Study on Differences of Cultural Connotations of Politeness between Chinese and English-speaking Cultures

There are different cultural connotations of politeness in Chinese and English-speaking cultures. The differences are in the concept of politeness, the connotation of face, the contrast between seeking true feelings and the truth of speech and the politeness criteria. These cultural traits of politeness reveal the differences of the two cultural values. In English language teaching, developing students’ pragmatic competence should focus on proper training on politeness, which could help to promote smooth cross-cultural communication.