中西方礼貌原则及其差异分析

1. Introduction

Politeness as a social phenomenon can be observed in all languages and cultures, and it has long been made an important object of study in linguistics. The really serious study of politeness in the Western linguistic circles can be traced back to the German Romantic Movement in the early 1920s. In recent years, along with the rapid movement towards pragmatics, politeness has become the central theme. The two most influential and successful theories are Brown and Levinson‟s Face Theory and Le ech‟s Politeness Principle.

In China, however, the real study of politeness only began in the 1980s when pragmatics was introduced into China. The most worth-mentioning figure in this area is Gu Yueguo. He puts forward his own set of politeness maxims in his “Politeness Phenomena in Modem Chinese” (1990). Later, based on traditional Chinese cultural values, Gu has formulated a different set of politeness maxims, which he thinks are more suitable to the Chinese environment.

As a common social phenomenon, politeness is not only a universally highly valued virtue, but also a widely employed strategy to realize tactful and effective communications. Despite its universality of politeness, the ways to realize politeness and the standards of judgment differ in different cultures. Being unaware of such differences would probably lead to trouble or failure in cross-cultural communication. Therefore, it is necessary and important to study different concepts and manifestations of politeness in different cultures, so as to reduce the possibility of misunderstanding between the two sides and achieve a satisfactory result.

2. Concept of Politeness

Politeness is a universal phenomenon in human society, but it is not existent until the process of socialization and civiliz ation. The English term “polite” derives from late Medieval Latin “Politus” meaning “smoothed”, “accomplished”. Therefore“polite” was usually associated with concepts such as “polished”, “refined”. However different linguists and scholars give their different interpretations of politeness.

Leech (1983: 82) sees politeness as a regulative factor in interaction in order to maintain “the social equilibrium and the friendly relation”.

Brown and Levinson view politeness as a redressive action taken to counter-balance the disruptive effect of face-threatening acts.

Yule (2000: 106) maintains that politeness is “a system of interpersonal relations designed to facilitate interaction by minimizing the potential for conflict and confrontation inherent in all human in terchange”.

For Kochman, politeness has a protective mission exercised in putting things in such a