The politeness strategies in refusing invitations employed by Indonesian men and women - Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya Repository
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION'
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTTON
1.1Backgroundofthe Study
Peopleuse languagein order to communicatewith othersin their society. By
using language,peoplecan play their roles in the society, expresstheir needsand
ideas, give and get information, and leam about other people and their
surroundings.[t meansthat there is a relation between language and society. A
study ofthe relationshipbetweenlanguageand societyis called Sociolinguistics
(Holmes,t992:l). Oneof the fields of studyin sociolinguisticsis politeness.
Being polite is very important in society becauseit createsand maintains
socialrelationships(Cooh 1989).It alsoinvolvestaking accountofthe feelingsof
others. A polite person makesother people feel comfortable and not violate one
another's 'face.' Erving Goffinan introduced the concept of 'face' in politeness,
which meansthat every one in the social relationship needsto be appreciatedand
needs to be free and not interfered with others (as cited in Renkem4 1993).
Goffunn calls the needto be appreciatedas 'positive face' and calls the needto be
free and not interferedwitr otrers as'negative face.' Refrrsinga requestor an
invitationis oneof the actions,which can form a tueat to the other's 'face.'
Furthermorg Gumperz(1987) statesthat becauseof their statusas universal
principals, politenessphenomenaby their very nature are reflected in language.tt
meansthat politenessis not only reflected in behaviour but is also reflected in
language.That is why peopie might know whether one is being polite or not
through the way he or she speaks.In Indonesianculture, the way an
Indonesianspeakswith older people is different with the way he or she speaks
with younger people. When he or she speakswith older people,he or streusualll'
uses'Mas or Mbak' and 'Pak or Bu' as the addressforms. On the contrary,when
he or she speakswith younger peoplg he or she useshis or her interlocutor's
nickname as the addressforms. This is one of the examplesof the use of the
politenessstrategiesin language.If someonedoes not know how to use the
politenessstrategiesin conversation appropriately, he or she might tlneaten the
face of his or her interlocutor, and this eventually will disturb the relationship.
Politenessstrategiesprevent and repair the damagedcausedby'face threatening
acts'(FTAS).
Brown and Levinson (1987:91) have suggestedfour politenessstrategies;
the.vare bald-on record,positive politeness,negativepoliteness,and off record.
Each stratery is used differently dependingon different situations. Talking to a
friend is different from talking to a strangerbecausethe degreeof relationship is
different. Relationship among friends is intimate or close, while to a stranger,
there is a gap or social distance in the relationship. Other factor that might
influence the usage of politeness strategies is gender. In our society, it is
acceptablefor a man to be bold and direct his assertivenessto control the actions
of others. However, society does not accept thesespeechpatterns when women
utilize it. From historical recurrencg it has appearedthat women have had a
secondaryrole in societywhile men have the primary role in society.Thereforg it
3
is expectedfrom a womanto "act like a lady" and "respectthosearoundyou." It
reflects the role ofthe inferior statusbeing expectedto respectthe superior.
In Frank and Anshen's "Language and the Sexes", they note thal bo1s, "are
permitted,evenenmuraged,to talk roug[ and, if they violate the norms of correct
usageor ofpolite speec[ well nboyswill be boys" (as cited in "Politenessand
Theseroles are
Gender,"http://logos.ueresonedly'explordsociolingy'gender.hfinl).
becomingmore of a slereot)?e and less of a reality. This phenomenonhas drawn
the writer's curiosity to investigatethe differenceson the politenessstrategiesin
refusing invitations -
verbal invitations -
employed by Indonesian men and
women and the reasons of the politeness strategies in refusing invitations
employed by Indonesianmen and womerl The writer is interestedin the act of
refusing invitations becausethis act can form a threat to the other's face (FTA).
Thereforq people will more likely to use the politenessstrategiesin this act to
reducethe FIA. In addition, the writer only choosesto analysethe answerstbat
show refusal statementsof invitations expressedby Indonesianmen and women.
