On the Speech Act of Suggestion and Politeness

This study adopts both a qualitative approach and a quantitative approach to collect data from altogether 100 university students for a descriptive study on the realization of suggestions in Chinese context from a pragmatic perspective based on the theoretical framework of politeness.The syntactic patterns and politeness strategies of suggestions are under careful examination with consideration of effects of social factors including the degree of imposition,social distance and relative power.The study reveals that more Chinese are willing to make suggestions,especially direct ones,which reflects the politeness notion of attitudinal warmth in Chinese culture.Statement is the most frequently used sentence type,followed by imperative while interrogative is the least.Seven specific politeness strategies have been employed,with showing concern for the hearer as the first choice.And in determining the appropriateness of syntactic patterns and specific strategies,such social variables as the degree of embarrassment,relative power and social distance function together to exert great influence.

This study adopts both a qualitative approach and a quantitative approach to coUect data from altogether 100 university students for a descriptive study on the realization of suggestions in Chinese context from a pragmatic perspective based on the theoretical framework of politeness. The syntactic patterns and politeness strategies of suggestions are under careful examination with consideration of effects of social factors including the degree of imposition, social distance and relative power. The study reveals that more Chinese are willing to make suggestions, especially direct ones, which reflects the politeness notion of attitudinal warmth in Chinese culture. Statement is the most frequendy used sentence type,followed by imperative while interrogative is the least. Seven specific politeness strategies have been employed, with showing concern for the hearer as the first choice. And in determining the appropriateness of syntactic patterns and specific strategies, such social variables as the degree of embarrassment, relative power and social distance function together to exert great influence.