Sociolinguistics (Politeness theory by Levinson)

Theory                         :

» Brown and Levinson (1987) defined politeness as redressive action taken to counter balance the disruptive effect of face threatening acts.

» Politrness Theory proposed by Levinson (1978: 61) is about “face”. “Face” refers to a speaker’s sense of linguistic and social identity. He devided “face” into two kinds:

1. Negative Face refers to the self-image of each person that has desire to be appreciates by letting him or her face to do his/her activity or letting him or her free from the compulsion of doing something.

2. Positive face refers to self-image of every person that has desire that all his action, his property, etc are confessed by other people as something good/convivial, and can be appreciated.

» Levinson (1978: 61) devided human politeness behaviour in four strategies:

1.  Bald on-record strategies: Do not attempt to minimize the treat to the hearer’s face.

     Examples:

     a) An emergency    : Help!

     b) Request              : Put your jacket away!

     c) Task oriented      : Give me your money!

     d) Alerting              : Turn your light on!

2.  Positive politeness: Seek to establish a positive relationship between parties; respect a person’s need to be liked and appreciated.

     Examples:

     a) Attend to the hearer       : You must be hungry, it’s a long time since breakfast. How

                                                  about have some lunch?

     b) Avoid disagreement       : A: What about this, the small one?

                                                  B: Hmm...ye,yes, actually not really small but certainly not

                                                       very big.

     c) Assume Agreement        : So when are you coming to see us?

3.  Negative politeness: make request less infringing and respect a person’s right to act freely.

     Examples:

     a) Use the hedge                                        : I wonder if you would help me.

     b) Show pessimism                         : I want to ask help, but I’m afraid you won’t

                                                                          help me.

     c) Request forgiveness                               : You must forgive me but......................

     d) Give deference                                      : I’m asking for your help because I know that

                                                                          you always help me, Mom.

     e) Minimize imposition                               : I just want to ask you if I could use your

                                                                          computer?

     f) Use impersonal form                              : This computer needs to be moved.

     g) Utter the speech act as a public rules     : don’t park here!

4.  Off record or indirect strategy: use indirect language and remove the speaker from the potential of being imposed.

     Examples:

     a) Be indirect                      : I forget bringing my pen.

     b) Give hint                        : It’s a bit cold here.

     c) Be vague                                    : Perhaps someone should have been more responsible.

     d) Be sarcastic or joking     : Yeah, he’s a real Einstein!

To measure the degree of threatened of speech act, the speaker has to consider the following factors (Brown and Levinson: 1978):

1. Power

Power means the authority of the speaker. It is determined by many such as age, wealth, education and occupation. For example: the boss with the employee.

2. Distance

Distance means how well the speaker and hearer know each other, for example: speaker and hearer are close friends.

3. Rate of Impositions

Rate of impositions means the absolute objection of the action in the particular situation.

Example: May I borrow your car?

If the speaker is the car owner’s brother, it means that statement is not a heavy demand.