GENDER DIFFERENCE OF POLITENESS STRATEGIES IN THE EXPRESSION TRAUMA AND TOXICITY: THE HALSEY AND STEVEN BARTLETT PODCAST

https://doi.org/10.23960/simbol.v13i2.1024
Published: Sep 13, 2025

Abstract:

This study analyses gender-oriented language politeness strategies in the expression of emotional trauma and toxicity in Halsey and Steven Barlett's podcast. Using Brown and Levinson's (1987) politeness strategy theory, this study explores how participants of different genders choose and use linguistic strategies in talking about intense emotional experiences. Data were collected through episode transcripts, which were analysed qualitatively to identify the face-saving and face-threatening strategies used and the role of gender identity in these communication patterns. This research shows that gender influences the choice of politeness strategies in trauma and toxicity, reflecting power dynamics, empathy, and the construction of self-identity in public communication.

Keywords:
1. Brown and Levinson
2. emotional trauma
3. gender
4. podcast
5. politeness strategies
Authors:
1 . Siti Tsania Risma Fauziah
Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati
2 . Erfan M. Fauzi
Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati
3 . Fourus H. Abqoriyyah
Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati
View PDF
How to Cite
Fauziah, S. T. R., Fauzi, E. M., & Abqoriyyah, F. H. (2025). GENDER DIFFERENCE OF POLITENESS STRATEGIES IN THE EXPRESSION TRAUMA AND TOXICITY: THE HALSEY AND STEVEN BARTLETT PODCAST. J-Simbol: Jurnal Magister Pendidikan Bahasa Dan Sastra Indonesia, 13(2), 927–944. https://doi.org/10.23960/simbol.v13i2.1024
Download Citation
  1. Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
  2. BibTeX

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Issue & Section
Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025): J-Simbol: Jurnal Magister Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia
Articles
References

    Alvarez, C. F., & Miller-Ott, A. E. (2022). The polite abuser: Using politeness theory to examine emotional abuse. Personal Relationships, 29(4), 894–912.

    Bayles, R. (2009). An investigation into politeness, small talk and gender. Innervate Leading Undergraduate Work in English Studies, 1, 10–17.

    Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage (Vol. 4). Cambridge university press.

    Burrow, S. (2010). Verbal sparring and apologetic points: Politeness in gendered argumentation contexts. Informal Logic, 30(3).

    Dolinina, I. B., & Cecchetto, V. (1998). Facework and rhetorical strategies in intercultural argumentative discourse. Argumentation, 12(2), 167–181.

    Fukada, A., & Asato, N. (2004). Universal politeness theory: application to the use of Japanese honorifics. Journal of Pragmatics, 36(11), 1991–2002.

    Goody, J. (1990). The Oriental, the Ancient and the Primitive: Systems of Marriage and the Family in the Pre-industrial Societies of Eurasia. Cambridge University Press.

    Gupta, N., & Gupta, A. K. (2020). Big Five personality traits and their impact on job performance of managers in FMCG sector. International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering (IJRTE), 8(5), 3104–3109.

    Hidayah, N. (2016). Pembelajaran Bahasa Indonesia di perguruan tinggi. Garudhawaca.

    Karathanasopoulou, E., & Williams, H. (2023). Podcasting as a feminist space for the disclosure of trauma and intimate embodied experience: The Heart as a case study of quiet activism. Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast & Audio Media, 21(1), 29–44.

    Kim, H., Winter, B., & Brown, L. (2021). Beyond politeness markers: Multiple morphological and lexical differences index deferential meanings in Korean. Journal of Pragmatics, 182, 203–220. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2021.06.006

    Luks, L. (2020). Negative moods as the only possible locus of ontological experience. Problemos, 98, 83–93.

    Miller-Ott, A., & Kelly, L. (2017). A Politeness Theory Analysis of Cell-Phone Usage in the Presence of Friends. Communication Studies, 68, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2017.1299024

    Mills, S. (2003). Gender and politeness (Issue 17). Cambridge University Press.

    Moleong, L. J., & Surjaman, T. (2014). Metodologi penelitian kualitatif.

    Niam, M. F., Rumahlewang, E., Umiyati, H., Dewi, N. P. S., Atiningsih, S., Haryati, T., Magfiroh, I. S., Anggraini, R. I., Mamengko, R. P., Fathin, S., & others. (2024). Metode penelitian kualitatif.

    Sumarna, F. X. (2015). Bicara santun dan keberhasilan komunikasi. PRASASTI: CONFERENCE SERIES, 280–296.

    Tang, C. (2015). The influence of the addressers’ and the addressees’ gender identities on the addressers’ linguistic politeness behavior: Some evidence from criticisms in Taiwanese media discourse. Pragmatics. Quarterly Publication of the International Pragmatics Association (IPrA), 25(3), 477–499.

    Ubaidullah, U., Darmanto, D., & Rahim, A. (2021). Kesantunan Berbahasa Dalam Tuturan Komunikasi Di Kantor Pemerintahan Kabupaten Sumbawa. Jurnal Riset Kajian Teknologi Dan Lingkungan, 4(2), 343–351.

