PRESENTED BYALLISON HAYASHIDA

NAO OGATAKAAN USTUN

Culturally Speaking: Face, (Im)Politeness and Rapport by Helen Spencer-Oatey (2008)

Previously on SLS 480U…

Chapter 7 : Gender & Age

Chapter 12: Gender, politeness & stereotypes

Linguistic Politeness: Japanese Proper Social Conduct with Tactful Consideration of Others

Chapter 14: Analyzing Discourse

Who says what to whom when & where?

Today on SLS 480U…

6 Keypoints:

Interactional Rapport affected by 3 factorsRapport management happens in certain

situations.Speech Act Strategies are really importantThere are different Communication StylesThe factors influencing use of Rapport

Management StrategiesMain Point: Awareness Necessity

Rapport Management

Management of faceManagement of social rights & obligationsManagement of interactional goals

Other Domains of Rapport Management

Different Domains of politeness:Illocutionary Domain: Apologies, Requests, Compliments

Discourse Domain: Topic Choice & Management

Participation Domain: Turn Taking, Inclusion/Exclusion

Stylistic Domain: Choice of Tone, Syntax, Lexis, Honorifics

Non Verbal: Gestures, Body movement

3 elements of Speech Acts strategies

Speech acts = Apologies, Requests, Compliments= Illocutionary Domain

IntroductionManaging Face + Managing Sociality Rights/Obligations =

Managing Rapport

Wording:Selection of Speech Acts ComponentsDegree of Directness – IndirectnessType & Amount of Upgraders – Downgraders

In all languages, every level of language can play a role in each of the rapport management domains.

3 elements of Speech Acts strategies: Definitions

Semantic Components: Head Act – Conveys the main illocutionary force of the set of utterances

Directness/Indirectness: Degree Variance – One form rather than the other can have a major impact on social relations

Up graders / Down graders: + or – Force of Speech

Boosters/ Hedges Intensifiers / Down toners

Maximizers / Minimizers(For detailed examples: Tables 2.2 – 2.3 – 2.4)

Example of Request

Do you mind if I ask you a big favor?

I know you don’t like lending your car,

But I was wondering if I could possibly borrow it just for an hour or so on Tuesday night

If you are not using it then.

Preparator

Disarmer

Head Act

Imposition Downgrader

Example of Directness / Indirectness

Wash the dishes!

I want you to wash the dishes.

How about washing the dishes?

Can you wash the dishes?

What a lot of dishes there are!

Communication Styles

Associative expressiveness-restraintIndirectness-directnessSelf-enhancement – self-effacement

Rapport management strategies

1. Rapport orientation2. Contextual variables3. Pragmatic principles and conventionsThree main factors influence people's use of

rapport management strategies;

Rapport management strategies

1. Rapport orientation

o Rapport enhance orientationo Rapport maintenance orientationo Rapport neglect orientationo Rapport challenge orientation

Rapport management strategies

2. Contextual variableso Participants and their relations

i. Powerii. Distanceiii.Interrelationship between power and

distanceiv. Number of participants

o Message content: cost-benefit considerationso Social/Interactional roleso Activity type

Rapport management strategies

3. Pragmatic principles and conventionso Sociopragmatic principleso Pragmalinguistic conventions

Rapport management strategies

1. Rapport orientation2. Contextual variables3. Pragmatic principles and conventions

Rapport management outcomes and across cultures

• Rapport management outcomes

• Rapport management across cultures

Rapport management could vary depending on culture and individual.

Sensitivity and mindfulness is required!

Discussion Questions & Activity

Role Playing ( 4 groups of 4 ) Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4

Kelly Julia Yun Shi LennieBirte Mercedes Kento MorganJohn Matt Jonah MariaLeeAnne LunLun Tankia Cori

Q 1: Is the situation likely to affect interpersonal rapport? Why? Why not?

Q2: During this past week, was there an occasion when someone annoyed or upset you, and you felt offended or hurt? What did they say or do?

References

Spencer-Oatey, H. (2008). Face, (Im)Politeness and Rapport. Culturally Speaking.