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politeness proposed by Leech (2014) emphasizing the
notion of politeness on an atmosphere of relative
harmony in social interaction described on eight
characteristics, they are: 1) it is not obligatory, 2)
varying gradations of polite and impolite behavior, 3)
a sense of what is normal, 4) depends on situation, 5)
reciprocal asymmetry, 6) battle of politeness, 7)
transaction of value and 8) a balance among
participants. These characteristics are used generally
in order to classify what being polite or impolite.
Furthermore, Leech improved the correlation
between politeness and language in the form of
maxims of the politeness which are divided into 6
(six) types, they are:
1. Tact maxim: minimize the cost to other, maximize
the benefit to other.
2. Generosity maxim: minimize benefit to self,
maximize cost to self.
3. Approbation maxim: minimize dispraise of other,
maximize praise of other.
4. Modesty maxim: minimize praise of self,
maximize dispraise of self.
5. Agreement maxim: minimize disagreement
between self and other, maximize agreement
between self and other.
6. Sympathy maxim: minimize antipathy between
self and other, maximize sympathy between self
and other.
These principles indicate that politeness basically
tends to build good relation among the community
members or simply speakers involved in a
communication process. In Indonesia, everyone
appreciates politeness as one of the Indonesian
personality characteristics instead of cultural
diversity. It is still considered as a crucial aspect
embedded within the culture of a community. A
number of different factors involved in determining
politeness, such as behavior, status, language, culture,
etc. also contribute to the politeness. However, being
polite or impolite is actually relative and naive as
there is disagreement on the parameters or criteria
related to it. It indicates there is a gap occurring due
to the differences existing among generations. The
simple illustration given here is the age difference
between young and old. This difference influences
the way of thinking of each generation and sometimes
leads problems; for instance, the youngsters must
speak in a lower tone to the elders, listen to their
advice or ask for their suggestion of doing or planning
something; therefore, they must consider the way to
express the language and the language used, yet they
often ignore these things. For youngsters, politeness
is an obstacle for their life since it makes them
become unconfident and outdated, especially dealing
with local language. The rules purposed for politeness
make them feel discomfort or in other words;
youngsters need the feeling of freedom, included in
the communication. It is also supported by the
development of technology which partially also
causes the youngsters to leave the politeness
principles in communication. As a result, it leads
them to the image of ‘polite’ or ‘impolite’.
Furthermore, in Indonesia, everyone appreciates
politeness as one of the Indonesian personality
characteristics instead of its cultural diversity. Multi-
ethnic enriching and supporting national identity
become one of the Indonesian culture diversities.
Each ethnic has certain characteristics reflecting any
cultural features belonged to it; believed, performed,
and integrated into the community. The language
itself can be regarded as the first acquired and
developed by an ethnic which has significant
functions and roles for the people living with it. This
language is commonly known as vernacular language
or local language designating the ethnic itself. For
instance, Minangkabau people with Minangkabau
language, Batak people with Batak language,
Javanese with Java language, etc. Minangkabau
language is one of the local languages spoken
throughout the Indonesian archipelago due to the
Minangkabau marantau tradition of migration with
approximately seven million speakers (Drakard,
1999). It is an Austronesian language primarily
spoken by Minangkabau ethnics living in the
highland of West Sumatera (Gordon, 2005), which is
known as Minang or Padang language and becomes
a daily language used for communication for a long
time and identic with rhythmical intonation. This
language has both a pragmatically motivated voice
system and a conceptually motivated voice system
(Crouch, 2009). This rhythmical intonation even can
denote meaning for the politeness of the speaker. For
example, the high and loud tone of a speaker is
considered as impolite if she/he talks to others,
especially for the older. Moreover, according to
Azrial (2008) in Kurniawan and Isnanda (2014),
Minangkabau people has certain rule related to
language they use in their daily communication which
is known as Nan Ampek (The Four), consisting of
Kato Mandaki (the language used to the elders), Kato
Manurun (the language used to the younger), Kato
Mandata (the language used to the same age), and
Kato Malereng (the language used to the honors).
Thus, MK people try to maintain their local language
in every activity as for them language is also the
representation of politeness.
Politeness Principles Expressed by Minangkabau Migrants in Traditional Market: A Cultural Pragmatic Study
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