ENG508 Final Term Solved Papers Spring 2025

ENG508

ABSTRACT This comprehensive collection of notes is accurately crafted to empower students to excel academically, ensuring they achieve a minimum of 80% marks in their examinations. The content is organized with clarity and precision, focusing on key concepts, critical analyses, and practical applications tailored to the syllabus. These notes serve as a reliable resource for both thorough preparation and last-minute revision. Designed to inspire confidence and mastery, this guide is an essential tool for students striving for academic excellence.

Maha Malik Spring2025

Politeness Theory

Developed by Brown and Levinson, this theory suggests people maintain “face” (public selfimage) in interaction. Politeness strategies are used to avoid threatening another's face.

Concept of Face in Politeness

“Face” refers to an individual’s self-image in a social context. Two types:

Positive face: desire to be liked, appreciated. Negative face: desire for autonomy and freedom from imposition.

Positive and Negative Face

Positive face: Need to be accepted by others (e.g., compliments). Negative face: Need not to be imposed upon (e.g., apologies, indirect requests).

Face Threatening Act (FTA) & Face Saving Act (FSA)

FTA: Any act that threatens the hearer’s or speaker’s face (e.g., “Shut the window!”). FSA: Strategies to minimize threat (e.g., “Could you please close the window?”).

Three Maxims of Politeness

1. Tact Maxim – minimize cost to others.
2. Generosity Maxim – minimize benefit to self.
3. Approbation Maxim – avoid dispraise of others.

What Happens When a Polite Form Is Used Inappropriately?

It may cause confusion, awkwardness, or unintended offense. For example, over-politeness in informal situations can seem sarcastic or distant.

Identify Positive and Negative Politeness

“I know you’re busy, but...” → Negative politeness “You’re so good at this—can you help me?” → Positive politeness

Factors Influencing Social Distance

Age, gender, class, profession Context of interaction Familiarity or hierarchy

Social Distance Variables

Power (status difference) Distance (closeness of relationship) Imposition (degree of burden)

Social Deixis

Refers to expressions that indicate social relationships (e.g., honorifics, titles). Example: "sir", "madam", "tu" vs "vous" in French.

Types of Speech Acts (John Searle)

1. Assertives – stating facts.
2. Directives – requests or commands.
3. Commissives – promises or commitments.
4. Expressives – emotional responses.
5. Declarations – change the world via utterance (e.g., “I now pronounce you...”)

Direct and Indirect Speech Acts

Direct: " Close the door."