How is politeness reflected in Russian official and political discourse

Politeness in Russian official and political discourse is reflected through various linguistic strategies that balance formality, indirectness, and diplomatic etiquette. In official briefings and diplomatic communication, politeness is often expressed through standardized, neutral language and universal speech formulas that align with diplomatic protocol while allowing euphemisms to address sensitive political issues indirectly. Gender differences in expression of politeness have also been observed in such discourses.

In political discourse, politeness both manifests as positive diplomatic courtesy and sometimes as irony or critical politeness, especially when addressing opponents or acute political problems, signaling competitiveness and strategic communication. Additionally, politeness strategies involve hedging, mitigation, and formulaic politeness markers, which serve to soften claims, maintain face, and manage disagreement in public and social media interactions involving authorities.

Overall, Russian official and political discourses reflect politeness through a combination of formality, strategic indirectness, formulaic expressions, and situational adaptability, including gendered nuances and the occasional use of irony for implicit critique. ^{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

Features of Politeness in Russian Official and Political Discourse

• Politeness is embedded in diplomatic courtesy, characterized by neutral and standardized language, adherence to diplomatic protocol, and use of euphemisms for delicate topics.
• Speech formulas serve as conventional politeness expressions that uphold moral and political decorum.
• Gender impacts expression patterns of politeness, with observable differences in briefing scenarios.
• Irony and implicit critical assessments juxtapose politeness norms in competitive political communication.
• Hedging and mitigation markers are used to soften claims and manage disagreements, especially in academic and social media official discourse.
• Political authorities tend to respond with mild reactions or silence in online discourse, maintaining a polite distance even amid disagreement.

This combination of linguistic and strategic elements highlights the complex nature of politeness as a communicative tool in Russian official and political settings.

References

• Gender Aspect of Politeness Expression (Based on the Material of Briefings by Official Representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry)

• Verbal Politeness as an Important Tool of Diplomacy

• Ironic Comments in the Public Discourse of Russian Diplomats

• Hedging in written academic discourse as manifestation of its dialogue nature (based on dissertation reviews)

• Disagree or Remain Silent? Strategies of Political Communication Between Russian Citizens and State officials on VK Online Social Media (Case of Leningrad Oblast)

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