Power and Politeness in Action

by Locher, Miriam A.

• ISBN13: 9783110180060
• ISBN10: 3110180065
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-02-01
• Publisher: Mouton De Gruyter

Summary

This study investigates the interface of power and politeness in the realization of disagreements in naturalistic language data. Power and politeness are important phenomena in face-to-face interaction. Disagreement is an arena in which these two key concepts are likely to be observed together. Both disagreement and the exercise of power entail a conflict. At the same time, conflict will often be softened by the display of politeness. The material for analysis comes from three different contexts: (1) a sociable argument in an informal, supportive, and interactive family setting; (2) a business meeting among colleagues at a research institution; and (3) examples from public discourse collected during the US Election in 2000.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	v
Transcription conventions	vi
Figures and tables	xi
Chapter 1 Introduction	1	(8)
Part I Theory I
Chapter 2 Power	9	(36)
1. Introduction	9	(3)
2. Food for thought: An example to start with	12	(3)
3. Dahl's one-dimensional approach to power: Power in observable change of behavior only	15	(1)
4. Bachrach and Baratz's two-dimensional approach to power: Conflict and non-decisions	16	(1)
5. Lukes' three-dimensional approach to power: The notion of interest	17	(1)
6. Watts: Freedom of action and the exercise of power	18	(2)
7. The relational and dynamic dimension of power	20	(1)
8. Wartenberg: Action-alternatives and action-restriction	21	(6)
9. Power and social networks: The place where power is negotiated	27	(3)
10. Power and status	30	(4)
11. Power and language	34	(2)
12. Summary: A checklist for the nature and the exercise of power	36	(4)
13. Example (6) revisited	40	(5)
Chapter 3 Communication and relational work	45	(14)
1. Introduction	45	(1)
2. The notion of context and frame	45	(5)
3. Transactional and interactional discourse: The content and relational aspects of an utterance	50	(2)
4. Face	52	(3)
5. Face-threatening acts in example (6)	55	(2)
6. Summary	57	(2)
Chapter 4 Politeness	59	(34)
1. Introduction	59	(1)
2. Overview of politeness research	60	(18)
2.1. Politeness expressed in maxims: Leech's Politeness Principle	62	(4)
2.2. Brown and Levinson's "face-saving" politeness theory	66	(4)
2.3. Politeness as norm	70	(3)
2.4. Politeness as marked surplus	73	(2)
2.5. The pro-social/involvement aspect of politeness	75	(2)
2.6. Summary	77	(1)
3. Towards a definition of politeness	78	(15)
3.1. Relevance Theory	79	(6)
3.2. Markedness and norms	85	(2)
3.3. Markedness, formality and friendliness	87	(6)
3.4. A definition of politeness
Part II Theory II
Chapter 5 Disagreement	93	(58)
1. Why disagreement?	93	(7)
2. Possibilities for the realization of disagreement, exemplified with The Argument	100	(49)
2.1. Preliminary comments	100	(1)
2.2. Material: The Dinner and The Argument	101	(9)
2.3. Content summary of The Argument	110	(2)
2.4. How disagreement was expressed during The Argument	112	(1)
2.4.1. The use of hedges to mitigate disagreement	114	(1)
2.4.1.1. The use of well	117	(1)
2.4.1.2. The occurrence of just	118	(1)
2.4.1.3. The use of uhm and uh	120	(1)
2.4.1.4. The function of I think	122	(1)
2.4.1.5. The use of I don 't know	124	(3)
2.4.2. Giving personally or emotionally colored reasons for disagreeing	127	(1)
2.4.3. The use of the modal auxiliaries	129	(1)
2.4.4. Shifting responsibility	130	(1)
2.4.5. Objections in the form of a question	133	(1)
2.4.6. The use of but	135	(1)
2.4.7. The function of repetition of an utterance by the next or the same speaker	137	(1)
2.4.8. Non-mitigating disagreement strategies	143	(1)
2.4.9. Non-mitigating versus mitigating disagreement strategies: A summary	145	(4)
3. Conclusion: Possibilities for the realization of disagreement	149	(2)
Part III The interface of power and politeness in disagreements	151	(182)
Chapter 6 A sociable argument during a dinner among family and friends	155	(60)
1. Introduction	155	(2)
2. The dynamics of The Argument	157	(43)
2.1. EN 1: The basic question put forward	158	(11)
2.2. EN 2: The Study: First introduction and refusal	169	(6)
2.3. EN 3: The Study: Steven's point of view	175	(6)
2.4. EN 4: The Study: Further explanation	181	(9)
2.5. EN 5: The Study: Roy reveals his position	190	(3)
2.6. EN 6: The Study: The college adds value	193	(4)
2.7. EN 7: The Study: Roy makes concessions	197	(1)
2.8. EN 8: Kate concludes	198	(2)
3. Three main driving forces: Committing FTAs, the audience, and Roy's behavior	200	(3)
4. "Two males, kind of fun isn't it?"	203	(3)
5. Conclusion: The exercise of power during The Argument	206	(9)
Chapter 7 Managing disagreement during a business meeting at a research institution	215	(68)
1. Introduction and method	215	(2)
2. The context of workplace interaction	217	(3)
3. Material	220	(11)
3.1. Description of the speech event	220	(3)
3.2. The physical setting and the participants of The Pre-Schedule Meeting	223	(5)
3.3. A content summary of The Pre-Schedule Meeting	228	(3)
4. The interactants' participation and identity negotiation in the seven emergent networks of The Pre-Schedule Meeting	231	(46)
4.1. The Hall Leaders	238	(1)
4.1.1. Karl	239	(1)
4.1.2. Bill	245	(1)
4.1.3. Ron	247	(9)
4.2. The Associate Director(s)	256	(1)
4.2.1. Lance	256	(1)
4.2.2. Jack	262	(3)
4.3. The Chair	265	(3)
4.4. Less influential participants	268	(1)
4.4.1. Rees	268	(1)
4.4.2. Chad	271	(6)
5. Conclusion	277	(6)
Chapter 8 Examples of the exercise of power during the US Presidential Election 2000	283	(38)
1. Introduction and method	283	(2)
2. Getting the people out to vote: President Clinton in an interview with Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman and Gonzalo Aburto on Election Day	285	(17)
3. An example from the presidential debates	302	(8)
4. Election Day and after...	310	(7)
5. Conclusion	317	(4)
Chapter 9 Summary and conclusion: The checklist reviewed	321	(12)
Notes	333	(8)
References	341	(16)
Appendices	357	(4)
A. Additional tables for the family data	357	(1)
B. Brown and Levinson's charts of politeness strategies	358	(3)
Index	361