Language politeness in EFL student-lecturer interactions through technology-assisted communication

Sudar Sudar, Semi Sukarni, Junaedi Setiyono, S. Eko Putro Widoyoko, Sugeng Irianto

Abstract


Politeness is essential to human interaction, particularly in the context of lecturer-student communication in Indonesia. This study aims to investigate the use of politeness in technology-assisted communication on WhatsApp by examining the politeness strategies employed by lecturers and students in their interactions via WhatsApp. The study adopts Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory as the analytical framework, extended by Faerch and Kasper (1989). It employs a qualitative field research design, analyzing 141 WhatsApp text messages exchanged between three English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lecturers and 111 students at one Indonesian public university over an academic year. Data were collected with informed consent and pseudonymized for privacy. Findings indicate that students exhibit greater politeness than lecturers in their written communication via technology. Students predominantly initiated messages (137 of 141), using positive politeness strategies and greetings, while lecturers more often employed bald-on-record strategies. This tendency is attributed to hierarchical relationships and age differences. Religious influences also shaped interactions, often prompting double greetings. While most Indonesian EFL learners show respect toward their lecturers, the study suggests that politeness should be reciprocal. Lecturers are encouraged to serve as role models. Limitations include the absence of interview data, which future studies could address by integrating speaker intent and deeper social variables like power and distance.


Keywords


Interaction; lecturers-students; politeness; technology; WhatsApp

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abdurahman, N. H., Gandana, I. S. S., & Novianti, N. (2018). The fever of English 2.0 in Indonesia: University students’ and faculty members’ attitudes towards English in different multilingual landscapes. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(2), 482-488. http://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v8i2.13315

Abdurahman, N. H., & Rizqi, M. A. (2021). Indonesian students’ strategies to cope with foreign language anxiety. TESOL Journal, 12(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.571

Adel, S. M. R., Davoudi, M., & Ramezanzadeh, A. (2016). A qualitative study of politeness strategies used by Iranian EFL learners in a class blog. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 4(1), 47-62. https://doi.org/10.30466/ijltr.2016.20377

Al-Afnan, M. A. (2014). Politeness in business writing: The effects of ethnicity and relating factors on email communication. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 4(2), 275-289. http://doi.org/10.4236/ojml.2014.42022

Algiovan, N. (2022). Politeness strategies used by lecturers and students in thesis guidance through virtual communications. The Journal of English Literacy Education: The Teaching and Learning of English as a Foreign Language, 9(1), 101-114. https://doi.org/10.36706/jele.v9i1.17437

Amanda, Y. T., Herlina, R., & Ratnawati, R. (2021). The analysis of politeness strategies on EFL students’chatting group interactions. Journal of English Education Program (JEEP), 8(2), 129-140. https://doi.org/10.25157/(jeep).v8i2.6429

Annur, C. M. (2024, 1 March). Ini media sosial paling banyak digunakan di Indonesia awal 2024 [These are the most widely used social media platforms in Indonesia in early 2024]. Katadata Media Network. https://databoks.katadata.co.id/teknologi-telekomunikasi/statistik/66ea436ab12f2/ini-media-sosial-paling-banyak-digunakan-di-indonesia-awal-2024

Baruah, D. T. (2021). Effectiveness of social media as a tool of communication and its potential for technology-enabled connections: A micro-level study. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 2(5), 1-10. http://www.ijsrp.org/research_paper_may2012/ijsrp-may-2012-24.pdf

Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage. Cambridge University Press.

