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STUDY QUESTIONS In what sense is indirectness “costly and risky”?

STUDY QUESTIONS In what sense is indirectness “costly and risky”? Despite the fact that indirectness is costly and risky, people frequently resort to indirectness in conversation. What’s the reason for that? In what sense is indirectness universal ?

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STUDY QUESTIONS In what sense is indirectness “costly and risky”?

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  1. STUDY QUESTIONS • In what sense is indirectness “costly and risky”? • Despite the fact that indirectness is costly and risky, people frequently resort to indirectness in conversation. What’s the reason for that? • In what sense is indirectness universal? • List the factors governing the level ( or degree) of indirectness.

  2. How does the hearer’s power (or authority) affect the level of indirectness employed by the speaker? • What are the types of power identified in the book, and which of them may influence the level of indirectness? • What are the variables used in determining the social distance between speakers? • How does social distance affect the degree of indirecness employed) • What does the term “size of imposition” refer to, and in what way does it affect the degree of indirectness? • Discuss the relationship between the concept of “rights and obligations” and indirectness.

  3. INDIRECTNESS Linguistic Realisation Take me home. → The most direct form. 2)I want you to take me home.→ wish assertion Here, the H is left with a choice of whether to carry out the S's wish or ignore it. 3) Will you take me home?→ Yes/No question Gives the H more freedom of action to say YES or NO. Direct Indirect 4) Can you take me home? → question about H's ability Gives the H an "out". The H is able to decline an action on grounds of being unable to do so. e.g. The H might say: I'm able to do it, but I can't.

  4. The adoption of the unreal forms of WILL and CAN ,i.e., WOULD and COULD, is yet another stage of inthe avoidance of commitment. 5) Would you take me home? 6) Could you take ne home? Indirect The past tense modals signify a hypothetical action by the H, so in reply the H can in theory give a positive response to the questionwithout committing himself to anything in the real world. e.g. I would if I could.

  5. 7) Could you possibly take me home? 8) Would you mind taking me home? "possibly" and "mind" are tentatively biased items, so unlike questions with CAN, they can't be understood as serious questions. Therefore, they are pragmatically specialized towards the function of indicating greater indirectness. Indirect 9) You couldn't possibly take me home, could you? 10) You wouldn't mind taking me home, would you? 11) Are you going to Heykel? or Where are you going? Non-conventionally indirect

  6. EXERCISES A. In view of the factors power, social distanceand size of imposition which govern the degree of indirectness, propose a situation for the use of each of the utterances provided below. 1. Pass the salt, please. _______________________________ 2. Will you pass the salt, please? _______________________________ 3. Could you pass the salt? _______________________________ 4. Do you see the salt anywhere? _______________________________ Excuse me, I’m sorry to bother you but I wonder if you could pass the salt. ________________________________

  7. B. Explain the use of the following utterances in terms of the estimated powerbetween the S and H, the perceived social distance between them and the estimated size of impositioninvolved in the act. 1. I’m sorry to bother you but would there be any chance of your lending me just enough money to get a railway ticket to get home? I must have dropped my purse and I just don’t know what to do. [the ticket costs the equivalent of 50 TL]. 2. Hey, got change for 50 p., mate?

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