This examination of several languages permits the identification of universal characteristics of honorific forms, as well as possible explanations for those universals. The Japanese honorific system is described in some detail and contrasted with the honorific systems of ten other languages which are more briefly described: Javanese, Madurese, Thai, Korean, Dzongkha, Tibetan, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, and Guugu Yimidhirr. Data from those eleven languages explains how honorifics appear and spread through languages. An examination of Japanese indicates certain restrictions governing which parts of the vocabulary are elaborated as honorifics. Those restrictions are primarily semantic, although a few lexical and phonological factors must also be considered. Certain regularities in the appearance of honorifics could be observed in all of the languages. The honorific forms are always marked compared to the ordinary forms. Reference type honorifics always appear in a language prior to the addressee type. Reference honorifics appear first in the semantic domains related to humans; and the elaboration of honorific forms occurs in a certain implicational order. Naming (e.g. with titles) occurs first, followed by the elaboration of pronouns, verbs, nouns, and other parts of speech. All languages containing reference honorifics appear to elaborate parts of speech in that order. Among reference honorifics, the presence of non-actor forms always indicated the presence of actor forms. These synchronic implicational statements about honorifics have diachronic significance. In accounting for universal honorific forms, a limited set of explanations are necessary. These include general cognitive processes such as marking and degree of salience and common cultural behavior. For example, the concepts of power and solidarity can be used to describe a cultural universal of personal relations both linguistically and non-linguistically. The degree of elaboration of honorifics in different languages is also explained. The presence of honorifics in non-kinship based societies depends on a vertically organized social structure and ideology. In addition, the internal structure of the language may also affect the extent of honorific elaboration. If reference honorifics in a given language function to disambiguate NPs in discourse, they are elaborated to a greater extent than in languages where they only index social relationships.

No description available.

No description available.

Japanese honorifics (JH) are challenging for learners of Japanese language to acquire due to their complex grammatical formulas. Textbooks tend to assume that the explanation of grammatical rules and drill exercises focusing on the rules are sufficient for learners to be competent in JH. However, functional issues related to honorifics such as how to use honorifics in socioculturally appropriate ways or how to deal with non-linguistic aspects of honorifics are likely to be ignored. The present study questioned the assumptions entailed in the traditional formoriented approach to teaching language, and examined an oral interview activity carried out by 24 students in a Japanese language course at a Canadian university. In this activity, the students interviewed Japanese professors using JH, and several types of data (i.e., the researcher observations and interviews with the participants and student written reflections on the interviews) were analyzed in order to find out students' practice (i.e., what students did) of and theory (i.e., how students perceived) about JH and oral interviews. The findings of the study present a very complex picture of students' practice and theory; they were engaged not only in the formation of the rules of JH but also in the functional areas such as non-verbal behaviour and conversation management. The data also revealed that students were very much concerned with functional areas during the interviews. From these findings, the study emphasizes the importance offunctions embedded in JH, and suggests that the Japanese teacher help learners acquire the functional competence dealing with JH as well as the linguistic competence.

Japanese honorifics (JH) are challenging for learners of Japanese language to acquire due to their complex grammatical formulas. Textbooks tend to assume that the explanation of grammatical rules and drill exercises focusing on the rules are sufficient for learners to be competent in JH. However, functional issues related to honorifics such as how to use honorifics in socioculturally appropriate ways or how to deal with non-linguistic aspects of honorifics are likely to be ignored. The present study questioned the assumptions entailed in the traditional formoriented approach to teaching language, and examined an oral interview activity carried out by 24 students in a Japanese language course at a Canadian university. In this activity, the students interviewed Japanese professors using JH, and several types of data (i.e., the researcher observations and interviews with the participants and student written reflections on the interviews) were analyzed in order to find out students' practice (i.e., what students did) of and theory (i.e., how students perceived) about JH and oral interviews. The findings of the study present a very complex picture of students' practice and theory; they were engaged not only in the formation of the rules of JH but also in the functional areas such as non-verbal behaviour and conversation management. The data also revealed that students were very much concerned with functional areas during the interviews. From these findings, the study emphasizes the importance offunctions embedded in JH, and suggests that the Japanese teacher help learners acquire the functional competence dealing with JH as well as the linguistic competence. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate

