POLITENESS AS A FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISM OF HUMAN SOCIAL INTERACTION

Abstract

Politeness is one of the most significant dimensions of human communication because it enables individuals to establish, maintain, and negotiate social relationships. This article reviews major theoretical approaches to politeness and evaluates their contribution to understanding linguistic behavior in social interaction. Using a qualitative literature-review methodology, the study examines politeness as social rules, politeness as adherence to conversational maxims, and politeness as face management. Particular attention is given to the model proposed by Brown and Levinson (1987), which explains politeness through the concepts of positive face, negative face, and face-threatening acts. The review further explores major criticisms of the model, including debates concerning the universality of face and cultural variability in politeness practices. Findings suggest that while politeness is expressed differently across societies, many communicative strategies demonstrate remarkable similarities. Contemporary research increasingly focuses on naturally occurring discourse, interactional processes, cognition, and cooperation. The study concludes that politeness remains a valuable analytical framework for understanding communication, intercultural interaction, and the maintenance of social order