Drodzy Redaktorzy, Hej!, Szanowni… Inicial polite phrases used in the Facebook group for proofreaders and language editors

Abstract

This article presents how the politeness norms are followed by proofreaders and language editors who are talking to each other in a professional discussion group (the most representative among the groups for editors and proofreaders in Poland) on the Facebook social networking site. The material comes mainly from April and May 2021 and includes addressative forms and greetings formulas — with particular emphasis on the phrase witam. Moreover, there are discussed the preferences of this professional group’s representatives regarding the choice of the type of relationship (per ty ‘you’ or per pan/pani ‘sir/madam’). The analysis of the material allows us to conclude that members of the self-help community are more likely than in other groups to choose the per pan/pani relationship (although still with the advantage of the per ty relationship) and most often give up traditional greetings and addressative formulas.