A Comparative Document-Based Pragmatic Study of Politeness Strategies Across Selected Asian Cultures

Abstract

This study investigates the use of politeness strategies across selected Asian cultures through a comparative document-based pragmatic analysis. Drawing on Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness framework, the study examines how speakers from India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea employ bald-on-record, positive politeness, negative politeness, and off-record strategies in interpersonal communication. The research adopts a qualitative comparative design using document analysis as the primary method of inquiry. Data were collected from conversational excerpts extracted from selected films representing each cultural context. A total of 100 excerpts were analyzed and categorized according to the four politeness strategies proposed by Brown and Levinson. The findings reveal both similarities and differences in the realization of politeness across the selected cultures. Negative politeness emerged as the dominant strategy in Japanese and South Korean interactions, reflecting cultural values associated with hierarchy, respect, and social distance. Indonesian interactions showed a greater preference for positive politeness strategies, emphasizing solidarity and interpersonal closeness, while Indian interactions demonstrated a relatively balanced use of politeness strategies depending on contextual factors and social relationships. The study concludes that although maintaining face and social harmony is a common communicative goal across Asian cultures, the realization of politeness is strongly influenced by culturally specific norms and expectations. These findings contribute to the field of cross-cultural pragmatics and provide insights into the relationship between language, culture, and communication in contemporary Asian societies.