a. Minimize praise of self b. Maximize dispraise of self
Source: Leech 1983: 81, 132.
11
Speech-regulating
A: I can drop you in town if you like. B: It’s very kind of you, but it will cause you
Reminder
Tact Maxim > Generosity Maxim Approbation Maxim > Modesty Maxim
Submaxim-a > Submaxim-b
Illocutionary goals vs. social goals --- politeness Competitive acts: requesting, ordering, refusing, etc. Convivial acts: offering, inviting, thanking, etc. Collaborative acts: reporting, instructing, etc. Conflictive acts: threatening, cursing, etc.
----------------------------------------------I can offer you my car if you need it.
You can offer me your car because I need it
I can drop you in town if you like.
A: Oh no, I don’t think so at all - but since it’s such a big garden, of course, it must be quite a tremendous task to take care of it all by yourself; but even so, you certainly do manage to make it look nice all the time: it certainly is nice and pretty any time one sees it.
direct
10
Approbation Maxim (in expressives and assertives)
a. Minimize dispraise of other b. Maximize praise of other
Maxim of modesty (in expressives and assertives)
regulating senses) (ii) At the conversational level (a) Minimize cost to self
8
Politeness scale: Cost – benefit (have to do with content-regualting)
benefit to h
Have another sandwich. Enjoy your holiday. Look at that. Sit down. Hand me the newspaper. Peel these potatoes.
cost to h
9
Politeness scale: Directness/optionality (have to do with manner-regualting)
a. Minimize cost to other b. Maximize benefit to other
Generosity Maxim (in impositives/directives and commissives)
a. Minimize benefit to self b. Maximize cost to self
What an awful meal you cooked! A:This is one of the best articles I’ve ever read. B:Yes, it’s brilliant, isn’t it?
我这个大老粗，不会说话。
13
Leech’s Politeness Principle
B: Yes, it’s beautiful, isn’t it?
19
A: My, what a splendid garden you have here - the lawn is so nice and big, it’s certainly wonderful, isn’t it?
B: Oh no, not at all, we don’t take care of it at all any more, so it simply doesn’t look as nice as we would like it to.
regulating senses) (ii) At the conversational level (a) Maximize benefit received
The Generosity Maxim (in commissives) (i) At the motivational level (a) Maximize benefit to other (including content- and manner-
friends. Let me put that way.
15
Leech’s Politeness Principle
Sympathy Maxim
a. Minimize antipathy between self and other b. Maximize sympathy between self and other
Source: Leech 1983: 81, 132.
14
Partial agreement / token agreement
A: That’s where you live, Florida? B: That’s where I was born. A: You hate your mom and dad.. B: Sometimes. A: Have you got friends? B: I have friends. So-called friends. I had
indirect
Could you possibly answer the phone? Would you mind answering the phone? Can you answer the phone? Will you answer the phone? I want you to answer the phone. Answer the phone.
some inconvenience, won’t it? A: No, not at all. I’m going in that direction. B: Thank you very much.
12
Examples
Maxims of approbation and modesty
What a marvelous meal you cooked!
3
Leech’s Politeness Principle
Minimize (other things being equal) the expression of impolite beliefs and Maximize (other things being equal) the expression of polite beliefs.
You can drop me in town.
7
Gu Yueguo (1990)’s revision:
The Tact Maxim (in impositives) (i) At the motivational level (a) Minimize cost to other (including content- and manner-
6
Examples
Maxims of tact and generosity
Take a seat. /Have a banana. Wait a second. Could you sharpen these pencils, please. (less polite) Could these pencils be sharpened, please. (more polite)
Source: Leech 1983: 81, 132.
16
Politeness: Examples
Maxim of sympathy
I’m terribly sorry to hear about your cat. I’m delighted to hear about your cat.
17
B: No. I’m afraid not, not at all ...
20
When two maxims come into conflict, we have to allow one maxim to take priority over the other.
In the above example, the Japanese woman put Modesty Maxim at a prior position over Agreement Maxim, while English-speakers would be inclined to find some compromise between violating the Modesty Maxim and violating the Agreement Maxim.