9Politeness-in-conversation会话中的礼貌现象

Unit9

PolitenessinConversation会话中的礼貌现象Contents9.1Approachestopoliteness9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaxims9.3Clashesandtradeoffsbetweenthemaxims9.4PP:areformulation9.1ApproachestopolitenessAccordingtoJennyThomas(1995:149),fourseparatebutrelatedtypesofphenomenahavebeeninvestigatedinrelationtotheterm“politeness”:

9.1ApproachestopolitenessTypeA:Politenessasareal-worldgoal

norelevancetolinguists

9.1ApproachestopolitenessTypeB:Politenessasdeference

moreofasociolinguisticissuethanapragmaticconcept

9.1ApproachestopolitenessTypeC:Politenessasautterance-levelphenomenon

moresociolinguisticthanpragmaticinnature

9.1ApproachestopolitenessTypeD:Politenessasapragmaticphenomenon

Twoinfluentialmodels:

PolitenessPrincipleanditsmaximsbyLeech

FaceTheorybyBrownandLevinson9.1ApproachestopolitenessTwootherscholarsworthytobementioned:

RobinLakoff

Twobasicstrategiesforcommunication:onestrategy,thatofclarity,guidesthetransmissionofinformation;theother,thatofrapport,pointstopolitenessrules.Accordingtohim,therearethreerulesofpoliteness:don’timpose,giveoptions,befriendly.9.1ApproachestopolitenessPeterGrundy:

Politenesscanbeusedtodescribetheextenttowhichactions,includingthewaythingsaresaid,matchothers’perceptionsofhowtheyshouldbeperformed.Tohim,everyinstanceoflanguageincommunicationinvolvesmoreorlesspoliteness.Oneutterancemaybepoliteinonecontextbutnotinanother.Politenessissomethingsubjective,personal,anddynamic.9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaximsProblemsinCP:failstoexplainwhypeoplechoosenottobedirectinsayingwhattheymean.LeecharguesthatPPcanexplainwhypeoplearesometimesindirectinconveyingwhattheymeanandisanecessarycomplementtoCP.9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaximsTwogeneralrequirementsinpoliteness:

a.Maximize(otherthingsbeingequal)theexpressionofpolitebeliefs;

b.Minimize(otherthingsbeingequal)theexpressionofimpolitebeliefs9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaximsSixmaximsofPolitenessPrinciple:

I.TactMaxim得体准那么II.GenerosityMaxim慷慨准那么

III.ApprobationMaxim赞誉准那么IV.ModestyMaxim谦逊准那么

V.AgreementMaxim一致准那么VI.SympathyMaxim同情准那么9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaxims〔1〕策略准那么〔tactmaxim，也叫“得体准那么”，用于指令和承诺〕：尽力缩小对方的损失，尽力扩大对方的好处。〔2〕慷慨准那么〔generositymaxim，也叫“宽宏准那么”，用于指令和承诺〕：尽力缩小自己的好处，尽力扩大自己的损失。9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaxims〔3〕褒奖准那么〔approbationmaxim，也叫“赞扬/赞誉准那么”，用于表情和表述〕：尽力缩小对对方的诋毁，尽力扩大对对方的赞扬。〔4〕谦逊准那么〔modestymaxim，也叫“谦虚准那么”，用于表情和表述〕：尽力缩小对自己的赞扬，尽力扩大对自己的诋毁。9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaxims〔5〕赞同准那么〔agreementmaxim，也叫“一致准那么、同意准那么”，用于表述〕：尽力缩小与对方的分歧，尽力扩大与对方的一致。〔6〕同情准那么〔sympathymaxim，用于表述〕：尽力缩小对对方的厌烦，尽力扩大对对方的同情〔和好感〕。9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaxims(1)Politenesstendstofavorotherthanself.OfthetwinnedmaximsI-IV,I>II,III>IV.(2)Theavoidanceofdiscordisamoreconstantneedthanthecreationofconcord.Thea-sub-maximismoreimportantthantheb-sub-maxim.9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaximsAccordingtoLeech,twomajorkindsofgoalsareidentifiableincommunication:9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaximsillocutionarygoals(theimmediate,primarygoalsoflinguisticcommunication,suchasgettingsbtodosth)socialgoals(thelong-term,secondarygoalsofourlinguisticcommunication,suchasmaintainingfriendlyrelationswithothers)9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaximsTheillocutionarygoalsmayeithersupport(aswhenmakingacompliment)orcompetewith(aswhenmakingarefusal)socialgoals.9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaximsIllocutionaryactsorfunctionsmaybeclassifiedintofourtypesbasedontherelationbetweenthetwotypesofgoals:(p.119)

