Politeness Strategies.docx

POLITENESS STRATEGIES COMMONLY USED BY THE EMPLOYEES AND FAMILY MEMBERS

Prepared by Jimenez, Bernard B. Zuñiga, Zarah Cecilia S.

Summitted to Proffesor Joventina Madriaga Professor, IE Faculty

In partial fulfillment in the requirements for the course ENG14N Introduction to Stylistics

at the

Far Easter University – Institute of Education Nicanor Reyes Street, Sampaloc, Manila

I.

Introduction

Whenever we are in a situation of any type of communication, there will always be a discourse which the speakers and listeners are gathering to participate in a said communication sphere. An interactive communication needs polite exchanges of linguistic competence in order to save the face of who or she is talking to thus that’s not the usual case as it also mean of mitigating someone faces triggering face threatening acts (FTA) toward the listener – Penelope Brown and Stephen Levinson (1987), Politeness theory refers for the redressing of affronts to a person’s ‘face’ by face – threatening acts – F. William. He also defined it as the battery of social skills whose goal is to ensure everyone feels affirmed in a “social interaction”, as they give importance about saving “public image” characterizing the positive and negative faces minimizing damages from both speakers and listeners.1

There are four politeness strategies that were formulated to save the hearer’s positive face. Bald – On – Record, it usually does not attempt to minimize the threat to the hearer’s face.

2

Positive Politeness, it seeks to

establish a positive relationship between parties; respect a person’s need to be liked and appreciated.2 Negative Politeness, make request less infringing and respect a person’s right to act freely. 2 Off – Record (Indirect), it uses indirect language and remove the speaker from the potential of being imposed. 2

II.

Methodology

Two minutes conversations from two different scenarios were recorded. First audio recording was conducted during a discussion between employees while they are eating lunch in the food court. The persons that involved in the aforementioned conversation are the following: Joel and Zarah both Integrity Analyst with the same level of position.

Glen, is an Intelligence Officer in their department, Karlo is the Integrity Manager of Manila office while Ayessa is a Team Assistant.

The second audio recording was conducted when the proponent was fishing together with his relatives in the province. It was all-boys conversation composing of family relatives.

Due to Data Privacy Act that is recently implemented in the Philippines, proponents need to asked a permission to the participants of the two different conversation before it was recorded.

All the data that have been recorded were carefully transcribed and classified according to the types of Politeness strategies. The analysis would be done after critically interpreting the answer from the chosen utterance during the recording.

III.

Analysis A. Middle – aged employees while eating lunch in the food court  Ayessa (35 yrs. old, Team Assistant): Sayo yan Za? Zarah (28 yrs. old, Integrity Analyst): Oo, grabe. Off – Record (Indirect) is the politeness strategy used in the utterance. The speaker intends to say that “ang takaw mo naman”. However, it was indirectly said by simply asking the question, “Sayo yan Za?” The utterance is a Face Threatening Act (FTA) which threatens the positive face of the receiver because based on the receiver’s facial reaction and tone of her voice while she’s answering the question of her officemate it shows that she was pissed off and she was disappointed that she was not appreciated of having lots of food during lunch time.

 Glen (38 yrs. old, Intelligence): Oy! Diet ka?! HAHAHAHA Zarah (28 yrs. old, Integrity Analyst): Di, gusto niyo ulam. Off – Record (Indirect) is the politeness strategy used in the utterance. Glen, indirectly stating that she should share her foods to them. Rather than that, he also intends to say “ang takaw mo naman”. The utterance is a Face Threatening Act (FTA) which threatens the negative face, the receivers, understands what the implicature of the speaker’s statement. Then, she was forced to share her food even she really doesn’t like too (infelicitous statement was made). The speaker imposing the receiver to do what she doesn’t what to – “share her food”. This is the reason why the receivers negative face was threatens.  Joel (35 yrs. old, Integrity Analyst): Penge nito. Bald-On-Record – he doesn’t ask for permission. Instead, the speaker only informs the receiver. Negative Face – he did not give her a chance to make a decision instead she was force to do certain things which she really doesn’t want too.  Glen to Joel: Gusto mong umorder? Positive Politeness – Glen asked Joel politely if he wants to order some foods. Speak gave the receiver a chance to decide NON-FTA – Since Glen gave Joel a chance to decide it shows that he shows some respect, and this will not be going to affect any aspect of the face.

 Ayessa (35 yrs. old, Team Assistant): Nicky! Ang konti lang ng kanin eh. Karlo (Manager, Integrity Services): Tang ina nito! Dun ka magreklamo kay ate! Bald-On-Record – Ayessa, directly saying to her officemate Nicky that the rice he bought was not enough for them. She did not hesitate to complain. However, that decision may affects Nicky’s Positive face since he was not appreciated even though he already volunteered to buy rice for both of them. Everyone in the table was distracted to Ayessa’s attitude (continuous complaining), then their manager voice out and did not hesitate to express his feelings by using “Tang ina”. Bald-On-Record - These words made Ayessa to keep quite and stop complaining. It was also affecting the Negative face of Ayessa since their manager was imposing her to do what he doesn’t want to – go to the vendor (ate) and complain about the rice servings.

