Politeness Phenomenon

The present article deals with the problem of human interaction which serves the subject of such sciences as linguistics, pragmatics as well as psychology, sociology, anthropology, so on. Human interaction is also studied within Politeness Theory once developed by P. Brown and St. Levinson. Politeness Theory has become quite influential as it is aimed at redressing of offences to a person’s self-image, or face, by face-threatening acts. According to P. Brown and St. Levinson, politeness is a universal concept. It is the powerful means that helps the speaker to express his intentions and mitigate face threats carried by his face-threatening acts to the listener. Therefore, politeness makes it possible for the speaker to save his own face and the face of his partner of communication. In other words, politeness ensures the rights of communicants not to be interfered with and to be approved of. These rights make up positive and negative face of a communicant. Positive face implies the interactant’s desire to be appreciated and to be approved of while negative face presents the want to be unimpeded by others. These two related aspects determine the strategies of positive and negative politeness that are aimed at reinforcing the positive image of a communicant and at preserving their independence. On the whole, politeness provide mutual comfort and harmonious flow of human interaction. The same idea is supported by G. Leech, G. Kasper, B. Fraser, P. Grice who develops Cooperative Principle of polite communication. Being a universal concept politeness is realised through a set of strategies. The author of the article calls such point of view on politeness “western-oriented”. As for Russian and Ukrainian linguists, they see politeness as speech etiquette which is released in speech formulae. Choosing this or that speech etiquette formula, communicants establish, support and terminate the contact in accordance with socially accepted rules of conversation, thus, making their interaction pleasant and friendly. Politeness is not regarded as a set of strategies, but only as politeness formulae.