Compliments: Teaching Tips
Intonation
Intonation is an important factor in giving sincere compliments.
Status
Some ESL learners tend to assume that people of lower status are likely
to give compliments if this is the norm in their native-language, but this
is not the case in American English.
Accepting Compliments
Some learners may believe that Americans always accept compliments due
to typical textbook descriptions, previous classroom learning, and limited
experience.
Unequal Status
In interactions where status is unequal, in American English the most appropriate
response may be a simple acceptance of the compliment (Thank you).
Arabic
In Arabic, formulaic expressions are often used for compliments and compliment
responses. Arabic speakers may be apt to give too many compliments or find
it hard to simply accept a compliment without elaborating on it in English,
because in Arabic in general, the longer a compliment is, the greater the
sincerity is (Nelson,
Al-Batal, & Echols, 1996 [©]).
Spanish
Spanish speakers especially may need to be warned about appropriate topics
for compliments particularly in male-female interactions. In Spanish, piropos
(flirtatious remarks) uttered by a male to a female are socially accepted
(Campo
& Zuluaga, 2000).
References
Nelson, G. L., Al-batal, M. & Echols, E. (1996). Arabic and English compliment responses: Potential for pragmatic failure. Applied Linguistics, 17(4), 411-432.
Campo, E. & Zuluaga, J. (2000). Complimenting: A matter of cultural constraints. Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 2(1), 27-41.
<< Return to Compliments |
See Additional research >> |