5. Language and Power

Politeness And Power — Quiz

Test your understanding of politeness and power with 5 practice questions.

Practice Questions

Question 1

Which of the following linguistic phenomena is most indicative of a speaker attempting to mitigate a potential 'face-threatening act' (FTA) while still achieving their communicative goal in a hierarchical context?

Question 2

In a professional setting, a junior employee needs to ask a senior manager for an extension on a deadline. Which of the following approaches best demonstrates an understanding of politeness strategies in a hierarchical relationship?

Question 3

According to Wareing (1999), 'instrumental power' differs from 'influential power' primarily in its reliance on which of the following?

Question 4

When a speaker uses a euphemism, such as 'downsizing' instead of 'firing employees,' they are primarily engaging in which politeness strategy to manage 'face'?

Question 5

Consider a situation where a teacher says to a student, 'Perhaps it would be beneficial for you to review Chapter 3 again before the exam.' This statement, while a suggestion, subtly reflects a hierarchical relationship through its use of: