The Gender Differences In The Use Of Politeness Principle

Politeness Principle, a kind of lubricant for the flow of conversations, is of great significance for human communication. As a vital principle for communication, Politeness Principle has attracted a world of concern. The findings of the foregoing studies, however, can't function as an effective guide for communication. So, an increasing number of people complain that communication is a constant headache for them, in particular the communication between men and women. From a fresh perspective, namely, the combination of Politeness Principle and gender differences, the author in this thesis divides conversations into three major parts, that is, conversations among men, conversations among women and conversations among men and women, and makes a study of them by means of analyzing the various linguistic devices used by men and women, aiming at exploring the different speech styles of men and women and the gender differences in the use of Politeness Principe.