Since Brown and Levinson (1987) published their work on politeness, many studies have been carried out on the use of politeness strategies in discourse. The Late Modern English period is known as...Show moreSince Brown and Levinson (1987) published their work on politeness, many studies have been carried out on the use of politeness strategies in discourse. The Late Modern English period is known as the age of politeness and therefore the use of politeness markers should be particularly present in works of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The dialogues in Fanny Burney's journals and letters offer the best possible access to the Late Modern English spoken language, which is of interest to us, because still little is known about the spoken language of this period. This thesis has tried to establish what politeness markers, both positive and negative, can be found in Fanny Burney's language and in that of her addressees. Moreover, this thesis has tried to determine whether the use of politeness strategies resembles someone's social class, social role and their social relationship with the addressee. Furthermore, this thesis has tried to show whether language use can be taken to reflect the different social roles of the members of Fanny Burney's social network.Show less
