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Politeness

Introduction

In this occasion, writer would to clarify some aspect of social life of American such as

 politeness and friendliness in contrast to Indonesia. Politeness is something that very hard to

 be described. In some countries, it described as the good manner how they can show their 

interaction easily, shortly and clearly without making someone else confused, hurt and bored.

It happened in Indonesia and in the Middle East. Then in Japan, politeness is showed by on

time in meeting. The American character has some strongly marked traits that people from

other countries find very noticeable, sometimes admirable, sometimes puzzling and

sometimes bothersome. Knowing something of the American character is therefore important

for understanding American culture and interacting with Americans. From the little

description above we should know why it is hard to be described and why we should know.

Discussion

  Brown and Levinson’s original text on politeness theory Politeness: Some Universals

in Language Usage most important tenet is that we change our language based on the hearer 

and thus our strategies for compliance gaining changes depending on the audience. “In

everyday life we design messages that protect face and achieve other goals as well”

(Littlejohn & Foss, 2005),

Sometimes, we are confusing by way how to be polite with the foreign people especially withAmerican. In any society, whenever the physical possibility of spoken interaction arises, it

seems that a system of practices, conventions, and procedural rules comes into play which

functions as a means of guiding and organizing the flow of messages. In fact, American does

not matter about how to convey their interaction. Because of too complex problem in

 politeness, writer would like to clarify about how to be polite with Indonesian and American

in the first face. There are some ways that have to be known as follows:

1. The first you should know the moment. When you are trying to greet them, you should

know that they are in hurry or not. For illustration, when American walks quickly it means

that they are in hurry, you do not please too greet them, because you will be described asimpolite one. You must let them go freely.

2. Then, when you try to know then or you try to be their friend. You don not please to ask 

their name at the first name but it is enough to say Mr, Mrs, or helo. Then, you can not ask 

them about their private.

3. The next, if you will ask something you should sit, say you name or who you are, where

you have been, where you are going, if they give respond, in this moment you tell what you

are going to ask or go to the point.

Actually, above only a little that we should imply in the first time. In contrast to Indonesian’s

 politeness in the first time, there are some ways that have to be known as follows:

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1. When we want to ask to know about Indonesian first give greeting to them such us good

morning, afternoon, noon, and night. Then we should ask about the own name. That is polite

to interact with them. You do not forget to show your smile and a good attitude such as

contact eyes or shake hands.

2. Then, when we are in dialogue with them, you do not forget to ask about their occupation.In the Indonesian culture, everything is good if there is no offending. Everyone can ask 

everything in everywhere and whoever as long as any agreement.

3. The last is about their address. Address is important and common.

 

In the last discussion, writer presents the friendliness as the interesting discussion. It

is deferent friendliness both in Indonesia and in America. In USA the problem is the

loneliness for the family who lives along with another. So that why, when the travelers come

to visit their area they are too welcome them without thing that they are felon. There was a

story about visitor who lived in camp that not too far with them. Someone invited them to

take dinner together. This was the fact to prove how friendly they are. In USA the casual

friendliness of many American should be interpreted neither superficial nor as artificial when

someone does mistranslation to their language. It means that they describe only pretending to

do that commonly. Then, when someone do not understand social and cultural pattern, it is

hard to know how friendly they are. Because of too many differences social and cultural

 pattern in USA are such as when an American call u friend, it means that they considered that

you are foreigner or visitor. Then, in Indonesia, hospitality is the term to describe how they

respect one another. Example, when the foreigners come, they prefer to ask them about their 

intention and the private status. That is like investigation. Indonesian also shows their 

friendliness by giving smile to other when they are in confronting. We can not do that withAmerican. They will think that we are strange and little minded. Too many American who

come to Indonesia give the comment that Indonesian is friendly. It was probed by the worker 

in some factory like chevron, Caltex, Halliburton and etc. After, they have gotten in touching

with Indonesian.

Conclusion

From the explanation above we can conclude that both politeness and friendliness are

relative. It means that every area with the difference of social and cultural form have different

way to imply that. Then, American prefers to show their friendliness by their act but

Indonesian does by their speaking.