The impact of globalisation on politeness and impoliteness

Globalisation does not necessarily mean cultural homogenisation but rather change.

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The effect of globalisation on the expression of politeness and impoliteness.

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Neither politeness and impoliteness nor formality and informality are direct opposites.

Globalisation tends to be perceived as one of the most powerful forces shaping today's world. In its simplest sense, globalisation refers to the acceleration of processes of interconnectedness in every aspect of social life. It is assumed that this will lead to the homogenisation of the world under the influence of the omnipresent American culture. However, since globalisation is a process rather than an end state, its consequences are contingent on various factors and are, therefore, uncertain and unpredictable.

Discourse practices fall within the heart of this interconnectedness not least because it entails various kinds of interaction. In this paper, I would like to consider if and to what extent globalisation affects the expression of politeness and impoliteness. I will draw my evidence from the service sector, primarily in Greece and in England. More specifically, I will consider issues of formality and informality and terms of address, drawing from naturally occurring data and research findings. Such evidence may offer indications as to the kinds of changes that increased interconnectedness may produce. Without denying the homogenising power of globalisation, it is argued that greater interconnectedness does not necessarily mean cultural homogenisation but rather change arising out of various sources.

Keywords

• Im-Politeness; 
• Globalisation; 
• Formality/Informality; 
• Service encounters