Abstract
Over the past two decades, the development of computer-mediated communication technologies has modified human communication. Increasingly, representatives from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds are disposed to a constant negotiation of meanings. The main purpose of this study is to carry out a linguistically grounded analysis of the intercultural dialogue during online asynchronous written exchanges between Latvian and Cypriot students.Based on the politeness theory of Brown and Levinson (1987), which implies that all adult members of society are endowed with two universal aspects: “positive face” and “negative face”, and using the methods of content analysis and discourse analysis, this research analyses the way learners communicate or hide their position concerning sensitive cultural issues. To attain the objective of the present research, a quantitative and qualitative experimental study was conducted. The learners’ public messages in the discussion forums were juxtaposed with their private messages concerning proposed cultural topics. The findings show a strong interdependence between the politeness strategies used by the learners and the intercultural issue discussed. Thus, online intercultural discussions can be qualified as context-dependent and content-dependant. Discussion forum does not seem to be an appropriate environment to facilitate and encourage intercultural discussions about potentially controversial issues.
Highlights
The findings show a strong interdependence between the politeness strategies used by the learners and the intercultural issue discussed
Online intercultural discussions can be qualified as context-dependent and content-dependant
Nous cherchons à comprendre dans quelle mesure le dialogue interculturel est possible dans un forum de discussion institutionnel mettant en contact les interlocuteurs de zones géographiques éloignées
Summary
La politesse linguistique est généralement conceptualisée soit comme une stratégie d’évitement des conflits soit comme une construction stratégique de l’interaction sociale coopérative (Armasu 2012). La politesse linguistique est étudiée comme un des fondements les plus importants de la communication interactionnelle et de la vie sociale quotidienne. Brown et Levinson (1987) ont proposé de voir la politesse comme le moyen par lequel les désaccords et conflits potentiels entre les locuteurs sont désarmés. Selon Foley (1997), l’interaction sociale est une activité coopérative dans laquelle les participants travaillent pour se maintenir mutuellement la face. La spécificité des forums publics peut amener aux problèmes de faces, parce que chaque message menaçant pour la face d’un des participants du forum est lisible par tous et potentiellement mis en mémoire (Marcoccia 1998 ; Mangenot 2004). Selon Brown et Levinson (1987), il y a 4 stratégies de politesse (cf. figure 1) : Do the FTA on record
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