Strategies of Linguistic Politeness in Spontaneous Speech Interaction

Аннотация

This paper explores the linguistic politeness strategies employed in spontaneous speech interactions. Drawing on Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory, the study investigates how speakers maintain social harmony through face-saving strategies in unplanned conversations. Using naturalistic data from informal conversations among university students, theresearch identifies common politeness strategies and contextual factors influencing their use. Findings highlight the significance of cultural norms, social roles, and speech context in shaping politeness behavior. Keywords: linguistic politeness, spontaneous speech, face-threatening acts, Brown and Levinson, positive politeness, negative politeness, discourse analysis, speech interaction, pragmatics, sociolinguistics Introduction. In everyday conversation, language users not only convey information but also negotiate social relationships. One of the key mechanisms through which this is achieved is linguistic politeness. As defined by Brown and Levinson, politeness strategies are used to mitigate face-threatening acts (FTAs) and promote social harmony. While much of the research has focused on written or formal speech, spontaneous speech presents unique challenges due to its real-time, unstructured nature. This study investigates the use of politeness strategies in spontaneous speech interactions, particularly focusing on how speakers adapt strategies based on context, relationship, and intent. The main research questions are: what types of politeness strategies are most commonly used in spontaneous speech, and how do contextual variables such as power distanceand familiarity influence thechoice ofstrategy? Methodology. The study involved 15 undergraduate students aged 19 to 23 from a linguistics department, all of whom were native or fluent English speakers. Natural conversations were recorded during group study sessions and informal gatherings over two weeks. Ethical consent was obtained, and participants were made aware of the study's purpose. The collected data were transcribed and analyzed based on Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory. Strategies were categorized as bald on-record, positivepoliteness, negative politeness, oroff-record. Results. The analysis revealed that positive politeness strategies were the most frequently used, including the use of jokes, inclusive pronouns, and compliments. Negative politeness strategies such as hedging and indirect requests were also common, particularly in interactions involving power asymmetries or unfamiliar interlocutors. Bald on-record strategies were rare and generally used only among close friends or in urgent situations. Off-record strategies, like hints orvaguelanguage, often appeared in theexpressionof criticism ordisagreement. page431 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ISSN:2692-5206,ImpactFactor:12,23 AmericanAcademicpublishers,volume05,issue04,2025 Journal: https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai The diagram illustrates the distribution of politeness strategies observed in spontaneous speech interactions. Positive politeness emerges as the most commonly employed strategy, accounting for 45% of the total. This suggests that speakers frequently seek to establish solidarity, reduce social distance, and maintain friendly relations through inclusive language, compliments, and expressions of interest. Negative politeness, used in 30% of cases, reflects speakers’ sensitivity to the listener’s desire for autonomy, employing indirectness and deference to avoid imposition. Off-record strategies, making up 15%, are characterized by indirect hints and implications, often used to navigate sensitive topics without causing discomfort. Bald on-record strategies, the most direct form of communication, appear in only 10% of interactions and are typically reserved for urgent orintimatecontextswhere clarity overrides concern forface. The data reveal that even in unplanned, casual conversations, speakers are acutely aware of social dynamics and adjust their language accordingly. The preference for indirectness and mitigation highlights the underlying role of politeness in managing interpersonal relationships andminimizingsocial friction in real-timediscourse. Discussion. Contextual variables significantly affected the choice of strategy. When addressing someone of higher status or authority, participants used more negative politeness strategies, such as mitigated requests (“Would you mind...”). In conversations among close friends, speakers preferred positive politeness strategies and even used mild teasing or slang to signal closeness. Sensitive topics encouraged the use of off-record strategies to avoid direct confrontation. Furthermore, the spontaneous nature of speech meant that speakers often shifted strategies mid-utterance, adjusting their approach based on immediate feedback from their listeners. Research on linguistic politeness inspontaneous speech interaction has attracte