Exploring the diachronic intertwining of (fist order) Politeness1 and (second order) Politeness2, this study helps to account for the difficulty of separating these two notions in former research. The study discloses two overarching themes concerning the role of politeness (and, indirectly, impoliteness): the social regulatory role of Politeness1 norms, and the relationship of Politeness1 norms with an underlying morality. It is suggested that these two elements should constitute the basis of an empirically grounded theory of Politeness2.