Upload
ashlyn-obrien
View
227
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Linguistic Politeness: Editor as diplomat
TECM 5195Dr. Chris Lam
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Poll!
• Text ChrisLam138 to 22333
OR
• Go to pollev.com/chrislam138
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Linguistic Politeness Theory• Brown and Levinson (1987)
• Founded in pragmatics and based on speech act theory (Austin, 1962)
• All utterances perform a locutionary act and an illocutionary act
• Locutionary act is the act of saying something
• Illocutionary act is the underlying or intended meaning• Does this need salt?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Face and Face-threatening acts
• Face is positive self-image and is considered universal by many (Goffman, 1967)
• Negative face- need for autonomy/individualism
• Positive face- need for social approval
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Relationships between writers and editors
• Relationships between writers and editors are often contentious
• Writers don’t want editors to “demand a single solution”
• Editors can be seen as “controlling” or taking “control of a paper”
• Important for editors to be language experts AND diplomats
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Editing as an FTA
• Editing is inherently an FTA
• Telling a writer to make a change impedes negative face
• Criticizing a writer’s specific choices (explicitly or implicitly) impedes positive face
• So where does politeness come into play?• Linguistic politeness refers to using language to tend to both
positive and negative face needs
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
So, what’s the dilemma?
• Relationships between writers and editors is already contentious
• Editing is inherently an FTA
• SO, editors must balance clarity and politeness
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Continuum of Politeness
Most Clear / Least Polite Least Clear / Most Polite
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Two main ways to alter politeness
1. Syntactically
2. Semantically
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Poll!
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Syntactic or Levels of directness
1. Direct- Unambiguous • Include a table here
2. Conventionally indirect- Creates pragmatic ambiguity (2 possible meanings)• Can you include a table?
3. Nonconventionally indirect (hints)- Creates pragmatic vagueness (many meanings)• Graphic aids create interest
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Semantic Politeness Markers
1. Downgraders
2. Supportive Moves
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Downgraders• Can be added to both direct or indirect utterances
• Fine tune the level of indirectness of an utterance
• Can be stacked
• Lexical or phrasal (word-level)• I think (Subjectivizer)• Maybe/Perhaps (Hedge)• Possibly (Downtoner)• OK? (Appealer)• You know, (Cajoler)• Just (Understater)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Supportive Moves
• Can be added to direct and indirect strategies
• Mitigate FTAs
• Add semantic content (move beyond word or phrase-level)• This will help the reader find your work
experience more easily (payoff statement)• This is a good start, but (compliment)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Poll!
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Direct Options
1. Bald-on-record
2. Locution-derivable
3. Opinion statement
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Bald-on-record• Example: Insert work experience here
• Most face-threatening, but also most clear
• Some non-native speakers actually prefer bald-on-record
• Suggestions for bald-on-record
• Mitigate with downgraders (Insert work experience here, OK?)
• Mitigate with compliments (I like what you’ve listed, but insert work experience here)
• Mitigate with payoff statement (Insert work experience here. The reader will be able to access it more easily)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Locution-derivable• Example: You should include your work experience here.
• The locution (force or obligation) can be derived by the hearer
• Insert a high-value modal verb • Should, will, or ought
• Suggestions for locution-derivable• Avoid passive voice locution-derivable (The table ought to be inserted
here.)• Mitigate active voice locution-derivable with downgraders (You know,
you should include a table here)• Mitigate active voice locution-derivable with compliments (The
content is good for this section, but you should include a table here.)• Mitigate active voice locution-derivable with payoff statements (You
should include a table here; it will make it easier for the audience)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Opinion statement strategy
• Changes the point-of-view, while remaining direct and unambiguous
• “I would include a table here”
• Suggestions• Use them! (I would put my work experience
before education)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Conventionally indirect strategies
• Preparatory
• Interrogative
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Preparatory
• Example: You could insert your work experience here.
• Refers to some condition that must be true for the hearer to be prepared to perform the directive
• More polite than most direct strategies, but introduces ambiguity
• Use low-value modal verbs• Can and Could
Suggestions• Avoid preparatory strategies when intent is to convey obligations• Reserve for possibility or options (You could remove your
references)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Interrogative strategy
• Example: Can you include work experience here?
• Less direct than all previous
• States directive as a question
Suggestions• Avoid when obligation is intended. • Reserve for actual inquiries (Can you include more
information for each work entry?)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Non-Conventionally Indirect Strategies
• Example: Work experience is typically included here.
• Strong hints (This section has a lot of information)
• Mild hints (Tables can help when you have a lot of information)
Suggestions• AVOID!
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Conveying possibility and not obligation
• Use illocutionary-force indicating device (explicitly state purpose)
• Use with preparatory strategies
• You might include more information about your work experience. This is just a suggestion, however.