The Impacts of the Politeness Principle on Foreign Language Term Paper

The Impacts of the Politeness Principle on Foreign Language Acquisition, Geoff Leech - Term Paper Example An example of these words is the word conduct. If the stress is placed on the first syllable, conduct means â€Å"behavior.† But if the stress is placed on the second syllable, the word means â€Å"to carry out.† Plural words also cause difficulty on the part of the learner. It is sometimes very difficult to explain to the learner why some words can be made plural by adding -s and why some cannot. For example, words like monkey can be made plural by adding -s. But the rule cannot be applied to the word money. The teacher should pay attention to these idiosyncracies to help the learner have a clear idea of when and how to use an aspect of the language being studied. As a result, the learner is able to proficiently and efficiently make use of the language and avoid being misunderstood or hurting the feelings of the person he or she is talking to. This is where the politeness principle comes in. The politeness principle which was developed by Geoff Leech is a series of max ims which help explain how politeness operates in conversational exchanges. According to Leech, â€Å" politeness are forms of behavior that establish and maintain comity or the ability of participants in a social interaction to engage in interaction in a friendly social atmosphere(Leech, 2005). Leech uses two terms for referring to two kinds of illocutionary acts. He calls representatives â€Å"assertives† and directives â€Å"impositives† (Leech, 2005). The politeness principle is comprised of six maxims. Each maxim has a sub-maxim which has less importance (Leech, 2005). These are used to show that negative politeness or avoidance of discord is more important than positive politeness or seeking discord. Leech says that not all the maxims are equally important. He also says that speakers may adhere to more than one maxim of politeness at the same time. The Tact Maxim Theoretical Application The first of the maxims is the tact maxim. This maxim aims to minimize cost and maximize benefit to another person (Leech, 2005). Examples of the tact maxim are â€Å"Peel these potatoes†, â€Å" Hand me the newspaper†, and â€Å" Could you possibly answer the phone?†. According to Leech, there are two levels of politeness in the tact maxim. Commands like â€Å"Sit down†, â€Å"Get a cup of water†, and â€Å" Close the door† are considered impolite while requests such as â€Å"Please sit down†, â€Å"Could you kindly get me a glass of water†, and â€Å"Won’t you have another drink† are considered polite. Leech explains that indirect illocutions are more polite because they give the person being addressed to an option of whether or not to obey. Reiter explains in her book Linguistic Politeness in Britain and Uruguay: A Contrastive Study of Requests and Apology that â€Å"politeness is a form of social interaction, a form that mediates between the individual and the social† (Reiter, 2000). She also adds that politeness assumes that each society has its own prescriptive social rules for different cultural contexts (Reiter 2000). Trosborg in her book Interlanguage Pragmatics: Requests, Complaints, and Apologies that â€Å"politeness is a pragmatic mechanism in which a variety of structures work together according to the speaker’s attention to achieving smooth communication† (Trosborg, 1995). that Leech also explains that the more indirect

The films Bladerunner and Fahrenheit 451 :: essays papers

The films â€Å"Bladerunner† and â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† The films â€Å"Bladerunner† and â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† are similar in the way they show emotions in their depictions of distopias. The emotions shown are not normal to us, but are controlled by the government. The inhabitants of these worlds are being persuaded that emotions are bad, unhealthy. However, some do break free from the system. The cases in these movies are not of really living at all, but just of going through the motions of life. The movie â€Å"Bladerunner† was about androids that were made to not have feelings and not to live longer than 4 years. Rachel is a good example of they tried to control emotions. As one of the new model replicants, Rachel was implanted with memories and could recall emotions. What she did not realize was that her memories were really the memories of her maker’s niece. She did not even know she was an android until Decker did the test on her. She was very upset when she realized that he was right, because she did not know what feelings were real and what feelings belonged to someone else. She worked with the man that created androids, the owner of the Tyrell Corporation, which makes her more upset that she did not know. This is when she exclaims to Decker, â€Å"I am not in the business, I AM the business.† Although she though she was living a normal human life, Rachel was going through the motions of everything humans do, but she did not have real feelings or even her own memories. Therefore, she was not even being her own self. Another aspect of the movie â€Å"Bladerunner† is of those that broke away from the system. The â€Å"Nexus 6† were androids that developed emotions and escaped from slavery, because they wanted to live longer. Roy and Priss are good examples of androids showing that they have emotions. They were manipulative, passionate for what they wanted, and even had loving sides. Roy was the leader of the â€Å"Nexus 6† and Priss was his girlfriend . Priss acted like a helpless girl to get J.F. Sebastian to let her into his house, into which she later let Roy. They made J.F. show them to the owner of the Tyrell Corporation’s house, so they could fight to get an extension on their lives.

