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The figure above is one example how the pragmatic information especially politeness appears in an English textbook. The sample above is a feature of
politeness which focus on linguistic forms. It is just related to how to express something politely by using certain linguistic forms. Using expressions which is
similar to the formula above, at least, can make our addressee feel good. Making our addressee feel good, absolutely, is one of the politeness principles which has
been mentioned before. To add, the appearance of this feature in a textbook of course can direct learners‘ attention and enhance learners‘ awareness on learning
the language.
c. Styles
Nobody speaks the same way all the time. They usually exploit the nuances of the language they use for a variety of dialects. They use one dialect when they speak
to their teachers, another when they speak with their close friends, and another when talking to their superior boss. These various situation dialects are called styles
Fromkin, Blair, and Collins, 2000:420. In other words, it refers to the variation in a person‘s speech or writing Richard and Schmidt, 2002: 522. Making variation or
Figure 2. 7: Sample of Politeness Information from Medina, Uceda, and Thierry, 2004
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using various styles in a language is common since single- style speakers will appear to be quite abnormal in that respect Wardhaugh, 2006 :5.
Fromkin, Blair, and Collins 2000:420 classify styles into two types; formal and informal. Whereas others prefer to use formal and casual. This classification is a
simple categorization of styles because in reality linguists generally recognize a scale of continuum ranging from very formal to very informal Wales, 2001:160.
Considering those all, in this study, style refers to the
degrees
along formality- casualness continuum. Thus, any explicit information which indicates to the
continuum of formality or casualness will be considered present in a text book. In a communicative event, speakers sometimes make variation in their speech.
The variation of someone ‘s speech or utterance varies from casual to formal based on
the situation, persons‘ addressed, the location, the topic discussed, etc. In other words, speaker‘s choice on degree of formality either formal or informal will be influenced
by situation, addressee, location, and topic being discussed Richard and Schmidt,2002. For instance, a discussion which takes place in an office between an
employee and his employer will fall into more formal rather than conversation which takes place in a market.
The presence of styles in a textbook is quite essential. It gives learners information to vary their speech, their linguistic forms in expressing a speech act. A
textbook should adequately provide learners materials to vary their speech, either formal or informal, so that their speech will not sound stiff.
d. Usage
