2012-Face-Theory-11

FaceTheoryWeek11FaceTheoryIn1978,BrownandLevinsonputforwardFaceTheoryin‘Politeness:Universalsinlanguageusage’.Thenotionof‘face’isderivedfromthatofGoffman(1967)andfromtheEnglishfolkterm,whichtiesfaceupwithnotionsofbeingembarrassedorhumiliated,or‘losingface’.Thusfaceissomethingthatisemotionallyinvested,andthatcanbelost,maintained,orenhanced,andmustbeconstantlyattendedto（致力于）ininteraction.StephenC.LevinsonFunction/Status:DirectorofTheMaxPlanckInstituteforPsycholinguisticsGroupAffiliation:LanguageandCognitionGroupEmail:[e-mail]Professionalbackground:Linguistics,anthropology（人类学）,cognitiveanthropologyPenelopeBrownPhone:[phone]Fax:[phone]E-mail:[e-mail]Function/Status:researcherGroupaffiliation（从属）:AcquisitionGroupProfessionalbackground:LinguisticAnthropology,LanguageAcquisition,Mayan（玛雅语）Indians（印第安人）Intheirview,politenesswasthevariousrationalbehaviorsofaModelPersontosatisfyhisfacewants.AModelPersonhadtwospecialproperties--rationalityandface.Rationality:theapplicationofaspecificmodeofreasoning-whatAristotle(1969)called‘practicalreasoning’（实用主义）--whichguaranteesinferencesfromendsorgoalstomeansthatwillsatisfythoseends.BrownandLevinson:FaceFacethepublicself-imagethateverymemberwantstoclaimforhimself.Itreferstothatemotionalandsocialsenseofselfthateveryonehasandexpectseveryoneelsetorecognize.Faceconsistsoftworelatedaspects:Brown&Levinson1987:61Negativeface(a)negativeface:thebasicclaimtoterritories,personalpreserves（个性）,rightstonon-distraction（不被消遣）-i.e.tothefreedomofactionandfreedomfromimpositionBrown&Levinson1987:61Positiveface(b)positiveface:thepositiveconsistentself-imageor‘personality’(cruciallyincludingthedesirethatthisself-imagebeappreciatedandapprovedof)claimedbyinteractantsNegativefacepositivefaceBrown&Levinson1987:61Facethreateningact(FTA)Utteranceoractionwhichthreatensaperson’spublicself-image(ormorespecifically,negativefaceofSorO,positivefaceofSorO).SpeechactsasFTAs:Representatives(assertives)[?]Directives(impositives)[requests,commands,advice]Expressives[criticisms,blames]Commissives[promises,refusals]Declarations[dismissals,?naming]Faceenhancingacts(FEAs)Expressives[praising,complimenting]WeightinessofanFTAWx:weightinessofafacethreateningactxD(S,H):socialdistancebetweenspeakerandhearerP(H,S):poweroftheheareroverthespeakerRx:absoluterankingoftheimpositionxinagivencultureBrown&Levinson1987:76Wx=D(S,H)+P(H,S)+RxSocialdistancevariesExcuseme,wouldyoubyanychancehavethetime?Gotthetime,mate?Wx=D(S,H)+P(H,S)+RxPowerrelationvariesExcusemesir,woulditbealrightifIsmoke?MindifIsmoke?Wx=D(S,H)+P(H,S)+RxAbsoluterankingofimpositionvariesLook,I’mterriblysorrytobotheryoubutwouldtherebeanychanceofyourlendingmejustenoughmoneytogetarailwaytickettogethome?Hey,gotchangeforaquarter?Wx=D(S,H)+P(H,S)+RxDistance+Power+Imposition=degreeofface-threattobecompensatedbyappropriatelinguisticstrategy[PeterGrundy,DoingPragmatics,p.135]PossiblestrategiesfordoingFTAsEstimationofriskoffaceloss.GreaterLesserSource:Brown&Levinson1987:605.Don’tdotheFTADotheFTA4.off-recordon-record1.withoutredressiveaction,baldlywithredressiveaction2.positivepoliteness3.negativepolitenessFTAstrategies(1)Listen,Ihavegotanidea.(2)Excuseme.[?](3)Addthreecupsofflourandstirvigorously.[?](4)Getmeacupofcoffee.DotheFTAonrecordwithoutredressiveaction,baldlyFTAstrategies(5)Goodness,aren’tyourrosesbeautiful!Iwasjustcomingbytoborrowacupofflour.(6)Hey,mate,Iwaskeepingthatseatforafriendofmine.(7)Movealittlebit,wouldjamate?DotheFTAonrecordwithpositivepolitenessFTAstrategies(8)Canyoupassthesalt?(9)Youcouldn‘tbyanychancepassthesalt,please,couldyou?(10)I’mawfullysorrytobotheryou,andIwouldn‘tbutI‘minanawfulfix,soIwonderedifbyanychance...DotheFTAonrecordwithnegativepolitenessFTAstrategies(11)It’scoldhere.(meaning:Shutthewindow!)(12)Thissoupisabitbland.(meaning:passthesalt)DotheFTAonrecordoffrecordPositivepolitenessa.Notice/attendtohearer’swantsb.Exaggerateinterest/approvalc.Intensifyinterestd.Usein-groupidentitymarkerse.Seekagreementf.Avoiddisagreementg.Presuppose/assertcommongroundh.Jokei.Assertknowledgeofhearer’swantsj.Offer,promisek.Beoptimisticl.Assume/assertreciprocity（互惠主义）m.Includespeakerandhearerintheactivityn.Givegiftstohearer(goods,sympathy,etc.)Negativepoliteness1.Beconventionallyindirect2.Question,hedge3.Bepessimistic4.Minimizeimposition5.Givedeference6.Apologize7.Impersonalize8.Statetheimpositionasageneralrule9.Nominalize10.Goonrecordasincurringadebt“Face”inChineseculture:TheconceptionoffaceinChinesecultureisdifferentfromBrownandLevinson’sdefinition.BrownandLevinsondeclarethatfaceistheself-imageinsociallife.Itisobviouslythattheyputgreatemphasisonindividual.WhattheycallFATsarethosethatthreatenthefaceofthespeakerorhearer.中国人的脸，不但可以洗，可以刮，并且可以丢，可以赏，可以留。—林语堂要脸，赏脸，丢脸，争脸，爱面子，丢面子，留面子，碍面子，有面子，争面子，讲情面，不要脸，无脸见人，撕破脸皮，翻脸不认人，打肿脸充胖子，不看僧面看佛面，死要面子活受罪。阿Q孔已己饿死事小失节事大InChinesecultureandsociallife,“脸”or“面子”isusedtocontrolandmodulatesocialacts.Wecanunderstandtheimplicationoffaceasthefollowing:个人需要不要超过社会给予的身份地位，代表的是个人从属于社会的价