checklist

POWER & SOLIDARITY CHECKLISTS (for eavesdropping and written exercises)
Before you begin trying to keep track of politeness strategies for the eavesdropping exercise, fill in a detail or two about the participants, so you can easily keep track of them: e.g., male vs. female; older vs. younger; closer (to you) vs. farther – whatever will help you remember which is which.

Politeness Strategy Participant 1 Participant 2
SOLIDARITY STRATEGIES    
common ground    
knowledge/approval of other    
show sympathy, concern    
use informal language    
use informal terms of address    
give or ask for reasons or explanations    
assume or assert reciprocity    
invite, promise, or offer    
joke
DEFERENCE STRATEGIES    
use formal terms of address    
let other talk more    
use formal language    
don’t assume or presume about other    
be indirect    
hedge    
give a way out    
acknowledge debt    
apologize