INTERVIEW

TASK: 

Using the advanced Politeness Theory notes, watch the above reenactment of the interview with Princess Diana and analyse for the following components: 

• Grice's Maxims

• Face Theory

• Robin Lakoff's politeness principle

• Geoffry Leech's politeness principle

• Labov's Narrative Categories

• Charles's Goodwin's Narrative Model

1. Grice's Maxims

• Maxim of Quantity: Provide the right amount of information (not too much, not too little).

• Maxim of Quality: Don't say what you believe to be false; be truthful.

• Maxim of Relation: Be relevant; stay on topic.

• Maxim of Manner: Be clear and orderly; avoid ambiguity.

2. Face Theory (Erving Goffman)

• Face: The positive social value a person claims in interactions.

• Positive Face: Desire to be liked and accepted.

• Negative Face: Desire for autonomy and freedom from imposition.

• Face Threatening Acts (FTAs): Actions that can threaten someone’s face; mitigated by politeness strategies (e.g., hedging, indirectness).

3. Robin Lakoff's Politeness Principle

• Don’t impose: Avoid being overly direct.

• Give options: Allow the other person to choose.

• Make your receiver feel good: Compliment or show appreciation.

4. Geoffrey Leech's Politeness Principle

• Tact Maxim: Minimize cost to others; maximize benefit.

• Generosity Maxim: Minimize benefit to self; maximize cost to self.

• Approbation Maxim: Minimize dispraise of others; maximize praise.

• Modesty Maxim: Minimize praise of self; maximize dispraise of self.

• Agreement Maxim: Minimize disagreement; maximize agreement.

• Sympathy Maxim: Minimize antipathy; maximize sympathy.

5. Labov's Narrative Categories

1. Abstract: Summary of the story's main point.

2. Orientation: Setting the scene (who, where, when).

3. Complicating Action: Main events of the story.

4. Evaluation: Personal commentary and significance.

5. Resolution: Outcome of the story.

6. Coda: Conclusion that relates back to the present.

6. Charles Goodwin's Narrative Model

• Story Structure: Focus on how narratives are constructed.

• Turn-Taking: The importance of conversational turn-taking in storytelling.

• Contextualization: Use of language and gestures to provide context.

• Co-construction: Collaboration between speakers in creating a narrative.

5.2

Analyse the interview to examine how President Obama presents himself during the interview. Look closely at discourse structure, lexical choice and grammatical devices. 

Comment on Audience/Purpose/mode and think carefully about the following: 

• What is the overall tone of the piece? How is this achieved? How does it change or develop? 

• What are the features which characterise this text as an interview? 

• What is the intention of the text? How do you know? How successful is it in achieving this? 

• What do the speakers intend to tell us about themselves? How do they create a sense of their personalities in the text? 

• What is the context in which this text was produced? How has the context influenced the speakers? 

• How has the text been crafted to meet the expectations of the (differing?) audience(s)? 

COMPARISONS WITH 5.1

How the text compares and contrasts with the Bashir/Diana piece in purpose/aims, context, tone, register, assumed/actual audiences. 

To what extent do both interviews give the audience(s) an insight into the private lives of the interviewees or serve to raise/discuss a topic of public concern and interest? 

How do both sets of speakers (interviewees) aim for a sense of inclusivity with the audience, and both address a wider sense of public insecurity.