The present study is aimed at analyzing ways of signaling politeness in the English language compared to the Spanish language with the purpose of helping ESL (English as a second language) and EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers to teach how politeness is achieved in English. ESL/EFL students should know how politeness is accomplished in English in order to communicate effectively in meetings held in English. In essence, I clarify what ways of signaling verbal politeness are found in English and how ESL/EFL teachers can integrate the teaching of those forms through interactions.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates how gratitude expressions may be expressed in Tshivenda. Studies on the expressions of gratitude have been conducted in various languages. Politeness is a pragmatic mechanism in which a variety of structures work together according to the speaker's intention of achieving smooth communication. Speech acts on the other hand is the same as an illocutionary act (intention of the sender). The same world can be used to perform different speech acts. The findings in this study is based on situations in which gratitude is expressed in response to receiving a reward, gift, favour, service and compliment (Eisentein and Bodman 1986). Gratitude is expressed when a person benefits from another person. In this study the data shows consistent use of expressions of gratitude within specific contexts. The results of this study are consistently interpretable in that the bigger the imposition on the giver, the more polite expressions are employed. Gratitude expressions have been analysed from gratitude functions. These functions include the following: Thanking, appreciations, liking, surprise, generosity, pleasure, indebtedness, relief, desire, caring, enthusiasm, reciprocate, reason, reassurance and compliment. In Tshivenda thanks, pleasure and appreciation have a high frequency and these gratitude functions show extreme politeness of the Venda people. There are also certain functions in Tshivenda which have a very low frequency, i.e. reason, desire, enthusiasm, reciprocate, generosity and caring. Therefore, they are not considered as possible gratitude functions in Tshivenda and are also unfamiliar in Tshivenda. / AFRRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe uitdrukkings van dankbaarheid in Tshivenda uitgedruk kan word. Studies oor uitdrukkings van dankbaarheid is gedoen in verskeie tale. Beleefdheid is 'n pragmatiese meganisme waarin 'n verskeidenheid strukture saamwerk volgens die spreker se bedoeling om gladde kommunikasie te bewerkstellig. Spraakhandelinge, aan die anderkant, is dieselfde as illokusionere handelinge (bedoeling van die spreker). Dieselfde woord kan gebruik word om verskillende Spraakhandelinge uit te voer. Die bevindinge in hierdie studie is gebaseer op situasies waarin dankbaarheid uitgespreek word as antwoord op die ontvangs van 'n beloning, geskenk, guns en kompliment (Eisenstein en Bodman, 1986). Dankbaarheid word uitgedruk wanneer 'n persoon voordeel trek uit 'n ander persoon. In hierdie studie toon die data eenvormige gebruik van uitdrukkings van dankbaarheid binne spesifieke kontekste. Die resultate van hierdie studie is telkens interpreteerbaar soos volg: hoe grater die druk op die gewer, hoe meer beleefd is die dankbaarheids- uitdrukkings. Suike uitdrukkings is geanaliseer vanaf dankbaarheidsfunksies, naamlik bedanking, waardering, voorkeur, verrassing, vrygewigheid, plesier, skuld, verligting, begeerte, entoesiasme, wederkerigheid, rede, versekering en kompliment. In Tshivenda het bedanking, plesier en waardering 'n hoe frekwensie van voorkoms en hierdie dankbaarheidsuitdrukkings toon die besondere beleefdheid van die Venda. Daar is ook sekere funksies in Tshivenda wat 'n bate lae frekwensie het, naamlik rede, begeerte, entoesiasme, wederkerigheid, vrygewigheid en sorg. Dus kan hulle nie beskou word as moontlike dankbaarheidsfunksies in Tshivenda nie.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the study is to examine the phenomenon of politeness in isiXhosa discourse within the speech acts of apology and complaint. Politeness is evidenced where nonverbal and verbal actions work together for the purpose of achieving smooth communication among speakers. The actions that occur through discourse are called speech acts. The most important aim of the speech act of apology is to maintain a good relationship among speakers. This study focusses specifically on the speech act of apology and the manner in which Xhosa speakers forward apologies and complaints among themsleves. Politeness theory will be used as a basis of this study. In this study, the main focuss is on how the male and female students forward complaints and apologies. It is discovered that, there are different ways of expressing apologies and complaints in isiXhosa in different situations, and the different ways in which males and females students forward apologies among themselves. For instance, in space situation, males forwarded more apologies as they occupied more space than females. In time situation, females forward more apologies as they were lacking more in time management than males do. According to Trosborg (1995) there are several ways or strategies of apology, which are as follows: The opting out-catergory; minimizing the degree of offence; indirect apologies; explanation or account; promise of forbearance and the offer of repair. It has been discovered firstly in this study, that females used more apology strategies than males. Secondly, four main apology strategies: request for forgiveness; explicit explanation; offer of apology and the expression of lack of intent have been extensively used by both males and females in the empirical data examined. Trosborg (1995) mentions eight complaints strategies, namely: hints; annoyance; ill consequences; direct complaints; indirect complaints; modified blame (behavior) and an explicit blame (person). Females used more complaint strategies than males. Five complaint strategies: direct complaint; annoyance; ill consequences; indirect complaint and the modified blame have been extensively used by both males and females. This study helps us to understand the different ways of expressing apologies and complaints in different situations in isiXhosa. The more appropriate apology and complaint is used, the better the communication. This becomes evident in the manner in which males and females forwarded apology and complaint strategies in the discourse analysed in this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om die verskynsel van beleefdheid in isiXhosa te ondersoek binne die uitvoering van die spraakhandelinge van verskoning en klagte. Beleefdheid word aangedui wanneer nie-verbale en verbale aksies saam van belang is vir die bereiking van doeltreffende kommunikasie tussen sprekers. Die handelinge wat plaasvind deur diskoers word spraakhandelinge genoem. Die belangrikste oogmerk van die spraakhandeling van verskoning is om goeie verhoudinge tussen sprekers te handhaaf. Hierdie studie fokus spesifiek op die spraakhandeling van verskoning en die wyse waarop Xhosasprekers verskonings en klagtes tussen mekaar uitruil. Beleefdheidsteorie sal as raamwerk gebruik word vir hierdie studie. Die studie gee ook aandag aan hoe vroulie en manlike studente verskonings uitruil. Dit word bevind dat daar verskillende wyses is waarop verskonings en klagtes in Xhosa uitgedruk word in verskillende situasies, en dat daar verskillende wyses is waarop manlike en vroulike studente verskonings uitruil. Byvoorbeeld, in 'n ruimte situasie gee manlike persone meer verskonings as vroulike persone, aangesien hulle meer ruimte in beslag neem. In 'n tyd situasie, gee vroulike persone meer verskonings as manlike persone aangesien dit voorkom of hulle minder besorg is oor tydsbestuur. Volgens Trosborg (1995), is daar verskeie wyses of strategieë van verskoning, insluitende die volgende: die uitwegkategorie, minimalisering van oortreding, indirekte verskonings, verduideliking, belofte van geduld, en aanbod vir herstel. Daar is bevind in die studie dat vroulike persone meer verskoning strategieë gebruik as manlike persone. Tweedens, vier hoof verskoning strategieë, nl. versoek vir vergiffenis, eksplisiete verduideliking, aanbod van 'n verskoning en die uitdrukking van 'n tekort aan bedoeling, is uitgebreid gebruik deur sowel manlike as vroulike persone. Trosborg (1995) noem agt klagte strategieë, naamlik skimpe, irritasie, sleg gevolge, direkte klagtes, indirekte klagtes, gewysigde blaam (t.o.v. gedrag), en eksplisiete blaam (t.o.v. 'n persoon). Die vroulike persone het meer klagte strategieë as manlike persone. Vyf klagtestrategieë, naamlik direkte klagte, irritasie, sleg gevolge, indirekte klagte, en die gewysigde blaam is uitgebreid gebruik deur sowel vroulike as manlike persone. Hierdie studie werp lig op die verskillende wyses van hoe verskonings in Xhosa uitgedruk word en klagtes in verskillende situasies. Hoe meer gepas 'n klagte of verskoning is, hoe meer doeltreffend vind die kommunikasie plaas. Hierdie feit word geïllustreer deur die wyses waarop manlike en vroulike persone verskonings maak, soos aangetoon in die studie.

