INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the study
Politeness has gained significant attention in pragmatics over the past four decades, particularly within sociolinguistics and anthropolinguistics Traditionally examined through ordinary conversation, recent studies have expanded globally, building on the foundational work of Brown & Levinson (1987) and their "face-saving view." Yule (1996) emphasizes the importance of politeness strategies in social interactions, highlighting the necessity of understanding what to say, how to say it, and when to engage with others in various contexts.
Politeness is a crucial aspect of communication that extends beyond the realms of sociolinguistics and anthropolinguistics, playing a significant role in educational settings, particularly in classrooms Effective classroom interaction can be enhanced by maintaining politeness among students and teachers While Ayu (2018) examined politeness in speaking classes from the lecturer's perspective, it did not delve into the strategies students employ to navigate politeness Similarly, Murni (2019) focused on English students' perceptions of politeness, neglecting the teachers' viewpoints on the matter This highlights a gap in the research regarding the dynamics of politeness in educational contexts.
In Vietnam, notable works by scholars such as T G Nguyen (1976), T T H Vu (1997), and Q Nguyen (2003) have examined the concepts of politeness and language However, research focusing specifically on the politeness strategies employed by teachers and students in university settings remains limited.
This research, titled "An Analysis of Politeness Strategies Used by Teachers and Students in English Classes at the School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University," aims to explore the essential role of politeness strategies in education It specifically focuses on how English university teachers and students employ these strategies within the classroom context, highlighting their significance in fostering effective communication and a positive learning environment.
Objectives of the study
- To identify and analyze politeness strategies used by teachers and students in English classes at SFL-TNU
- To offer suggestions for teachers and students in using politeness strategies in a more effective way.
Scope of the study
The concept of politeness in pragmatics, discourse analysis, and linguistics is complex and challenging to define This thesis specifically examines the politeness strategies employed by teachers and first-year students at SFL-TNU, after clarifying related concepts It aims to provide insights into these interactions within the academic context of SFL-TNU.
Significance of the study
This study aims to provide both theoretical and practical benefits in the application of politeness strategies during English teaching and learning It serves as a valuable resource for researchers, teachers, and students alike For educators, the findings offer a reference for enhancing English instruction, particularly in the use of politeness strategies Students will gain a deeper understanding of various politeness strategies and their applications Additionally, the research findings can assist other researchers by supplying essential information on politeness strategies, while the author gains in-depth knowledge and experience in this area.
Design of the study
The study is composed of three parts:
Part I: Introduction: presents the rationale, objectives, scope, significant, and the design of the study
Part II: Development: This part consists of three chapters:
This chapter discusses the notions of politeness theory, face, politeness strategies and explores previous works of politeness strategies from pragmatic perspective
This chapter states the chosen methods to carry out the study and to analyze the collected data It also deals with informants and procedures of the data collection
+ Chapter 3: Research findings and discussion
This chapter analyses collected data to find out major politeness strategies used by teachers and students After having the findings, the discussion will be done by researcher
Part III: Conclusion and suggestion
This part summarizes the main findings of the study, and offers some suggestions for further research.
DEVELOPMENT
LITERATURE REVIEW
This section includes two main parts Part 1 reviews theoretical framework Part 2 reviews some previous studies
Politeness plays a crucial role in human communication and has recently gained attention as a pragmatic phenomenon, prompting extensive research to enhance interpersonal interactions This growing focus emphasizes the importance of studying language within its social context While the fundamental concept of politeness is universally recognized across cultures, its expression varies significantly Numerous scholars have offered diverse definitions of politeness, highlighting its complexity and cultural nuances.
In the Longman dictionary of contemporary English, politeness is defined as
Politeness embodies the demonstration of good manners, respect for others, and appropriate social behavior It serves as the practical implementation of etiquette, which varies significantly across cultures Consequently, actions deemed polite in one culture may be perceived as rude or unusual in another, highlighting the importance of cultural context in social interactions.
Politeness is widely recognized by scholars as a crucial tool for conflict avoidance in interpersonal interactions According to Lakoff (1975), societies develop politeness to minimize friction, suggesting its universal application Leech (1983) further describes politeness as "strategic conflict avoidance," which can be evaluated by the effort invested in preventing conflict Additionally, Brown and Levinson (1987) characterize politeness as a complex system aimed at mitigating face threats, where "face" refers to an individual's self-image, honor, self-esteem, and public persona.
