Different Responsesto Compliments in Chinese and English

摘要

This article reviews the previous researches made on compliments byrnwell-known American linguists such as Manes, Wolfson, Pomerantz, Herbert.rnThe study is based theoretically on the politeness principle advanced by Brownrn& Levinson. It is concerned with a cross-cultural investigation of responses torncompliments. An experiment using a questionnaire is conducted in China tornelicit responses to sincere compliments in different circumstances under parallelrnsituations in Chinese and English. Results are compared and analyzed in relationrnto cultural values and assumptions specific to each culture. The culturalrndifference reflected in complimenting responses in Chinese and English isrnanalyzed by comparing the results of the questionnaire.