Chandra, O. H. (2021). Politeness in the use of language in social media. In International Proceedings of ICENIS 2021. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3scof/2021131702027

Chung, E., & Tang, E. (2022). Understanding politeness in an online community of practice for Chinese ESL teachers: Implications for Sustainable professional development in the digital era. Sustainability, 14(18), 11183. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811183

Daulay, S. H., Azmi, N., & Pratiwi, T. (2022). The importance of expressing politeness: English education student’s perspectives. Tarling: Journal of Language Education, 6(1), 49-68. https://doi.org/10.24090/tarling.v6i1.5158

Escobar-Mamani, F., & Gómez-Arteta, I. (2020). WhatsApp for the development of oral and written communication skills in Peruvian adolescents. Comunicar: Media Education Research Journal, 28(65), 107-116. https://doi.org/10.3916/C65-2020-10

Faerch, C., & Kasper, G. (1989). Internal and external modification in interlanguage request realization. In S. Blum-Kulka, J. House, & G. Kasper (Eds.), Cross-cultural pragmatics (pp. 221-247). Ablex.

Faraba, K. S. A., Sumarlam, S., & Purnanto, D. (2018). Phatic communication politeness of greeting Arek culture on account Instagram: A pragmatic study. International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding, 5(4), 56-63. http://dx.doi.org/10.16415/ijmmu.v5i4.182,-9: 56-63

Farida, F., & Yuliana, D. (2019, March). Politeness strategies in WhatsApp text messaging between Sundanese students and lecturers. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Language, Literature, Education, and Culture (ICOLLITE 2018) (pp. 172–175). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/icollite-18.2019.37

Febriansyah, R., & Anam, S. U. (2020, December). Teachers’ politeness strategies in delivering feedback on classroom presentation of English undergraduate students. In Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Arts and Humanities (IJCAH 2020) (pp. 691–696). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.201201.118

Fitriyani, S., & Andriyanti, E. (2020). Teacher and students’ politeness strategies in EFL classroom interactions. politeness strategies in EFL classroom interactions. Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 4(2), 259-273. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1291632

Fitriani, I. (2023). Students’ politeness strategy in online learning classroom. Proceder: Applied Linguistics, Literature, and Language Education, 1(1), 43-48. http://proceedings.upi.edu/index.php/Conaplin/article/view/3194

Guodong, L., & Jing, H. (2005). A contrastive study on disagreement strategies for politeness between American English and Mandarin Chinese. Asian EFL Journal, 7(1), 1-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20180425090830id_/http://asian-efl-journal.com/March_05_lghj.pdf

Hafid, R. A., Serliana, S., Gusnawaty, G., & Said, I. M. (2022). Teenagers’ language politeness strategy on social media WhatsApp based on level of education. Al-Lisan: Jurnal Bahasa (e-Journal), 7(1), 37-50. https://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/al/article/view/2396

Halil, N. I., Takwa, T., & Musliha, M. (2021). Implementation of linguistic politeness throughout online lectures via WhatsApp during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengkajian Ilmu Pendidikan: e-Saintika, 5(3), 195–211. https://doi.org/10.36312/esaintika.v5i3.484

Handayani, R., Rachmawati, R., & Al Arif, T. Z. Z. (2022). Politeness strategies conveyed by the students in online discussions. JELT (Jambi-English Language Teaching), 6(2), 74–87. https://online-journal.unja.ac.id/jelt/article/view/16741

Haratikka, H., & Hutauruk, R. P. S. (2021). Millennial politeness in WhatsApp application communication. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis, 4(2), 212-217. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v4-i2-16

Hobjilă, A. (2012). Positive politeness and negative politeness in didactic communication–landmarks in teaching methodology. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 63, 213–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.10.032

Huang, Y. (2008). Politeness principle in cross-culture communication. English Language Teaching, 1(1), 96-101. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v1n1p96

Junita, J. (2022). The use of politeness strategies in WhatsApp discussions about sensitive topics. Journal of English Language and Culture, 11(1), 52–65. https://doi.org/10.30813/jelc.v11i1.2340

Karimkhanlooei, G., & Vaezi, N. (2017). Politeness strategies in written communications: The issue of Iranian EFL learners. Journal of Language and Cultural Education, 5(3), 108–126. https://doi.org/10.1515/jolace-2017-0031

