POLITENESS STRATEGIES AND REAL ESTATE AGENTS Politeness

Brief overview Discuss politeness theory and some of the ways in which strategies are used within a Real Estate context Give examples of real-life situations to illustrate ideas

Discuss politeness theory and some of the ways in which strategies are used within a Real Estate context

Give examples of real-life situations to illustrate ideas

What is Politeness Theory? Politeness theory was put forward by Brown and Levinson (1987). “ Politeness theory asserts that the strategies individuals use depend on the context of the social relationship between the speakers” (Ambady et all, 1996)

Politeness theory was put forward by Brown and Levinson (1987).

“ Politeness theory asserts that the strategies individuals use depend on the context of the social relationship between the speakers” (Ambady et all, 1996)

What is Face? The term face may be defined as the “positive social value a person effectively claims for himself” (Goffman, 1967) “ Face is not what one thinks of oneself, but rather, what one thinks others should think of ones worth” (Lim, 1994) Positive Face : one’s desire to be sociable and liked. Negative face : one’s want to privacy, one’s right not to participate in discourse

The term face may be defined as the “positive social value a person effectively claims for himself” (Goffman, 1967)

“ Face is not what one thinks of oneself, but rather, what one thinks others should think of ones worth” (Lim, 1994)

Positive Face : one’s desire to be sociable and liked.

Negative face : one’s want to privacy, one’s right not to participate in discourse

Types of Politeness Negative Politeness When the speaker tries to minimise imposition and interaction required from the other party Positive Politeness Appeals to solidarty and invites participation Politeness strategies are used to save a persons ‘face’.

Negative Politeness

When the speaker tries to minimise imposition and interaction required from the other party

Positive Politeness

Appeals to solidarty and invites participation

Politeness strategies are used to save a persons ‘face’.

Interviewee Steph is a Real Estate Agent in Wellington Everyday she has to deal with situations which could be potentially threatening to her or her listeners face. A Face Threatening Act (FTA) is one which could be damaging to ones face. Politeness strategies are used to avoid/ minimize a FTA.

Steph is a Real Estate Agent in Wellington

Everyday she has to deal with situations which could be potentially threatening to her or her listeners face.

A Face Threatening Act (FTA) is one which could be damaging to ones face. Politeness strategies are used to avoid/ minimize a FTA.

Silence is Golden Steph said often the best way to deal with difficult clients was to just stay quiet. “Being silent is very powerful” “ As power over the listener increases, more politeness is needed to communicate face-threatening acts” ( Ambady et all, 1996) – The more powerful the other, the more politeness one must use “ I just stop talking” “Let them rant until they get it all out, then begin to address the issues”

Steph said often the best way to deal with difficult clients was to just stay quiet. “Being silent is very powerful”

“ As power over the listener increases, more politeness is needed to communicate face-threatening acts” ( Ambady et all, 1996) – The more powerful the other, the more politeness one must use

“ I just stop talking” “Let them rant until they get it all out, then begin to address the issues”

Threats to positive face – Accusations & Complaints Real Estate agents are often faced with people complaining about things. Expressions of disapproval and criticism are Positive FTA’s – they impede on the listeners want for approval “ First I would acknowledge it was a real issue for them”, “De-escalation – buy into their perception even if I don’t agree, find out specifically what it is that they are unhappy with”

Real Estate agents are often faced with people complaining about things.

Expressions of disapproval and criticism are Positive FTA’s – they impede on the listeners want for approval

“ First I would acknowledge it was a real issue for them”, “De-escalation – buy into their perception even if I don’t agree, find out specifically what it is that they are unhappy with”

Threats to negative face – Orders & Requests Being told what to do, can be threatening to the listeners negative face - it impedes on their need for individuality. Clients can be very pushy It took Steph a long time to be able to set-up boundaries with clients and not answer the phone every time it rang.

Being told what to do, can be threatening to the listeners negative face - it impedes on their need for individuality.

Clients can be very pushy

It took Steph a long time to be able to set-up boundaries with clients and not answer the phone every time it rang.

Politeness and Humor Humor is something that is only appropriate in some contexts. Ngaio Gorge The statement could taint the view of potential buyers Here, humor served to relax the situation and de-escalate it. But, as the women didn’t understand the joke it is possible Steph also, inadvertently, threatened the woman’s positive face by embarrassing her

Humor is something that is only appropriate in some contexts.

Ngaio Gorge

The statement could taint the view of potential buyers

Here, humor served to relax the situation and de-escalate it.

But, as the women didn’t understand the joke it is possible Steph also, inadvertently, threatened the woman’s positive face by embarrassing her

Conclusion Politeness is more than just saying Please and Thank-you Many ways in which your face could be threatened Just as many ways of dealing with it Silence De-escalation Humor Politeness is something we all must work on everyday if we wish to create and maintain relationships.

Politeness is more than just saying Please and Thank-you

Many ways in which your face could be threatened

Just as many ways of dealing with it

Silence

De-escalation

Humor

Politeness is something we all must work on everyday if we wish to create and maintain relationships.

References Ambandy, N., Koo, J., Lee, F., & Rosenthal, R. (1996). More than words: Linguistic and non-linguistic politeness in two cultures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 996-101. Brown, P., & Levinson, S. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage . Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. Interview with Steph*, Septemeber, 14 2009 Lim. (1994). Language, Discourse & Power lecture notes, Semester 1, Palmerston North, NZ. ttp://logos.uoregon.edu/explore/socioling/politeness.html

Ambandy, N., Koo, J., Lee, F., & Rosenthal, R. (1996). More than words: Linguistic and non-linguistic politeness in two cultures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 996-101.

Brown, P., & Levinson, S. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage . Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

Interview with Steph*, Septemeber, 14 2009

Lim. (1994). Language, Discourse & Power lecture notes, Semester 1, Palmerston North, NZ.

ttp://logos.uoregon.edu/explore/socioling/politeness.html