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Expressions of Politeness and Gratitude:
Towards a General Theory

By Ibha Kumar
December 2001
Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
ISBN: 81-215-1025-2
143 pages
$30.00 hardcover


This book acquaints the reader with the notions of Politeness and Gratitude. Some basic principles are set out which are seen to motivate the use of expressions of Politeness and Gratitude in various social situations in Hindi-Urdu speech communities. A set of conditions is postulated which characterize these expressions. The theory in general not only clarifies Politeness and Gratitude, but it also distinguishes between the two by way of the set of conditions which characterize each of the two concepts. Empirical evidence is presented to support the author's theory, and the argument on the whole is developed in a lucid and clear style. It will serve as a practical guide to researches in clarifying the notions of Politeness and Gratitude, understanding the difference between the two and in understanding some of the basic principles which motivate polite expressions.

About the author:
Ibha Kumar is currently an Assistant Professor of General Management at the Xavier Institute of Management, Buhbaneswar, where she teaches various courses in Business Communication. She has conducted several training programs on communication, business etiquette, public relations, etc., for a number of organizations and has published many articles in both national and international journals.

Language Studies