competitivefunctions,convivialfunctions,collaborativefunctions,andconflictivefunctions9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaxims“竞争类”〔competitive〕：命令、请求等“和谐类”〔convivial〕：祝福、感谢等“合作类”〔collaborative〕：告诉、通报等“冲突类”〔conflictive〕：咒骂、威胁等9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaximsDifferentillocutionaryfunctionsrequiredifferentkindsanddegreesofpoliteness:thefirsttwoaretheoneswhichchieflyinvolvepoliteness.9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaximscompetitivefunctions:politenessisofanegativecharactertoreducediscordimplicitinthecompetitionbetweenwhatSpeakerwantsandwhatisgoodmanners9.2PP:theprincipleanditsmaximsconvivialfunctions:politenesstakesamorepositiveformofseekingopportunitiesforcomitycollaborativefunctions:largelyirrelevantconflictivefunctions:outofquestion9.3ClashesandtradeoffsbetweenthemaximsClashesorconflictscanoccurbetweentwomaximsofPP.(example1onp.119)TheycanalsoarisebetweenacertainmaximofPPandonemaximofCP.(example2onp.119)

9.3ClashesandtradeoffsbetweenthemaximsWhenclashesbetweenmaximsareinevitable,sometradeoffsmustbesought.Wewillhavetoallowonemaximtotakepriorityovertheother.Differentculturesmayprioritizedifferentmaximsinthisregard.(example3onp.120)9.3ClashesandtradeoffsbetweenthemaximsAsLeechobserves,whenmaximsoftheCPandthePPcomeintoconflict,thelattergenerallygainsmoreconsideration.Thisissobecause,whiletheCPregulatescommunicatorsundertheassumptionofcooperativeness,thePPhasahigherregulativeroleinmaintainingsocialequilibriumandthefriendlyrelationsonwhichtheassumptionofcooperativenessdepends.9.4PP:areformulationTheuseofthetermmaximisquestionedforitsmoralandimperativeconnotations.Leech(2005)decidestoreformulatethesixmaximsintosomethingthatsoundsmorelikepragmaticconstraints.

9.4PP:areformulationOnesinglesuper-constraintheinventsistheGrandStrategyofPoliteness(GSP,礼貌大策略):

Inordertobepolite,SexpressesorimpliesmeaningswhichplaceahighvalueonwhatpertainstoO(O=otherperson[s],[mainlytheaddressee])orplacealowvalueonwhatpertainstoS(S=self,speaker).(Leech2005)9.4PP:areformulationPolitenessinapragmaticsenseisamatterofconveyingmeaningsinaccordancewiththeGSP.PolitenessoftenshowsupinoppositestrategiesoftreatingSandHindialogue.9.4PP:areformulationWhereasconveyingahighlyfavorableevaluationofHispolite,conveyingthesameevaluationofSisimpolite.WhileconveyinganunfavorableevaluationofSispolite,givingthesameevaluationofHisimpolite.9.4PP:areformulationUnderthesuper-constraint,Leechidentifiesasetofsub-constraintswhichhavevariableconstrainingpower:(p.121)

ABCDE9.4PP:areformulationPolitenesscanbemeasuredintermsoftwoscales:onebeingabsolutepolitenessscaleandtheotherbeingrelativepolitenessscale.9.4PP:areformulationAbsolutepolitenessscale绝对礼貌等级:wecanorderutterancesonascaleofpolitenessoutofcontextRelativepolitenessscale相对礼貌等级:wecanjudgepolitenessasrelativetonormsinagivensociety,foragivengroup,orforagivensituation.9.4PP:areformulationAbsolutepolitenessscale绝对礼貌等级:wecanorderutterancesonascaleofpolitenessoutofcontextUnidirectional,determinesdegreesofpolitenessintermsofthelexico-grammaticalformandsemanticmeaningoftheutterance.Example4onp.1229.4PP:areformulationRelativepolitenessscale相对礼貌等级:wecanjudgepolitenessasrelativetonormsinagivensociety,foragiv