Asymmetrical Features Of Politeness In English And Chinese: An Intercultural Approach

Politeness functions as the lubricating oil in Intercultural Communication. Politeness varies along with the culture. Besides the universal features of politeness, it is vital to be aware of the distinctive features of politeness in a particular culture. This thesis intends to explore the asymmetrical features of English and Chinese to be a bridge the gap in the communication between people from diverse cultures. The first chapter is the introductory part. The importance of studying the asymmetrical of politeness and general structure of the thesis are shown in this chapter. Chapter Two is literature review which shows the previous study of politeness and asymmetrical features of politeness. Chapter Three displays the theoretical foundation, which supports the study of politeness and intercultural communication. Chapter Four is the body of this thesis, which focuses on the asymmetrical features: asymmetrical understanding of face or politeness; asymmetrical stress and choice of politeness maxims; asymmetrical strategies are adopted; asymmetrical relationship between politeness and social status; asymmetrical topics are concerned etc.. Chapter Five concludes the whole thesis and gives a general suggestion to improve the harmony and efficiency in Intercultural Communication.