Programm 79. StuTS

Liakhova Kateryna
MA Linguistics
Universität zu Köln
Poster abstract : “Impoliteness in Slavic Media Discourse” for 79th StuTS
This study explores the phenomenon of impoliteness in Slavic media discourse, focusing on
Ukrainian television talk shows as a site of naturally occurring interaction. While politeness has been
extensively studied in Western linguistics, impoliteness as a strategic and culturally embedded practice
remains underexplored in the Slavic context, particularly within Ukrainian media.
Drawing on an anthropological linguistic approach, this research analyzes authentic dialogues
from a popular Ukrainian talk show, examining both verbal and non-verbal manifestations of
(im)politeness. The data consist of transcribed interactions between a host and guests of varying social
status, allowing for the investigation of how communicative strategies shift depending on hierarchy and
familiarity .
The theoretical framework is based on Brown and Levinson’s model of politeness and
Culpeper’s theory of impoliteness, which conceptualizes impoliteness as a deliberate face-threatening
act. The analysis reveals that Ukrainian media discourse is characterized by a dynamic interplay
between politeness and impoliteness strategies. While positive politeness dominates through the use of
diminutives, compliments, and emotional expressiveness, elements of impoliteness frequently occur in
the form of mock impoliteness, sarcasm, and playful teasing .
Importantly, such potentially impolite acts are often mitigated by non-verbal cues, including
smiling, physical contact, and intonation, which transform them into signals of solidarity rather than
aggression . This reflects broader cultural norms in Ukrainian communication, where emotional
openness and relational closeness are highly valued.
The findings suggest that impoliteness in Slavic contexts cannot be understood solely as a
violation of norms, but rather as a context-dependent and culturally meaningful communicative
strategy. This study contributes to ongoing discussions in pragmatics and anthropological linguistics by
highlighting the need to consider cultural specificity in theories of (im)politeness.

Info

Tag: 14.05.2026
Anfangszeit: 15:15
Dauer: 01:00
Raum: HDH Halle 199 (5)
Track: Sociolinguistics
Sprache: en

Links:

• iCalendar