Saving Face in Online Discussions: How Teachers and Students Use Politeness Strategies in E-Talk in The Philippines

Abstract

Understanding the etiquette of e-talk is crucial given the growing dependence on online platforms like social media, email, and SMS to extend classroom interactions. The qualitative document analysis examined electronically mediated academic interaction between teachers and students at Bukidnon State University, a Philippine tertiary institution. This study examines how instructors and students at Bukidnon State University employ politeness strategies to preserve face in electronically mediated academic discussions, or "e-talk." Based on the politeness paradigm developed by Brown and Levinson (1987), this study looks at the methods both groups use to negotiate social situations, uphold dignity, and create encouraging learning environments outside of the conventional classroom. The data was a set of 189 academic discussion posts based on SMS, email, and Facebook Messenger conversations. The results show that students usually use negative politeness methods, like apologizing, to show respect and reduce imposition, while teachers primarily use bald-on-record strategies to give plain instructions. In order to establish rapport, positive politeness techniques like providing explanations and demonstrating concern for the hearer are also frequently used. The study emphasizes how face-saving behaviors can help close power gaps and promote productive teacher-student interactions in virtual environments. Teachers can more effectively support Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes inclusive and accessible high-quality education, by treating these encounters with pragmatism. This study emphasizes how crucial face-saving techniques are to creating a polite, productive, and encouraging online learning environment.