Abstract
This paper reports a study on politeness strategies of Brazilian Portuguese speakers and American English speakers regarding their responses to compliments. The aim of this research is to gain an insight into the politeness characteristics of Brazilian Portuguese speakers by analyzing how Brazilian students react when receiving compliments. It also aims to investigate how politeness from Brazilian Portuguese speakers differs from politeness of American English speakers when receiving compliments. The population for this research consists of 12 students with intermediate and upper-intermediate levels of EFL from the Cooperative de Trabalho Magna, a private school in Brazil. The study followed a descriptive and interpretive qualitative research method, where 133 answers were analyzed and then contrasted with Chen’s (1993) study of politeness strategies between American English and Chinese speakers. This study shows that, unlike American English speakers, Brazilian Portuguese speakers need to justify and give reasons for the compliment received.
Highlights
The advance of technology, with the widespread use of the Internet and social media, has created a dynamic world and increased communication among nations
This paper aims to shed light upon the idea of Brazilian politeness by analyzing how Brazilian students react when receiving compliments in four different given situations. It aims to investigate how politeness of Brazilian Portuguese speakers differs from politeness of American English speakers when receiving compliments
The survey was applied for Brazilian students with upper levels of English
Summary
The advance of technology, with the widespread use of the Internet and social media, has created a dynamic world and increased communication among nations. World globalization has encouraged cultural exchanges; this demands from us a certain commitment to understanding different cultures, flexibility to analyze, and filtering information. In this context, Brown and Levinson’s (1978) politeness theory is still widely used to elucidate human social interaction. Brazilians inherit from the Portuguese crown the idea of social castes, with each individual needing to reach a higher status to be appreciated by society. This legacy of the “Jeitinho” reflects on the way Brazilian Portuguese speakers act when receiving a compliment. It aims to investigate how politeness of Brazilian Portuguese speakers differs from politeness of American English speakers when receiving compliments
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