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ERIC Number: EJ1262331
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2149-1135
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
'Please' as an Impoliteness Marker in English Discourse
Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, v6 n2 p243-263 2020
This study explored how Iranian EFL learners and native English speakers conceptualized the impolite use of "please" in interaction. Moreover, attempts were made to examine whether Iranian EFL learners and native English speakers differ in using the impolite version of please in their communications. To this end, informal conversations of 20 Iranian EFL learners in pairs and small groups were recorded and transcribed. The impolite version of "please" in these conversations was compared with similar data from the Bergen Corpus of London Teenage Language (COLT). According to results, several functions of the 'impolite' "please" were found among Iranian EFL learners and native English speakers. Firstly, "please" was used to establish or confirm harmonious relationships between the speakers; it was used as rapport-strengthening impoliteness marker. Secondly, 'mock impoliteness' was conceptualized to bear positive meaning since it was interpreted as an amusing or entertaining remark. In teenagers' circles, entertainment skills whereby impolite "please" was employed were highly valued. Thirdly, participants adhered to 'repetition', 'reformulation', and 'escalation' in their interactions to show their creative impoliteness. Finally, it was concluded that certain functions of the impolite "please" were shared between the Iranian EFL learners and native English speakers, while some functions were not shared between these two groups.
Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics. Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Anafartalar Campus Faculty of Education Department of Foreign Language Education, Canakkale 07100, Turkey. e-mail: editor@ejal.info; Website: https://www.ejal.info/index.php/ejal
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Iran
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A