session 8: Public Style

Goffmann

•Erving Goffman (1922-1982)

•Sociologist: Footing (1981)

•Naïve labels: speaker & hearer

 

Participation framework (hearer, recipient, listener)

•Ratified participants – addressee/bystander

•Overhearer

•Eavesdropper

Production format (speaker)

•Animator (speaking out loud)

•Author (wording)

•Principal (idea)

distinction between offical and business correspondence

official: letters addressed to government officials, ambassadors or other subjects with a role at Court

business: adapts current meaning

concept of writer and addressee

• person who wrote the letter was not necessary the person whose meaning is conveyed → actual encoder

• no guarantee addressee remained the sole recipient of the letter

• business and official letters could be read by business partners or secretaries

→ meaning was conveyed in the awareness that a plurality of subjects could be involved at both ends

(self-)representatiom, stance and evaluation

• concept of public style connected with that of face

• social relationship between participants were reinforced through linguistic means that reflected standard social constructions and expectations in terms of propriety and politness

• use of codified formulae, encoders and recipients conveyed greater modesty and deference than their actual status would have required in order to emphase both positive and negative politness

positive politeness example: with great respect

opinion and point of view in public style texts

• reminiscent of the argumentative style of pamphlets

• encoders did not show an excessive fear or face-threatening moves

• in business style: balance of relationship crucial for its continuation and success for any transaction

setting the tone

typical formula when providing information or requesting action: ‘I beg leave to’

when conveying news: ‘I am delighted to…’

when unwelcome news: ‘I regret’

→ recipients interpretation of the message is guided by key word or phrase

modality

function to distance the predication, indicate greater or lesser tentativeness depending on the topic of the predication and the relationship existing

style across languages

insight into what was meant to be the public version with all its politeness moves and the elss formal english translation