Formal situations are an essential part of everyday communication.
Thus, it is no exaggeration to say that the study of Russian should be conducted along the parameters of formal vs.informal style before turning to Language for Specific Purposes. Gradual development of stylistic proficiency can be achieved as the students move from everyday formal situations to communication on the professional level. A formal situation can be described in terms of power and authority, whenever a speaker communicates with a person of different social standing. I show, how politeness strategies go far beyond the use of polite forms and how they constitute an essential part of socio-cultural proficiency. Positive politeness relates to the maintaining of a positive image of the interactant while negative politeness serves as a distancing device.