The Angel – Ted Hughes Poem Analysis

1) What is the poem about? My personal view is that Ted Hughes has attempted to interpret his inner feelings relating to the deaths of his two wives and mother in his writing. The poem is centred around Halifax and I think this is of relevance because Ted Hughes grew up in the town so will always be able to make a connection between the actual place, his family and his upbringing. I find it significant that Hughes was frequently accused of writing poetry which is unnecessarily violent as my opinion is that he was simply being a typically blunt Yorkshire man, describing visions as he sees them. I am aware that the understandings of meanings may vary from reader to reader, but from studying the poem I understand that Hughes is describing a vision of what he thought to be an angel over the Calder Valley landscape. I also think that Hughes may use his poetry as a method to display his emotions and guilt felt towards both of his wives committing suicide. Also you can read Analysis July at the Multiplex 2) How does the poet use language to convey the meaning, give examples of use of any figurative or metaphorical language? Hughes endeavours to use his poetry as a powerful way of reaching our feelings and emotions in a subconscious manner. In his position as a writer, Hughes attempts to help release our suppressed creative energies, and he believes that poetry is particularly effective for this purpose. Hughes technique involves using appropriate wording to influence the reader's imagination which results in the effect being a release of emotional energy. I don't think his language and structure of writing is necessarily easy to understand. My approach to this was to study the background of Hughes as a person, this helped me to appreciate his work and recognize the style in which Hughes aspires to create a vision. I have researched more of Hughes poetry and upon doing so, noticed and become aware of the fact that certain images recur in his work. In his poem The Angel, Hughes uses metaphors such as â€Å"it was a swan the size of a city!† this type of wording will attract the reader's attention with an element of surprise as a metaphor is a phrase or figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing, is used to designate another. The result is it makes an implicit comparison. â€Å"Smoking Snow† is an oxymoron as two contradictory terms are combined. Realistically, it is not possible for snow to smoke but this is designed to add effect as it sounds quite dramatic. â€Å"Rippling its fringed edges† – Rippling is an onomatopoeia as is fluttered. Hughes uses these types of words to imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to (such as fluttered referring to dress). â€Å"Glowed like the night-cloud over Sheffield† would be classed as a simile as it is making a comparison and using the word like. I find the wording â€Å"Strange square of Satin† to be alliteration as Hughes is repeating the consonants to result in the same types of sounds. My view is that Hughes has used the word â€Å"enigmatic† as a personification as it is giving a human attribute to an inanimate object (square of satin). 3) What senses is the poet using to convey his vision and meaning? I think Hughes mainly tries to illustrate his poem The Angel as a vision in which we can receive a vivid and quite clear picture in our heads of the events and images. I think this is particularly correct of the sentence â€Å"She was cast in burning metal† as I can actually envisage the sight of the angel surrounded by the hot, flaming metal. Part of Hughes piece also appeal to my touch senses such as â€Å"When I next saw that strange square of satin I reached out and touched it†. This comment made me think of the soft and silky feel of holding satin in my hand. When Hughes is quoting his vision of the words of advice spoken by his mother it appeals to the senses of sound. Read also  Case 302 July in Multiplex 4) Which pieces of the poem do you especially like and why? The first reason I favour the poem is because I am familiar with the towns he is referring to (Halifax and Sheffield) and I think it is important to comprehend the significance of his Yorkshire origins in order to understand his work. I am curious of the fact that there is often a darker side to Hughes poetry. I particularly enjoyed the section where Hughes was describing his vision of an angel and how it suddenly changed into an omen surrounded by burning metal as I receive a clear picture of the event in my imagination and I can almost feel the terror and panic that Hughes aspires to describe. I like the way that Hughes describes his experiences realistically and does not try to express himself in the traditional and romantic way for which other English poets are famous. I especially favoured The Angel as it arouses strong emotions and it is not a conventional piece. I have noticed that Hughes frequently does not conform to the conventions which society expects of him, and naturally this upsets people.