Thesis (M. A. (African Languages)) -- University of Limpopo, 2004 / Refer to the document

This thesis purports to introduce a cost and benefit theory of politeness which sheds light upon the politeness system in Japanese. This involves the assumption that a communicative act is a rational act, executed for a communicative goal. Given so, politeness-bearing language use is strategic in nature. This implies that using a certain strategy appropriate in a given communicative situation is a consequence of rationalization. With effective utilization of the cost and benefit concept, broadly defined, linguistic politeness is viewed as a negotiation between the speaker and the hearer on the basis of the speaker's assessment of cost and/or benefit. In order to achieve a characterization of negotiation, the underlying principle, referred to as "Politeness Negotiation Principles," is proposed. The primary task in this thesis is to analyze the use of sentence particles within a framework of the cost and benefit theory. While the majority of studies of politeness phenomena in Japanese have centered around honorifics, which is widely known for its highly developed system, sentence particles have received little attention. In this regard, this study of sentence particles shows a much broader vista of politeness phenomena in Japanese than hitherto assumed. The application of the cost and benefit concept goes beyond the sphere of politeness phenomena. By identifying a cost and/or a benefit involved in a context where the modality item desyoo/daroo and the anaphoric demonstratives sono and ano are employed, the uses of these elements, which reveal interesting dynamics of interaction between the speaker and the hearer, can be explained.