Face-threatening act
An utterance that damages a person's face (self-image), threatening either positive face (approval) or negative face (autonomy). Face-threatening acts require politeness mitigation.
Real World
Simon Cowell's on-screen criticism of X Factor contestants ('That was the worst performance I've ever heard') is a bald on-record FTA — no mitigation strategy is used, amplifying social impact for television effect.
Exam Focus
State which face type is threatened and which mitigation strategy is or isn't used; mark schemes require both identification and explanation.
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