Linguistic Politeness and Gender Studies Week 6 & 8

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Questions and Answers

What does the term 'Face' refer to in the context of Face Threatening Acts (FTA)?

Public self-image that an individual wants to maintain (correct)

A method of addressing someone indirectly

The level of power in a conversation

A type of polite greeting

In the formula for calculating the weight of an FTA, what does 'D' represent?

The degree of respect shown by the speaker

The difficulty of the communicative act

The social distance between participants in the interaction (correct)

The distance between the speaker and the audience

What characteristic is associated with women's language as described in the content?

Limited vocabulary choices

Structured arguments with clear conclusions

Direct and assertive communication style

Use of hedges and tag questions (correct)

What is the main difference between 'sex' and 'gender'?

Sex refers to biological categorization; gender is a social construct. Signup and view all the answers

How does the concept of 'face' differ in collectivist cultures like China compared to individualistic cultures?

Collectivist cultures emphasize hierarchy and respect for social roles. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about heteronormativity is true?

It promotes heterosexual relationships as the normative standard. Signup and view all the answers

Which component is NOT part of the politeness strategies used to redress FTAs?

Direct confrontation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a feature commonly found in women's language?

Use of inessential intensifiers Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of language planning or management?

To influence the linguistic behavior of a speech community Signup and view all the answers

Which type of language planning focuses on regulating the structural aspects of a language?

Corpus planning Signup and view all the answers

What does 'status planning' refer to?

Determining which languages will hold official roles in society Signup and view all the answers

In language policy, what serves as an expression of ideological orientations and views?

General linguistic goals Signup and view all the answers

What is the micro level of language planning focused on?

Specific usage in particular circumstances Signup and view all the answers

What does the term ‘ideological view’ in language imply?

Language serves as a unifying force for statehood and identity Signup and view all the answers

What was Guoyu established as in the 19th century of China?

A national language Signup and view all the answers

How did linguistic nationalism negatively influence perceptions of the Chinese language?

It fostered negative feelings and minimal respect for the language Signup and view all the answers

Which factor contributed to the perception that language hindered China’s development?

Complexities of the Chinese language leading to illiteracy Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant change introduced during the 20th century regarding the Chinese language?

The spread of Putonghua as the national language Signup and view all the answers

What is the proposed new written standard meant to replace wenyanwen?

Baihuawen Signup and view all the answers

What is one key reason for promoting Putonghua as the national language?

To increase its prestige and usefulness Signup and view all the answers

What does 'bi-diglossia' refer to in the context of the proposed language reforms?

Maintaining proficiency in both Putonghua and local dialects Signup and view all the answers

What is a major visible marker of linguistic vitality in public spaces?

The diversity of signs in multiple languages Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes geosemiotics?

Understanding how physical placement of signs affects their meaning Signup and view all the answers

What challenge do minority languages face in favor of stronger languages?

Endangerment and decline due to economic pressures Signup and view all the answers

How has the status of the English language changed in Hong Kong's official signage?

It transitioned from primary to subsidiary status Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does the linguistic landscape reflect regarding language groups?

The societal and official status of languages Signup and view all the answers

What is the overall goal of the language reforms discussed?

To promote linguistic diversity and bilingualism Signup and view all the answers

What can be a consequence of increased visibility for a language in public spaces?

It signifies its ethnolinguistic vitality Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the index frame in the discussion of road signs?

Conveying a sense of community belonging Signup and view all the answers

Which type of capital is characterized by the knowledge and skills acquired from education?

Cultural capital Signup and view all the answers

What issue does the concept of 'linguistic communism' address?

Assuming shared language guarantees equal communication Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary language focus in Hong Kong's education after colonial rule?

English education over vernacular education Signup and view all the answers

Which frame idealizes a component into branding through repetitive presence?

Brand frame Signup and view all the answers

What challenge does the implementation of the mother-tongue education policy in Hong Kong present?

Decreased focus on English language proficiency Signup and view all the answers

How does symbolic capital manifest in language contexts?

By accumulating prestige through language use Signup and view all the answers

What is a major consequence of linguistic hegemony in Hong Kong?

Suppressed vernacular language instruction Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following reflects a requirement for civil service jobs in Hong Kong?

Strong foundation in Chinese language Signup and view all the answers

What socioeconomic factor complicates the recruitment of employees in Hong Kong?

Lack of linguistic qualifications in the job market Signup and view all the answers

What significant outcome followed the handover regarding language education policies?

Flexibility in medium of instruction decisions for schools Signup and view all the answers

Which component of linguistic capital refers specifically to fluency in a high-status language?

Communicative competence Signup and view all the answers

Which is identified as a social sociolinguistic obstacle to becoming biliterate and trilingual?

Dominance of Cantonese in daily communication Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant factor that disqualifies women from positions of power and authority?

