Make Minimal Assumptions

1. Be conventionally indirect"Can you pass the salt?"

Make minimal assumptions

Dont presume/assumeabout Hs wants, what is2. Question, hedge "If you dont mind, Ill ask you to close that window"

relevant to H "Well, we were sort of planning to eat it ourselves."

Be indirect

Dont coerce H (where xGive H optionDont assume H is

involves H doing A)not to actable/willing to do A

Assume H is not 3. Be pessimistic "You dont have any cigarettes on you, by chance, do you?"

likely to do A

Minimize threat4. Minimize the imposition "I just dropped by to ask if I can borrow a little sugar."

5. Give deference (V forms, titles, honorifics)

Communicate Ss want6. Apologize "Im sorry to bother you, but ..."

not to impinge on H

7. Impersonalize S and H: Avoid

Dissociate S, H from thethe pronoun I and you"The sign says no smoking"

particular infringement8. State the FTA as a general rule "International regulations require that the fuselage be."

(redress Hs positive face)9. Nominalize "Your cooperation is appreciated."

Redress other wants of Hs, 10. Go on record incurring a debt "Ill be eternally grateful if ..." "Ill be in your debt if"

derivative from negative face

1. Notice, attend to Hs interests, "You must be hungry -- how about some lunch?"

Convey X is admirable,wants, needs, goods) "What a beautiful vase! Where did you get it?"

interesting2. Exaggerate interest, approval, "How fantastic!"

sympathy with H

Claim ‘common ground’Claim in-group 3. Intensify interest to H "You always do the dishes -- let me do them."

membership with H

(S&H  (A) who want (X)4. Use in-group identity markers -- T forms, nicknames, slang

"Lend me a quid, would ya, mate?"

Claim common pt of view, 5. Seek agreement -- choose safe topics, safe aspects "Flagstaffs nice this time of year, isnt it?"

opinions, attitudes, knowledge6. Avoid disagreement -- token agreement by not stating disagreement "Its really beautiful in a way"

empathy7. Presuppose/raise/assert common ground/ small talk "How about them Yankees?"

8. Joke "How about if I tackle those cookies now?"

Indicate S knows Hs wants and9. Assert or presuppose Ss knowledge of and concern for Hs wants "If you want your car back soon,

is taking them into accountshouldnt I leave now?" (request)

Convey S&H Claim reflexivity -- S&H both want 10. Offer, promise "Ill make it up to you."

are cooperatorsthe same thing11. Be optimistic "Ive come to borrow a cup of flour"

12. Include both S&H in the activity "Lets get on with the meeting"

13. Give (or ask for) reasons "Why not lend me your cottage for the weekend?"

Claim reciprocity14. Assume or assert reciprocity "Your turn to do the dishes tonight"

Fulfil Hs want (for some X)15. Give gifts to H (goods, sympathy, understanding, cooperation)

from Brown & Levinson Politeness

Ways of doing FTAs (Face Threatening Acts)

1. without redress, baldly "Help!" "Your pants are on fire!" "heres a kleenex"

on record

2. positive politeness "You dont have a kleenex, do you?"

Do the FTAwith redress

3. negative politeness "Lets get you a kleenex"

4. off the record

(hints, presuppositions, irony, ambiguity) "Had that cold long?"

5. Do not do the FTA

Address Terms

1. Are usually dictated by

POWER (respect, status, authority) or

SOLIDARITY (intimacy, shared experience)

2. Basic principles: reciprocity in address terms usually indicates social equality (equal power); non-reciprocity usually indicates inequality.

3. T/V systems have 2 forms of the 2nd person pronoun ("you"):

T form = familiar

V form = formal

LanguageT-formV-form

Latintuvos

Frenchtuvous

Swedishduni

Chineseninin

mid Englishthou/theeyou

4. History of TV forms in French, Italian, German and Spanish: 3 stages

Stage 1: only power is communicated

V <----- Nobles ----->V

T<--- Commoners --->T

Stage 2: Solidarity semantic came into play only where it did not conflict with power.

How to read the chart:

--Decide whether H is superior or inferior.

If superior, H gets V and gives you T.

If inferior, H gets T and gives you V.

--Only if H is your equal, do you decide whether solidary (same family, village, school, etc.) or not

If solidary, give and get T

If stranger, give & get V

Stage 3: T/V system undergoing change:

Today: SOLIDARITY semantic has won out many places: i.e., where decisions must be made bout T/V they are based primarily on judgements about SOLIDARITY. POWER is de-emphasized as a criterion. But there are several ways this can be done:

a) use V for everyone as in English

b) use T for everyone as in Norwegian

c) retain T/V distinction but use it only to mark degrees of intimacy (i.e., SOLIDARY) as in French and Russian.

NOTE: in each case, usage will be RECIPROCAL, indicating equal power relations.

5) Address terms in American English (descending order)

Title: Senator, Mr. President, Father, Doctor

T + LN: Senator Kennedy, Dr. Seely, Sister Miriam

Mr/Mrs/Ms + LN: Mr. Brown

FN: John

nickname/endearment term: sweetie, Johnny

(none): dont know name/address rules ambiguous.