What is Politeness Theory?

Politeness Theory

In this course, Dr James Murphy (University of the West of England, Bristol) explores politeness theory. In the first module, we introduce the concept of politeness theory and think about its development from the 1970s to the present day. In the second module, we look more closely at one of the most influential theories of politeness –that of Penny Brown and Steve Levison – before turning in the third module to consider theories of impoliteness. In the fourth module, we use some of the concepts that we have learned so far to analyse an 2009 interview between Andrew Marr and Peter Mandelson, before moving on in the fifth and final module to think about canonical verbal formula mismatches, especially in relation to apologies, e.g. "I'm sorry but you're an idiot."

What is Politeness Theory?

In this module, we introduce the concept of politeness theory, focusing in particular on: (i) the importance of politeness in our everyday lives; (ii) the relative lack of interest in politeness as an area of study before the 1970s; (iii) the interest in politeness more generally in the Victorian era, including the publication of guides to social etiquette; (iv) the work of Richard J. Watts the concept of 'politic behaviour'; (v) the relationship between (in)directness and (im)politeness; (vi) the work of Paul Grice (1913-88) and his Cooperative Principle; (vii) the work of Erving Goffman (1922-82) and the concept of face ("the positive social value a person effectively claims for themselves") and 'face-threatening acts'; (viii) the work of Penelope Brown and Stephen Levinson and the idea that we have two faces: positive and negative; (ix) the work of Robin Lakoff and her development of the 'Politeness Principle'; (x) the failure of many theories of politeness to deal with (deliberate) impoliteness.