Politeness involves using suitable words or phrases in the right context, guided by societal norms In social interactions, maintaining politeness fosters harmony and smooth communication while minimizing the risk of face-threatening speech acts.
Since the late 1970s, several politeness theories have emerged in pragmatics to elucidate language interaction conventions that are both universal and culturally specific The four primary contemporary theories addressing politeness include the social-norm view, the conversational-maxim view, the face-saving view, and the conversational-contract view.
This research focuses specifically on the conversational-maxim and face-saving perspectives, which have garnered significant attention from researchers The conversational-maxim perspective is primarily rooted in Grice's framework, highlighting its foundational role in understanding communication dynamics.
The Cooperative Principle (CP), introduced by Grice in 1975, has been influential in the study of communication, with notable adaptations by Lakoff in 1973 and Leech in 1983 A significant contribution to the understanding of politeness is the face-saving perspective, proposed by Brown and Levinson in 1978, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining social harmony in interactions.
Grice's Co-operative Principle (CP) and his Maxims of Conversation have significantly advanced the study of pragmatics He introduced four conversational Maxims—quantity, quality, relevance, and manner—that clarify the relationship between utterances and their interpretations Grice emphasized that these maxims, rooted in the cooperative principle, play a crucial role in guiding effective communication.
Grice's maxims, while not explicitly focused on politeness, have significantly influenced studies on polite communication These maxims are essential for understanding the formulation of polite language and behavior, and have been utilized by various scholars Notably, Lakoff and Leech have explored politeness as a departure from Grice's cooperative principle, developing their own models through specific rules, principles, or maxims.
Lakoff expanded on Grice's concept of the Cooperative Principle to formulate a theory of politeness, introducing two key rules of pragmatic competence: Be clear and Be polite She noted that these rules can either support or conflict with one another The clarity rules, which align with Grice's maxims, include: Don't impose (for formal contexts), Give options (for informal settings), and Make a feel good – Be friendly (for intimate circles) The application of these politeness rules varies based on the speaker's understanding of the context and their interpersonal relationships, guiding their choice in communication.
Lakoff's concept of politeness emphasizes conflict-free communication, where participants in a conversation can meet each other's needs and interests This is achieved through the use of politeness strategies that foster harmony and cohesion in social interactions.
In his 1983 work, Leech built upon Grice's conversational maxims to explore the concept of politeness within a pragmatic framework He emphasized that politeness involves the dynamics between two participants in a conversation, while also acknowledging that speakers may extend politeness to third parties, regardless of their presence in the interaction.
Leech's Politeness Principle (PP) serves as a vital complement to the Cooperative Principle (CP), grounded in its foundational maxims The PP encompasses six maxims that elucidate the connection between meaning and intent in everyday communication.
1 Tact maxim - minimizing cost to other and maximizing benefit to other;
2 Generosity maxim - minimizing benefit to self and maximizing cost to self;
3 Approbation maxim - minimizing dispraise of other and maximizing praise of other;
4 Modesty maxim - minimizing praise of self and maximize dispraise of self;
5 Agreement maxim - maximizing agreement between self and other people and minimizing disagreement between self and other;
6 Sympathy maxim - minimizing antipathy between self and other and maximizing sympathy between self and other
Leech's framework highlights the interaction between the Cooperative Principle (CP) and the Politeness Principle (PP) in communication The CP and its maxims elucidate how utterances can be interpreted to convey indirect messages, while the PP and its maxims explain the reasons behind the use of indirectness This approach has significantly advanced the understanding of politeness theory.
1.2.4 Brown & Levinson’s approach to politeness
Brown & Levinson's face-saving approach to politeness, established in 1987, remains the most influential model in the field due to its clarity and theoretical simplicity This model is based on the concept of "face," which encompasses both positive and negative aspects Positive face refers to the need for approval and appreciation, while negative face pertains to the desire for autonomy and freedom from imposition Additionally, certain communicative actions, known as Face Threatening Acts (FTAs), can inherently jeopardize an individual's face, highlighting the delicate balance of social interactions.
Following is the figure of possible strategies for doing FTAs by Brown & Levinson (1987):
Figure 1: Possible strategies for doing FTAs (adapted from Brown & Levinson, 1987: 69)
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter outlines the methodology employed to derive the study's final findings, covering key aspects such as research questions, research design, the context of the research, data collection instruments, data collection procedures, and data analysis techniques.
