This book analyses the complex relationship between directness, indirectness, politeness and impoliteness. Definitions of directness and indirectness are discussed and problematised from a discursive theoretical perspective.

Karen Grainger is a Principal Lecturer in English Language and Linguistics at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. She researches language use and interaction in institutional, intercultural and electronic contexts. She has published in the areas of health care, intercultural communication and educational sociolinguistics. She is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Politeness Research.Sara Mills is Research Professor in Linguistics at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. She has published in the areas of feminist linguistics and politeness theory. Her publications include Gender and Politeness (2003), Politeness in East Asia (co-authored, 2011), Language and Sexism (2008), Language Gender and Feminism (co-authored, 2012), and Gender Representation in an International Context (co-authored, 2015).