Power and Politeness in Action

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.

Acknowledgements

v

Transcription conventions

vii

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

(2)

3.4. A definition of politeness

89

(4)

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 ofjust

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

(2)

2.4.3. The use of the modal auxiliaries

129

(1)

2.4.4. Shifting responsibility

130

(3)

2.4.5. Objections in the form of a question

133

(2)

2.4.6. The use of but

135

(2)

2.4.7. The function of repetition of an utterance by the next or the same speaker

137

(6)

2.4.8. Non-mitigating disagreement strategies

143

(2)

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

(25)

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

(9)

4.2.1. Lance

256

(6)

4.2.2. Jack

262

(3)

4.3. The Chair

265

(3)

4.4. Less influential participants

268

(9)

4.4.1. Rees

268

(3)

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

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Power and Politeness in Action

Summary

Table of Contents

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