Russian vs. American politeness (was RE: [SEELANGS] О потере чув =?utf-8?Q?=D1=81=D1=82=D0=B2=D0=B0_=D1=81=D1=82=D0=B8=D0=BB=D1=8F_?=(Raia Rozina RAN))

Fri Oct 4 14:43:05 UTC 2013

Alina cites 'nebol'šoj vopros' as an example of specifically Russian politeness--if it's a small question, it will seem less onerous to the addressee. But doesn't American English use the same ploy? My students say or write "Can I ask you a quick question?" to make it seem that they will not keep me busy for very long.

--
Wayles Browne, Prof. of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics
Morrill Hall 220, Cornell University
Ithaca, New York 14853, U.S.A.

tel. 607-255-0712 (o), 607-273-3009 (h)
fax 607-255-2044 (write FOR W. BROWNE)
e-mail ewb2 at cornell.edu
________________________________
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU] on behalf of Alina Israeli [aisrael at AMERICAN.EDU]
Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 10:27 AM
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] О потере чувства стиля (Raia Rozina RAN)

It's an interesting interview, but unfortunately Rozina mixes different things there. For example,

И вот я сталкиваюсь с тем, что студентка посылает мне часть своей курсовой работы и одновременно хочет задать какой-то вопрос. Она пишет: «Я хочу задать вам небольшой вопрос». И задает вполне большой содержательный вопрос. Но чтобы сделать свой поступок, как она считает, более приемлемым для меня и менее опасным, она пишет так.

Ah, that's a great example of Russian politeness (as a term of communication). Japanese politeness elevates the addressee in many ways, to start with the suffix -san. Russian politeness lowers the speaker. By calling it 'небольшой вопрос' she minimizes her own and the question's importance. She knows Russian communication etiquette which is so hard to teach to foreigners.

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