Politeness Strategies in Conversation

Bald on record strategy minimizes threats to an individual's self-esteem.

Positive Politeness acknowledges the desire of the hearer to be respected.

Negative Politeness assumes that the speaker is imposing on the hearer.

Off-record strategies involve being direct and explicit in communication.

Making a demand, such as 'Go get me that plate!', is an example of Positive Politeness.

Bald on-record strategies are used to minimize the impact of face-threatening acts.

Positive politeness is typically used in formal situations where individuals do not know each other well.

Negative politeness strategies assume that the speaker may be imposing on the hearer.

An example of positive politeness could be stating, 'I'm looking for a comb.'

Off-record indirect strategies aim to place more pressure on the speaker when making requests.

Politeness Strategies in Conversation

There are different ways to ask for things depending on the social situation
In casual settings, direct requests are acceptable
Formal settings require more indirect language to avoid offending others.

Politeness Strategies in Formal Settings

Polite language (e.g., "Could you please...") is expected in formal settings
Avoid direct demands ("Give me that!")
Indirect requests are necessary with strangers or people in formal settings

Brown and Levinson's Politeness Strategies

Bald on-record: Direct and straightforward, often used with close friends or family in informal contexts.
Positive politeness: Acknowledges the hearer's needs and respects their feelings, often used with close acquaintances or friendly relationships.
Negative politeness: Acknowledges that the speaker may be imposing on the listener. Used in situations where some distance between communicators is presumed and/or unwanted imposition is avoided.
Off-record indirectness: The speaker hints at their need or want, seeking a response that helps satisfy the need without directly demanding it. Avoids imposing on the listener.

Examples of Politeness Strategies

Requests: "I'm looking for a comb." (indirect)
Forgiveness: "You must forgive me but..." (indirect)
Minimizing imposition: "I just want to ask if I could use your computer?" (indirect)
Distributing Responsibility: "We forgot to tell you that you needed to buy your plane ticket by yesterday..." (indirect/pluralization)
Emergencies/Urgent requests: "Help! Give me that!" (direct—bald on record)

This quiz explores various politeness strategies in conversation, highlighting the differences between interactions in casual and formal settings. Understand the importance of language choice and the impact of social context on communication. Dive into Brown and Levinson's classifications of politeness strategies.