Publisher's Synopsis
Politeness theories have informed research across the humanities since the 1970s, but recent work in the field of linguistic politeness has led to the development of new theories and methodologies that have yet to reach the wider academic community. This book offers a broad introduction to earlier and more recent approaches to politeness and to the research that these approaches have generated. It provides a brief introduction to the pragmatic concepts that underpin models of politeness, and charts the evolution of politeness research from Lakoff's 1975 model to current discursive models that engage with both politeness and impoliteness. The core concepts that feature in each approach are introduced and the analytical potential of each is illustrated by an overview of the scope of the research it has generated. The book ends with a section that charts some of the key directions that politeness research has taken, and includes chapters on politeness across cultures, politeness and gender and politeness in institutions.In the light of the recent escalation in research on politeness, this book offers a particularly timely mapping of the field that will be of interest to advanced undergraduates, researchers and lecturers. It will be relevant to readers new to the field who want to develop a thorough understanding of linguistic politeness, to readers who want to extend their knowledge of the field, as well as to readers who want to explore social interaction within and across cultural boundaries by applying the analytical tools presented here.Key features:* The first comprehensive overview of different approaches to politeness and impoliteness and their applications.* Introduces the pragmatic concepts that inform politeness theories.* Provides an overview of key trajectories in politeness research.