Rationale
Language plays a crucial role in communication and cultural understanding, transcending nationality and social or ethnic backgrounds Among the world's languages, English stands out as the most influential The demand for English learning has surged, leading to a wide array of teaching and learning resources to cater to this growing interest.
In Vietnam, English has rapidly evolved into a mandatory subject in educational institutions, from schools to universities Despite many Vietnamese learners mastering grammar and expanding their vocabulary, they frequently encounter communication challenges in everyday conversations To communicate effectively across cultures, it is essential for learners to gain cultural knowledge and understand the interplay between language and culture Furthermore, awareness of subtle cultural nuances, such as politeness strategies in social interactions, is crucial for successful communication.
In communication, people use the politeness strategies to save hearers‟ face and avoid making other people feel uncomfortable
This research paper, titled “A Study of Politeness Strategies and Role Relationships in the Conversational Activities of the Course Book 'New Headway' (Intermediate) as Seen by Teachers of English at University of Economic-Technical Industries,” aims to provide teachers with valuable insights into the politeness strategies influenced by role relationships in the course book's conversational activities.
Aims of the study
The study is carried out to achieve the following objectives:
- To identify and classify positive and negative politeness employed in the conversations of the course book “New Headway” (intermediate)
- To investigate how positive and negative politeness strategies are realized with reference to role relationships in the conversations
- To find out how UNETI teachers identify politeness under the influence of role relationships in conversations in NHW.
Scope of the study
This study examines the politeness strategies employed in relation to role relationships during conversational activities in the "New Headway" (intermediate) course book, as perceived by English teachers at the University of Economic-Technical Industries.
Significance of the study
This study provides a theoretical foundation on politeness strategies in verbal communication, highlighting their essential role in daily interactions It aims to demonstrate how these strategies are employed in cross-cultural communication to prevent cultural conflicts.
This study aims to enhance awareness of the significance of politeness strategies in everyday interactions for learners Additionally, it provides an analysis of politeness strategies used in conversations from the course book “New Headway” (intermediate), as observed by English teachers at the University of Economic-Technical Industries.
Research methodology
Research questions
The thesis aims to address the following research questions:
- What are positive and negative politeness strategies used in the conversational activities in NHW?
- How do role relationships influence the use of positive and negative politeness strategies in the conversations of the course book “New Headway”
- How do UNETI teachers realize positive and negative politeness strategies under the influence of role relationships?
Research method
This study utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the application of politeness strategies among teachers, particularly in relation to role relationships within course materials By analyzing statistical data, the research aims to answer key questions about the types of politeness strategies employed Additionally, survey research is employed to collect data from a selected sample of a larger population, making it an effective approach for cross-cultural analysis The findings and interpretations presented in this paper are grounded in the author’s thorough examination of the gathered data and questionnaires.
This thesis utilizes questionnaires featuring eight real-life scenarios designed to identify both positive and negative conversational strategies found in the intermediate course book "New Headway" (third edition) These scenarios reflect various variables, including role relationships and the application of positive and negative strategies in conversational activities.
This thesis utilizes data from the third edition of the "New Headway" course book, which is aimed at enhancing learners' communicative skills for everyday interactions The research focuses exclusively on this single textbook, which is structured into four key teaching sections: reading, listening, speaking, and writing To address the third research question, the researcher incorporates a questionnaire as part of the methodology.
The study analyzes all utterances from conversations in the listening sections of the "New Headway" (intermediate) textbook To gather data, the author observed conversational activities within the course book, focusing on politeness strategies Additionally, questionnaires were distributed and collected from UNETI teachers to enhance the research findings.
Step 1: All the data in this thesis are intended to be analyzed according the following steps:
- The researcher would study the course book carefully All utterances appearing in the units would be picked up
- The researcher would find out and discuss with colleagues and supervisor to identify which utterances consist of politeness strategies
- The researcher would classify the politeness strategies in these utterances
- The researcher would consult with supervisor and colleagues
- The researcher would interpret the data
- The researcher would deliver and gather questionnaires
- The researcher would analyze questionnaires
The study consists of three main parts: introduction, development and conclusion
This section outlines the rationale, objectives, scope, significance, and design of the study, providing readers with a comprehensive overview of the key elements that will be discussed in the thesis.
