Politesse, impolitesse, auto-politesse: Janus revisité

Abstract

The interactional analysis has high-lighted that one of the main targets of the communication is the one to establish personal relationships. This goal is primarily subjected to the respect of Politeness Principle, in regard of which «self-politeness» and impoliteness appear to be inappropriate. Nevertheless, a brief analy-sis of these behaviors shows that we cannot reduce the human reactions to mere dichotomies.