Politeness is key to all of our relationships and plays a fundamental part in the way we communicate with each other and the way we define ourselves. It is not limited only to conventional aspects of linguistic etiquette, but encompasses all types of interpersonal behaviour through which we explore and maintain our relationships. This groundbreaking exploration navigates the reader through this fascinating area and introduces them to a variety of new insights. The book is divided into three parts and is based on an innovative framework which relies on the concepts of social practice, time and space. In this multidisciplinary approach, the authors capture a range of user and observer understandings and provide a variety of examples from different languages and cultures. With its reader-friendly style, carefully constructed exercises and useful glossary, Understanding Politeness will be welcomed by both researchers and postgraduate students working on politeness, pragmatics and sociolinguistics more broadly.
• The authors approach the topic from a multidisciplinary perspective which will appeal to readers from other disciplines • Is written in a reader-friendly style and carefully constructed exercises and useful glossary make the book accessible to a wide range of readers • Will suit those who are interested in a particular aspect of politeness, as chapters can be read and understood individually
Contents
1. Introduction; Part I. Theoretical Framework: 2. The roots of politeness research; 3. Recent developments in politeness research; 4. Politeness as social practice; 5. Understandings of politeness; Part II. Politeness and Time: 6. Politeness in interaction; 7. Politeness, convention and rituality; 8. Politeness and history; Part III. Politeness and Social Space: From Mind to Society: 9. Politeness and metapragmatics; 10. Politeness, cognition and emotion; 11. Culture, identity and politeness; 12. Conclusion.
Reviews
Advance praise: 'Understanding Politeness provides an innovative, integrative understanding of politeness as an evaluative social practice. It is destined to become the standard paradigm for teaching students and for studying these complex phenomena.' Robert B. Arundale, Professor Emeritus of Communication, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Advance praise: 'Understanding Politeness focuses on politeness as social practice, and sets politeness within a social, historical and evaluative context. It constitutes an excellent engagement with past and current politeness research, describes key concepts in politeness clearly, and also provides many illustrative examples from a range of different media.' Sara Mills, Research Professor in Linguistics, Sheffield Hallam University
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