POLITENESS STRATEGIES IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK: A PRAGMATIC AND TYPOLOGICAL COMPARISON
Keywords:
politeness, pragmatics, English, Uzbek, collectivism, individualism, indirectness, hierarchy, intercultural communication, typology.Abstract
This article examines politeness strategies in English and Uzbek from both pragmatic and typological perspectives. It explores how cultural values, social hierarchies, and communicative conventions influence linguistic expressions of politeness in each language. The study reveals that while English emphasizes individual autonomy, indirectness, and minimal hierarchical marking, Uzbek prioritizes collectivism, respect, and elaborate honorific systems. Drawing on modern pragmatics, the paper discusses the universal principles of face and social harmony alongside culture-specific realizations. Attention is also given to pragmatic transfer in language learning and the adaptation of politeness norms in digital communication. The findings show that although politeness is a universal aspect of human interaction, its linguistic manifestations differ according to social structure and worldview. Understanding these distinctions is essential for effective intercultural communication, language teaching, and translation.
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