and the speaker's age. Indirect refusals often involve expressions of apology and the use of different language forms. There are slight differences between male and female refusal speech acts in Japanese culture. Women are more careful in choosing words to refuse, showing a higher regard for the feelings of the speaker. In contrast, Japanese men tend to provide straightforward reasons for their refusals but still choose their words cautiously. In the case of Indian people within vertical relationship lines, the majority use direct refusals, as evidenced by their speech. Social factors such as social status and social distance also play a role. Both Indian men and women tend to deliver refusals straightforwardly, assertively, and directly (to the point).

EXPLORING ON RECORD & OFF RECORD STRATEGIES IN PRAGMATICS OF SIALKOT SOCIETY

In pragmatics, study of how context influences interpretation of meaning, "on record" and "off record" strategies play crucial roles in communication. These strategies are part of the politeness theory developed by Penelope Brown and Levinson. This study uses Brown & Levinson's Politeness Theory to study politeness tactics used in familial interactions in Sialkot, Pakistan. Thus, surveying 40 families from urban and rural areas, the research uses a mixed-methods approach to examine the effects of gender, socioeconomic status & cultural norms. The results show complex communication dynamics where politeness techniques are shaped by societal and gendered factors. Rural families take a diversified approach, whereas urban families tend to communicate on-record. The study revealed that effective communication involves a balance between on record and off record strategies, depending on context, the relationship amid speaker and listener, and potential face-threatening nature of communication. The study provides significant and leading outcomes about pragmatics and further highlights the significance of realizing cultural subtleties in familial interaction & proposes directions for future studies that will use multimodal analytic approaches & examine regional variances.

Kesopanan Berkomunikasi Dalam Wawancara NCT Dream Bersama Ggondaehee

This study analyzes the language and behavioral politeness in the interaction between NCT Dream members Renjun and Jeno and host Ggondaehee on the show "Let's Eat." This study adopts Brown and Levinson's politeness theory, which includes strategies for maintaining positive and negative face and managing potentially face-threatening acts (FTAs). The purpose of this study is to understand how politeness strategies are applied in maintaining positive and negative face and managing FTAs in the interaction. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with video analysis as the main data source. The results show that Renjun and Jeno respond to FTAs from Ggondaehee with politeness strategies that reflect respect and politeness, such as waiting for Ggondaehee to start eating and responding to compliments in a friendly manner. Ggondaehee used on-record and off-record FTA strategies to manage the interaction, such as giving direct orders and using humor. This study found that positive and negative politeness strategies were used effectively by both parties to maintain the harmony of the interaction and avoid conflict.

The Misunderstanding of Jordanian Requests by the Non-Arab Students at the Northern Private Universities of Jordan: A Conceptual Paper

This study aims to investigate the misunderstanding of Jordanian requests by non-Arab students at the northern universities of Jordan. The misunderstanding among the students at these universities restricts building strong relationships among the students which could expand the problem of making successful communications among them. Brown and Levinson's (1987) politeness theory is adopted to analyze the data together with Austin's (1975) and Searle's (1975) speech act theories. A mixed method is used to collect the data. For the quantitative data, the Discourse Completion Test (DCT) will be used, and for the qualitative data, a semi-structured interview will be conducted. The results are expected to achieve the objectives of this study.

``Pak SUSNO cerdas banget'' Compliment as a Realization of Brown and Levinson's Politeness Strategy in Netizen Responses on YouTube

In interacting, speakers will try to build harmony with their speech partners so that their speech is polite and not face threatening. Likewise with netizens when responding to uploads on YouTube. Even though based on surveys by Microsoft, Indonesian netizens are said to be uncivilized, but there are many netizens who maintain politeness in interacting. One strategy used is to compliment. This phenomenon is interesting to describe through research. The research aimed to describe and explain the use of compliments as a realization of the Brown and Levinson netizen’s politeness strategy in responding to uploads on YouTube. This research was a descriptive qualitative research using a cyberpragmatic perspective. The research data were utterances that realized Brown and Levinson’s compliment strategy. Research data sources: (1) Pidato pertama Moeldoko usai terpilih sebagai ketum Demokrasi versi KLB Deli Serdang (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH_LeUYEktk), (2) SBY soal KLB Moeldoko (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAtIiAnUxEU), (3) ILC-Suhu politik semakin memanas (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDUwkJJSCA4), dan (4) ILC-Di balik polisi tembak polisi (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4bjW51ef3Y). The data were taken by the documentation method using the technique of “simak bebas libat cakap (SBLC)”. Furthermore, the data were analyzed using descriptive techniques following the stages of the interactive model. Based on the results of data analysis, it can be found that the realization of compliments as a politeness strategy includes (1) compliment for attitude, (2) compliment for character, (3) compliment for behavior, (4) compliment for speech, (5) compliment for intelligence, (6) compliment for academic achievement, and (7) compliment for work performance. The results of this research strengthens the politeness theory of Brown and Levinson, enriches the study of cyber pragmatics, and can also be implemented in learning, especially in building the character of students.
 Keywords: compliment, netizen response, politeness strategies, youtube

