4. Politely speaking

Get talking

Discuss with a partner what you think the following words mean:

  • Homogeneous
  • Self
  • at stake
  • Outsider
  • Exhibit
  • Oneness
  • Sloppily
  • Bow


Video by xReasons on YouTube.


Remember you can click on subtitles if you need them.

Actividad desplegable

After watching the video and having seen these words in context, match the following definitions to the correct term.

: a person who is not accepted as a member of a society, group, etc.

: that can be won or lost, depending on the success of a particular action.

: consisting of things or people that are all the same or all of the same type.

: to move your head or the top half of your body forwards and downwards as a sign of respect or to say hello or goodbye.

: in a way that shows a lack of care, thought or effort.

: the type of person you are, especially the way you normally behave, look or feel.

: the state of being completely united with somebody/something, or of being in complete agreement with somebody.

: exhibit something (formal) to show clearly that you have or feel a particular quality, ability, feeling or symptom.

Source: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

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language mechanics

Hedging

We use hedges to soften what we say or write. Hedges are an important part of polite conversation. They make what we say less direct. The most common forms of hedging involve tense and aspect, modal expressions including modal verbs and adverbs, vague language such as sort of and kind of, and some verbs.

  • Tense and aspect

I wondered if I could have a word with you? (less direct and more polite than Could I have a word with you?)

  • Modal expressions

The answer could be that the trees have some sort of disease. (less direct than The answer is that ...)

Maybe we should have a word with him about it? (less direct than We should or we must have a word with him about it.)

This is possibly the best performance in the Olympics.

  • Vague language

It's sort of difficult to say. (less direct than It's difficult to say)

Could you just post this letter for me?

  • Verbs (feel)

Some verbs (such as feel, suppose, reckon) can be used to hedge personal statements, that is, to make personal statements less direct:

We feel he should let them decide whether to buy the flat. (less direct than He should let them decide ...)

I reckon that's the best answer to the problem. (less direct than That's the best answer to the problem.)

  • Hedges in academic writing

We use certain types of hedging in writing, especially in academic writing, so that statements don't seem to rely simply on personal opinion.

We often use structures with it in the passive such as it is argued that and it has been agreed that:

It has been generally agreed that these new video phone technologies will transform everyday life. (a more cautious and less personal statement than I agree that ...)

Source: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/es/gramatica/gramatica-britanica/hedges-just

Here you have some exercises for extra practice: