On the Politeness Strategies in Chinese Internet Relay Chat Communication

Abstract

As a prevalent synchronous form of CMC communication, internet relay chat (IRC) is a major mode of real-time CMC communication in today’s Chinese society. Under the framework of Brown and Levinson’s face theory, this study investigated the politeness strategies in public Chinese QQ chat groups where most of the interlocutors were anonymous with high social distance. Politeness strategies in public Chinese QQ chat groups include positive politeness strategy, negative politeness strategy, bald-on-record and off-record strategy.