Significance of Linguistic Politeness Strategies Employed in Teacher-Student Question-and-Answer Sessions in Schools within Magadi Township, Kenya

Linguistic politeness is an aspect that has been used in classroom interaction, although little knowledge is available on politeness expressions during question-and-answer sessions. Therefore, in this paper, the researcher investigates linguistic politeness during question-and-answer sessions to add knowledge to the existing literature on linguistic politeness during question-and-answer sessions. This study aimed to find out the strategies of politeness used by teachers during question and answer sessions in the classroom and the respective payoffs. The target population consists of six primary and secondary school teachers in a classroom engaging learners through oral questions. The study employs a descriptive design and techniques such as questionnaires, interviews and participant observation to collect authentic data. The data are analysed by coding and categorizing the politeness strategies used by the teacher. Data are explained using the principles of Brown and Levinson's Politeness Theory (1987). The findings indicate that teachers used positive politeness, negative politeness and bald-on-record strategies to facilitate the learning process during question-and-answer interactions in the classroom. Further data indicate that the choice of a politeness strategy was influenced by the rank, power and social status of the teacher.

Politeness Strategies Used by Japanese and Indonesian Speakers on Social Media

This study compares the politeness strategies used by Japanese and Indonesian speakers in communication on social media, based on Brown and Levinson's (1987) politeness theory. To investigate the utilization of politeness strategies in social media interactions, we gathered 200 comments on several contents by public figures on Twitter and Instagram posted in December 2022. The dataset comprises 100 comments from Japanese users derived from posts made by accounts like @yousuck2020, @kishida230, @watanabenaomi703, and @yuriko.koike. The other 100 comments were collected from Indonesian users, originating from accounts such as @fiersabesari, @jokowi, @raffinagita1717, and @ridwankamil. The research findings show a similarity between Japanese and Indonesian speakers, with positive politeness strategy being the most frequently used politeness strategy in social media interactions. This is because there is a common desire to maintain good relationships in communication on social media. On the other hand, differences were observed in the utilization of negative politeness and off-record strategies. The research results reveal that the frequency of negative politeness strategies used by Japanese speakers was slightly higher than that used by Indonesian speakers. In comparison, the frequency of the off-record strategy was lower.

Politeness in Roasting: When Humour Meets Power

This research examines the use of politeness strategies in stand-up comedy roasts. Specifically, it examines how comedians manage power dynamics and societal standards of politeness while addressing those in authoritative positions in a given society. The author investigated stand-up comedy roasting using Brown and Levinson's politeness theory and prior research on humor and impoliteness. The results indicate that comedians used politeness methods, including compliments or flattery, indirectness or hedges, and off-the-record discourse, to achieve their humorous objectives. Using the politeness strategies theory, this research provides insights into how comedians utilize language and humor to manage challenging social situations.

A Cross-Cultural Differences in Advice-Giving Strategies among Jordanian and British Speakers

Advice-giving means offering guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent future action. The individuals vary in their methods of offering advice. Such differences might be attributed to the cultural differences. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the cross-cultural differences in advice-giving strategies among Jordanian and British speakers. It aims to examine the types of advice-giving strategies employed by Jordanian speakers and British speakers. It investigates the effect of gender, and social power and distance (=, +) on advice-giving among Jordanian speakers and British speakers. The study further seeks to identify the degree of politeness among the Jordanian speakers and British speakers in offering advice. To this end, a total of (60) participants are divided into two groups; (30) Jordanian speakers and (30) British speakers. Each group consists of (15) males and (15) females. To analyze the data, Hinkel’s (1997) taxonomy of advice-giving strategies, direct, indirect, and hedge as well as Brown and Levinson's (1987) politeness theory are used. Hinkel multiple choice questionnaire consists of (8) situations; (4) of them pertained to advice-giving for peer, whereas (4) of them pertained to advice-giving for instructors. As for giving advice for peers, the findings reveal that Jordanian speakers used direct advice-giving strategies, while British speaker used indirect advice-giving strategies. As for advice giving for instructors, British speakers used more indirect giving strategies than Jordanian speakers, whereas Jordanian speakers used more hedge advice giving strategies than British speakers. The advice-giving strategies, whether indirect or hedge fall under politeness strategies. Regarding the gender differences in using advice-giving strategies, the results show that Jordanian male speakers were inclined towards using direct advice giving strategies more than females. The finding reveal that females used indirect, hedge, and polite advice-giving strategies, while males used direct and impolite advice-giving strategies. The study recommends investigating advice-giving among other cultures such as between Asian speakers and Jordanian speakers.

