Politeness Theory, developed by sociolinguists Penelope Brown and Stephen Levinson, explains how people manage social interactions to maintain face, or self-esteem, during communication. It identifies two types of face: positive face, which reflects a person's desire to be liked and accepted, and negative face, which represents the wish to be free from imposition. The theory outlines four strategies for politeness: bald on-record, positive politeness, negative politeness, and off-record. These strategies help speakers navigate social norms and relationships, allowing them to express requests, apologies, or disagreements while minimizing potential offense to the listener's face.