A Comparative Approach to Politeness Principle in English and Chinese: Its Implications for Cross-cultural Communication

Polite beliefs are a determining factor in natural conversations. People of different countries observe different politeness principles. A comparative study of the politeness maxims in English and Chinese cultures seem to indicate that people in both cultures tend to be polite to each other by being considerate and indirect. Differences mainly lie in approaches to expressing polite beliefs. Therefore, it is suggested that, for cross-cultural communication to successfully take place, speakers from both cultures should understand the similarities and differences in their politeness principles so that they will make willing efforts to adapt themselves to each other.