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3. The Six Maxims
The politeness principles divided into six maxims, namely tact maxim, generosity maxim, approbation maxim, modesty maxim, agreement maxim and
sympathy maxim. Below are the descriptions and the samples analysis of the six maxims occupied from the movie as Leech formulates them based on his
assumption of politeness principles.
a. Tact Maxim
Tact is the first maxim of the politeness principles. It requires the participants to minimize cost to other and maximize benefit to other. This maxim
implemented by directive impossitive and commissive utterances. The directive impossitive utterance is a form of utterance commonly used to show a command
either direct or indirect. This utterance can usually be found in some utterances such as; inviting, commanding, ordering, advising, etc. Meanwhile, the
commissive utterance is the utterance functioning to declare a promise or offer something.
Example: Marissa
: “Can I finish getting dressed, please? Thank you.” Stephanie : “You’re the one who keeps talking about being a manager.
All I am saying is, it could be you.”
Marissa employs tact maxim in her utterance since she minimizes the cost to Stephanie. It can be proved by seeing the indirect utterance used by Marissa to
Stephanie. This indirect utterance shows that Marissa wants Stephanie to help her, but she makes an utterance as if she doesn’t ask Stephanie to help her wearing the
uniform. It seems that she just wants Stephanie to give more time to her to finish
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her dressing by herself. Marissa’s utterance is not force Stephanie to help her friend. It shows that Marissa is being tactful in delivering a request to Stephanie.
b. Generosity Maxim
Generosity maxim requires the participants to minimize benefit to self and maximize cost to self. This maxim, like the tact maxim, is also expressed by the
directive impossitive and commissive utterances. However, this maxim is self- centered maxim, while the tact maxim is other-centered maxim.
Example: Caroline : “……At least let me buy you lunch. After all, weve only got
each other to get through this humiliation.” Chris
: “Caroline, the first lunch was a mistake. A second would be complete torture.”
Caroline : “Drinks, then?” The situation in the conversation above is that Caroline offered Chris for
having lunch and drink with her, but Chris rejected all. In offering, actually, Caroline is putting pressure on Chris to comply with her offering. This indicates
Caroline’s sincerity in having Chris accepts her offering. Since the speaker maximizes the cost and minimizes the benefit to herself, indicates that she implies
generosity maxim in her utterance.
c. Approbation Maxim
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