The reasonfor analysingthe answersthat show refusal statementsof invitations is
that tndonesianpeople are more likely to do reftsal to verbal invitations than to
u.ritten invitations.
1.2 Statementsof the Problem
Based on the background of the study, the writer raises two questioru as
follows:
l. Are there any differences on the politeness strategies in refirsing
invitationsemployedby lndonesianmen andwomen?
2. What are the reasonsof the politeness strateglesin refusing
employedby Indonesianmen and women?
1.3 Objectivesof tre Study
To answerthe above questions,the lwiter conductsa study, which aims to
hnd out:
l. Whether there are some differenceson the politenessstrategiesin refusing
invitations employedby Indonesianmen and women.
2. 'I'he reasonsof the politenessstrategiesin refusing invitations employed
by tndonesianmen and women.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The writer hopesthat the findings ofthis study can enrich the varieties of
Sociolinguisticsstudies.It is expectedthat this study can contribute ajustificatton
to the field of Sociolinguistics cpecially about lhe differences on the politeness
strategiesin refi:sing invitations employedby tndonesianmen and women and the
underlying reasonsof the politenessstrategiesin refusing invitations employedby
Indonesian men and womerl Through this study, the writer also hopes that the
readerswill realize the importanceof politenessstrategie in their social life and
can understandthe idea ofpoliteness better. Furthermore,tre writer hopesthat the
readers will
be able to use politeness sfrat€ies appropriately in daily
conversatior!positing themselvesin others' positions,so that they are able to
creale and maintain their social relationship with others.By doing this, they
will make their interlocutors feel more comfortable and enjoy having good
relationshipwith thern
1.5 Scopeand Limitation of The Study
1'he study focuseson the investigation ofthe differences on the politeness
strategiesin refusing invitations especially verbal invitations, which happen in
informal situation, employed by Indonesian men and women and of the
underlying reasonsof the politenessstrategiesin refusing invitations ernployedby
Indonesianmen and women The writer choose this study becauseshe real2es
that politenessis very important in creating and maintaining social relationship.
Beingpolite makesotherpeoplefeel comfortable.Indonesianpeopleconsiderthat
being polite is very important in their society. They reflect their politeness
through language and they use politeness strategies differently depending on
different situations. The way they speak with older people is different from the
way they speak with their friends or younger people. In other words, the use of
politenessstrategiesis influenced by the degreeofrelationship. Ottrer factor that
influenced the use of politeness strategiesis gender. Women tend to be more
polite than men and this becomea stereot,?e in the society.That is why the writer
chooseswomen's politenessstrategyand men's politenessstrategyto be analysed
and to be compared.
Since there are m ry Indonesian men and women to be investigaled, the
writer choosesher Indonesianschoolmatesfrom different universities as the
investigatedsubjects.They are chosento be the investigatedsubjwts becausethey
are often received verbal invitations. This backgroundhelps the writer to do the
investigationeasier.
Furthermorg tlre writer focuses her study on the usage of politeness
strafegies in refrsing a verbal invitation becausethis act may cause a Face
Threatening Act. In Indonesia- people are more likely to do refusal to verbal
invitations than to written invitation Since the focus of the study is the usageof
politenessstrategiesin refusing verbal invitations, the writer will only analysethe
answers that show refusal statementsof invitalions. Thereforg any usage of
politenessstralegi€sin refusing written invitations will be ignored.
Becauseverbal invitations often happen in informal situation, the \a.riter
assumesthat positive politenessstrategyand negaiivepolitenessstrategyare often
'this
used in
situation In her study entitled 'Ad4ting Brown and Levirson's
'Politeness'Theory to the Analysis of CasualConversation",Kitamura (20@)
found out tbat the strategiesused in casualor informal conversationwere positive
politenessstratery and negativepolitenessstratery. Therefore,the writer will only
arnlyse the usageof positive politenessstrategyand negativepolitenessstrategy.
