ABSTRACT
This research focuses on the analysis of positive politeness strategy employed by the characters in the story entitled Summer Term At St. Clare’s. This research is aimed to find out the kinds of positive politeness strategy which are used by the characters in the story and to examine the factors which influence the characters to choose the strategies.
This research belongs to descriptive qualitative method which uses criterion-based sampling or purposive sampling. The data of this research are taken from the conversation in the story. It can be words or sentences which contain positive politeness strategy.
Based on the data analysis, it can be concluded as follows: First, there are fifteen kinds of positive politeness strategy which are employed by the characters in the story. They are notice, attend to hearer (his interest, wants, needs, goods) (7,5%), exaggerate (interest, approval, sympathy with hearer) (5%), intensify interest to the hearer (5%), use in-group identity marker (7,5%), seek agreement (7,5%), avoid disagreement (5%), presuppose/rise/assert common ground (10%), joke (2,5%), assert or presuppose speaker’s knowledge and concern for the hearer’s wants and willingness to fit one’s own wants with them (2,5%), offer and promise (7,5%), be optimistic (5%), include both the speaker and the hearer in the activity (15%), give (or ask for) reason (7,5%), assume or assert reciprocity (7,5%), and give gift to the hearer (goods, sympathy, understanding, and cooperation) (5%). Second, there are two main factors which influence the characters in the story to employ positive politeness strategy. The factors are payoff and relevant circumstances. Payoff is fulfilled because in employing positive politeness strategy, the speaker can get some advantages. The speaker can minimize FTA by assuring the hearer that the speaker considers himself to be the same kind, that he appreciates the hearer and wants to fulfill the hearer’s wants. Another possible payoff is that the speaker can avoid or minimize the debt implications of FTA, such as request or offer. Relevant circumstances include social distance (D), power rating (P), and size of imposition (R).
Keywords: pragmatics, positive politeness strategy, social distance, power rating, size of imposition.