TITLE:
Negative Politeness and Interpersonal Harmony—The Analysis of Request-Response in Family Discourse
AUTHORS:
Qi Wu
KEYWORDS:
Negative Politeness, Interpersonal Harmony, Family Discourse, Rapport Management Theory
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.5 No.8,
August
31,
2018
ABSTRACT: This study aims to analyze negative politeness and interpersonal harmony in family discourse in verbal interactions between “son and mother”. Therefore, a pair of conversations which have the contrary effects (one is a failure and the other is a success) was analyzed. Based upon Spencer-Oatey’s Rapport Management Theory, the son’s request and his mother’s response were put into specific discussion. The results reveal that: 1) negative politeness can lead to an inharmonious or harmonious relationship and “affect” plays a unique role in maintaining interpersonal rapport; 2) the goal’s cost-benefit consideration and speaker’s perception/understanding/idea influence addressee’s response and addresser’s attainment of a request 3) the assertion of each other’s self-identity and right-obligation obviously enhances the tendency toward an establishment of harmonious relationship.