With the objectives stated above, the study aims to answer the following research questions:
1 What types of politeness strategies are used by teachers and students in English classes at SFL-TNU?
2 In what ways should teachers and students use their politeness strategies toward each other on teaching and learning process?
This study employs a descriptive qualitative research method to comprehensively analyze the politeness strategies utilized by teachers and students in English classes.
The researcher gathered data and transcribed it to provide a descriptive report of the findings To ensure representative results, the research object must be in a natural condition These representative results serve as the foundation for drawing conclusions from the research.
The study involved two randomly selected English teachers and 46 first-year students from two English classes at SFL-TNU, with English proficiency levels ranging from A2 to B1 according to the Common Vietnamese Framework of Reference Most students had at least 3 to 5 years of English study, allowing them to adapt easily to new environments and knowledge However, they still lacked proficiency in specialized areas of English, including pragmatics, discourse analysis, and politeness strategies.
The research took place in 2 English classes The first one is English pedagogy class and the second one is English bachelor class No 02 in SFL-TNU
The time of research is ongoing teaching English time Research will be held two times for each class
+ English pedagogy class (first class): The first is on Thursday, May 9 th
2019, at 14:00 -14:45 PM The second is on Thursday, May 16 2019, at 7:30 - 8:15 AM
+ English bachelor class No 02 (second class): The first is on Monday, May
13 2019, at 14:00 -14:45 PM The second is on Friday, May 17 2019, at 9:00 – 9:45 AM
To conduct the research effectively, the researcher utilized various tools, including a video recorder, notes, and a set of interview questions The video recorder was employed to capture the entire lesson, from the opening to the closing activities A total of four class sessions were recorded, with each class being filmed twice, and the recordings were subsequently categorized into four CDs: CD I and CD III represent conversations from the first and second meetings of the English pedagogy class, while CD II and CD IV correspond to the first and second meetings of the English bachelor class.
The researcher used the descriptive method in this research, so in conducting this research the researcher did some ways to collect data, such as doing video recording and interview
This study explores the application of politeness strategies among teachers and students in English classes Video recordings of classroom interactions were conducted twice for each class, capturing the verbal exchanges between teachers and students throughout the English teaching process.
During the classroom activity, the researcher observed the teaching and learning process by sitting at the back of the room This position allowed for an in-depth investigation of the politeness strategies employed in the interactions between teachers and students.
Then, the researcher recorded the conversation between teachers and students during learning process by using a recorder
After gathering the data, the researcher transcribed the video recordings to streamline the data collection process and identify specific dialogue segments that demonstrate the politeness strategies used by both teachers and students Finally, the researcher categorized the data by assigning codes based on the politeness strategies theories proposed by Brown & Levinson and Q Nguyen.
In early June, the researcher conducted interviews with two teachers and five students, all of whom had positively responded to the invitation Since the participants were on summer vacation, data collection was carried out via telephone.
The interviews were recorded and subsequently transcribed, with data collected over two days through individual participant interviews The researcher utilized the interview results to strengthen the research findings derived from the video recordings.
To collect data for analysis, the researcher use following methods
The recording was done four times by observing the utterances used by 02 teachers and 46 first year students during English teaching process
The steps in analyzing the data are followings
(1) Step 1: the researcher collected the data through observation by recording video Then, the researcher selected, identified, and focused on the data by referring to formulation of the research problem;
(2) Step 2: after selecting the data, the researcher reduced and displayed those data into table form;
(3) Step 3: after displaying the data, the conclusion was drawn
The researcher took the result of interview to reinforce the research findings obtained from video recording
After gathering the English teachers' utterances, the researcher proceeded to select and simplify the data The final step involved codifying the information, which aids in the classification and analysis of the data The process of data coding is essential for streamlining this analysis.
1 The number of each datum
2 The number of disc where the politeness strategies occurred It is classified the data whether occurred in CD I, CD II, CD III or CD IV
3 The type of politeness strategies
In teacher-student interactions, various forms of politeness are employed, including bald on record (BOR), positive politeness (PP), negative politeness (NP), and off record (OR) Bald on record strategies manifest through non-minimization of threats and FTA-oriented usage Positive politeness techniques encompass a range of strategies such as noticing or attending to the hearer, exaggerating, intensifying interest, utilizing in-group identity markers, seeking agreement, avoiding disagreement, presupposing common ground, joking, asserting knowledge of the hearer's wants, offering promises, maintaining optimism, including both speaker and hearer in activities, providing reasons, assuming reciprocity, and giving gifts Negative politeness is characterized by being conventionally indirect, questioning and hedging, expressing pessimism, minimizing imposition, showing deference, apologizing, impersonalizing the speaker and hearer, stating the FTA as a general rule, nominalizing, and acknowledging debts.
