Minimising emotional impact

Consider the examples of understatement given below to illustrate different ways

Downtoning. Think of more examples possible for some other functions of English.

 

Functions	Examples
criticising	The room is overcrowded
The room is a little overcrowded.
explaining	Sorry. . . I'm in a hurry.
Sorry, (it's just that) I'm in a bit of a hurry.
explaining (refusing a meal)	I'm not hungry.
I'm just not (very) hungry.
apologising	It was a slip of the tongue.
It was just a slip of the tongue.
expressing surprise	The news shocked me
The news somewhat shocked me.
enquiring/requesting	I was wondering if I could ask you something.
I was just wondering if I could ask you something.

Avoiding certainty

Consider the examples given below to illustrate different ways of avoiding certainty by

Using

a) fillers which level unwanted emotions and conceal negative attitudes

b) verbs of intention which lessen sharp criticism safely transferring what is being said to the realm of intentions. Think of more examples possible for some other functions of English.

 

Functions	Examples
apologising	I want to apologise.
I've got a kind o/an apology to make.
explaining	There's misunderstanding.
There's a kind o/misunderstanding.
It was out of place.
Well, er. I suppose, it was more or less out of place.
expressing (negative) opinions	We overlook the importance of tests.
We tend to overlook the importance of tests.
I feel that it is important
I am inclined to feel that it is important
It could be better if you quit.
I sort of think it could be better if you quit.
I think the scheme needs to be improved.
Well, actually I think the scheme needs to be sort of improved. I mean, it looks like that, so to speak.

 

Task 5. Make the following sentences more polite (indirect). (Choose any 5 sentences).

1. Pat says that Bess is buying a new cottage.

2. It looks like it is untimely.

3.1 was surprised and asked her husband.

4. My question took him unawares.

5. He was disappointed by her choice.

6.1 also think she is impractical.

7. The place is devoid of light and greenery.

8. The surroundings are industrial.

9. It is on the outskirts of the city.

10. She thinks it's a minor discomfort.

11. She says it's a 10-minute walk to the nearest bus stop.

Task 6. Write a brief note of explanation / apology/ complaint giving reasons for your failure at an exam / misbehaviour at a lesson / misusing someone else's property.

Hinting by negation

Language review

Understatement manifests itself in different types of negation, the most common being explicit, implicit and double negation. Explicit negation is typical of an ordinary negative sentence or could be expressed by a verb of thinking (transferred negation), or by a non-assertive word. Implicit negation could be found in an affirmative sentence containing the words of negative or minimising meaning. Double negation occurs when an ordinary negative sentence contains the words of negative meaning.

 

Types of negation

explicit, also with:	implicit with:	double with:
a) degree adverbs	a) adj. like little/ few	words of negative meaning
b) transferred negation	b) negative adverbs	(also with prefixes/suffixes)
c) non-assertive words	c) vbs. fail, lack etc.	adj., adv., vbs, prepositions

The tactics are quite common for the following functions:

offering, disagreeing, expressing (critical) opinion, (negative) attitude, dislike etc.

 

Explicit negation

Explicit negation is used to replace an emotionally coloured word by a neutral one, the purport of understatement each time being derived from the context (thus, e.g. I'm not pleased could be treated differently: I'm simply displeased / shocked / definitely disgusted etc.). Consider the examples below illustrating different ways of using explicit negation. Think of more examples possible for some other functions of English.