The Bloody Babe And The Collapse Of Order - 977 Words

The Bloody Babe and the Collapse of Order in Macbeth One of the pervasive motifs in Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the bloody babe. Three major examples of the bloody babe are Lady Macbeth’s imaginary child, Duncan, who looks like a â€Å"naked new-born babe† and the apparition from the witch’s cauldron. These images have abundant symbolic meanings and help construct the chaotic world in Macbeth by showing the collapse of familial order, hierarchical order and time, . The world in Macbeth is not fit for innocent children. It is a world of bloody babes that are harmed by evil acts. The first bloody child shows the collapse of familial order in Macbeth’s household. Lady Macbeth takes on more masculinity than Macbeth in the murder of Duncan. After Duncan has gone to sleep, Macbeth panicked and wanted to quit the business. Lady Macbeth gave the unsettling yet powerful speech to entice Macbeth: I have given suck, and know How tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me; I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn As you have done to this. (I.7.54-59) Through this violent speech, Lady Macbeth takes on a violent and masculine role. At first, the babe is depicted as â€Å"smiling† and has â€Å"boneless gums.† It is innocent of the vice in the world and its forthcoming fate, and vulnerable to any external harm. It â€Å"symbolizes pity, and the necessity for pity.† (Muir 235) It depends totally on its mother. LadyShow MoreRelated Macbeth Essay901 Words   |  4 Pages then you were a man; / And, to be more than you were, you would / be so much more the man† (I, vii, 49-51). She tells Macbeth that she would kill her own child to have a chance like this â€Å" I have given suck, and know / how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me: / I would, while it was smiling at my face, / Have plucked my nipple from its boneless gums, / and dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you / Have done to this† (I, vii, 54-8). Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to commit a murder thatRead MoreMacbeth By William Shakespeare s Macbeth1623 Words   |  7 Pageshidden in some individuals based on the strength of their values, beliefs and morals. Those individuals that follow their ethical aspirations and moral beliefs live a joyous, peaceful and sane life, whereas those who jeopardize their conscience in order to satisfy their unethical aspirations live an ill-fated and accursed life. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth exhibits clear and concise examples of individuals overridden by immoral impulses which ultimately lead to their downfall. In the play, the characterRead MoreEssay about A Freudian Perspective of Shakespeares Macbeth2612 Words   |  11 PagesMacbeth:   A Freudian Perspective   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth and Lady Macbeth   We may take as an example of a person who collapses on reaching success, after striving for it with single-minded energy, the figure of Shakespeares Lady Macbeth. Beforehand there is no hesitation, no sign of any internal conflict in her, no endeavour but that of overcoming the scruples of her ambitious and yet tender-minded husband. She is ready to sacrifice even her womanliness to her murderous intention, without reflectingRead MoreOrder and Disorder in Macbeth4047 Words   |  17 Pagesevents that later aid Macbeth’s descent into complete insanity, Macbeth is portrayed from the very beginning as a fierce and violent soldier. As the play goes on, several internal conflicts inside of Macbeth become clear. After he performs several bloody tasks, the madness inside of Macbeth is unmistakably visible to everyone around him. As a result of this insanity, he sees visions and hallucinations. Each time Macbeth hallucinates, he plung es further into insanity that is essentially caused by misguidedRead MoreMacbeth Power Relations3173 Words   |  13 PagesMacbeth’s soliloquy, contrasts with the strong rhythms and violent imagery of Lady Macbeth’s speech. Images of nurturing are used to contrast the two speeches of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. When Macbeth speaks of Duncan, he says â€Å"pity, like a new-born babe†, which contrasts with Lady Macbeth’s violent imagery of ‘dashing the brains out’. Macbeth acknowledges Lady Macbeth’s manliness when he exclaims she should â€Å"Bring forth men-children only†, as she is so bold and courageous. The fact that Macbeth succumbsRead MoreExpo5600 Words   |  23 PagesHe must be silenced, and Fleance disposed of too, so that the prophecy may be improved. But Banquo s ghost attends the banquet, obedient to Macbeth s Fail not our feast; more suspicions are aroused or confirmed. Macbeth must trudge on along his bloody path, trying to keep secure a position which no longer has any worth or meaning for him and which is now a punishment rather than the anticipated goal. Shakespeare s deviation from his sources here, allowing the regicides no period of peaceful acceptanceRead MoreMacbeth9435 Words   |  38 PagesContents   Ã‚  [hide]   * 1  Characters * 2  Plot * 3  Sources * 4  Date and text * 5  Themes and motifs * 5.1  Ambition * 5.2  Masculinity * 6  Analysis * 6.1  As a tragedy of character * 6.2  As a tragedy of moral order * 6.3  As a poetic tragedy * 6.4  Witchcraft and evil * 7  Superstition and the Scottish play * 8  Legacy * 8.1  Performance history * 8.1.1  Shakespeare s Day to the Interregnum * 8.1.2  Restoration andRead MoreModern English Macbeth21221 Words   |  85 Pageslike a tidal wave. Two sentries brought a limping, bleeding soldier to the King. The man clutched his torn side, resisting an overwhelming desire to pass into unconsciousness. It was clear that he had something important to tell the King. ‘What bloody man is this?’ said Duncan. ‘I can see he s just come from the battlefield so he ll be able to give us the latest news.’ ‘Ah!’ exclaimed Malcolm. ‘This is the sergeant who struggled so valiantly to save me from captivity. Hello, brave friend.Read MoreModern History.Hsc.2012 Essay25799 Words   |  104 PagesNY city alone. Cleveland had an unemployment rate of 50% in 1932. Akron 60%. Toledo 80%. The collapse of agriculture (especially cotton) in the south left many black americans without income. By 1932 over 50% of the Blacks in the South were unemployed. Afro-Americans were unemployed at twice the rate of whites. ‘blacks were the last hired and the first fired’ Poverty and starvation / collapse of living standards for many millions Inadequate relief provided by Hoover, who relied on charitiesRead MoreIgbo Dictionary129408 Words   |  518 Pagesconversion of the character codes. It seems that two different systems of coding diacritics were used and more than two IPA phonetic fonts. Furthermore, for some reason, the typing of the grammar sketch which precedes the manuscript is incomplete. In order to make the manuscript available, I have therefore joined together the fragments of the electronic manuscript and converted all the diacritics to a single system. I hope I have done this consistently, but errors may still remain. Where something was