the role of contexts and what is perceived to be (im)politeness by interactants are taken into account, the direct mapping of politeness linguistic strategies onto interactants’ utterances is no longer possible. Taking an example of these three utterances:
(1) (a) Pass me the salt.
(b) Could you please pass me the salt?
(c) Would you be so kind as to pass me the salt?
(Locher 2008)
Depending on the context these sentences are uttered and also the relationship between interactants, any of these sentences can be considered appropriate or inappropriate. If the interactants have been communicated to each other on a regular informal basis, then sentence 1 (c) might be regarded as inappropriate. Since “there is nothing in the utterance itself which …show more content…
Since not talking behind one’s back is listed as Th’s quality for a good friend, the teacher’s question (“what’s about you?”) posts a potential face lost situation for Th if she admits that she also talks behind someone’s back. Th made explicit face claim for herself in line 395 (I am not a liar) to admit that although she does violate her rules (gossiping about others), she is rather being honest to admit it. In the next few turns, the teacher continues to get to know more aspects of Th’s habit of gossiping which signals the continuation of chances of losing face for Th. In line 406, in response to Th’s answer “one minute”, teacher challenges this answer and provides an alternation “one minute or one hour?” By discarding the student’s answer and suggesting an alternation, the teacher’s sentence seems to post a face threat to Th as he seems to assign an image of ‘a liar’ to Th. Line 409, teacher express his view explicitly of what is considered moral and appropriate action for the student “so from tomorrow please stop doing that”. In line 414, Th defends her face by referring her gossiping habit to be a universal habit, which every girls do. The teacher again disregards Th’s view and takes his wife as an exception “No my wife doesn’t” (line 415). It is interesting to see how the student can challenge teacher’s face claim by asking confirmation question “are you sure” (line 416) and assigns the image of ‘a liar’ to the teacher by saying “I don’t think so”. The student’s threat to the teacher’s claim results in the teacher’s defencing for his claim, “you don’t think so but I know” in line 417. The teacher frames the sequence as a humorous and not serious when he says, “Ok kidding just kidding” and then starts a new sequence by nominating Giang as the next student to share
(1) (a) Pass me the salt.
(b) Could you please pass me the salt?
(c) Would you be so kind as to pass me the salt?
(Locher 2008)
Depending on the context these sentences are uttered and also the relationship between interactants, any of these sentences can be considered appropriate or inappropriate. If the interactants have been communicated to each other on a regular informal basis, then sentence 1 (c) might be regarded as inappropriate. Since “there is nothing in the utterance itself which …show more content…
Since not talking behind one’s back is listed as Th’s quality for a good friend, the teacher’s question (“what’s about you?”) posts a potential face lost situation for Th if she admits that she also talks behind someone’s back. Th made explicit face claim for herself in line 395 (I am not a liar) to admit that although she does violate her rules (gossiping about others), she is rather being honest to admit it. In the next few turns, the teacher continues to get to know more aspects of Th’s habit of gossiping which signals the continuation of chances of losing face for Th. In line 406, in response to Th’s answer “one minute”, teacher challenges this answer and provides an alternation “one minute or one hour?” By discarding the student’s answer and suggesting an alternation, the teacher’s sentence seems to post a face threat to Th as he seems to assign an image of ‘a liar’ to Th. Line 409, teacher express his view explicitly of what is considered moral and appropriate action for the student “so from tomorrow please stop doing that”. In line 414, Th defends her face by referring her gossiping habit to be a universal habit, which every girls do. The teacher again disregards Th’s view and takes his wife as an exception “No my wife doesn’t” (line 415). It is interesting to see how the student can challenge teacher’s face claim by asking confirmation question “are you sure” (line 416) and assigns the image of ‘a liar’ to the teacher by saying “I don’t think so”. The student’s threat to the teacher’s claim results in the teacher’s defencing for his claim, “you don’t think so but I know” in line 417. The teacher frames the sequence as a humorous and not serious when he says, “Ok kidding just kidding” and then starts a new sequence by nominating Giang as the next student to share