The Power of Indirectness in Speaking and Writing

Using too many imperatives can make you come off as rude. 

Deshawn was not a fan of his neighbor, Robin as he had always thought she was standoffish.

As she got ready for her date, Lucia’s mother reminded her to smile, or else she might seem standoffish.

I have always been nice to the strangers at the park, and they have always returned the favor.

My mother always said you should return the favors that friends do for you.

In your own words, please briefly summarize the article.

Why is it important to be polite when you communicate at work?

Why do we communicate with our co-workers and colleagues differently from how we communicate with friends or family?

What are some situations where you think that it is more important to be direct than it is to be polite?

If you are someone who uses English at work or in school, think about your recent email communications with a colleague or classmate. Did you use any of the techniques discussed in the article in order to seem more polite? 

What kind of linguistic techniques do you use to construct politeness in your native language? How is this similar to or different from how we construct politeness in English?

Can you think of any other strategies you use when you are speaking English to sound more polite?

[Practice] Imagine the following: Your co-worker, Elena, has asked you to stay late at work and finish the budget you have both been working on. Unfortunately, you have dinner plans right after work and cannot stay late. Work with your tutor to write an email response to Elena using the indirectness techniques from the article to make sure your request seems polite!

[Practice] Imagine the following: Your babysitter, Will, is supposed to pick up your kids every day at 8:30 AM so that you can make it to work on time. Unfortunately, Will frequently shows up at 8:45 or 8:50, making you late for work. Work with your tutor to draft a text to Will asking him to make sure that he shows up on time using the indirectness techniques from the article to make sure your request seems polite!

If you have a question or questions that you'd like to discuss during your class, please write them down.

Indirectness in English

What Are You Saying With What You’re Not Saying?

영어의 간접적 표현법

Outside of the United States, Americans have a reputation for being brash and bold. Considering this reputation, non-Americans are sometimes surprised when they find Americans in the workplace changing out “I need you to send me the files by the end of day” for “Would it be possible for you to send me the files by the end of day?” Indirectness like in the above example plays a valuable role in the English language, especially in the workplace. If you are working with American colleagues and unsure how to sound appropriately formal, here are two techniques that you might consider: <span style="12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Change out imperatives [1] for requestsOne of the simplest ways to increase the perceived level of politeness in your English is by changing imperatives into questions. For example, Lupita could send her intern, Mei, an email that very clearly says “Call the client by the end of the day.” However, as a native English speaker, Mei may interpret that command as <span style="12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">standoffish [2] or harsh, because it is too direct. Instead, Lupita can say, “Can you make sure to call the client back by the end of the day?” In both cases, Mei knows that her boss is expecting her to call the client by the end of the day, but when the request is phrased as a question, Mei is more likely to interpret the request as polite and respectful. <span style="12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hedge your statementWhen writers are unsure of their claim or don’t want to make a definitive statement because it might seem too direct, they can “hedge” their claims by saying that something is <span style="12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">likely. For example, if Serenity needs to tell her vendors that her company cannot continue their contracts, she might not want to directly say, “We do not have the resources to take on your contract this year.” Instead, she might say, “Unfortunately, it seems that we will not have the resources to take on your contract this year.” In this case, Serenity is not using “seems” because she is uncertain about her company’s resources. Instead, using “seems” helps her to be less direct and therefore more formal. Of course, Americans aren’t indirect all of the time, which is why it’s always important to rely on context. If your co-workers’ emails are filled with polite questions and hedging, try to incorporate indirectness into your own requests. However, if your new friend is always direct when they are communicating with you, <span style="12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">return the favor [3] and say what is on your mind!

<span style="12pt; font-family: Nanum Myeongjo, serif; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">미국을 벗어나면, 미국인은 종종 단도직입적이고 대담하다는 평을 듣습니다. 이런 평을 고려할 때, 외국인들은 직장에서 미국인들이 "오늘까지 파일을 보내주세요" 대신 "오늘까지 저한테 파일을 보내주시는 것이 가능할까요?"로 에둘러 말하는 것을 보면 놀라곤 합니다. <span style="12pt; font-family: Nanum Myeongjo, serif; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">이 예시가 보여주는 간접성은 영어라는 언어 안에서, 특히 직장에서 사용될 때 중요한 역할을 합니다. 여러분이 미국인 동료와 일하면서 적절하게 예의를 갖추어 말하는 것이 고민이라면 다음 두 가지 방법을 활용해 보세요.  <span style="12pt; font-family: Nanum Myeongjo, serif; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">명령을 요청으로 바꾸기<span style="12pt; font-family: Nanum Myeongjo, serif; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">영어에서 정중함을 표현하는 가장 간단한 방법 중 하나는 명령문을 질문으로 바꾸는 것입니다. 예를 들어 루피타는 인턴 메이에게 "오늘 안으로 고객에게 전화하세요"라고 아주 명확하게 쓰여진 이메일을 보낼 수 있습니다. 그러나 영어를 모국어로 하는 메이는 그 방식이 너무 직접적인 탓에 이 요청이 차갑거나 거칠다고 느낄 수 있습니다. 대신 루피타는 "오늘 중으로 고객에게 다시 전화해줄 수 있겠어요?"라고 말할 수 있습니다. <span style="12pt; font-family: Nanum Myeongjo, serif; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">두 경우 모두 메이는 그녀의 상사가 그녀가 오늘 중으로 고객에게 전화하기를 원하고 있다는 것을 알고 있지만, 그 요청이 질문으로 표현되었을 때 그 요청을 정중한 것으로 해석할 가능성이 더 높습니다. <span style="12pt; font-family: Nanum Myeongjo, serif; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">문장을 완곡하게 “헷지” 하기<span style="12pt; font-family: Nanum Myeongjo, serif; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">어떤 주장에 대해 확신이 없거나 너무 강한 화법이 될 것을 우려해 단호하게 말하고 싶지 않은 경우 작가들은 이 사안을 “당연하다”고 말하는 대신 “가능성이 있다”고 말함으로써 주장을 “(완곡하게) 헷지”할 수 있습니다. 예를 들어 세레니티가 그간 계약 관계가 있던 업체에게 계약 종료를 통보해야 할 때, 그녀는 "저희는 올해 당신과 계약을 맺을 만한 여력이 없습니다"라고 대놓고 말하고 싶지는 않을 겁니다. 대신 "안타깝게도 저희 회사는 올해 귀사와 계약을 맺기 어려운 상황에 놓여 있는 것 같습니다"라고 말할 수 있습니다. 이 경우 세레니티는 회사의 상황이 어떤지 잘 모르기 때문에 “그럴 것 같다”라는 표현을 쓴 것이 아닙니다. 이런 표현를 사용함으로써 보다 간접적이고 따라서 정중함을 갖춘 것입니다.  <span style="12pt; font-family: Nanum Myeongjo, serif; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">물론 미국인들이 항상 간접적으로 표현하는 것은 아니기 때문에 문맥을 잘 읽어야 합니다. 만약 동료들의 이메일이 정중한 질문과 에두른 표현으로 가득 차 있다면, 여러분도 요청에 이러한 간접적인 표현을 포함시키도록 노력하세요. 하지만 만약 여러분의 새 친구가 여러분과 대화할 때 항상 직접적으로 표현하다면 여러분도 마찬가지로 솔직하게 말해도 됩니다! <span style="12pt; font-family: Nanum Myeongjo, serif; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">