Topic 12 - Meaning between the lines (Session B) >Top Girls revisited - with politeness in mind > Task E > Answer

Top Girls revisited - with politeness in mind

Task E – Our answer

Win’s mitigation strategy here is similar to that she used in turn 11. The NP ‘no long term understandings’, although it is more specific than ‘any trouble, any reason’ of turn 11 (and so is slightly more threatening), does not suggest who might have misunderstood who (though our schematic assumptions suggest that the best odds must be on Win having misunderstood a superior). The phrase is also rather vague. Similar things can be said about ‘an insupportable atmosphere’. In addition, ‘come to a sudden end’ also fails to indicate who or what made the understanding ‘come to an end’. Louise is clearly sacrificing the Gricean maxim of manner in order to mitigate her positive and negative FTA.

In general terms it is important to notice how the Gricean maxims and Politeness Theory constraints interact with one another here. It looks as if they will interact with one another in many other situations too, not just this conversation between Win and Louise.

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