Besidesthat, analysingall politenesssfategies will be an o
INTRODUCTION'
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTTON
1.1Backgroundofthe Study
Peopleuse languagein order to communicatewith othersin their society. By
using language,peoplecan play their roles in the society, expresstheir needsand
ideas, give and get information, and leam about other people and their
surroundings.[t meansthat there is a relation between language and society. A
study ofthe relationshipbetweenlanguageand societyis called Sociolinguistics
(Holmes,t992:l). Oneof the fields of studyin sociolinguisticsis politeness.
Being polite is very important in society becauseit createsand maintains
socialrelationships(Cooh 1989).It alsoinvolvestaking accountofthe feelingsof
others. A polite person makesother people feel comfortable and not violate one
another's 'face.' Erving Goffinan introduced the concept of 'face' in politeness,
which meansthat every one in the social relationship needsto be appreciatedand
needs to be free and not interfered with others (as cited in Renkem4 1993).
Goffunn calls the needto be appreciatedas 'positive face' and calls the needto be
free and not interferedwitr otrers as'negative face.' Refrrsinga requestor an
invitationis oneof the actions,which can form a tueat to the other's 'face.'
Furthermorg Gumperz(1987) statesthat becauseof their statusas universal
principals, politenessphenomenaby their very nature are reflected in language.tt
meansthat politenessis not only reflected in behaviour but is also reflected in
language.That is why peopie might know whether one is being polite or not
through the way he or she speaks.In Indonesianculture, the way an
Indonesianspeakswith older people is different with the way he or she speaks
with younger people. When he or she speakswith older people,he or streusualll'
uses'Mas or Mbak' and 'Pak or Bu' as the addressforms. On the contrary,when
he or she speakswith younger peoplg he or she useshis or her interlocutor's
nickname as the addressforms. This is one of the examplesof the use of the
politenessstrategiesin language.If someonedoes not know how to use the
politenessstrategiesin conversation appropriately, he or she might tlneaten the
face of his or her interlocutor, and this eventually will disturb the relationship.
Politenessstrategiesprevent and repair the damagedcausedby'face threatening
acts'(FTAS).
Brown and Levinson (1987:91) have suggestedfour politenessstrategies;
the.vare bald-on record,positive politeness,negativepoliteness,and off record.
Each stratery is used differently dependingon different situations. Talking to a
friend is different from talking to a strangerbecausethe degreeof relationship is
different. Relationship among friends is intimate or close, while to a stranger,
there is a gap or social distance in the relationship. Other factor that might
influence the usage of politeness strategies is gender. In our society, it is
acceptablefor a man to be bold and direct his assertivenessto control the actions
of others. However, society does not accept thesespeechpatterns when women
utilize it. From historical recurrencg it has appearedthat women have had a
secondaryrole in societywhile men have the primary role in society.Thereforg it
3
is expectedfrom a womanto "act like a lady" and "respectthosearoundyou." It
reflects the role ofthe inferior statusbeing expectedto respectthe superior.
In Frank and Anshen's "Language and the Sexes", they note thal bo1s, "are
permitted,evenenmuraged,to talk roug[ and, if they violate the norms of correct
usageor ofpolite speec[ well nboyswill be boys" (as cited in "Politenessand
Theseroles are
Gender,"http://logos.ueresonedly'explordsociolingy'gender.hfinl).
becomingmore of a slereot)?e and less of a reality. This phenomenonhas drawn
the writer's curiosity to investigatethe differenceson the politenessstrategiesin
refusing invitations -
verbal invitations -
employed by Indonesian men and
women and the reasons of the politeness strategies in refusing invitations
employed by Indonesianmen and womerl The writer is interestedin the act of
refusing invitations becausethis act can form a threat to the other's face (FTA).
Thereforq people will more likely to use the politenessstrategiesin this act to
reducethe FIA. In addition, the writer only choosesto analysethe answerstbat
show refusal statementsof invitations expressedby Indonesianmen and women.
