 According to George Yule (1996) in his book
“Pragmatics” the traditional linguists have no real
social lives whereas the modern linguists tend to
consider that linguistic interaction has a tight relation
to social interaction.
The definition of Politeness
 Politeness is the awareness of another person’s face.
The word “Face” in this case refers to the public selfimage of a person.
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Two important factors
 There are two important factors in PP (Politeness
Principle): Age and Power. Towards the older and the
more powerful authority we pay respect since there is a
distance. Towards the same age and power there is a
closeness or friendliness.
An Example
 A. Excuse me, Mr. Buckingham, but can I talk to You
for a minute?
 B. Hey, Bucky, got a minute?
 Greeting somebody by uttering “Mr”+Last name shows
that there is a distance and respect whereas uttering
one’s first name shows friendliness or closeness.
Important terms
 “Face wants “ refers to the expectations dealing with
one’s face or public image.
 “Face threatening act” refers to a threat/ancaman to
another self-image.
 “Face saving act” refers to an act of saving one’s self
image.
An example
 One day a young neighbor was playing music so loudly
in the middle of the night. At the same moment there
was a couple of older people who were trying to sleep.
 The husband: “I’m going to tell him to stop that awful
noise right now”
 The wife: “Perhaps you could just ask him if he’s going
to stop soon because it’s getting a bit late and people
need to get to sleep.
 The saying of the husband is an example of face
threatening act whereas the saying of the wife in an
instance of face saving act.
Negative and positive face
 A person’s Negative face is the need to be
independent, to have freedom fo action, and not be
imposed on by others.
 E.g: “mind your own business”, “I don’t care”, “Who
cares?”, “I want to be alone”.
 A person’s positive face is the need to be accepted,
even liked, by others. In short, a need to be connected.
A unique pattern of politeness principle
Pre-Request
 One way of avoiding risk is to provide an opportunity
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for the other to halt the potentially risky action.
A: Are you busy? (pre-request)
B: not really (go ahead)
A: Check over this memo. (request)
B: Okay (accept)
 C: Are you busy? (pre-request)
 D: Oh, sorry (stop).
Ironical principle
 Irony indicates that what is meant is the contradictory of what is
said. The use of irony is intentional. In other word, we employ
this linguistic device in utterance if we want the addressee to
encode the extra meaning hidden in the ironical remark. Irony is
contradicting either what the speaker has said or usually says, or,
contradicting what the take to be true. To read the irony a hearer
or reader do not just have to know the context, but also have to
be committed to specific beliefs and positions within that
context (Colebrook, 2004: 166, Martina Stykatova, 2009: 53).
Types of irony
 Verbal irony is a disparity of expression and intention:
when a speaker says one thing but means another, or
when a literal meaning is contrary to its intended
effect. An example of this is when someone says "Oh,
that's beautiful", when what they mean (probably
conveyed by their tone) is they find "that" quite ugly.
 It's kind of ironic that if I get my Ph.D., I'll be a real
doctor.
Marcia Cross
It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster
when we have lost our way.
Rollo May
It's ironic …
At times like this you (American Judeo-christian) pray
but a bomb blew the mosque up yesterday
there's bombs on the busses , bikes, roads
inside your market your shops, your clothes.
(Linkin’ Park “Hands held high”)
 Dramatic irony is a disparity of awareness between
actor and observer: when words and actions possess a
significance that the listener or audience understands,
but the speaker or character does not, for example
when a character says to another "I'll see you
tomorrow!" when the audience (but not the character)
knows that the character will die before morning.
An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic...
don't you think
 (Alanis Morissette “ironic”)