BROWN&LEVINSON

Politeness Theory
Politeness is the the expression of the
speakers intenstion to mitigate face threats
carried by certain face threatening acts
toward another (Mills:2003).

1. Bald on record
With this strategy, the utterances of the speaker
are directly addressed to another where the
illocutionary force is made explicit. E.g. change
your blouse
2. On record with positive politeness
This strategy attempt to minimize the distance
between the speaker and hearer by expressing
friendliness, similarity, and solidarity.
E.g. do you want to change your blouse before we
go?

3. On record with negative politeness
This strategy recognizes the heares negative face. E.g. No
offense, but i think you might want to change your blouse.
4. Off record
In this strategy, the speaker tries to avoid the direct FTA, and
it removes the speaker from the potential of being imposing
E.g. Wow, its getting cold in here (the speaker wants the
hearer to turn up the thermostat)
Dont do the FTA
This strategy means that the speaker avoids offending the
hearer at all with this particular FTA.

1. Definition of preference organization
Every speech act consist of the speaker, the hearer, an utterance.
In the interaction between two persons, there is always a
response. This response is what Levinson calls as preference
organization.
2. Preferred and Dispreferred
When people make a question, request, an invitation, or a
suggestion, they want the hearer to give response to them. The
response can be preferred (positive) or dispreferred (negative).
According to (Finegan and Besnier:1989), preferred second parts
tend to follow the first part without a pause and to consist of
structually simple utterances. It means that preferred is an
acceptance,
E.g. Speaker 1: I was thinking we could have fish
Speaker 2: Fine


On the other hand, dispreferred second parts tend to be
preceded by a pause and begin with hesitation particle, such
as well or uh. Based on definition, despreferred means
refusal. E.g.
Speaker 1: I was thinking we could have fish
Speaker 2: Well, actually Ive stopped eating fish now because
of you know the damage it does to the ocean.
According to Levinson, there are four patterns that deal with
dispreferred second part. They are:
1. Delays
delay can be a pause before delivery, the use of preface, or
displacement over a number of turns via use of repair
initiators or insertion sequences.

Definition of Suggestion
A suggestion is an utterance that the speaker intends the hearer
to percieve as a directive to do something that will be to the
hearers benefit (Searl:1969). For example is the sentence, its
cold outside. This utterance not only gives information but also
wants the hearer to wear jacket. Suggestion leaves the heare
completely free to do as he or she chooses and that he or she
need not act on the suggestion.

Suggestion Strategy
1. Traditional politeness forms
Modals (past/present)
E.g. It would be nice if you change your blouse.
Interogatives
E.g. Will you stop smoking?


2. Positive politeness form
Showing concern, noticing: did you
know/realize/notice/need/want/like?
E.g. Did you want to change your blouse before we go?
Seeking opinion: do you think/dont you fell?
E.g. Do you think we have to go by car?
Offering help: May i help?
E.g. Let me help you bring the heavy knapsack
Solidarity markers
Names: proper/maam/sir/In-group names
E.g. Hey, buddy, your gown isde open
Inclusive we: Lets/we
E.g. I think we need to dress up
Slang/Colloquial
expressions/profanity/exclamations/ellipsis
E.g. Nice hairdo
Seeking agreement/Tags: yeah/sure/...or what?/you know?
E.g. It would be better if you stopped smoking, you know?

Giving reasons
E.g. Hey man! Close the blinds; people can see you.
Changing focus from addressee to speaker: if I were you...
E.g. If I were you, I would stay at home
3. Negative Politeness Forms
Hedges: I think/ it seems/looks like/appears/is supposed
to/sort of/or something
E.g. I think wed better not to discuss this anymore
Apologies: No offense/sorry/Excuse me/Im afraid/please
E.g. No offense meant, but do you want a mint?
Sking for reasons/explanations: why dont you?/what
happened?
E.g. Why dont you wear a suit?