The reasonfor analysingthe answersthat show refusal statementsof invitations is
that tndonesianpeople are more likely to do reftsal to verbal invitations than to
u.ritten invitations.
1.2 Statementsof the Problem
Based on the background of the study, the writer raises two questioru as
follows:
l. Are there any differences on the politeness strategies in refirsing
invitationsemployedby lndonesianmen andwomen?
2. What are the reasonsof the politeness strateglesin refusing
employedby Indonesianmen and women?
1.3 Objectivesof tre Study
To answerthe above questions,the lwiter conductsa study, which aims to
hnd out:
l. Whether there are some differenceson the politenessstrategiesin refusing
invitations employedby Indonesianmen and women.
2. 'I'he reasonsof the politenessstrategiesin refusing invitations employed
by tndonesianmen and women.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The writer hopesthat the findings ofthis study can enrich the varieties of
Sociolinguisticsstudies.It is expectedthat this study can contribute ajustificatton
to the field of Sociolinguistics cpecially about lhe differences on the politeness
strategiesin refi:sing invitations employedby tndonesianmen and women and the
underlying reasonsof the politenessstrategiesin refusing invitations employedby
Indonesian men and womerl Through this study, the writer also hopes that the
readerswill realize the importanceof politenessstrategie in their social life and
can understandthe idea ofpoliteness better. Furthermore,tre writer hopesthat the
readers will
be able to use politeness sfrat€ies appropriately in daily
conversatior!positing themselvesin others' positions,so that they are able to
creale and maintain their social relationship with others.By doing this, they
will make their interlocutors feel more comfortable and enjoy having good
relationshipwith thern
1.5 Scopeand Limitation of The Study
1'he study focuseson the investigation ofthe differences on the politeness
strategiesin refusing invitations especially verbal invitations, which happen in
informal situation, employed by Indonesian men and women and of the
underlying reasonsof the politenessstrategiesin refusing invitations ernployedby
Indonesianmen and women The writer choose this study becauseshe real2es
that politenessis very important in creating and maintaining social relationship.
Beingpolite makesotherpeoplefeel comfortable.Indonesianpeopleconsiderthat
being polite is very important in their society. They reflect their politeness
through language and they use politeness strategies differently depending on
different situations. The way they speak with older people is different from the
way they speak with their friends or younger people. In other words, the use of
politenessstrategiesis influenced by the degreeofrelationship. Ottrer factor that
influenced the use of politeness strategiesis gender. Women tend to be more
polite than men and this becomea stereot,?e in the society.That is why the writer
chooseswomen's politenessstrategyand men's politenessstrategyto be analysed
and to be compared.
Since there are m ry Indonesian men and women to be investigaled, the
writer choosesher Indonesianschoolmatesfrom different universities as the
investigatedsubjects.They are chosento be the investigatedsubjwts becausethey
are often received verbal invitations. This backgroundhelps the writer to do the
investigationeasier.
Furthermorg tlre writer focuses her study on the usage of politeness
strafegies in refrsing a verbal invitation becausethis act may cause a Face
Threatening Act. In Indonesia- people are more likely to do refusal to verbal
invitations than to written invitation Since the focus of the study is the usageof
politenessstrategiesin refusing verbal invitations, the writer will only analysethe
answers that show refusal statementsof invitalions. Thereforg any usage of
politenessstralegi€sin refusing written invitations will be ignored.
Becauseverbal invitations often happen in informal situation, the \a.riter
assumesthat positive politenessstrategyand negaiivepolitenessstrategyare often
'this
used in
situation In her study entitled 'Ad4ting Brown and Levirson's
'Politeness'Theory to the Analysis of CasualConversation",Kitamura (20@)
found out tbat the strategiesused in casualor informal conversationwere positive
politenessstratery and negativepolitenessstratery. Therefore,the writer will only
arnlyse the usageof positive politenessstrategyand negativepolitenessstrategy.
Besidesthat, analysingall politenesssfategies will be an o