Kusmanto, H., & Widodo, P. (2022). Positive politeness strategies during online learning: A cyberpragmatic study. Studies in English Language and Education, 9(3), 1170–1182. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v9i3.24021

Lakhal, M. (2021). Social media use and its effects on writing ability among Moroccan university EFL students. International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, 6(3), 132–143. https://doi.org/10.22161/ijels.63.21

Latrech, A., & Alazzawie, A. (2023). The use of politeness strategies in teacher–student interaction in the Omani EFL classroom. Saudi Journal of Language Studies, 3(2), 102–112. https://doi.org/10.1108/SJLS-06-2022-0052

Li, M., Tay, Y., Ungar, L., & Guntuku, S. (2016). Politeness strategies in English Twitter and Mandarin Weibo interactions. Journal of Cross-Cultural Communication, 12(3), 45-58.

Li, M. (2012). Politeness strategies in wiki-mediated communication of EFL collaborative writing tasks. IALLT Journal of Language Learning Technologies, 42(2), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.17161/iallt.v42i2.8510

Locher, M. A., & Larina, T. V. (2019). Introduction to politeness and impoliteness research in global contexts. Russian Journal of Linguistics, 23(4), 873–903. https://doi.org/10.22363/2687-0088-2019-23-4-873-903

Maharani, W. W., Arasuli, A., & Kurniawan, I. (2022). The forms of politeness applied by English students in communication to their thesis advisor lecturers via WhatsApp. Journal of English Education and Teaching, 6(3), 417–432. https://doi.org/10.33369/jeet.6.3.417-432

Mahmud, M. (2019). The use of politeness strategies in the classroom context by English university students. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(3), 597–606. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v8i3.15258

Mujiyanto, Y. (2017). The verbal politeness of interpersonal utterances resulted from back-translating Indonesian texts into English. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 6(2), 288–300. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v6i2.4914

Mulyono, H., Amalia, D. R., & Suryoputro, G. (2019). Politeness strategies in teacher-student WhatsApp communication. PASAA: Journal of Language Teaching and Learning in Thailand, 58, 295–318. https://doi.org/10.58837/chula.pasaa.58.1.11

Nugrahanto, A. D., & Hartono, R. (2020). Politeness strategies in lecturer-students classroom interaction at the Biology class Sanata Dharma University. InProceedings of the International Conference on Science and Education and Technology (ISET 2019) (pp. 727–731). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.200620.148

Park, J. R. (2008). Linguistic politeness and face‐work in computer mediated communication, Part 2: An application of the theoretical framework. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 59(14), 2199–2209. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.20926

Pasaribu, A. N., Saragih, E., & Gea, A. (2022). Politeness in thesis consultation by WhatsApp: Do lecturers and students apply different strategies? Elsya: Journal of English Language Studies, 4(1), 45–53. https://doi.org/10.31849/elsya.v4i1.6376

Pratiwi, V. U., & Anindyarini, A. (2021). Students’ politeness strategies to lecturers in sending messages through WhatsApp. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute-Journal (BIRCI-Journal), 4(3), 6021–6032. https://www.bircu-journal.com/index.php/birci/article/view/2402

Purba, A., Nasution, T., Matondang, M. K., Zulkarnain, Z., & Purba, R. (2023). Application of Brown and Levinson’s model on Joe Biden’s victory speech: A case on politeness strategy. English Review: Journal of English Education, 11(1), 75–82. https://doi.org/10.25134/erjee.v11i1.7575

Pimmer, C., Abiodun, R., Daniels, F., & Chipps, J. (2019). “I felt a sense of belonging somewhere”. Supporting graduates’ job transitions with WhatsApp groups. Nurse Education Today, 81, 57-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2019.06.010

Rahmawati, R. Y. (2022). Politeness strategies on social media. English Didactic, 3(2), 72–81. https://doi.org/10.55171/ed.v3i2.860

