Face, Face-Threatening Acts (FTAs), and Facework

To fully grasp Politeness Theory, we must dive into the concept of "Face," which is a person's public self-image and dignity. Everyone has a Positive Face (the psychological desire to be liked, admired, and included) and a Negative Face (the desire to be independent and free from restrictions).

Almost everything we do in daily communication is a Face-Threatening Act (FTA). Giving an order threatens negative face by restricting freedom. Criticizing someone threatens positive face by showing a lack of admiration. To survive these constant threats, we use Facework, which consists of the linguistic softening strategies we use to repair the damage. Giving compliments before a critique protects positive face, while apologizing profusely before asking for a favor protects negative face.