ABSTRACT
Chapter 4 examines how foreign-language interactants take a stance when faced with impoliteness. This is tackled through an emic approach which studies perceptions of rudeness and impoliteness reported by 108 Mexican users of English as a Foreign Language. By asking the participants themselves for localised examples of linguistic impoliteness, it is possible to gain valuable insights into how the layperson views impoliteness as opposed to theoretical constructs.
Foreign-language users may find themselves in emerging and unpredictable situations where other interactants appear to threaten their face. Consequently, they have to decide what position or stance to take. They may decide to ignore or play down the incident, take issue or confront their interlocutors directly or even forcefully react by being rude or impolite in turn. The stance to be taken may be further complicated by the fact that foreign-language users are interacting in target-language environments where they may not be able to identify speakers’ intentions, understand pragmatic uses of language nor fully understand the overall interactional context.
