tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post8463512871034563044..comments2024-03-28T07:47:45.855+00:00Comments on Separated by a Common Language: what 'polite' means: Culpeper, O'Driscoll & Hardaker (2019)lynneguisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-89484471213042288342023-04-05T21:14:06.827+01:002023-04-05T21:14:06.827+01:00(Finally able to comment again, having discovered ...(Finally able to comment again, having discovered I needed to allow 3rd party cookies on the site - I'm BACK!) Frankly, if anybody asked me what I was wearing, and I was standing in front of them, I would answer "Clothes"!Mrs Redboots (Annabel Smyth)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11270027663691257254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-39351441303354429202023-03-17T13:29:13.546+00:002023-03-17T13:29:13.546+00:00"polite society" is the equivalent"polite society" is the equivalentlynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-15413082623710661682023-03-17T11:37:55.119+00:002023-03-17T11:37:55.119+00:00In Britain we (used to ) refer to 'polite soci...In Britain we (used to ) refer to 'polite society'. This is the class/ category of people who know which knife and fork to use, and how to address a duchess. I think of elderly ladies drinking tea, or of young men having to learn 'the rules' before marrying the mill-owner's daughter.<br />So this kind of politeness is an exclusive or excluding mechanism.<br />Surely there is an equivalent in the USA?biochemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02583985909434048932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-10897055978675781072023-03-17T02:49:43.271+00:002023-03-17T02:49:43.271+00:00So in order not to be rude he has to be oily and i...So in order not to be rude he has to be oily and ingratiating? Yeuch.Grhmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-89890967008717686142023-03-16T23:18:59.550+00:002023-03-16T23:18:59.550+00:00I was hoping that the link to the previous post wo...I was hoping that the link to the previous post would do the job. In the comments to that post, I say:<br /><br />To give a quick definition of 'politeness', it's the interactional work that we do that is concerned with minimizing loss of face in interactions. How it's done in different cultures (not just national cultures, but family cultures, student cultures, professional cultures, etc.) depends on culture-specific assumptions about how people like to be treated and what our relationships are with other people.<br /><br />...which doesn't say a lot without going into the whole theory of face, etc. (as ZD says: not easily put across in a few words. But neither is polite1 in any culture!)lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-85233851120549331252023-03-16T22:23:54.184+00:002023-03-16T22:23:54.184+00:00Per Hugh Grant, I didn't find his responses th...Per Hugh Grant, I didn't find his responses that bad; blunt answers are kind of his schtick. <br /><br />What should have he said? He should have given longer, more gracious responses. He's a guest at an event that probably doesn't mean much him but means a lot to the other people there. Plus, he needed a bit of Hollywood gushiness. The movie industry has its own social conventions, and he should know them by now.<br /><br /><br />Some examples - choose one of the trailing responses. <br /><br />How does it feel to be at the Oscars?<br />It's an honor to be here, I'm happy to ...<br />...be surrounded by so many talented people<br />...support everyone who works hard in this industry, especially the people behind the camera<br />...celebrate today with all the nominees; it's really their event and I'm just here for them<br /><br /><br />What are you wearing? <br />My tailor made this suit for me, and ...<br />...it's seen me through a lot of events like this.<br />...it's very comfortable.<br />...he always does a wonderful job.<br />...my shoes are Florsheim's (or whoever made his shoes). <br /><br />Wasn't it fun to work on Glass Onion?<br />Oh, it was a blast!! <br />...______________(insert name of actor or director) is so funny on set!<br />..._____________(insert name of actor or director) is such a professional; it's a delight to work with someone with that level of dedication to their craft. <br />...I wasn't in it long, but I really enjoyed doing a mystery! I haven't done one before, you know.<br /><br /><br />(If the funny person is known for being a crass joker, or the professional is known for being a micromanaging stickler, all the better. Some people will think he's seeing the best in people, others will think he's being sarcastic, and he'll win favor with both groups. This only works if you keep your face and tone very sincere. )<br /><br />Finish with:<br />Thank you so much for the interview! