Politeness in Petitions Signed by Nineteenth Century British Women before being Transported to Australia

Abstract

The development of the concept of face and the categorisation of the so-called Face Threatening Acts are rooted in some changes that British society experienced in the nineteenth century and that led to the importance of the self. This study analyses fifteen nineteenth century manuscript petition letters signed by four women in prison. The analysis is two-fold. First, it compares these petitions with the model ones presented in letter-writing manuals of the time and the politeness instruction provided in them. Second, it provides a description of the Face Threatening Acts found in the original petitions. The conclusion shows that these women probably had an awareness of politeness rules despite possibly never having read one of these manuals first-hand. It also suggests that the use of the politeness strategies analysed may have contributed to the granting of these women’s requests.