Rahmi, G. (2020). Students’ politeness strategies in texting a lecturer. Journal of Language and Literature, 8(1), 44–58. https://doi.org/10.35760/jll.2020.v8i1.2628

Rosenberg, H., & Asterhan, C. (2018). ‘WhatsApp, teacher?’- Student perspectives on teacher-student WhatsApp interactions in secondary schools. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 17, 205-226. https://doi.org/10.28945/4081

Sadeghoghli, A., & Niroomand, M. (2016). Theories on politeness by focusing on Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory. International Journal of Education Investigations, 3(2), 26–39. http://www.ijeionline.com/attachments/article/51/IJEI.Vol.3.No.2.03.pdf

Santoso, D., & Indriani, N. (2021). The positive politeness strategies used on WhatsApp conversations between students and teachers in English learning at Al-Luthfah Islamic School. International Journal of Education and Learning, 3(2), 145–155. https://doi.org/10.31763/ijele.v3i2.314

Sapitri, P. A., Chasanah, A., Putri, A. A., & Paulima, J. (2019). Exploring Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies: An explanation on the nature of the politeness phenomenon. REiLA: Journal of Research and Innovation in Language, 1(3), 111–117. https://doi.org/10.31849/reila.v1i3.3801

Saritza, Z., & Natsir, M. (2023). Gender and politeness of request expression on Whatsapp. TRANSFORM Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 11(3), 119. https://doi.org/10.24114/tj.v11i3.44031

Seken, I. K. (2011). Some notes on linguistic politeness and its relation to second language teaching. Lingua Scientia, 18(1), 39–87. https://ejournal.undiksha.ac.id/index.php/JJBI/article/view/16038

Selgas, G. S. (2022). Politeness strategies on students’ responses to teacher’s online announcements. International Journal of Social and Administrative Sciences, 7(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.55493/5051.v7i1.4508

Sembiring, E. M., & Sianturi, S. (2021). Politeness strategies in online learning interaction: Exploring politeness in WhatsApp text messaging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Majalah Ilmiah METHODA, 11(2), 89–96. https://doi.org/10.46880/methoda.vol11no2.pp89-96

Shalihah, M., & Zuhdi, M. N. (2020). Language politeness in students’ text messages sent to the lecturers through WhatsApp application: A sociopragmatic study. EnJurMe (English Journal of Merdeka), 5(2), 134–148. https://doi.org/10.26905/enjourme.v5i2.4926

Sülü, A. (2015). Teacher’s politeness in EFL class. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching, 2(4), 216–221.

Syarif, M., & Zaim, M. (2021). The use of WhatsApp messaging as mobile learning in developing writing skills. Dalam Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on English Language and Teaching (ICOELT-8 2020) (hlm. 83–87). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210914.015

Wangia, J. I., & Otonde, L. A. (2020). Politeness in teacher-student interactions in a Kenyan secondary school context and implications for pedagogy in communication skills. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 10(2), 104–124. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojml.2020.102007

Worku, Z. (2022). Use of social media and writing skills. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(4), 983–993. https://journalppw.com/index.php/jpsp/article/view/2967

Yulia, M. F. (2016). Politeness issues in communication over text messages. In Proceedings of the Fourth International Seminar on English Language and Teaching (ISELT-4) (hlm. 54–61). Fakultas Bahasa dan Seni, Universitas Negeri Padang. https://ejournal.unp.ac.id/index.php/selt/article/viewFile/6961/5495

Yuliawati, S. N., & Bakhti, K. Y. (2020, March). The characteristics of language politeness in students’ WhatsApp messages to lecturers. In 4th International Conference on Arts Language and Culture (ICALC 2019) (pp. 506–511). Atlantis Press.

Zainurrahman, Z., & Kofau, M. (2020). Linguistic politeness in public virtual communication. Langua: Journal of Linguistics, Literature, and Language Education, 3(2), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4047249




DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v15i1.69949

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


View My Stats

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.