Instructors’ use of the strategies of politeness at college level

Abstract EN

This study investigates the major strategies of politeness which are used by private college instructors in their class communication.

The study attempts to take instructors' concepts about the importance and the challenges they face in applying such strategies at private colleges.

It also aims at detecting the frequent use of politeness strategies which are presented by Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies (1987) where politeness strategies are classified into four types ; positive , negative , Bald on-record and off record strategies .To achieve the aims of the study, two instruments were used ; a questionnaire was set to be filled out by 30 college instructors to take their perceptions on the importance, challenges and frequent use of the strategies .The second instrument is an interview where 4 private college instructors participated to detect their awareness of the importance , the challenges and the strategies of politeness .

The results of this study will be helpful for college instructors to have information about the importance of their use of language, especially politeness strategies in class interaction and to be enlightened about the major strategies which are used.

The results showed that instructors use a variety of politeness strategies but the use of certain strategies are more frequent at private, for instance, in private colleges, positive politeness is considered to have the highest use of strategies.

Furthermore, instructors’ interview suggested that private college instructors have no information about politeness strategies, how and when to use each type but they confessed that they only depend on their personality in handling any misbehavior from students’ part since they have not been to any linguistic courses to learn about the types of politeness strategies.