record is a kind of politeness in some circumstances.
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Even, according to him, Brown and Levinson imply that there is a so-called withhold politeness in the
theory, which defined as politeness strategy where it would be expected.
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Therefore, by combining all perspectives, it can be concluded that there are five kinds of politeness in Brown and Levinson theory.
For example, a male first year student calling to female first year student whom he did
n’t know in their college bar during the language festival day with “Hey, blondie, what are you studying, then? French and Italian? Join the club”.
Here, the male empoyed three positive politeness strategies ; use in-group identity markers blondie, express interest in H asking her what she is studying, and
claim common ground join the club.
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the male then show positive politeness. Here are the list of strategies to show those kinds of politeness :
a. The strategies to show bald on record politeness
Culpeper states that “Bald on record is a politeness strategy in fairly specific
circumstances. For example when face concerns are suspended in an emergency, when the threat to the hearer’s face is very small e.g. come in do sit down or
when the speaker is much more powerful than the hearer e.g. stop complaining said by a parent to a child. In all cases, little face is at stake and it is
n’t the intention of the speaker to attack the face of the hearer.”
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63
Jonathan Culpeper 1996, op.cit. p. 356.
64
Ibid. p. 358.
65
Jenny Thomas 1995, op.cit. p. 172.
66
Jonathan Culpeper 1996, loc. cit.
b. The strategies to show positive politeness
There are fifteen strategies used to show positive politeness based on the theory.
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The strategies are listed as follow: 1.
Notice and attend to hearer his interests, wants, needs and goods The speaker pays attention to the condition of the addressee and makes
specific expression. The condition of hearer here can be the addressee’s interest to
something, his physical appearance change or his possessions. For example: a
What a beautiful vase this is Where did it come from? b
Goodness, you cut your hair By the way, I came to borrow some flour.
2. Exaggerate interest, approval and sympathy with hearer
To exaggerate expression in conversation is a sign of enthusiasm shown by the interlocutor. The way of exaggeration is by giving different intonation, tone and
other prosodic features. Speaker also can use the intensifying modifier. For example:
a What a fantastic garden you have
b Yes, isn’t it just ghastly the way it always seems to rain just
when you’ve hung your laundry out c
How absolutely extraordinary
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Brown and Levinson 1992, op.cit. pp. 101-129.
3. Intensify interest to hearer
This strategy is by involving the addressee in the conversation. The speaker shows that he will be glad if the addressee takes part in the communication. For
example: a
I come down the stairs, and what do you think I see?----a huge mess all over the place
, the phone’s off the hook and clothes are scattered all over.
4. Use in-group identity markers
The next strategy is by using specific variety of language called markers. Address form, dialects, jargon, slang and elliptical form are markers used in the
communication. In English, the address forms usually used are mac, mate, buddy, pal, honey, dear, duckie, luv, babe, mom, blondie, brother, sister, cutie,
sweetheart, guys and fellas. Mentioning the brand of a product is considered using slang. For example:
a Come here, honey.
b I came to borrow some Allinsons if you’ve got any.
c Lend us two bucks then, wouldja mac?
d Mind if I smoke?
e How about a drink?
5. Seek agreement
Agreein g with the addressee’s statement is a sign of positive politeness. This
strategy is usually used in two ways. First, it is by seeking the safe way by some specific expression. Second, it is by repetition. For example:
a A: I had a flat tyre on the way home.
B: Oh God, a flat tyre b
A neighbor is coming home by driving a new car causing pollution Is
n’t your new car a beautiful colour? 6.
Avoid disagreement As mentioned above that agreement of speaker to the addressee
’s utterance is a strategy, avoiding disagreement to something very principal and intolerable
which expressed directly is also the way to show positive politeness. There are four ways can be used here. First, it is by false agreement. Second, speaker can
express pseudo-agreement. Third, it is by unclear opinion using hedge. Fourth, speaker can make white lies, lying for the sake of goodness. For example:
a A: And they haven’t heard a word, huh?
B: Not a word. Not at all. Except Mrs Holmes maybe. b
Yes I do like your new hat Its design and color are very bad. c
I really sort of think… 7.
Show common ground Common ground is something which speaker and the addressee have in
common. It can be something they like, they know or they want. In communication, preferring to express and talk with common ground is an
important way to show politeness. Guessing the common ground from the gesture of participant, asking it and stating it directly are the ways to know the common
ground between two interlocutors. For example: a
Don’t you want some dinner now?
b A: Oh this cut hurts awfully, Mum.
B: Yes dear, it hurts terribly, I know. 8.
Joke In some contexts, making a joke in conversation is a way to be polite to the
addressee. For example: a
How about lending me this old heap of junk? 9.
Show speaker’s knowledge and concern for hearer’s wants By this strategy, the speaker expresses his understanding to the addressee
’s wants. For example:
a I know you love roses but the florist didn’t have any more, so I
brought your geraniums instead. 10.
Offer and promise Speaker can be considered polite if he offers or promises something to the
hearer. For example: a
I’ll drop by sometime next week. 11.
Be optimistic By expressing what the wants with optimistic voices, a speaker applies the
strategy of positive politeness. For example: a
You’ll lend me your lawnmower for the weekend, I hope. b
Look, I’m sure you won’t mind if I borrow your typewriter. 12.
Include both speaker and hearer in the activity If the speaker is in a room with the addressee and wants to do something, he
may invite the hearer to participate without considering the responses that will be
given. By inviting, the speaker uses a specific way to show the politeness. For example:
a Lets have a cookie, then.
b Give us a break.
13. Tell or ask for reason
If we ask the others to join us in doing something, we can ask the reason, by using the word
“why” in the beginning of talk. It is one of many ways to show the positive politeness. For example:
a Why not lend me your cottage for the weekend?
b Why don’tt we go to the seashore
14. Assume reciprocity
In communication, the speaker sometimes wants the hearer to do something advantageous to him. It will be considered polite if the speaker tells
the hearer what he will do to the hearer as the gift. It is called reciprocity. For example:
a I’ll do X for you if you do Y for me.
b I did x for you last week, so you do Y for me this week.
15. Give gifts to hearer in the form of goods, sympathy, understanding and
cooperation in conversation. The last strategy to show positive politeness is by giving the hearer
sympathy, any kind of presents and cooperating in doing or talking something. For example:
a I feel sorry for your brother.
c. The strategies to show negative politeness
