Banter Beyond the Stars: Politeness Strategies in The Alien and The Kid’s Adventure

Abstract

Politeness strategies has gained prominence in pragmatics, especially in how these strategies create and shape relationships in both written or spoken text. Politeness in communication provides insight into Brown and Levinson's (1987) theory, emphasizing four primary strategies: bald-on-record, positive politeness, negative politeness, and off-record. The study aims to explore politeness strategies within the narrative story entitled "Nanoodle Snagglebottom," where interactions between an alien, Nanoo, and a young child Geez Louise highlight humorous cultural misunderstandings and politeness strategies. Using a qualitative approach, this research analyzes dialogue excerpts between Alien and the Kid. Data collection focuses on dialogues where politeness strategies create interactions. Results indicate that bald-on-record statements convey directness and humor, while positive politeness fosters connection, negative politeness shows mutual respect, and off-record strategies introduce ambiguity, adding playful layers to their interactions. This study reveals how the careful use of politeness strategies contributes to character development, suggesting implications for narrative-driven communication research.