Comparing Impoliteness Strategies For Interpersonal Communication In English And Chinese

Impoliteness could be systematic and strategic.In the past three decades,impoliteness study has been gaining momentum in the field of pragmatics.This paper aims to conduct a comparative study of impoliteness strategies for interpersonal communication in English and Chinese through a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data from TV dramas based on Bousfield's model of impoliteness strategies for interpersonal communication(2007a).It is intended to probe into the following three questions: first,how are impoliteness strategies for interpersonal communication realized in English and Chinese? Second,what are the similarities or differences in the employment of impoliteness strategies for interpersonal communication in English and Chinese? Third,what reasons possibly account for the similarities or differences?The results of the present study reveal some remarkable similarities and differences in impoliteness strategies for interpersonal communication in English and Chinese.As regards to similarities,the most commonly seen triggering events of impoliteness strategies are verbal behaviors.More specifically,in the process of impolite interaction,counter with offensive and defensive impoliteness strategies are the most popular response options while compromise and do not respond are the least employed in the two languages.Furthermore,different impoliteness strategies are often used together,for example,interrupt and use taboo words often function as boosters of other impoliteness strategies.In the end of an impolite interaction,compromise and submission to the other party are the least popular ending options.Meanwhile,differences between English and Chinese are also obviously shown in the study.Despite the fact that verbal behaviors are the most frequently used triggering event,they display a higher frequency in Chinese than those in English,in which more impoliteness strategies are triggered by nonverbal behaviors.With respect to the employment of impoliteness strategies,direct contradiction and use taboo words are manifested in higher frequency in English than those in Chinese.The differences might result from the individual cultural background of western culture and the collective cultural background of Chinese culture as well as different philosophical origins and modes of thinking between Chinese culture and western culture.