An Impoliteness Theoretic Study Of The American Political Interviews

In recent years,the studies on the impoliteness in verbal interaction have become a hot topic in the pragmatic academia at home and abroad.However,few studies focus on impolite discourse and strategies in American political interviews.Based on the impoliteness model proposed by Bousfield(2008),the study aims to elaborate on the definition,realization and functions of impoliteness in political information transmission as well as political purpose realization in American political interviews in 24 political interview transcripts from “Larry King Live”(01/2017-12/2017).Both quantitative and qualitative analysis is adopted,and the study contrives to explore the similarities and differences between the impoliteness implementation mechanism in American political interviews and ordinary discourse,functions of impoliteness in American political interviews and participants' best responsive strategies for impoliteness triggers in American political interviews.The study yields the following major findings.Firstly,impoliteness procedure is collaboratively and sequentially achieved in American political interviews through four processes,namely,impoliteness beginnings,impoliteness middles,impoliteness perclosings and impoliteness ends,which involve the newly added impoliteness preclosings based on the special features of American political interviews.The four phases adopt distinctive impoliteness strategies.On top of the previous ordinary impoliteness triggers,activity role also finds its foothold in impoliteness beginnings.Besides the responsive strategies expounded in ordinary discourse,impoliteness middles also encompass mitigate,equivocate and react.By the same token,the somewhat neglected postpone pattern is part and parcel of impoliteness ends compared to daily discourse.Secondly,impoliteness is loaded with multiple functions.Three dimensions can be utilized to illustrate the positive influence of impoliteness procedures in political interview,viz.individual,society and state.At the individual level,impoliteness is weighted heavily in individual's self-identity construction,increase of exposure,and political stance conveyance.The involvement of well-meaning impolite utterance is beneficial for creating a relaxing,funny and thought-provoking atmosphere.As for the social level,impoliteness discourse becomes instrumental,because it is not only viewed as the method for role-shifting,but also treated as the weapon for power attainment and social revolution.Impoliteness,to some extent,endeavors to evade politically sensitive topics and keep the confidential information from unauthorized disclosure.Thirdly,impoliteness responsive strategies hinge on the roles and stances of the involved parties.Interviewers incline to the option of acceptance.It is expedient for interviewees to counter and react when encountering impoliteness.The strategies of counter and mitigate become instrumental in the responses concerning the third party.And the audience expects to witness the counter and the react performances in the studio.An impoliteness theoretic study of American political interviews is essential both theoretically and practically.Firstly,it enriches impoliteness theory,especially in terms of impoliteness mechanism,foregrounding the importance and uniqueness of the study of impoliteness.Secondly,the data of impoliteness studies are richer and more diversified,which provides a new angle of research for political discourse.Last but not the least,the mechanism of impoliteness discussed in the thesis will shed some light on the studies of other institutional discourse,which additionally has implications on the impoliteness studies of daily interaction.