“…The research findings present a complex understanding of how English and Chinese speakers perform complimenting in various social contexts, especially after taking into consideration the social distance (i.e., power and prestige) as well as gender and age differences between the complimenter and the complimentee. Based on the studies on complimenting in the mainland of China (e.g., Chen, 1993;Fong, 1998;Ye, 1995;Yu, 1999Yu, , 2004Yu, , 2011 and those in the U.S. (e.g., Herbert, 1986Herbert, , 1990Pomerantz, 1984;Wolfson, 1983), more differences than similarities exist in the complimenting speech act, particularly direct complimenting, that are observed generally in both cultures.…”