Alan is trying to convince Alanis that the greatest movie villain of all time was the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz, but every time he opens his mouth, Alanis interrupts. According to politeness theory, Alanis is threatening:
A) Alan's positive face
B) Alan's negative face
C) Alan's neutral face
D) Alan's emotional face
E) Alan's logical face

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Alanis is threatening Alan's negative face, which refers to his desire for autonomy and freedom from imposition. By interrupting him, she is not respecting his freedom to speak, thus threatening his negative face. Positive face involves the desire to be liked and appreciated, which is not directly impacted by interruption in this context. Neutral, emotional, and logical faces are not concepts recognized within politeness theory.

Alan Is Trying to Convince Alanis That the Greatest Movie