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(Im)politeness in Service Encounters

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The Palgrave Handbook of Linguistic (Im)politeness

Abstract

This chapter examines sociopragmatic research on commercial service encounters. It offers a précis of the studies that have utilised service encounters as a vehicle to examine (Im)politeness manifestations. It addresses the methodological advantages of the service encounter as a relatively formalised interactional site in which sociability and efficiency are managed, hence as a locus for the emergence of (Im)politeness orientations. The chapter traces the evolution of (Im)politeness research and discusses the complexities of capturing (Im)politeness practices in transformation: from face-to-face and telephone-mediated encounters to newer communicative arenas resulting from technological advances such as online websites. In so doing, it discusses the analytic challenges involved in understanding (Im)politeness across a multiplicity of prior and current interactions with other parties alongside the exchange with service provider.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Goffman (1971, p. 139) observed that ‘Among adults in our society almost every kind of transaction, including every coming together into a moment of talk, is opened and closed by ritual.’ He explained that changes in the level of access individuals have to each other are marked by greetings and goodbyes. And, that these have forms specific to different occasions, are highly conventionalised and automatically performed.

  2. 2.

    For a critical review of the institutional–ordinary distinction see, for example, Cameron (2001).

  3. 3.

    For a review see, among others, Garcés-Conejos Blitvich (2010) and Sifianou and Tzanne (2010).

  4. 4.

    See Fitch 1998 on the importance of vínculos (‘interpersonal ties’) and Márquez Reiter 2011 on first, second and third follow-up service calls between the same conversational participants.

  5. 5.

    http://cadenaser.com/emisora/2015/02/19/radio_valencia/1424364035_449813.html.

  6. 6.

    Although the case study selected and, in particular, some of the comments made by the prospective female consumers represent a case of modern reverted sexism, it is beyond the scope of our chapter to discuss it. The example was merely chosen as representative of social participation in across social media SEs.

  7. 7.

    See Haugh (2014) for a review.

  8. 8.

    This brief example also offers a glimpse into the gender culture that the store promotes, a point we cannot address here for lack of space, but which calls for further research from critical perspectives.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Surrey, Surrey, UK

    Rosina Márquez Reiter

  2. University of Valencia, València, Spain

    Patricia Bou-Franch

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  1. Rosina Márquez Reiter
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  2. Patricia Bou-Franch
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Correspondence to Rosina Márquez Reiter .

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  1. Dept of Linguistics & English Language, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom

    Jonathan Culpeper

  2. School of Languages and Cultures, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Michael Haugh

  3. Dept of Linguistics and Modern Languages, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, United Kingdom

    Dániel Z. Kádár

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Márquez Reiter, R., Bou-Franch, P. (2017). (Im)politeness in Service Encounters. In: Culpeper, J., Haugh, M., Kádár, D. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Linguistic (Im)politeness. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-37508-7_25

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