Are women really more polite than men? What is the best way to apologise? And when is it OK to swear?

Politeness rules our day-to-day lives, whether it's speaking to colleagues about issues at work, dealing with difficult family members or wondering if you should eat the last piece of pie. For years, Professor Louise Mullany has been examining the prevalence and power of politeness in our everyday speech and actions, and discovering what this says about us.

In Polite, Louise shows how the unseen science of politeness governs everything we do, from what we say to how we act, and reveals how a better understanding of the rules and norms of politeness can help us in all aspects of our work, leisure and home lives.

And, in doing so, she answers the age-old question... are politeness standards really declining?

The first ever mass-market book on politeness and the important role it plays in our work, relationships and lives, from professor and pioneer of Politeness Theory, Louise Mullany. Are women really more polite than men? What is the most polite country in the world? And when is it OK to swear? Politeness rules our day-to-day lives, whether it's speaking to colleagues about issues at work, dealing with difficult family members or wondering if you should eat the last biscuit. For years, Louise Mullany has been examining the prevalence and power of politeness in our everyday speech and actions, and discovering what this says about us. In her first book, Polite, Louise shows how the unseen science of politeness governs everything we do, from what we say to how we act, and reveals how a better understanding of the rules and norms of politeness can help us in all aspects of our work, leisure and home lives. And, in doing so, she answers the age-old question... is there ever such a thing as too polite?

This is the first book that draws together the main current methodological approaches to the study of language and gender. Approaches include Sociolinguistics, Conversation analysis, Corpus linguistics, Critical discourse analysis, Feminist post-structuralist discourse analysis, Discursive psychology and Queer theory.

Language, Gender and Feminism introduces students to key theoretical perspectives, methodology and analytical frameworks in the field of feminist linguistic analysis, providing readers with a comprehensive survey of the current state of the field. The book is split into three parts, designed to integrate theory, practice, methodology and analysis. The first part presents students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to understand the field of study and the issues which surround it. The second part establishes the wide range of contemporary theories and approaches that feminist linguists take to gender and language study. The final part focuses on methodology and outlines research methods that can be adopted to conduct written and spoken language analysis, as well as a focus on reflexivity, ethics and the importance of producing research of practical relevance. A defining feature of the book is that it contains practical examples in every chapter in order to ensure that students can clearly observe the practical applications of all current theories and approaches. Within each chapter, a variety of current issues are explored in conjunction with specific case study illustrations. The case studies present readers with concrete examples of the most recent research developments which have focused upon these crucial areas of development. Examples are taken both from the authors' own research and from other researchers' studies which use data from a range of different global locations. This textbook ensures that both authentic spoken and written data from a wealth of different contexts, settings and sources are thoroughly analysed. Areas covered include: politics, religion, the workplace, education, cyberspace, media discourse, music, literary works, the family and friendship groups. Language, Gender and Feminism will be an invaluable introductory text for students of language and gender studies, communication studies and wo

Have you ever noticed an accent or puzzled over a dialect phrase? Language can be a powerful tool with which one can create a persona; it can be a common ground between people or can be used as a divide between social groups. This Companion is for anyone who is interested in how and why people speak and write with such diversity.

The Routledge Companion to Sociolinguistics includes articles by leading scholars in the field on:

• methods of observation and analysis
• social correlates
• socio-psychological factors
• socio-political factors
• language change.

With a substantial A-Z glossary of key terms and concepts, directions for further study, and detailed cross-referencing with links to the glossary, The Routledge Companion to Sociolinguistics is both an essential broad-based introduction for those new to the field, and a highly useful reference for the more advanced linguist.

This edited book presents contemporary empirical research investigating the use of language in professional settings, drawing on the contributions of a set of internationally-renowned authors. The book takes a critical approach to understanding professional communication in a range of fields and global contexts. Split into three parts, covering Business and Organisations, Healthcare, and Politics and Institutions, the contributors explore how and why academics engage in workplace research which takes the form of 'consultancy', 'advocacy' and 'activism'. In light of an ever-changing, ever-demanding global landscape, this volume offers new theoretical and methodological ways of conducting professional communication research with real-world impact. It will be of interest to linguistics and communication researchers and practitioners, particularly those working in sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, business communication, health communication, political communication, language and the law and organisational studies.

1. Coverage of the most contemporary issues in gender and professional communication including a discussion of global post-Covid recovery in the professions 2. Data is included from all over the world including a focus on politics, healthcare, corporate businesses and third sector organisations 3. The most up-to-date focus on gender theorisation, taking a wide-ranging approach to practically addressing issues of global gender inequalities, including as forms of advocacy and activism 4 A focus on language and gender through global Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and how these can be both critiqued and worked towards

This edited book presents contemporary empirical research investigating the use of language in professional settings, drawing on the contributions of a set of internationally-renowned authors. The book takes a critical approach to understanding professional communication in a range of fields and global contexts. Split into three parts, covering Business and Organisations, Healthcare, and Politics and Institutions, the contributors explore how and why academics engage in workplace research which takes the form of 'consultancy', 'advocacy' and 'activism'. In light of an ever-changing, ever-demanding global landscape, this volume offers new theoretical and methodological ways of conducting professional communication research with real-world impact. It will be of interest to linguistics and communication researchers and practitioners, particularly those working in sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, business communication, health communication, political communication, language and the law and organisational studies.

