A Tentative Study of the Impoliteness Phenomenon in Computer-mediated Communication

This article examines the politeness phenomenon in one particular computer-mediated communication (CMC) situation in China: synchronous private on-line chat. With the popularization of the internet, CMC has drawn the attention of many linguists and communication theorists. Some previous studies have compared computer-mediated communication (CMC) with face-to-face communication (FTF); findings reveal that CMC bears some resemblance and displays some differences from FTF communication in terms of the communication characteristics and linguistic features. Yet the politeness strategies have not received much attention in CMC. The present study aims to see whether the politeness principles based on FTF communication can be applied to CMC. The study finds that traditional politeness principles and maxims based on FTF are often violated and readapted in synchronous on-line chat; but instead of hindering the on-line communication, the violation and adaptation are found to fulfill different social and interpersonal functions in CMC, including fostering solidarity between the participants, venting oneʹs emotions, improving the efficiency of communication etc..