Lakoff and Leech Politeness Principles and co

Question 1

What are Lakoffs general rules of talking.

Answer 1

1) Be Clear
2) Be Polite

Question 2

Can you expand on Lakoff’s rules of being clear?

Answer 2

a. Later formalised in terms of Grice’s cooperative principle.

Question 3

What’s Lakoff’s politeness principle’s Maxims?

Answer 3

1) Don’t impose.
2) Give options.
3) Make you receiver feel good.

Question 4

What’s Lakoff’s politeness principle’s Maxims?
1) Don’t impose.

Answer 4

a. Avoid intruding on other lives.
b. “Excuse me” before addressing a stranger.

Question 5

What’s Lakoff’s politeness principle’s Maxims?
2) Give options.

Answer 5

a. Avoid making the listener feel obliged to do something.
b. “Its totally up to you.”

Question 6

What’s Lakoff’s politeness principle’s Maxims?
3) Make you receiver feel good.

Answer 6

a. Make others feel appreciated.
b. Flattery “Don’t know what I would do without you.”

Question 7

Which of Lakoff’s general conversational rules is her favourite?

Answer 7

Lakoff notes that sometimes the need for clarity would clash with the need for politeness but she would argue that politeness is more important.

Question 8

What’s the relationship between Leech’s politeness principles and Grice’s Cooperative principles?

Answer 8

His politeness principle works in compromise with the cooperative principles.
In fact, it lends the Cooperative Principle much explanatory power: the Cooperative Principle accounts for how people convey indirect meanings, the Politeness Principle accounts for why people convey indirect meanings.

Question 9

What are the Maxims in Leech’s Politeness principle?(6)

Answer 9

1) Tact Maxim
2) Generosity Maxim
3) Approbation (approval) Maxim
4) Modesty Maxim
5) Agreement Maxim
6) Sympathy Maxim

Question 10

What are the Maxims in Leech’s Politeness principle?
1) Tact Maxim (4)
PART 1

Answer 10

a. Be kind when asking someone to do something.
b. Make it easy for them.
c. Think about what the other person wants.
d. “Could I interrupt you for a second?”

Question 11

What are the Maxims in Leech’s Politeness principle?
2) Generosity Maxim (4)

Answer 11

a. Don’t prioritize your own benefit when asking for something.
b. Put the other person first.
c. Be willing to sacrifice for others.
d. “You must come and have dinner with us.”

Question 12

What are the Maxims in Leech’s Politeness principle?
3) Approbation (approval) Maxim (2)

Answer 12

a. Be careful not to criticize or upset someone when expressing your opinion and give praise when you can.
b. “Yes I have seen the dress. It’s unusual.”

Question 13

What are the Maxims in Leech’s Politeness principle?
4) Modesty Maxim (3)

Answer 13

a. Don’t brag or talk about yourself too much.
b. Be willing to admit faults and flaws.
c. “I’m so stupid, I didn’t get that, did you? “

Question 14

What are the Maxims in Leech’s Politeness principle?
5) Agreement Maxim (3)

Answer 14

a. When stating a fact or opinion, try not to argue with others.
b. Find common ground and agree with others.
c. “perhaps we could agree to go at midday.”

Question 15

What are the Maxims in Leech’s Politeness principle?
6) Sympathy Maxim (3)

Answer 15

a. (In assertives) When stating something.
b. Show empathy and kindness towards others.
c. “I was sorry to hear you weren’t well.”

Question 16

Can you please tell me even more about specifically Leech’s Tact Maxim?

Answer 16

1) The higher the cost to the person being asked to do something, the more tactful the request should be.
2) The greater the social distance between the two people, the more tactful the request should be.
3) The more authority the person who is asking has, the less tactful the request needs to be.
4) If the requester wants to be tactful, they may need to use more indirect language or provide more options for the person being asked.

Question 17

How widely applicable would Leech have argued his Politeness Principle was?

Answer 17

Leech is careful to state that not all maxims are applicable or hold equal weight in all cultures. Eg. Tact is quite weighted in British culture, Modesty in Japanese, etc.