Pragmatic Analysis of Indirect Responses to Compliments in Persian: The Role of Context, Power, and Social Distance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55324/ijoms.v6i1.1333Keywords:
pragmatics, compliments, context, power, social distance, PersianAbstract
Compliment responses in Persian reflect cultural expectations of modesty and interpersonal relationship management, making their pragmatic meanings difficult to interpret solely through linguistic forms. This study aimed to identify indirect compliment response strategies and examine how situational context, relative power, and social distance influenced their selection and interpretation. A descriptive-analytical research design was employed within a pragmatic framework. Data were collected through purposive sampling using a Discourse Completion Task (DCT) comprising compliment scenarios that varied in power relations, social distance, formality, and interpersonal intimacy. Responses were categorized according to their degree of directness and examined qualitatively through descriptive-interpretive analysis informed by speech act theory and politeness theory. The findings revealed several indirect response strategies, including indirect acceptance, indirect expressions of gratitude, self-deprecation, apparent rejection, reciprocal compliments, face-saving strategies, and humor. Greater power asymmetry and social distance were associated with more formal, respectful, and indirect responses, whereas closer interpersonal relationships facilitated the use of humor and reciprocal compliments. Expressions that appeared to reject praise could function pragmatically as implicit acceptance or gratitude, highlighting the importance of contextual interpretation. These patterns reflected culturally embedded norms of modesty and the need to acknowledge compliments without engaging in overt self-praise. The study concluded that indirect compliment responses functioned as multidimensional pragmatic strategies for managing face, expressing politeness, and maintaining interpersonal relationships. Their interpretation required an integrated consideration of linguistic forms, sociocultural norms, and interpersonal contexts.
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