Compliment-giving Behavior in American English and Japanese

Abstract

This study explores how the perceived likelihood of giving compliments differs between Americans and Japanese: that is, those who are said to belong to Brown & Levinson's positive politeness and negative politeness cultures, respectively. The results of the detailed analyses of a survey of 44 American and 44 Japanese university students suggest four major differences in compliment-giving behaviors. First, the distinction between uchi and soto affects Japanese compliment-giving behaviors, as Japanese tend to be less polite toward family members in general. This is probably a more influential factor for Japanese than the categories of close and distant, which is highly influential for Americans (the closer the relationship to the addressee, the more willing Americans are to give compliments). Second, the influence of gender difference on the likelihood of complimenting others is greater for Americans than for Japanese. Third, psychological closeness sometimes overrides status and power differences in the compliment-giving behaviors of Japanese, while status and power tend to prevent Americans from complimenting higher-status addressees. Lastly, Americans appear to believe that complimenting someone is relatively easy, while Japanese tend to think complimenting is more difficult. アメリカ人と日本人がほめ行動を起こす可能性の度合いについて比較した。彼らは、ブラウン＆レビンソンの唱える積極的ポライトネス文化と消極的ポライトネス文化にそれぞれ属すると言われている。日米各44名の大学生を対象として質問紙による調査を実施したところ、以下の4つが相違点として浮かび上がった。一点目は、アメリカ人のほめ行動では対話者間の親疎関係がほめの出現に影響を及ぼしていたのに対して、日本人ではウチ・ソトの区別が強い影響力を持っているということである。一般的に日本人は家族に対して丁寧ではないが、アメリカ人は対話者との距離が近いほど相手をほめようとする傾向が強くなる。二点目は、ほめ行動を起こす可能性の男女差はアメリカ人のほうが日本人に比べて大きいことが挙げられる。三点目は、アメリカ人のほめにおいては相手の地位や力がその行為を妨げる要因となりがちであるが、日本人の場合は相手との精神的距離が地位や力関係に優ることがあるという点である。最後に、アメリカ人は相手をほめることは比較的たやすいことであると感じる一方で、日本人はほめを難しいものと考える傾向があった。

Pragmatic Features of the Speech Act of Compliment in a Turkish TV Drama

“…The finding of this study is also in contradiction with Matsuura's (2004) study in which "American females indicated a significantly greater likelihood to give compliments than American males" (p. 164) while in the present study the reverse was true.…”

“…Another factor that has affected the differences in the results of the two studies is that in Şakargil and Çubukçu's (2012) research, unlike the present study, features such as haircuts were not treated under the category of appearance, while we believe they should be. In fact, this is consistent with the views of other researchers in the field regarding items of appearance (see, e.g., Cordella, Large, & Pardo, 1995;Herbert, 1989;Manes & Wolfson, 1981;Matsuura, 2004;Sun, 2002;Wolfson, 1983).…”

Cultural adaptation of preschool PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) curriculum for Pakistani children

“…In American culture giving compliments is generally considered a positive thing, and may range from appreciating someone's dress or the way one looks or even behaves. However in eastern cultures, it is perceived as negative politeness (Matsuura, ). Considering the concept as one of the core components of the programme, it was adapted to saying nice things to others where focus is more on the behaviours and acts of individuals.…”

The Complimenting Behavior of Iraqi College Students: Same-Gender Study

“…Although they are culture universals, researchers have found that these compliments tend to vary considerably in formulas, responses and topics according to societies' socio-cultural norms (Farghal & Al Khatib, 2001). With respect to the compliment topic, which is of concern to the current paper, Barnlund and Araki (1985) and Matsuura (2004) investigation of American and Japanese compliments shows that skill, work and study (i.e. achievement and ability) are the most frequently complimented attributes in Japan.…”