期刊名称：KEMANUSIAAN : The Asian Journal of Humanities
印刷版ISSN：1394-9330
电子版ISSN：1985-8353
出版年度：2019
卷号：26
期号：1
页码：1-26
出版社：Universiti Sains Malaysia Press
摘要：This research paper analysed the positive politeness strategies used by Oprah
Winfrey and her guests in the Oprah Winfrey Talk Show. By analysing four full interviews
for each group (African-Americans and Caucasians), the study also aimed to investigate
the effect of the speaker’s ethnic background on the use of positive politeness strategies in
Oprah Winfrey Talk Show. Based on Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness framework,
the study revealed that both Oprah and her guests employed positive politeness strategies
when addressing each other to avoid face threatening or face damage. The data also revealed
that Oprah and her Caucasian guests used more positive politeness strategies than with the
African-Americans. In addition, it was found that the most frequently used strategies in
Oprah’s talk with both groups were “Seek agreement”, “Exaggerate (interest, approval,
sympathy with H)”, “Give (or ask for) reasons”, “Presuppose/raise/assert common ground”
and “Assert or presuppose S’s knowledge of and concern for H’s wants”, respectively.
However, the study showed that there was a difference in the use of positive politeness
strategies due to the addressee’s ethnic group background (African-American and
Caucasian). However it was not dominant. Based on the findings, this article concludes
with some implications for foreign/second language speakers.
