Politeness Strategies in Cross-Cultural Communication: A Comparative Study of Russian, English, and Japanese Languages

Abstract

This thesis explores the concept of politeness in cross-cultural communication, focusing on the comparative analysis of Russian, American, and Japanese cultures. Politeness, a multifaceted social, moral, and linguistic category, varies significantly across these three cultures, which exhibit unique verbal and non-verbal means of expression. The study analyzes how politeness is manifested in different communicative situations such as meetings, hosting guests, workplace interactions, and online communication through email. A key aspect of this research involves examining these behaviors through the lens of Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, providing insight into how societal values influence politeness strategies. The methodology integrates both qualitative and quantitative analyses, examining 90 dialogues from film and television sources and 20 emails collected from publicly available content. This analysis identifies culturally specific patterns in the expression of politeness and highlights significant differences in the use of direct and indirect speech acts. Additionally, the thesis emphasizes the importance of non-verbal cues, such as gestures and physical distance, in polite interactions across these cultures. Ultimately, the findings offer a deeper understanding of how politeness functions as a communication tool shaped by cultural norms. The results are relevant for applications in comparative linguistics, intercultural communication studies, and practical cross-cultural training.