Teachers and students employ various off-record strategies in communication, including giving hints (GVHN), providing associative clues (GVCL), and presupposing information (PRSP) They may also understate (UDRT) or overstate (OVRS) points, utilize tautologies (UTTL), and present contradictions (UCTR) Additionally, irony (BIRN), metaphors (UMTP), and rhetorical questions (URTQ) are common techniques Communication can also be characterized by ambiguity (BAMB), vagueness (BVGU), over-generalization (OGNR), displacement of H (DSPL), and the use of incomplete statements or ellipsis (INELP).
The following is the example of coding:
In the initial meeting of the English pedagogy class, the dialogue reveals that coding corresponds to datum number 4 Throughout the conversation, participants employed a positive politeness strategy (PP) to foster a friendly atmosphere, while also utilizing the "Seek Agreement" strategy (SAGR) to encourage collaboration and mutual understanding among teachers and students.
After collecting and refining the data, the researcher presents the organized information in a concise format that facilitates drawing conclusions The data regarding English teachers' directive speech acts is categorized and illustrated through informative tables.
S: I can borrow it for you
The example above is a conversation between teacher and student
RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter outlines the research findings, organized into two sections The first section details the analyzed data from video recordings and interviews, focusing on the politeness strategies employed by teachers and students during the teaching process The second section delves into a discussion of these findings, offering an in-depth exploration of the politeness strategies utilized in the interactions between teachers and students.
This article is divided into two main sections: the first part presents findings from video recordings that analyze the politeness strategies employed by teachers and students in English classes, while the second part outlines insights gathered from interviews with both teachers and students.
The researcher initially recorded videos before conducting interviews with teachers and students To ensure the trustworthiness of the collected data, the researcher compared the interview responses with the video recordings.
The researcher did the video recording four times (two times for each class), so the research findings were presented into several parts The detail explanation is as follows.
1.1.1 The politeness strategies used by teachers during teaching process in English classes
The researcher found 31 utterances of politeness strategies used by teacher in the first observation The detail as below
Day, Date : Thursday, 09 th May 2019
There is 5 utterances used bald on record employed by the teacher during opening activity of teaching process was ongoing The detail as below:
The statement exemplifies the Bald on Record strategy, highlighting a non-minimization of face threats In this context, the teacher encourages students to raise their hands if they know the answer By incorporating the word "please," the teacher effectively mitigates the potential threat to the students' face, fostering a more respectful and supportive classroom environment.
It also applies in data 01, 08, 11, 13
The use of positive politeness strategy is found during opening activity was ongoing The detail is below:
Give or ask for reasons
“Number 3: Why did they buy a camping van?”
The utterance above belongs to Positive politeness strategy – Give or ask for reasons The teacher ask students to give answer the reason why they buy a camping van
There are 14 utterances used Seek agreement strategy
In the conversation, the teacher employed positive politeness by seeking agreement with the student's response This technique is often emphasized by reiterating parts of the previous statement When the teacher asked the students, "Where did they plan to travel to by container ship?" he acknowledged the student's answer by repeating it, reinforcing a collaborative dialogue.
“to Africa” and the teacher repeat the answer “To Africa, alright” again to assert that she agrees with what student said
It also applies in data 06, 09, 14, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 35
Include both S & H in the activity
There are 04 utterances used Include both S & H in the activity strategy
“Now, let’s think about the bright side”
The teacher encourages students to consider the positive aspects of a situation, contrasting with previous negative viewpoints The use of "let's" signifies the teacher's inclusive approach, fostering a collaborative atmosphere and making the request more polite, thereby promoting cooperation between the teacher and the students.
It also applies in data 29, 32, 36
“Could you please move your seat? So you two work together.”
That utterance belongs to Be conventionally indirect strategy The teacher means to ask the student to move her seat to make a pair with another student to discuss more effective
The insert of “please” in the sentence above shows that there is a willingness to ask directly and give choices to the H
It also applies in data 04,15,16,17
The statement exemplifies the "Give Association Clues" strategy, where the teacher instructs students to read and respond to question number 6 This approach is also evident in data 34.
