A theoretical contribution between Eemeren & Grootendorst's and Brown & Levinson's Theories

Abstract EN

This study sets out to find a contribution between the two theories.

That is to find the relationship between Eemeren & Grootendorst's theory of pragma-dialectics (1984-2007) and Brown & Levinson's theory of politeness (1987).

It is hypothesized that Eemeren & Grootendorst has depended 50% percent in amending their theory on Brown and Levinson's Politeness Strategies (1987) and this is reflected on his model.

The study has arrived at the following conclusions that (1) Politeness as a complex speech act of communication can be achieved through using a variety of expressions like indirectness, negative politness, ...etc (2) The relationship between the two theories is an integral part relationship.

Thus, polite expressions and strategies are regarded as a complex speech act of communication used to avoid face imposition or threatening and to avoid violating the critical discussion rules, such as indirectness and negative politeness which appear to be used mostly.

This verifies the study's hypothesis (3) Brown and Levinson see that politeness varies across cultures, whereas Eemeren and Grootendorst eliminated culture in their model.