Politeness and Interaction

Résumé du document

When discussing social relationships, we must also refer to social distance and closeness, and the factors that influence them. External factors involve "the relative status of the participants based on social values, tied to factors such as age or power" (Yule 59). Speakers, who see themselves as having a lower status in English-speaking contexts, tend to maintain a social distance between themselves and speakers of a higher status by using forms of address such as the title and last name, but not the first name (e.g. Dr. Brown, Mr Clinton, Mrs White). In other words, these forms of address are used to show respect to the person we are talking to (e.g. Excuse me, Dr. Brown, but can I talk to you for a minute?). Other factors, such as the amount of imposition or degree of friendliness, are internal to interaction and "can result in the initial changing of the social distance and being recognized as inferior, or superior, during its course" (Yule 59). For example, participants may move from the title-plus-last name format, to a first-name basis within a conversation. The last instance can also be described in terms of friendliness, camaraderie, or solidarity (e.g. Hey, Bucky, got a minute?). These internal factors are typically more relevant to participants whose social relationships are in the process of being worked out within the inter action.

Extraits

[...] How can they behave as we've been knowing each other for a lifetime?” They might get suspicious, and consider their good fellowship as being fake. Many people make you trust them in order to play with you, or to persuade you into doing something: e.g. can trust me. I'm your friend” or you need my help, give me a call” or “I'm your friend. You can lend me the money. I'll give it back”. Of course, this is only a personal opinion. One must not take this case as such. [...]

[...] This is the language of diplomacy, bureaucracy, and the professions. For example, diplomats speak of an incident when they mean that their countries are in a virtual state of war; doctors discourse on iatrogenesis when they mean they did something that made the patient sick (Lakoff police and lawyers use the term case no 10 or case no 54 when talking about a crime or a theft. The impersonal pronoun is most of the time used in school, companies, business; for example, when somebody wants a guilty person to admit his/her mistake, but without mentioning his/her name. [...]

[...] The first one completes the second; it uses the basis of the second in order to achieve a goal: e.g. one is “tactful” in order to gain his/her desire when making a request; one person is “generous”, tries to be “sympathetic” in order to be likeable; or “tactful” when refusing another's request. An innocent-minded person might not think of being “tactful” and “sympathetic” when trying to get something, but nowadays nothing seems to surprise us anymore. Politeness is also used to minimize attribution of responsibility. [...]

[...] In other words, these address forms are used to show respect to the person we are talking to (e.g. Excuse me, Dr. Brown, but can I talk to you for a minute?). Other factors, such as the amount of imposition or degree of friendliness, are internal to interaction and result in the initial social distance changing and being marked as less, or more, during its course” (Yule 59). For example, participants may move from title-plus-last name to a first-name basis within a talk. [...]

[...] These examples of language are not to be found in “distance politeness”. When you want to show respect, you cannot appeal to first- naming as you might be seen as There is a distance between you and the other, and, consequently, you need to have it marked in your language. We also have to keep in mind that politeness strategies are important in establishing social relationships and essential in preserving harmony and cohesion. Bibliography Lakoff, Robin. Talking Power.The Politics of Language. Basic Books 1990. Yule, George. Pragmatics. [...]