What do you call using politeness to express aggression?

[Glizdka]

Is there a name for using very polite words and tone to express aggression?

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"I respect your having a different opinion from mine enough to allow you to admit that you are wrong under threat of violence"
"Would you be so kind and cease your existence yourself, or should I assist you?"

- Me

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Is it some kind of irony?

 

[Tdol]

https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Passive+aggression

 

[slevlife]

Passive aggression (mentioned by Tdol) would usually be the right answer, but the specific examples you gave are so openly hostile that the term doesn't quite feel up to the task. If I was describing those sentences I would add an intensifier and make up something like "extreme passive aggression", "maliciously passive aggression", "barely concealed hostility", "openly hostile passive aggression", or "hostility dressed up with politeness".

 

[teechar]

[STRIKE]Passion[/STRIKE] Passive aggression

.

 

[Glizdka]

I don't think it's passive aggression. The words are literally threatening; the tone isn't.

 

[slevlife]

Glizdka, I agree, hence my earlier comment.

You probably already understand this, but for the sake of less advanced readers who are less able to interpret tone, I will note that your example sentences should probably not be read literally as threats. Although you could go as far as saying that the second example sentence is a "death threat," most people would probably think that's too dramatic of an interpretation. Rather, the writer is being aggressively hostile while dressing up his words with politeness. I don't think there's a more specific term for this.

And thanks, teechar! I've fixed my typo.

 

[Glizdka]

Picture an alien artificial intelligence, which (who?) invades Earth, sending this message:

"We are delighted to inform you that Earth has been granted the privilege of being chosen for having all its organic life eradicated."

 

[Tdol]

Passive aggression (mentioned by Tdol) would usually be the right answer, but the specific examples you gave are so openly hostile that the term doesn't quite feel up to the task. If I was describing those sentences I would add an intensifier and make up something like "extreme passive aggression", "maliciously passive aggression", "barely concealed hostility", "openly hostile passive aggression", or "hostility dressed up with politeness".

That's a good point- they are directly threatening. Maybe it's a form of mobster English.