Language, Gender and Feminism introduces students to key theoretical perspectives, methodology and analytical frameworks in the field of feminist linguistic analysis, providing readers with a comprehensive survey of the current state of the field. The book is split into three parts, designed to integrate theory, practice, methodology and analysis. The first part presents students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to understand the field of study and the issues which surround it. The second part establishes the wide range of contemporary theories and approaches that feminist linguists take to gender and language study. The final part focuses on methodology and outlines research methods that can be adopted to conduct written and spoken language analysis, as well as a focus on reflexivity, ethics and the importance of producing research of practical relevance. A defining feature of the book is that it contains practical examples in every chapter in order to ensure that students can clearly observe the practical applications of all current theories and approaches. Within each chapter, a variety of current issues are explored in conjunction with specific case study illustrations. The case studies present readers with concrete examples of the most recent research developments which have focused upon these crucial areas of development. Examples are taken both from the authors' own research and from other researchers' studies which use data from a range of different global locations. This textbook ensures that both authentic spoken and written data from a wealth of different contexts, settings and sources are thoroughly analysed. Areas covered include: politics, religion, the workplace, education, cyberspace, media discourse, music, literary works, the family and friendship groups. Language, Gender and Feminism will be an invaluable introductory text for students of language and gender studies, communication studies and wo

Routledge English Language Introductions cover core areas of language study and are one-stop resources for students. Assuming no prior knowledge, books in the series offer an accessible overview of the subject, with activities, study questions, sample analyses, commentaries and key readings - all in the same volume. The innovative and flexible 'two-dimensional' structure is built around four sections - introduction, development, exploration and extension - which offer self-contained stages for study. Each topic can also be read across these sections, enabling the reader to build gradually on the knowledge gained. Introducing English Language: is the foundational book in the Routledge English Language Introductions series, providing an accessible introduction to the English language contains newly expanded coverage of morphology, updated and revised exercises, and an extended Further Reading section comprehensively covers key disciplines of linguistics such as historical linguistics, sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics, as well as core areas in language study including acquisition, standardisation and the globalisation of English uses a wide variety of real texts and images from around the world, including a Monty Python sketch, excerpts from novels such as Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse, and news items from Metro and the BBC provides updated classic readings by the key names in the discipline, including Guy Cook, Andy Kirkpatrick and Zoltan Doernyei is accompanied by a website with extra activities, project ideas for each unit, suggestions for further reading, links to essential English language resources, and course templates for lecturers. Written by two experienced teachers and authors, this accessible textbook is an essential resource for all students of the English language and linguistics.

This is the first book that draws together the main current methodological approaches to the study of language and gender. Approaches include Sociolinguistics, Conversation analysis, Corpus linguistics, Critical discourse analysis, Feminist post-structuralist discourse analysis, Discursive psychology and Queer theory.

Have you ever noticed an accent or puzzled over a dialect phrase? Language can be a powerful tool with which one can create a persona; it can be a common ground between people or can be used as a divide between social groups. This Companion is for anyone who is interested in how and why people speak and write with such diversity.

The Routledge Companion to Sociolinguistics includes articles by leading scholars in the field on:

• methods of observation and analysis
• social correlates
• socio-psychological factors
• socio-political factors
• language change.

With a substantial A-Z glossary of key terms and concepts, directions for further study, and detailed cross-referencing with links to the glossary, The Routledge Companion to Sociolinguistics is both an essential broad-based introduction for those new to the field, and a highly useful reference for the more advanced linguist.

Routledge English Language Introductions cover core areas of language study and are one-stop resources for students.

Assuming no prior knowledge, books in the series offer an accessible overview of the subject, with activities, study questions, sample analyses, commentaries and key readings – all in the same volume. The innovative and flexible ‘two-dimensional’ structure is built around four sections – introduction, development, exploration and extension – which offer self-contained stages for study. Each topic can also be read across these sections, enabling the reader to build gradually on the knowledge gained.

Introducing English Language:

• is the foundational book in the Routledge English Language Introductions series, providing an accessible introduction to the English language
• contains newly expanded coverage of morphology, updated and revised exercises, and an extended Further Reading section
• comprehensively covers key disciplines of linguistics such as historical linguistics, sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics, as well as core areas in language study including acquisition, standardisation and the globalisation of English
• uses a wide variety of real texts and images from around the world, including a Monty Python sketch, excerpts from novels such as Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, and news items from Metro and the BBC
• provides updated classic readings by the key names in the discipline, including Guy Cook, Andy Kirkpatrick and Zoltán Dörnyei
• is accompanied by a website with extra activities, project ideas for each unit, suggestions for further reading, links to essential English language resources, and course templates for lecturers

Written by two experienced teachers and authors, this accessible textbook is an essential resource for all students of the English language and linguistics.