Brown and Levinson - Politeness Theory

http://www.sharritt.com/CISTheoryPrimary/politeness.html

AS- Spontaneous Speech Terminology Quiz

1. 'A pattern in which one utterance is followed by an appropriate linked response' - is the definition of the term? Adjacency pairs

2. Explain the term 'side sequencing'? Going off subject and talking about another subject

3. Give an example of a 'tag question'? 'its hot isn't it?'

4. Give three terms that are an example of non-fluency features? 'erm' 'ah' 'like'

5. Explain the term 'phatic language' and give two examples of 'phatic language'? Used as a 'social glue' its used as small talk rather than conveying information. 'hi alright?'

6. Non-verbal aspects of speech or 'paralinguistic features' such as 'fillers' can help reveal a speakers attitudes and feelings. Name two other non-verbal aspects of speech? Prosodic features and eye contact

7. 'elp me orf this 'orse' is an example of phonetic spelling which means the spelling of words to represent how they are pronounced.

8. List Grice's maxims and briefly explain what each one refers to?
Quality- whether or not its true
Quantity- Too much/ too little
Relevance- If its on topic or not
Manner- Clear commincation

9. Grice was interested in suggesting what helps to create fluent conversation.

10. When analysing spontaneous speech we do not refer to 'sentences' but register.

11. Brown and Levinson put forward some theories about politeness. Name four positive politeness strategies we might employ if we want to be liked?
- Paying attention
- Seeking agreement (safe topics)
- Pretend agreement (white lies, hedging)
- Using appropriate address terms

12. In order to analyse a transcript what three things must you establish an awareness from the outset?
- The person the transcipts in
- Discourse markers 
-Graphology

Transcript and analysis

Transcript

A: Ok, so what you studying?

B: Law, psychology and English, how bout you?

A: I’m studying, I was spose to study psychology but I got a D.

B: In what GCSE?

A: Hm, so I got to study Sociology now and I’m doing Health and Social Care, English Language and GCSE Maths, so what you studying?

C: Photography, Media and English Language

A: What do you actually do in Media Studies cause I don’t really understand?

C: Um, like plan out films and make horror trailers and then edit it

B: I done that in year 11

A: No way, so what about you?

D: Travel and Tourism, Economics and English Language

1.     Filled pauses are used in this transcript such as ‘Hm’ and ‘Um’ this is due to hesitation as they were unsure what to say next.

2.     The noun ‘done’ in this transcript is incorrect as it should be ‘did’ but it’s an informal conversation, this is the same for the lexis ‘spose’.

3.     The transcript has adjacency pairs meaning that the conversation follows an expected pattern, with preferred responses.

4.     The lexis ‘cause’ is informal vocabulary as its been shortened from ‘because’ this is because it was spoken language not written.

5.     Fillers are also used ‘Like’.

6.     This conversation shows an example of chaining.

7.     There are a multiple number of interrogatives.

8.     There is clear field specific lexis subject in relation to college subjects.

9.     In the text there is a hypernym of the word ‘study’ and the verb ‘studying’.

10.           The hypernyms which stem off of this are words such as psychology, economics and maths.

Awkward interviews

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flcozxpfh4g
- Lack of interest in conversation
- No conversational skills
- Distracted by surroundings
- One worded answers
- Lack of eye contact


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAhPhQlfRDc
- Host began with getting interviewees name wrong
-Sarcastic comments from interviewee
-Rudeness from hosts 'take a nap'
- Both female characters became bitter against one another
- Obvious disinterest from interviewee

David Crystal- Global English 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZI1EjxxXKw

Steven Pinker - Language as a window in human nature
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-son3EJTrU&noredirect=1
Language is a window into social relations.

Indirect speech act:
A case in which we don't blurt out what we mean in so many words.
-Instead we veil our intentions in Innuendos hoping listener will read between lines and to infer the true meaning of speaker.
''We're counting on you to show leadership in our campaign for the future'' - what they mean is to give them money.

Often situations are veiled when both parties despite them both knowing what they mean.

Language has 2 things:
1. Convey some content - bribe, commands and proposition
2. Negotiate a relationship type

Literal form- Signal safest relationship to listener.

1) Dominance- inherited from dominance hierarchy's
2) Communality- Share and share alike - mutuality
3) Reciprocity- You scratch my back Ill scratch yours

What you can get away with in communality relationships you cant get away with in dominance relationships.  

Both communality and reciprocity relationships clash, as communality is appropriate betweens friends, where as reciprocity is appropriate in the context of a restaurant.

Why should an obvious innuendos still feel more comfortable than a direct overture

'That is in some state on the record'

Functional categories

Transactional- Getting something done
Expressive- Giving expressions in feelings
Instructional- Giving information about how to do something
Phatic- Socialising through 'small talk'
Referential- Conveying factual knowledge