    Ula, A. L. (2020). Sociopragmatics Analysis of Politeness Strategy of the Main Character’s Dialogues of Tinker Bell in Secret of the Wings Movie. Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 5(2), 229.

    Wahyunengsih, W., & Sari, A. A. P. (2021). Penerapan Kesantunan Dalam Percakapan Berbahasa Inggris Online Dengan Penutur Asing Melalui Synchronous Media. JURNAL LENTERA: Kajian Keagamaan, Keilmuan Dan Teknologi, 20(2), 181–191.

    Woensdregt, M., & Smith, K. (2017). Pragmatics and language evolution. In Oxford research encyclopedia of linguistics.

    Yule, G. (1996). Pragmatics. Oxford university press.

  1. Alvarez, C. F., & Miller-Ott, A. E. (2022). The polite abuser: Using politeness theory to examine emotional abuse. Personal Relationships, 29(4), 894–912.
  2. Bayles, R. (2009). An investigation into politeness, small talk and gender. Innervate Leading Undergraduate Work in English Studies, 1, 10–17.
  3. Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage (Vol. 4). Cambridge university press.
  4. Burrow, S. (2010). Verbal sparring and apologetic points: Politeness in gendered argumentation contexts. Informal Logic, 30(3).
  5. Dolinina, I. B., & Cecchetto, V. (1998). Facework and rhetorical strategies in intercultural argumentative discourse. Argumentation, 12(2), 167–181.
  6. Fukada, A., & Asato, N. (2004). Universal politeness theory: application to the use of Japanese honorifics. Journal of Pragmatics, 36(11), 1991–2002.
  7. Goody, J. (1990). The Oriental, the Ancient and the Primitive: Systems of Marriage and the Family in the Pre-industrial Societies of Eurasia. Cambridge University Press.
  8. Gupta, N., & Gupta, A. K. (2020). Big Five personality traits and their impact on job performance of managers in FMCG sector. International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering (IJRTE), 8(5), 3104–3109.
  9. Hidayah, N. (2016). Pembelajaran Bahasa Indonesia di perguruan tinggi. Garudhawaca.
  10. Karathanasopoulou, E., & Williams, H. (2023). Podcasting as a feminist space for the disclosure of trauma and intimate embodied experience: The Heart as a case study of quiet activism. Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast \& Audio Media, 21(1), 29–44.
  11. Kim, H., Winter, B., & Brown, L. (2021). Beyond politeness markers: Multiple morphological and lexical differences index deferential meanings in Korean. Journal of Pragmatics, 182, 203–220. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2021.06.006
  12. Luks, L. (2020). Negative moods as the only possible locus of ontological experience. Problemos, 98, 83–93.
  13. Miller-Ott, A., & Kelly, L. (2017). A Politeness Theory Analysis of Cell-Phone Usage in the Presence of Friends. Communication Studies, 68, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2017.1299024
  14. Mills, S. (2003). Gender and politeness (Issue 17). Cambridge University Press.
  15. Moleong, L. J., & Surjaman, T. (2014). Metodologi penelitian kualitatif.
  16. Niam, M. F., Rumahlewang, E., Umiyati, H., Dewi, N. P. S., Atiningsih, S., Haryati, T., Magfiroh, I. S., Anggraini, R. I., Mamengko, R. P., Fathin, S., & others. (2024). Metode penelitian kualitatif.
  17. Sumarna, F. X. (2015). Bicara santun dan keberhasilan komunikasi. PRASASTI: CONFERENCE SERIES, 280–296.
  18. Tang, C. (2015). The influence of the addressers’ and the addressees’ gender identities on the addressers’ linguistic politeness behavior: Some evidence from criticisms in Taiwanese media discourse. Pragmatics. Quarterly Publication of the International Pragmatics Association (IPrA), 25(3), 477–499.
  19. Ubaidullah, U., Darmanto, D., & Rahim, A. (2021). Kesantunan Berbahasa Dalam Tuturan Komunikasi Di Kantor Pemerintahan Kabupaten Sumbawa. Jurnal Riset Kajian Teknologi Dan Lingkungan, 4(2), 343–351.
  20. Ula, A. L. (2020). Sociopragmatics Analysis of Politeness Strategy of the Main Character’s Dialogues of Tinker Bell in Secret of the Wings Movie. Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 5(2), 229.
  21. Wahyunengsih, W., & Sari, A. A. P. (2021). Penerapan Kesantunan Dalam Percakapan Berbahasa Inggris Online Dengan Penutur Asing Melalui Synchronous Media. JURNAL LENTERA: Kajian Keagamaan, Keilmuan Dan Teknologi, 20(2), 181–191.
  22. Woensdregt, M., & Smith, K. (2017). Pragmatics and language evolution. In Oxford research encyclopedia of linguistics.
  23. Yule, G. (1996). Pragmatics. Oxford university press.