Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage (Studies in Interactional Sociolinguistics) [Hardcover]

Penelope Brown (Author), Stephen C. Levinson (Author), John J. Gumperz (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 1987 | ISBN-10: 0521308623 | ISBN-13: 978-0521308625

This study is about the principles for constructing polite speeches. The core of it first appeared in Questions and Politeness, edited by Esther N. Goody (now out of print). It is here reissued with a fresh introduction that surveys the considerable literature in linguistics, psychology and the social sciences that the original extended essay stimulated, and suggests distinct directions for research. The authors describe and account for some remarkable parallelisms in the linguistic construction of utterances with which people express themselves in different languages and cultures. A motive for these parallels is isolated - politeness, broadly defined to include both polite friendliness and polite formality - and a universal model is constructed outlining the abstract principles underlying polite usages. This is based on the detailed study of three unrelated languages and cultures: the Tamil of South India, the Tzeltal spoken by Mayan Indians in Chiapas, Mexico, and the English of the USA and England, supplemented by examples from other cultures. Underneath the apparent diversity of polite behaviour in different societies lie some general pan-human principles of social interaction, and the model of politeness provides a tool for analysing the quality of social relations in any society. This volume will be of special interest to students in linguistic pragmatics, sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, anthropology, and the sociology and social psychology of interaction.

Editorial Reviews

Review

It has continued to inspire empirical work as 'the' source on politeness and, more generally, as an important exemplar in the study of the relationship between language and society. In addition, the broad scope of their treatment of these concerns has created a work in which many, if not most, of the assumptions guiding the contemporary study of language use are to found." Douglas G. Glick, Semiotica (1996)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (March 27, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521308623
• ISBN-13: 978-0521308625
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,592,987 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Politely Speaking, September 18, 2001

By 

Pamela J. Hobbs (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage (Studies in Interactional Sociolinguistics 4) (Paperback)

Brown and Levinson's classic treatment of linguistic politeness is quite possibly the most widely cited work on the subject. Their theory of politeness is based on the notion of "face," that is, the twin desires to be unimpeded and approved, and takes politeness to be speech that addresses one or both of these "face needs."

In this re-issue of the original work, the authors expand their analysis to incorporate and respond to the considerable body of literature generated by their original work.

This book is a must for students of applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, sociology and anthropology.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Politeness as the basis for social order, July 12, 2005

By 

Adail Rodrigues Jr. "Adail S. Rodrigues Jr." (Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage (Studies in Interactional Sociolinguistics 4) (Paperback)

Stemming from a sociological view of language in use, this book shows that politeness strategies are the basis for social order. The authors advocate as well that politeness fuels the interactions any rational individual in all societies performs while using language to communicate and share experiences with each other. Any individual holds a specific face, that is, if the face is positive, the individual allows for a more "softly" interaction. By contrast, if the individual's face is negative, a more formal way of using language is required, in order to minimise any imposition upon the listener. So the authors demonstrate that politeness is far more than a guide to the rules of diplomatic etiquette. The book is, in fact, an invaluable source for lay people as well as linguists who seek to understand politeness as a realisation of power and agreement through language in use.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Um clássico que não envelhece, March 6, 2008

By 

Georgia M. F. Paiva "Geórgia Paiva" (Fortaleza, Ce Brasil) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage (Studies in Interactional Sociolinguistics 4) (Paperback)

Politeness: some universals in language usage é um livro que não envelhece, embora tenha despertado enumeras críticas depois de sua publicação, mas como o próprio Leech(2005) disse, os pioneiros sofrem mais, pois pecam pela ousadia, e um trabalho com essa profundidade não seria diferente.

O principal objetivo do livro é mostrar como a polidez linguistica interfere na dinâmica das relações humanas sob diferentes línguas. Posso dizer que os linguistas foram bastante convincentes e fizeram do livro um sucesso, um clássico da literatura no assunto.