This document discusses the concept of politeness in language. It begins by defining politeness as having good manners and respect for others. It then addresses some challenges in studying politeness across cultures, noting that apologies or requests can have different meanings. Politeness is used to prevent threats to one's public self-image. Levinson's strategies of politeness are outlined, including positive politeness to connect with others and negative politeness to respect independence. The relationship between linguistic forms and politeness is explored, with references provided for further reading.

1. Muza AE
201320346

Al-Ain University of Science and Technology
College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences
English Language Teacher Education Department
Instructor: Dr. Abdel Rahman Altakhaineh
Course Title: Introduction to linguistics

3.  agenda
 What is politeness
Challenges in the study of politeness.
Why we use politeness?
 What is a politeness strategy
Negative and positive strategies
What is a relationship between linguistic and
politeness?
Conclusion
References

4. What is politeness
Politeness means having or showing good manners and
respect for the feelings of others (Wehmeier 2000, p.
976).
.

5. Challenges in the study of
politeness.
Understanding the differences of
interpretation that different cultures
make of certain kind of behavior.
Example:
1-what counts as an apology in one
culture may be seen as an expression of
thanks in another.
2- what constitutes a proper request in
one culture may seen very rude in
another.
‫يعطيك‬
‫العافية‬
(‫المغرب‬)
Shake hands with
men)muslims (

6.  Why we use politeness?
Politeness is used when your face is threatened
1-When you might lose other’s respect
2-When you can’t act freely
As the 19th century American writer Joss Billings said:
“Politeness is better than logic. You can often persuade
when you cannot convince”

7. It is a strategy that is used to prevent a violation
of the hearer's face.
What is a politeness strategy

8. Levinson (1978: 61) divided human politeness behavior in four strategies:
Bald on-record strategy
Least polite _ Most direct
Positive Politeness strategy
need to be liked and appreciated_ More direct
Negative politeness strategy
person’s right to act freely _ More direct _ Very polite
Off-Record (Indirect) strategy
indirect language _ Most Polite
POLITENESS STRATEGIES

9. *
Negative
The need to be
independent
and free.
Example
• I’m sorry to bother
you.
• I know you’re busy.
• Appeal to negative
face
Positive
The need to be
connected and a
member of the group.
Example
• Let’s do it together.
• You and I have the
same
problems.
• Appeal to positive
face.

10. We have both

11. Politeness
speaker´s attitude
pragmatic
linguistic (meaning)
What is a relationship between linguistic and politeness?

12. Conclusion

13. Questions
Thank you…

14. *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrnpV2jm
FLE
*http://www.slideshare.net/dr.shadiabanjar/po
liteness-and-interaction-by-drshadiapptx
*Language Transfer-cross-linguistic influence in
language learning-Terence Odlin Cambridge
university press
References

15. *http://www.mona.uwi.edu/dllp/linguistics/politen
ess.htm
*http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documen
ts/38231111/Politeness_in_PS_writing.pdf?AWSAcce
ssKeyId=AKIAJ56TQJRTWSMTNPEA&Expires=1474326
411&Signature=BPQ4rdAmeOaUVAhr5DE0acnE06I%3
D&response-content-
disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DChen_S._and_
Nassaji_H._2015_._Politeness.pdf
*http://britishenglishcoach.com/what-is-politeness-
and-why-should-we-be-polite/