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[7] a. Don't touch that!
b. Get out of here!
There are, consequently, some social circumstances where using a direct command as
a bald on record expression is considered appropriate among social equals.
However, generally speaking, bald on record expressions are associated with speech events
where the speaker assumes that he or she has power over the other (for example, in military
con-texts) and can control the other's behavior with words. In every-day interaction between
social equals, such bald on record behavior would potentially represent a threat to the other's
face and would generally be avoided. Avoiding a face threatening act is accomplished by face
saving acts which use positive or negative politeness strategies.

Positive and negative politeness.
A positive politeness strategy leads the requester to appeal to a common goal, and
even friendship, via expressions such as those in [8].
[8] a. How about letting me use your pen?
b. Hey, buddy, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me use your pen.
These on record expressions do represent a greater risk for the speaker of suffering a refusal
and may be preceded by some 'get-ting to know you' talk, of the kind presented in [9], designed
to establish the necessary common ground for this strategy.
[9] Hi. How's it going? Okay if I sit here? We must be inter- ested in the same
crazy stuff. You take a lot of notes too, huh? Say, do me a big favor and let me use one of
your pens.

However, in most English-speaking contexts, a face saving act is more commonly
performed via a negative politeness strategy. The
most typical form used is a question containing a modal verb such as [10a. ].
[10] a. Could you lend me a pen?
b. I'm sorry to bother you, but can I ask you for a pen or
something?
c. I know you're busy, but might I ask you if—em—if you happen to have an extra
pen that I could, you know-eh-maybe borrow?
Using this strategy also results in forms which contain expres-sions of apology for the
imposition, of the type shown in [10b. ]. More elaborate negative politeness work can
sometimes be heard in extended talk, often with hesitations, similar to that shown in [10c. ].
It is worth noting that negative politeness is typically expressed via questions, even questions
that seem to ask for permission to ask a question (for example, 'Might I ask... ?') as in [10с. ].
On the surface, such questions present an opportunity for the other to answer in the negative
to the question without the same refusal effect of responding with a negative to a direct, bald on
record imperative. (This distinction is an important motivation for the distinction between direct
and indirect speech acts, discussed already. )
Even more relevant for our concern with the pragmatics of lan-guage in use, the
availability of the bald on record form, as well as off record forms, means that the use of a face-
saving on record form represents a significant choice. The choice of a type of expression that is
less direct, potentially less clear, generally longer, and with a more complex structure means
that the speaker is making a greater effort, in terms of concern for face (i. e. po-liteness), than
is needed simply to get the basic message across efficiently.
Strategies