This part is divided into three chapters:
This chapter deals with key terms related to the paper such as language and culture, speech act and politeness strategies
This chapter outlines the methodologies employed in the study, detailing the types of data used, the data collection processes, and the analysis techniques It also describes the participants involved, the research methods applied, and the overall procedure followed in the research.
This chapter analyzes the positive and negative politeness strategies, as well as the role relationships present in the conversational activities of the "New Headway" intermediate course book, as perceived by English teachers at the University of Economic-Technical Industries.
This part presents a summary of the study as well as further research in the future
PART B: DEVELOPMENT Chapter I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
The study of interlanguage pragmatics has been notably influenced by the concept of speech acts, captivating many linguists and scientists This area of research has evolved significantly, with key contributions from philosophers and linguists including Austin (1962), Searle (1969), and Thomas.
In his seminal work on pragmatics, Austin (1962) posits that utterances are not merely statements but are actions in themselves, suggesting that when a speaker communicates, they are also performing an action This concept is further elaborated by Yule in his influential 1996 book, where he defines "speech acts" as actions executed through utterances, emphasizing the significance of language in performing social functions.
In the initial distinction in speech acts made by Austin (1962, p 94-108), he introduces three facets among the acts one simultaneously performs when saying something, as illustrated as following:
The locutionary act is an utterance formed by grammatical structure and linguistic meaning, encompassing three interconnected sub-acts: (i) a phonic act that involves producing sounds, (ii) a phatic act that entails constructing a specific linguistic expression in a chosen language, and (iii) a rhetic act that focuses on contextualizing the sentence.
(2) The illocutionary act mentions to the real action accomplished in speaking Example of illocutionary acts include giving permission, making suggestion, swearing and so on
(3) The perlocutionary act concerns the effect of the utterance upon the feelings, thoughts, or actions of listener
The phrase "Don't talk" goes beyond its literal meaning; it encompasses a locutionary act while simultaneously conveying a request for the listeners to refrain from speaking.
Austin emphasizes the significance of illocutionary acts as the core of communication, reflecting the speaker's true intentions behind their utterances Numerous efforts have been made to refine and enhance Austin's theory, with Searle's framework emerging as the most impactful According to Searle (1976), illocutionary acts can be universally categorized into five distinct types.
Representatives are speech acts that convey the speaker's perception of reality, effectively aligning their beliefs with the world around them These acts include expressions such as complaints and accusations, which serve to communicate how the speaker interprets their experiences and observations.
Directives are those kinds of speech act that express attempts by the speaker to get the hearer to do something (e.g orders, advice, commands, etc.)
Comissives are those kinds of speech acts that commit the speaker himself to do things (e.g promises, refusals, threats, etc.)
Expressive are those kinds of speech acts express speakers‟ feelings and attitudes (e.g thanking, congratulating, apologizing, etc.)
Declarations or declaratives are those kinds of speech acts that bring about changes in the institutional state of affairs (e.g pronouncing someone guilty or pronouncing someone husband and wife)
2 Theory of politeness and politeness strategies
Politeness is a crucial aspect of pragmatic competence and serves as a foundational element of effective interpersonal communication While it is a universal concept, expressions of politeness vary across different cultures In daily interactions, politeness often manifests as formal and respectful behavior Watt (2003) defines politeness as the ability to please others through external actions, while Thomas (1995) describes it as a strategic approach employed by speakers to achieve various goals, including the maintenance of friendly and peaceful relationships.
Politeness plays a crucial social role, prompting numerous studies to explore its various dimensions The pragmatic study of politeness has evolved from foundational works such as Robin Lakoff's (1973) to Grice's Cooperative Principle (1975) and Leech's politeness principle (1983), culminating in the contemporary framework established by Brown and Levinson (1987) Over the past thirty-five years, linguistics has witnessed a rich diversity of approaches to politeness, with Nguyen Quang (2005, p 10) identifying three primary frameworks that significantly contribute to this field of study.
- Setting the ideal standard for polite acts to refer such as Grice
- Proposing the principles of politeness in communication in the form of do‟s and don‟ts like Layoff, Leech
- Specifying the necessary strategies to encounter Face Threatening Acts (FTAs) in communication as in Brown and Levinson, 1987