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Factors Influencing Politeness in Interaction: A Case Study of Dissuasion Behavior
LI Yiman
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DOI:10.17265/1539-8072/2025.12.003
Peking University, Peking, China
Based on statistics from reality TV shows, this paper conducts binary logistic regression analyses on the relationships between social status, social distance, cost-benefit levels, and dissuasion strategies in dissuasion behavior. It finds that the directness/indirectness of strategies has limited impact on politeness levels in Chinese dissuasive speech acts and is not a key factor influencing politeness. Further analysis of the linguistic forms, behavioral combinations of dissuasion, and their relationships with social status, social distance, and cost-benefit levels reveals a critical gradient distinction among factors affecting the politeness of dissuasion. Specifically, sentence structure choice is a key factor; performative verbs and cognitive stance markers are secondary factors; and direct/indirect language strategies, tag questions, and behavioral combinations are marginal factors.
dissuasion
behaviour, politeness level, indirectness, social variables, behavioral
combinations
LI Yiman, Factors Influencing Politeness in Interaction: A Case Study of Dissuasion Behavior. Sino-US English Teaching, December 2025, Vol. 22, No. 12, 275-288 doi:10.17265/1539-8072/2025.12.003
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