POLITENESS STRATEGIES AND READER-INVOLVEMENT MARKERS IN ENGLISH POPULAR SCIENCE
Keywords:
Politeness Strategies, Reader Involvement, Pragmatics, Popular Science, Metadiscourse, Solidarity, English Discourse Analysis.Abstract
Effective popular science communication requires more than the mere simplification of data; it necessitates the careful management of the social relationship between the writer and the audience. This study analyzes the pragmatic functions of Politeness Strategies and Reader-Involvement Markers in English popular science discourse. Using Brown and Levinson’s framework, the analysis explores how writers utilize positive politeness to build solidarity and inclusive markers to bridge the knowledge gap. Specifically, the study examines the use of inclusive pronouns, rhetorical questions, and hedges as tools to mitigate the potential face-threatening act of expert instruction. The findings suggest that these linguistic choices are essential for creating a collaborative environment where the reader feels like an active participant in discovery rather than a passive recipient of information. Understanding these strategies is critical for enhancing reader engagement and ensuring the persuasive success of scientific popularization.
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References
Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 320.
Hyland, K. (2005). Metadiscourse: Exploring interaction in writing. London: Continuum. p. 340.
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Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G., & Svartvik, J. A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. London: Longman, 1985. - p. 1150.
Biber, D. (1988). Variation across speech and writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 190.
Fairclough, N. (1992). Discourse and social change. Cambridge: Polity Press. p. 410.
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