POLITENESS STRATEGY BY ELLEN DEGENERES IN ELLEN SHOW WITH SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MR. BARRACK OBAMA

Politeness is used in many aspects of communication including mass media. This writing is focused on the pragmatic politeness of an interview on "The Ellen Show" tv talk show, between Ellen, the host, and her guests. According to www.broadwayworld.com, "The Ellen Show" is the best tv talk show in America. Because of it, the writer chooses "The Ellen Show" as the data source. The data in this research are positive and negative politeness strategies which are found in the transcripts of two episodes of "The Ellen Show". This is descriptive research. The theory that is used in this study is Brown and Levinson's politeness strategies. The writer analyzes what kind of positive and negative politeness Ellen used in interviewing her guests and why Ellen used those strategies. From this research, the writer finds that Ellen more uses positive politeness strategies and Ellen uses those strategies because of three reasons. First, she wants to avoid her guests' acts that might threaten her face. Second, Ellen wants to be approved by the guests so she can be intimate with them and their conversation can be interesting. Third, both of her guests are politicians that also compete in the American election. Ellen tries to be neutral and she does not want to be unimpeded. The writer suggests that students who want to analyze politeness strategies use more data and analyze other politeness strategies, so the readers can see clearly whether the object was polite or not, the research will be deeper, and the reader will be easier to understand politeness strategies.

Exploring the Euphemistic and Taboo Expressions from Punjabi and Saraiki Newspapers: A Comparative Study

Aim of the Study: The paper aims to explore the taboo and euphemistic expressions in the Punjabi and Saraiki languages as well as compare the taboos and euphemistic expressions through jargon, contractions, metaphoric expressions, circumlocutions, etc. Methodology: To explore the similarities between taboo and euphemistic expressions in the language of Punjabi and Saraiki newspapers the Politeness theory of Brown and Levinson is used. The data for this study is taken from the Saraiki newspaper Daily Jhoke Siraiki (2022) and the Punjabi newspaper Daily Bhulekha (2022), comprises fifteen clauses from Punjabi and fifteen clauses from Saraiki to undertake the research. Findings: The findings show that both languages used a lot of euphemistic expressions, linguistic choices, and strategies that are similar to each other and portray the culture, norms, and behaviors of both areas. There is a lot of research and literature on euphemisms in western languages and cultures for example British, American, and French languages and their cultures. However, research on taboos and euphemisms in Saraiki and Punjabi language is not initiated yet. Conclusion: The study explores the similarities between taboo and euphemistic expressions in the language of Punjabi and Saraiki newspapers. The study is significant because it highlights the similarities between the taboo and euphemistic expressions in the two different cultures. It focuses on the linguistic choices that had been made by addresses to avoid taboo words. Moreover, this research aims to explore the similarities between the cultures of Saraiki and Punjabi taboos and euphemistic expressions that are portrayed in the newspapers by using Brown and Levinson's Politeness theory so this study will add value to the discourse of taboos and euphemisms. Furthermore, this research will provide an opportunity for future researchers to explore more types and strategies of euphemism in the field of newspapers.

Politeness Strategies in Directives Speech Acts Found in Daily Conversations among Students

This study aims to find out the kinds of Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategy among the senior high school and how they use those strategies in their daily conversations. In this study applied Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategy. This study was a qualitative approach using descriptive method. The subject was the Senior High School Daarul Huda. The source of the data is the students’ spoken expressions which the writer transcribes into conversational texts. The researcher observed the students’ speaking classes, came to their classes before lecturing, and went to their boarding houses. Their conversation were recorded and transcribed. Then, data was analyzed based on Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategy. The result showed there were 166 utterances of Brown and Levinson's politeness strategy that were used by the students in their daily conversations. These are a bald on-record strategy, a positive politeness strategy, a negative politeness strategy, an off-record strategy and a do not do FTA/ keep the quiet strategy.

Face Threatening Acts in Political Discourse: A Case of the Building Bridges Initiative in Kenya

Cut-throat competitions have, in recent times, characterised Kenyan politics. Political contestants use language in these competitions. How well these politicians package and sell their agenda depends on their choice of words and complementary paralinguistic features. Political contenders fend off opposition through utterances hence making politics largely a game of words. In a multiparty and multi-ethnic state like Kenya, every political party and ethnic group always have differing interests at a given time, often sparking bitter exchanges between politicians from different camps. Individuals, activists, activist groups, and commissions have often accused the political class of hate speech and insensitive language. This study, alive to the aforementioned, is an attempt at a pragmatic examination of the verbal communication of the Kenyan political class as they differ in ideas over a highly contested matter of national political interest, in this case, the Building Bridges Initiative (henceforth BBI). The study benefits from Brown's and Levinson's (1987) Politeness. Austin's (1962) Speech Acts Theory complements politeness theory. The study adopts an analytical research design of the discourse of five politicians purposively sampled from two events where the matters of BBI issues were the main agenda of discussion. Face Threatening Acts (FTAs) were elicited and explained analytically from the speaker's talks. A descriptive qualitative research technique is used in the analysis of data. The study finds that the political class in Kenya employs both positive and negative FTAs proposed by Brown and Levinson (1987) to achieve means to their ends. This study concludes that several FTAs are employed in political discourse in Kenya, and these FTAs reinforce the effectiveness of communication on such platforms.