Table 1: The frequency of the use of politeness strategy by teacher in the first conversation
No Types of politeness strategy Data number Frequency
Non-minimization of the face threat 1,2,8,11,13 05
Give or ask for reasons 03 01
24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 35 14 Include both S & H in the activity 22, 29, 32, 36 04
4 Off record strategy Give association clues 12, 34 02
The researcher found 46 utterances of politeness strategies used by teacher in the first observation The detail as below:
There are 14 utterances used bald on record employed by the teacher during opening activity of teaching process was ongoing The detail as below:
“Be silent! Please, to prepare to listen”
The statement exemplifies the Bald on Record strategy, which involves a direct approach that does not minimize face threats In this instance, the teacher instructs the students to remain silent in order to listen to their peers By incorporating the word "please," the teacher softens the impact of the directive, thereby reducing the potential threat to the students' face.
It also applies in data 11, 12, 14, 39, 56, 47, 50, 52, 23, 37, 42, 24, 25
The use of positive politeness strategy is found during opening activity was ongoing The detail is below:
Give or ask for reasons
“Why you choose it is false?”
The utterance above shows that teacher employs positive politeness strategy
13, namely give or ask for reason The teacher asks the student about the reason why she choose the answer is false
It also applies in data 16, 32, 33, 36, 51, 53, 66
There are 15 utterances used Seek agreement strategy
“Seed? So, what is this?”
In this context, the teacher asks the students “When you look at the picture, can you recall the topic of unit 1 that you learned last time?”
Then the students answer “Seed” And teacher repeat the answer “seed” again to confirm the answer
That utterance shows how the teacher uses seek agreement strategy by repeating what students said
It also applies in data 21, 64, 29, 02, 06, 08, 18, 31, 34, 43, 44, 55, 38, 41
Include both S & H in the activity
There are 07 utterances used Include both S & H in the activity strategy
“So, let’s think about it”
The phrase "let's" in the sentence highlights the teacher's inclusion of students in the activity, fostering a sense of collaboration This choice of wording not only makes the request more polite but also emphasizes that the learning goals are shared between the teacher and the students, promoting a cooperative educational environment.
It also applies in data 01, 09, 19, 20, 48, 28, 49
“OK The time is over”
The teacher's statement served a dual purpose: it provided information while also issuing a command by indicating that "time is over." This prompt encourages students to conclude their discussions and finalize their answers.
It also applies in data 57
Table 2: The frequency of the use of politeness strategy by teacher in the second conversation
No Types of politeness strategy Data number Frequency
1 Bald on record Non-minimization of the face threat
Give or ask for reasons 16, 32, 33, 36, 51, 53,
No Types of politeness strategy Data number Frequency
3 Off record strategy Give association clues 15, 57 02
The researcher found 12 utterances of politeness strategies used by teacher in the second observation The detail as below:
There are 03 utterances used bald on record employed by the teacher during opening activity of teaching process was ongoing The detail as below:
The statement exemplifies the Bald on Record strategy, highlighting a non-minimization of face threats In this instance, the teacher directly questions the students' understanding, expressing confusion about their smiles and stating, "Don't smile; that makes me unsure of what you are thinking."
It also applies in data 02, 04
The use of positive politeness strategy is found during opening activity was ongoing The detail is below:
There are 02 utterances used Seek agreement strategy
"Reflect on your personal festival or celebration; outline key ideas in phrases rather than full sentences."
The teacher employed positive politeness in the conversation, utilizing a seek agreement strategy By encouraging students to speak about their own experiences with festivals or celebrations, the teacher emphasizes the importance of responding in phrases rather than complete sentences, reiterating the phrase "not sentence, not full sentence" to ensure clarity in communication.
It also applies in data 12
Give or ask for reasons
“Understand? Why do you smile?
The teacher utilizes positive politeness strategy 13, which involves giving or asking for reasons By inquiring why the student is smiling during the lesson, the teacher seeks to understand whether the student comprehends the material being taught.
Include both S & H in the activity
There are 03 utterances used Include both S & H in the activity strategy
“Now, let’s turn to Part 5: Work in pair, not work in group”
The inclusion of the word "let's" in the sentence demonstrates the teacher's collaborative approach, fostering a sense of partnership with the students This choice of language not only makes the request more polite but also emphasizes shared goals, highlighting that the objectives are beneficial for both the teacher and the students.
It also applies in data 10, 11
“You should prepare another kind outline, like: wedding, birthday, etc.”
By using this strategy 16, the teacher encourages students to prepare at home another outline of festival or celebration basing on the out line studied on class
It also applies in data 14