[SuoDuanDao]

It's a very diffuse and unaccountable authority though. I've seen the take that nicespeak is a stand-in for social class - upper classes have the tutors and entertainment preferences to learn nicespeak. Failure to conform to the requirements of nicespeak is like signaling membership in the working/uneducated class, which leads to social exclusion particularly in managerial positions. But it's not from a central authority, more a consensus partially based on fear of association.

Seems like a decent analysis to me - does anyone have a critique?

[alanlammiman]

Perhaps less so in the UK and other places than in the US? It's TV so who knows, but I loved the episode in The Crown where Princess Margaret says to a middle-class Margaret Thatcher something like "Just say 'What?'. Never beg for anything, much less for pardon".

[jollyllama]

I'm with you on the first part. If I'm subordinate or dependent in a relationship, just openly treat me that way; there's no shame in that. The patronizing nicespeak is more objectionable.