Impoliteness as self-directed positively marked facework

Abstract

Traditionally, impoliteness is associated with inappropriateness, unfavourableness, unsupportiveness, non-abidance by social rules, non-politicness, lack of cultural scripts or lack of FTA-redress (Eelen 2001; Jakubowska 1999). In the observed group of teenagers, impolite behaviour cannot be defined by means of all these terms. FTAs performed bald on record without redress, positive impoliteness and sarcasm the teenagers use are definitely unfavourable and unsupportive, but they are considered appropriate and politic by members of the group. The observed individuals interacting with their peers abode by interactional norms specific for their group/culture and used their specific cultural scripts. “Politeness is a social judgement” (Spencer-Oatey 2000: 3), and people are judged to be polite or impolite, depending on what that say, to whom, and in what context. Norms and patterns of polite behaviour differ across cultures, across different social groups, or even age groups. That is why what is considered impolite behaviour in interaction between adults can be appropriate in interaction between teenagers.