Polarisation and Impoliteness in Lithuania: Insights from Discussions on Language Policies
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Summary/Abstract: This paper aims to analyse polarisation in opinion articles related to Lithuanian language policies. In order to reach this goal, 11 opinion articles were analysed, using a pragmatic linguistic approach and a qualitative content analysis method. Our analysis revealed that authors direct their face-threatening acts towards individuals, institutions, or actions of them and that in opinion pieces, opposing Lithuanian language policies, FTAs are used more frequently. Also, our analysis revealed that strategies of positive impoliteness are used most often (94 times or 52% of all impoliteness strategies that were used in examined articles). The second most often used strategy was negative impoliteness (71 times or 39,2% of all the strategies). Off-the-record and sarcasm strategies were the least popular – they were used 13 times (7,2%) and 3 times (1,6%), accordingly.

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