Politeness Maxims and Dialogue in the Feedback Discourse of Filipino Language Supervisors

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Author

College of Education, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines

10.22055/rals.2025.47274.3324

Abstract

This study explored the role of politeness in the feedback discourse during post-observation meetings between Filipino language supervisors and teachers. The analysis of 120 minutes of supervisory interactions revealed that supervisors effectively employed positive and negative politeness strategies. Pos-politeness enabled supervisors to “lean forward,” emphasizing teachers’ strengths and contributing to a constructive dialogue. Conversely, neg-politeness strategies were utilized to “lean backward” to avoid potential offenses, preserve the teachers' dignity, and prevent conflicts, reinforcing relational dynamics. Notably, the study highlights that while supervisors aimed to deliver precise and critical feedback, they simultaneously navigated the complexities of maintaining collegial relationships, highlighting how Leech’s (2014) Politeness Principle complements the Gricean Cooperative Principle. The data indicated that both parties engaged in an ongoing dialogue, balancing transactional goals and interactional needs. This balancing act is essential as it fosters an environment conducive to teacher improvement while minimizing the inherent tensions of supervisory roles. The research underscores the nuanced utilization of linguistic mitigation strategies, revealing their significant contribution to sustaining dialogue amid potentially confrontational feedback scenarios. Relevant limitations and suggestions for future research were also discussed in the paper.

Keywords

Journal of Research in Applied Linguistics

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 12 March 2025

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics