Analyzing Speech Acts and Politeness Strategies in Dialogue
Analyzing Speech Acts and Politeness Strategies
This document analyzes a sample dialogue, identifying speech acts, politeness strategies, and types of moves used by the speakers.
Turn-Taking, Speech Acts, and Politeness
The following tables break down the conversation, examining each turn in detail.
First Part of the Conversation
| Turn | Speech Act | Politeness Strategy | Type of Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle: Mr. Hibberd’s office! | Greeting | Bald on record | Opening |
| Peter: Hello, Can I speak to Brian Hibberd, please? | Greeting, Directive (requesting) | Bald on record, On record, negative politeness (asking instead of ordering: “can I speak to…”), conventionalized indirectness (modal verb “can”.) | Opening, Initiating |
Second Part of the Conversation
| Turn | Speech Act | Politeness Strategy | Type of Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle: I’m afraid he’s in a meeting until lunchtime. Can I take a message? | Representative (assertion), Directive (offering) | On record, negative politeness (I’m afraid), On record, negative politeness (“can I take…”), conventionalized indirectness (modal verb “can”.) | Responding, support. Dispreferred, Initiating: Insertion sequence |
| Peter: Well, I’d like to arrange an appointment to see him, please. It’s Peter Jefferson here. | Directive (requesting), Representative (stating) | On record, negative politeness (I’d like to…), Bald on record. | Responding, supporting. Preferred., Initiating |
| Michelle: Could you hold on for a minute, Mr. Jefferson. I’ll just look in the diary. So when’s convenient for you? | Directive (request), Representative (stating), Commissive (offering) | On record, negative politeness (“could you hold on…”), conventionalized indirectness (modal verb “could”), Bald on record, Bald on record | Responding, supporting. Preferred., Initiating, Insertion sequence |
| Peter: Some time next week if possible. I gather he’s away the following week. | Directive (requesting), Representative (stating) | On record, negative politeness (“if possible”), conventionalized indirectness (conditional form), Bald on record. | Responding, supporting. Preferred, Initiating: Insertion sequence |
| Michelle: Yes, that’s right, he’s on holiday for a fortnight. | Commissive (agreeing), Representative (confirming) | Bald on record | End of insertion sequence |
| Peter: Well, I need to see him before he goes away. So would next Wednesday be okay? | Directive (requesting), Directive (requesting) | Bald on record., On record, negative politeness (“would next Wednesday…?”), conventionalized indirectness (modal “would”). | Responding, supporting. Preferred., Initiating |
| Michelle: Wednesday. let me see . He’s out of the office all morning. But he’s free in the afternoon, after about three. | Representative (reporting), Directive (offering) | Bald on record., Bald on record. | Responding, challenging. Dispreferred., Initiating |
| Peter: Three o’clock is difficult. But I could make it after four. | Expressive (complaining), Directive (requesting) | Bald on record., On record, negative politeness (I could… ) | Responding, challenging, Dispreferred., Initiating |
| Michelle: So shall we say 4.15 next Wednesday, in Mr. Hibberd’s office | Commissive (offering) | On record, negative politeness ( shall we… ) | Responding, support. Preferred. |
| Peter: Yes, that sounds fine. Thanks very much. | Commissive (agreeing), Expressive (thanking) | Bald on record., On record, negative politeness | Responding, support. Preferred. |
| Michelle: Okay, then. Bye. | Expressive (farewell) | Bald on record. | Closing |