Introduction to Politeness Theory

Politeness theory, developed by Brown and Levinson, focuses on the concept of 'face' and how it affects interpersonal interactions. Face refers to one's personal integrity and desire to be liked or respected. Positive face involves wanting to be liked, while negative face is the desire to maintain personal territory and freedom from imposition. Positive politeness strategies help others save positive face, while negative politeness strategies help avoid threats to negative face. Certain speech acts, such as requests, compliments, and invitations, can be inherently face-threatening.