Politeness research from past to future, with a special focus on the discursive approach

In this chapter I wish to revisit some of the early motivations for politeness research and link them to current developments and thoughts in the field. This will allow me to go back to the pragmatic turn and the 1970s when politeness research took off. The motivation for this journey is to better position the research approach which has been called the ‘discursive approach to politeness’ (e.g., Locher and Watts 2005, 2008) and to react to comments about our work. This chapter thus presents some theoretical insights into the research topic rather than presenting data analysis and hopes to add to the current discussions about politeness and impoliteness within a framework of the study of relational work In this chapter I wish to revisit some of the early motivations for politenessresearch and link them to current developments and thoughts in the field. This willallow me to go back to the pragmatic turn and the 1970s when politeness researchtook off. The motivation for this journey is to better position the research approachwhich has been called the ‘discursive approach to politeness’ (e.g., Locher andWatts 2005, 2008) and to react to comments about our work. This chapter thuspresents some theoretical insights into the research topic rather than presentingdata analysis and hopes to add to the current discussions about politeness andimpoliteness within a framework of the study of relational work