Keywords Flashcards
Face
> Developed by ERVING GOFFMAN (1955)
> The IMAGE of OURSELVES that we want to PRESENT TO OTHER PEOPLE
> ‘LOSING FACE’ and ‘SAVING FACE’ is what it is generally associated with
> CONVERSATIONS are USUALLY COOPERATIVE so we usually tend to ACCEPT the ‘FACE’ that people present to us
Face Threatening Act
> When we REJECT the ‘FACE’ that someone offer us by ACCUSING them of INSINCERITY or by MOCKING them
> MAINTAINS the STATUS that each person has either in society or the conversational context
Status
> As a general rule, people of LOWER STATUS tend to be more ATTENTIVE TO THE FACE NEEDS of those of a HIGHER STATUS and VICE-VERSA
Politeness
> Developed by BROWN AND LEVINSON (1987)
> Mainly about FACE NEEDS being met by POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE POLITENESS
Positive Politeness
> Showing that we LIKE/ADMIRE someone by saying NICE THINGS
> If someone of a HIGHER STATUS asks someones of an INFERIOR STATUS to call them by their FIRST NAME
> Serves as an attempt to REDUCE SOCIAL DISTANCE between people
Negative Politeness
> Where we try hard NOT TO INTRUDE ON OTHERS or IMPOSE PRESENCE on them or PRYING into their PERSONAL AFFAIRS
> Can result in language that is INDIRECT, APOLOGETIC and RESPECTFUL
> Someone of an INFERIOR STATUS will address someone of a SUPERIOR STATUS by calling them by their TITLE AND SURNAME in order to MAINTAIN the SOCIAL DISTANCE
The Politeness Principle
> ROBIN LAKOFF (1973)
Much CONVERSATIONAL BEHAVIOUR is governed by the POLITENESS PRINCIPLE
THREE MAXIMS:
> DON’T IMPOSE
> GIVE OPTIONS
> MAKE THE RECEIVER FEEL GOOD
Accommodation
> HOWARD GILES (1970s)
> Where we ADJUST our SPEECH to ‘ACCOMODATE’ the person we are speaking to
> DEMONSTRATED through the use of ACCENT or REGISTER
> STATUS is an important INFLUENCE on ACCOMODATION
> Someone of a SUBORDINATE STATUS is more likely to CONVERGE TOWARDS A SUPERIOR rather than the other way around
> If BOTH PARTICIPANTS in a conversation attempt to ACCOMMODATE each other, this is MUTUAL CONVERGENCE
Convergence
> Where we MOVE OUR SPEECH more closely TOWARDS the OTHER PARTICIPANT in the conversation
> REDUCES SOCIAL DISTANCE
Downward Convergence
> Where someone who speaks with an RP ACCENT may try to TONE DOWN his ACCENT or REGISTER in order to FIT IN WITH SPEECH of more WORKING CLASS people
Upward Convergence
> When someone with a STRONG ACCENT may try to SOUND more ‘POSH’ when TALKING TO A SUPERIOR or ELEVATE their LANGUAGE/REGISTER in order to IMPRESS
Power in Spoken Discourse
> Gives a RISE to UNEQUAL ENCOUNTERS
> Can make REFERENCE to the POWERFUL and LESS POWERFUL PARTICIPANT
Power Asymmetry
> Where one SPEAKER has a HIGHER ROLE than another
Constraints
> Ways in which POWERFUL PARTICIPANTS may BLOCK or CONTROL the CONTRIBUTIONS of LESS POWERFUL PARTICIPANTS e.g. by controlling content or interrupting
Phatic Talk
> HOLMES AND STUBBE (2003)
> POWER is DEMONSTRATED by SUPERIORS as a way of CARRYING OUT their OCCUPATIONAL ROLE
> Some MANAGERS CONTROL the amount of SMALL TALK allowed IN A DISCUSSION by DIRECTING TOPIC the topic BACK TOWARDS WORK RELATED topic
> This is a ‘REPRESSIVE DISCOURSE STRATEGY’ which serves to STRENGTHEN SOCIAL TIES by using SMALL TALK as a POSITIVE POLITENESS STRATEGY
IRF Model
INITIATION - Can anyone tell em what personal power is?
RESPONSE - It’s when someone holds power in a conversation due to their occupational role
FEEDBACK - Good who might have…
Restricted Occupational Lexis
> LEXIS ASSOCIATED with a JOB or particular GROUP that only a MINORITY would use or UNDERSTAND
> A LAWYER might use the MORAL CONSTITUTION or the FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION might be abbreviated to the ‘FA’ for those closely associated with a group or job
Unequal Encounters
> A term devised by NORMAN FAIRCLOUGH in reference to ENCOUNTERS between PARTICIPANTS of a DIFFERENT STATUS, LEVELS or ROLES
> This makes a DISTINCTION between those who have ‘POWER IN DISCOURSE’ and those who have ‘POWER BEHIND DISCOURSE’
Goal Orientation
> Devised by DREW AND HERITAGE
> Participants in WORKPLACE CONVERSATIONS usually focus on SPECIFIC TASKS or ROLES
Allowable Contributions
> RESTRICTIONS upon CONTRIBUTION are considered ‘ALLOWABLE’ e.g. what participants might say
Power Asymmetry
> WORKPLACE INTERACTIONS are often ASYMMETRICAL in that ONE SPEAKER often has MORE POWER or SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE than the other e.g. manager/employee, doctor/patient
Turn Taking Rules
> Some CONTEXTS have specific TURN TAKING RULES e.g. a courtroom
> Even when there are NO SPECIFIC RULES there is an accepted PROTOCOL e.g. doctor/patient
Jargon
> SPECIALIST LANGUAGE belonging to an exclusive GROUP, often a PROFESSION
Social Group Power
> POWER held as a RESULT of being a member or a DOMINANT SOCIAL GROUP
Power Behind Discourse
> The REASONS behind ASSERTIONS OF POWER in language
Instrumental Power
> Having the AUTHORITY to IMPOSE sanctions if POWER IS IGNORED
Influential Power
> Having NO actual AUTHORITY but ATTEMPTING to PERSUADE or INFLUENCE
Positive Politeness Strategy
> AVOIDING a FACE-THREATENING ACT by making the LISTENER feel LIKED, WANTED and APPRECIATED
Negative Politeness Strategy
> AVOIDING a FACE THREATENING ACT by making the LISTENER FEEL as if they have NOT BEEN IMPOSED ON and their FREEDOM is thought of as INTACT
Synthetic Personalisation
> Devised by NORMAN FAIRCLOUGH
BUILDING RELATIONS - Using language to create a closer relationship between the reader and the listener
CREATING AN IMAGE - Using the READERS IDEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND to CREATE an IMAGE of the PRODUCT being ADVERTISED e.g. suggesting a product is for those with a busy social lifestyle