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-34781154363289655952023-03-16T11:43:03.479+00:002023-03-16T11:43:03.479+00:00If you do an internet search on the term 'ling...If you do an internet search on the term 'linguists' use of "polite"', you will find a plethora of publications on the subject. I think it's something that's not easy to put across in a just few words, which is perhaps why Lynne didn't want the distraction from the principal point: that being the difference between British and American usage of the word in its non-technical sense(s).Zouk Delorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07983226210415857258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-19584707366163827052023-03-16T11:36:13.346+00:002023-03-16T11:36:13.346+00:00The past tense is not 'borne' but 'bor...The past tense is not 'borne' but 'bore'. 'Borne' is the past participle.<br /><br />The verb is 'bear', meaning carry or, metaphorically, tolerate.<br /><br />You must grin and bear it.<br /><br />He didn't like it but he grinned and bore it.<br /><br />I have always grinned and borne it.Zouk Delorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07983226210415857258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-27595892885952781912023-03-16T04:03:33.200+00:002023-03-16T04:03:33.200+00:00"Now, part of the reason for that disagreemen..."Now, part of the reason for that disagreement is that I was using the word polite in linguistic-theory-laden ways. The distinction between how the word politeness is used in linguistic discussions and how it's used in everyday life has become such a problem for us linguists that we now talk about polite1 and polite2 to distinguish commonplace understandings of polite (1) from our theoretical uses (2). The failures of communication in my previous blogpost probably stemmed from having three understandings of politeness at play: the linguist's polite2, American polite1, and British polite1. "<br /><br />So, how does linguists' use of "polite" differ from ordinary usage, whether UK polite or US polite?<br />RWMGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04271851970303022440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-4615778240368268632023-03-15T23:27:58.166+00:002023-03-15T23:27:58.166+00:00Wow. Just looked it up. Growing up in a working cl...Wow. Just looked it up. Growing up in a working class family, we would always say, "grinned and beared it". Never knew the past tense of bear is "borne". I've been saying it (and spelling it wrong) my entire life! Thanks for that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-64992789974147831962023-03-15T23:21:47.752+00:002023-03-15T23:21:47.752+00:00Actually, it's probably spelt "bear"...Actually, it's probably spelt "bear". Ooooooops!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-87649459464139081882023-03-15T23:20:18.389+00:002023-03-15T23:20:18.389+00:00Not where I'm from, buddy. In the midlands, at...Not where I'm from, buddy. In the midlands, at least where I grew up, we say "grin and bare".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-20899967762527371572023-03-15T12:27:44.387+00:002023-03-15T12:27:44.387+00:00"I probably would've grinned and bared th..."I probably would've grinned and bared those questions" - are you really British? It's "grinned and borne".Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10748485660099592412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-90661661681009508142023-03-15T06:12:09.911+00:002023-03-15T06:12:09.911+00:00I would like to ask your question with another que...I would like to ask your question with another question? How do Americans think is the correct way to answer the questions he was asked? <br /><br />I'm British. I probably would've grinned and bared those questions, and answered them a little more tactfully, but I don't actually think his cultural background has anything to so with how he handled that interview. My guess is he either didn't want to be there, was having a bad day, or was sick of the daft questions being thrown at him. That said, I'm sure in there have been some Americans throughout history that have handled interviews in a less than polite manner. That isn't really a cultural thing though. That's a people thing. Folk have to put up with a lot of crap. They have varying moods and states of being. I've seen interviews of Hugh Grant where he's positively gleaming. Times change, and so do people. <br /><br />If Americans are speculating whether or not his attitude at the Oscars was "very British", then they're being just plain silly. He was obviously just being himself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-64688397934801504792023-03-14T21:49:37.162+00:002023-03-14T21:49:37.162+00:00Have you an opinion on how rude Hugh Grant seemed ...Have you an opinion on how rude Hugh Grant seemed to some Americans at the Oscars?!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-77513267157896879242023-03-14T16:17:55.615+00:002023-03-14T16:17:55.615+00:00Sensitive to the conflict between polite1 and poli...Sensitive to the conflict between polite1 and polite2, my 1994 paper on the topic used scare quotes in the title: "Politeness", sociolinguistic theory and language change. To my surprise, it is one of my most cited papers. Only 4 times in the first 10 years, but 22 more times since.Max Wheelernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-6730455207609107902023-03-13T21:56:59.458+00:002023-03-13T21:56:59.458+00:00comment-catching commentcomment-catching commentlynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.com