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The Polite Press Release - Politeness in English/Japanese press releases following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear accident

Nordgren, Johan LU (2012) JAPK11 20121
Japanese Studies
Abstract
This essay attempts to distinguish differences in politeness in Japanese and English press releases, with a specific focus on TEPCO and BP in the aftermath of their respective environmental disasters. Through the use of discourse analysis, PR theory and the Brown and Levinson politeness model I find that the Japanese press releases favour negative politeness, whereas the English favour positive politeness. After having accounted for the use of keigo in the Japanese press releases, it concludes that they are the more polite press releases. It further considers the potential impact of this on the perception of the business, suggesting several alternative outcomes.
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author
Nordgren, Johan LU
supervisor
organization
course
JAPK11 20121
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Japanese, English, Polite, Politeness, Face, PR, Business Relationships, Keigo, Press Release, Brown and Levinson, TEPCO, BP, Deepwater Horizon, Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill, Fukushima Daiichi, Great East Japan Earthquake
language
English
id
2827546
date added to LUP
2012-07-02 16:36:29
date last changed
2012-07-02 16:36:29
@misc{2827546,
  abstract     = {{This essay attempts to distinguish differences in politeness in Japanese and English press releases, with a specific focus on TEPCO and BP in the aftermath of their respective environmental disasters. Through the use of discourse analysis, PR theory and the Brown and Levinson politeness model I find that the Japanese press releases favour negative politeness, whereas the English favour positive politeness. After having accounted for the use of keigo in the Japanese press releases, it concludes that they are the more polite press releases. It further considers the potential impact of this on the perception of the business, suggesting several alternative outcomes.}},
  author       = {{Nordgren, Johan}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Polite Press Release - Politeness in English/Japanese press releases following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear accident}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}