Impolitely Requesting Awareness

30 Pages·2013·0.7 MB·English

Introduction Politeness Signaling Awareness Conclusions
Impolitely Requesting Awareness
ling.upenn.edu/~cahern/
ChristopherAhernandJasonQuinley
UniversityofPennsylvaniaandUniversityofTu¨bingen
July26,2013
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Introduction Politeness Signaling Awareness Conclusions
Goals
Addressroleofpolitenessandawarenessinrequests.
Whatarepolitelinguisticexpressions?
Howdoweuseandinterpretpoliteexpressionsinrequests?
Howdoesawarenessaffectuseandinterpretation?
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Introduction Politeness Signaling Awareness Conclusions
Talk Outline
1 Introduction
2 Politeness
3 Signaling
4 Awareness
5 Conclusions
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Introduction Politeness Signaling Awareness Conclusions
Consider the following...
(1) a. Steve: “Wouldyoumarryme?”
b. Rachel: “Iwould...ifyouwererich.”
c. Steve: “Well,Iwasjustaskinghypothetically!”
(2) a. Steve: “Wouldyoumarryme?”
b. Rachel: “Yes!!!”
c. Steve: “Woah! Iwasjustaskinghypothetically!”
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Introduction Politeness Signaling Awareness Conclusions
Consider the following...
(3) a. Steve: “Willyoumarryme?”
b. Rachel: “Iwould...ifyouwererich.”
c. #Steve: “Well,Iwasjustaskinghypothetically!”
(4) a. Steve: “Willyoumarryme?”
b. Rachel: “Yes!!!”
c. #Steve: “Woah! Iwasjustaskinghypothetically!”
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Introduction Politeness Signaling Awareness Conclusions
Intuitions
Questions
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100513065142AAGax5E
Answers
”Willyoumarryme”isaproposal,”Wouldyoumarryme”isaquestion,
ifinthefutureyouwouldconsidermarriage. (Mike)
Wouldisnotaproposal,itisaninquiry. Hedoesn’twanttohearNo
whenheproposes. (MS)
Bysayingwould,heisaskingyouifheaskedwouldyoumarryhim. But
no,hehasn’taskedyoutomarryhim...yet! (surelycoolgirl)
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Introduction Politeness Signaling Awareness Conclusions
Where there’s a will there’s only one way...
willis...
...notambiguous,notplausiblydeniable.
wouldis...
...ambiguous,allowsforplausibledeniability.
Use...
...istiedupinpoliteness.
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Introduction Politeness Signaling Awareness Conclusions
Crucial points for Politeness theory
1 Face
2 Face-threateningacts(FTAs)
3 StrategiestomitigateFTAs
4 Politenessinmodals
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Introduction Politeness Signaling Awareness Conclusions
Face
What is face?
BrownandLevinson(1987)
Face(Goffman,1967)consistsofanindividual’sbasicsocialneeds:
Negativeface: Autonomy
Positiveface: Acceptance
Face-ThreateningActs(FTAs):
Anactionthatthreatensanindividual’spositiveornegativeface.
Requeststhreatenautonomy
Insultsthreatenacceptance
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Introduction Politeness Signaling Awareness Conclusions
FTAs
Mitigating FTAs
Whensituationscallforit...
...speakersmustcommitaface-threateningact(FTA).Inordertomitigatethe
weightofaFTA,speakersmayuseseveralstrategies.
Threatsatlunch!!!
Don’tdoFTA:(Don’taskformoney)
OffRecord:“Ohno! Iforgotmywalletatthehotel!”
NegativePoliteness:“Youdon’thaveto,butwouldyoumindlendingme
abitofmoney?”
PositivePoliteness:“Congratulationsonyourpromotion! Youreally
deserveit! You’rethebest! Lendmeafewdollars.”
Don’tRedress:“Givemesomemoney.”
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