Summary of Culpeper’s Impoliteness Principles

 

Jonathan Culpeper (2011) in Impoliteness: Using Language to Cause Offence explores how language can be used to harm, offend, and assert power, challenging traditional politeness theories.

Key Points on Politeness and Impoliteness:

1. Definition of Impoliteness:

   • Impoliteness is a negative attitude toward specific behaviors occurring in specific contexts.
   • It arises from a conflict between expectations and how those expectations are met.
   • Impolite behavior can damage social identity and cause emotional harm.

2. Challenging Traditional Politeness Theories:

   • Classic politeness theories (Brown & Levinson, Leech) focus on harmony and cooperation.
   • Culpeper argues that these theories marginalize conflict and offensive interactions.
   • He emphasizes that impoliteness is not just a failure of politeness but an intentional, structured phenomenon.