Speaking tentatively and trivially Signup and view all the answers

How do men and women typically differ in their communication styles according to societal norms?

Men engage in competitive language while women seek inclusion Signup and view all the answers

What evolutionary factor contributed to the development of verbal skills in women?

Childcare and gossip Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'hyperglobalist' imply regarding culture?

Creation of a uniform global culture Signup and view all the answers

What is the perspective of sceptics regarding globalization?

Globalization enhances local differences Signup and view all the answers

What does hybridization refer to in the context of globalization?

The blending of global and local cultural elements Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'linguistic imperialism' refer to?

The dominance of a language that undermines other cultures Signup and view all the answers

In which way does globalization influence language use according to the content?

English will indigenize and reflect local characteristics Signup and view all the answers

According to the theory of transformationalists, how do globalization and local cultures interact?

They are engaged in a relational and reciprocal process Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception about women in communication?

Women use more tentative language than men Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of 'translanguaging' involve?

A dynamic process that incorporates multiple languages and styles Signup and view all the answers

What does the spread of English represent in terms of cultural influence?

An opportunity for linguistic empowerment Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary social function of popular culture?

Generating profit and defining social norms Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of communication may women perform to avoid being viewed as simply acting?

Repeatedly affirming their performance of gender Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Week 6 - Speech Function and Linguistic Politeness

Face Threatening Act (FTA): Public self-image members want to claim for themselves.
Positive Face: Desire to be liked and approved.
Negative Face: Desire not to be impeded on or imposed upon.
Social Distance (D): Power Distance (P), Importance of the Act (Rx).
Risk of FTA: Polite indirect → address -ve face → address +ve face → direct.
Politeness: Used to redress FTA performance.
Eurocentric Bias: Overemphasis on individualistic and egalitarian/liberal motivation (care more about -ve face) in East Asia, collectivistic hierarchy-base.
Face Definition: Lian (interval, moral related, +ve) vs Mianzi (external, other's appreciation of Lian)
Chinese Politeness: Self-denigration as respect, elevation of others as warmth.
Japanese Politeness: Favourable treatment/care.

Week 8 - Language, Gender and Sexuality

Sex: Biological categorization (male vs female).
Gender: Social elaboration of biological sex, cultural traits, and behavior (masculinity vs femininity).
Sexuality: Identity in terms of sexual activity.
Heteronormativity: Belief that heterosexual relationships are default/normal.
Women's Language: Way of speaking reflecting subordinate position in society, tool of oppression, rife with hedges (e.g. "sort of", "I think"), inessential intensifiers (e.g. "really", "so").

Tag Questions

Tentative, powerless, trivial (e.g., "...isn't it?").
Disqualify women from powerful positions.
Learned, imposed behavior, women must speak certain way to be a woman.

Biological Differences

Evolution: Gossip (women) vs Hunting (men)
Brain Volume: Men generally larger, but not relevant to skills
Fetal Testosterone: Men have higher levels, impacting brain development.

Week 9 - Communication in Global Context

Popular Culture: System or artifacts shared by most people.
Globalization: Processes of expansion and intensification of social relations across world time and world space, not just consumption but construction of possible worlds.

Week 10 - Language Planning

Language Planning/Management: Conscious effort in changing linguistic behavior of a speech community to address communication problems, includes choice of languages and structural features like grammar and vocabulary.

Week 11 - Linguistic Landscapes

Quantitative approach to distribution of signs through geographic regions and comparison, including territorial presence and status.
Geosemiotics: Social and cultural placement of signs.
Functionality of road signs (territory/identity), frames of discussion (e.g. consumption, spectacle).

Week 12 - Culture, Identity, and Language in HK

Illusion of linguistic communism: Misconception that perfect communication exists through a common language across cultures.
Common Language as a tool to promote equality and eliminate misunderstanding.

Week 11-12 - Additional Points

Capitals (Economic, Cultural, Social, Symbolic): Concepts describing various forms of power and prestige.
Linguistic Capital: Fluency, comfort with a high-status worldwide language. Used for exchange within economic, social, political, and cultural contexts.
Linguistic Hegemony: Dominance of one language over others.
Colonial History of HK: Impacts on language policies and choices.
Biliteracy and trilingualism in the education system.
Language policies and practices regarding use of Cantonese and Putonghua.
Challenges of bilingualism/ multilingualism in education. Emphasis on importance on vernacular/local dialects.
Mandarin (Putonghua): Standard written Chinese.
Cantonese: Dominant vernacular language in Hong Kong.
English: Used for business communication, government transactions.

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Description

Explore the concepts of Speech Function and Linguistic Politeness in this quiz covering Week 6 and Gender Studies related to language from Week 8. Understand the nuances of Face Threatening Acts, the cultural implications of politeness, and the distinctions between sex and gender. This quiz delves into theoretical frameworks and cultural perspectives to enhance your understanding.