B. Fishing with Relatives  Kunin mo kasi yung bato sa loob! Bald-On-Record – Directly stating the order and seems it is a must to follow his directives. Sense of urgency and Task-Oriented. Negative Face – Imposing others to do something which may affects to their Negative Face. The receiver may not like to do what the speaker was instructing.  Alam ko ayaw mo mabasa, pero baka gusto mo bumaba para kung yung isda? Negative Politeness –Acknowledging the fact that he doesn’t want to get wet. Then, I politely ask a favor from him get the fish inside the fishnet.

Negative Face – Although, the speaker is politely showing respect to the receiver still he is imposing him to do go down and get the fish even he doesn’t like to get wet  Picture naman po, isa lang. Positive Politeness – Asking a favor in a nice way. NON-FTA – we both like to take pictures so there is no FTA in this situation  Ang pangit ng isdang ‘to. Bald-On-Record – Quick sharing of information and did not hesitate to say the truth that the fish is ugly Positive Face – that may affect to the positive face of the listeners. Although, the speaker is referring to the fish and not to his cousins or brothers. Still, it should be noted that the others may still appreciate the physical appearance of the fish and may threatens their positive face.

IV.

Discussions A. Middle – aged employees while eating lunch in the food court

POLITENESS STRATEGIES

OFFICESMATES

Bald – On – Records 3

50%

Positive Politeness

17%

1

Negative Politeness 0 Off

–

(Indirect)

Record

2

0% 33%

Closeness may serve as the reason why this group of employees did not hesitate to become straight forward and say whatever they want, and they are being straight forward to one another. They can also express their selves freely without thinking the impact of the words or statement being thrown to one another. Bald-On strategy is also being use while they are inside the office so that the work pressure or stress will be lessen. They are just being honest with each other and it is not hard for them to correct if ever they made mistake/s. As we also see the position of each employee, we can notice that the straightest forward is their manager. Although he had the highest employee rank in their group, he levels his attitude to them specially when they are just taking their lunch together. Being cool and acting one of the groups is his strategy to get the trust and loyalty of his employees or personnel and again to manage the work stress in their office. Why is he doing that? As what was discussed before in their office, their work is already stressful – all the reports and deadlines, including the daily analysis, checking and investigating are too stressful to work in serious environment outside can judge them. Having their own room in their office also help him to implement this kind of strategy because they have their privacy and no one. Gender equality may also serve as the reason why Bald-On-Record is the common politeness strategy use in their group. Off-Record (Indirect) is the second politeness strategy use in their group. This was use when they intend to tease or make fun each other. Although at some point they become harsh to each other, and a soft-hearted person/s may not able to cope his self to this kind of group, still they give a respect to each other and did not forget to use the positive politeness strategy as they do respect each other’s decision.

B. Fishing with Relatives

POLITENESS STRATEGIES

RELATIVES

Bald – On – Records

2

50%

Positive Politeness

1

25%

Negative Politeness

1

25%

Off – Record (Indirect)

0

Bald-On-Record Strategy: Given in the statements, Bald-On strategy was used a lot in both different scenarios. I think the close reason behind that is due to closeness of the interlocutors during the scene. The proximity or the degree of differences really matters a lot as it stated directly the intention of the utterance which is like an order, a state of urgency or quick sharing of information. It doesn’t have also the intention of saving the faces of his receiver by saying direct and vulgar words. Positive Politeness Strategy: It is quite used also often during the conversation which came to be the second most strategy imposes by the people. This strategy came to be the humblest as it tranquilized the feelings and interest of the receivers. It doesn’t impose force labor or work while working on necessity. Negative Politeness Strategy: It was used once in 1 of our examples yet it was clear as the utterance itself is really contrasting in both contexts. This strategy is the combination of being respectful yet direct. The strategy uses opposing

statements to nullify the intention of the speaker to save the face of his receiver. Off-record (indirect): It was also used once in our examples and it was used completely to remove the true intention of the speaker. It doesn’t emphasize clearly the message but implies hidden agenda that may be concluded by the receiver in many ways. It may sound funny like a joke but the true meaning while being spoken is clearly concealed.

V.

Result

In the analysis, it was shown 2 of the strategies (Bald-On and Positive Politeness) were used a lot in two different scenarios. The proximity of the people suggests that language varied according to their level. Some may find it disrespecting but there’s always an underlying meaning from each message. It is important for every interlocutor to think towards other people feelings and faces. In addition to that, the other two strategies Negative Politeness and Offrecord were only used once as people confident in the closeness of themselves doesn’t have to hide their true intention. Some people may use it casually to save other faces or their own public image but the most common in these two strategies are those sarcastic statements and jokes. This interpretation may vary according differently to the perspective of another viewer. Some may think differently because they can get the message across easily whether intentionally hidden or not or maybe they’re just conscious and not ignorant of these strategies. References: 1

https://www.slideshare.net/indralovemaisha/pragmatic-politeness?next_slideshow=1

2

https://www.slideshare.net/TitinRohayati/politeness-30471331?next_slideshow=2