CURRENT APPROACHES AND NEW RESEARCH IN
MODERN SCIENCES
International scientific-online conference
95
CROSS-CULTURAL PRAGMATICS IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK: SPEECH
ACTS AND POLITENESS STRATEGIES
Turgunova Sh.A.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16832557
Abstract
This thesis investigates speech acts and politeness models in English and
Uzbek, determining requests, apologies, and compliments. According to Austin
(1962) and Searle’s (1969) speech act theory, as well as Brown and Levinson’s
(1987) politeness strategies, it analyzes how cultural norms, social hierarchy,
and interpersonal connections can be reflected by linguistic choices. Based
onvarious research, it is displayed that, English expresses explicit politeness
markers integrated with indirectness, while Uzbek highlights contextual cues,
honorifics, and culturally grounded indirectness to convey respect.
Keywords:
politeness, pragmatics, speech acts, English, Uzbek,
intercultural communication.
Speech acts play an important role in interpersonal relationships, which
have different performs across cultures (Austin, 1962; Searle, 1969). In English
language, modal verbs and politeness markers are used to request something
politely (e.g., Could you please give me?) to balance directness and friendliness
(Blum-Kulka, 1987). Based on Uzbek language, however, it tends to honorific
forms and culturally expected indirectness (e.g., Bera olasizmi? Bora olasizmi? )
to remain social harmony (Turaev, 2018). In English, politeness level contains
very polite, polite, neutral / informal, impolite / rude
expressed with different
modal forms, like
Could, Would, May I, Please, Can, Would you like
…etc. For
example:
Could you help me with this task, please? (
Polite request; sounds soft and
indirect)
Would you mind closing the window? (
Polite inquiry/request)
May I ask you a question? (
Very formal and respectful)
Could you pass the salt, please? (
Politeness marker added to the request)
Can you help me with this box? (
Common request, polite but more direct)
Would you like some coffee? (
Offering politely)
In English language, apologies often start with an explicit acknowledgment
of fault (I’m sorry I am late) followed by an explanation (Holmes, 1990). In
Uzbek, expressions minimizing the offense are used (Kechirasiz, noqulay
bo‘ldimi?), to show a collectivist tendency to preserve the other person’s face
(Turaev, 2018).
CURRENT APPROACHES AND NEW RESEARCH IN
MODERN SCIENCES
International scientific-online conference
96
Language
Apology Structure
Example Sentence
English
1. Acknowledgment of fault
2. Explanation (optional)
I’m sorry I’m late. There
was a lot of traffic.
1. Apology 2. Taking full
blame
I deeply apologize. It was
entirely my mistake.
1. Apology + Reason
Sorry I missed your call. I
was in a meeting.
Uzbek
1. Softened apology 2.
Minimizing the offense
Kechirasiz, noqulay
bo‘ldimi?
1. Indirect apology 2.
Expression of inconvenience
Xafa bo‘lmang, bilmay
qoldim.
1. Respectful tone 2.
Implicit regret
Uzr, ishlaringizga halal
berdim shekilli.
English compliments usually utilize appearance or achievements (You look
great today!) and expect a simple “Thank you” response (Herbert, 1989).
Compliments in Uzbek language may be met with modest deflection, which
aligns with humility norms in Central Asian cultures (Rustamova, 2020).
Language
Compliment Style
Example Sentence
English
Compliment based on
appearance or achievements
You look great today!
Achievement-based
compliment
Great job on the presentation!
Uzbek
Modest deflection or
reciprocity
Rahmat, lekin siz ham chiroyli
ko‘rinyapsiz.
Minimizing the compliment
Voy, unday emas, oddiygina
kiyim-da.
References:
1.
Rustamova, Z. (2020). O‘zbek tilida nutq etiketi. Samarqand: SamDU
nashriyoti.
CURRENT APPROACHES AND NEW RESEARCH IN
MODERN SCIENCES
International scientific-online conference
97
2.
Turaev, M. (2018). Pragmatik muloqot nazariyasi. Toshkent: Fan
nashriyoti.
3.
Holmes, J. (1990). Apologies in New Zealand English. Language in Society,
19(2), 155–199.
4.
Herbert, R. (1989). The ethnography of English compliments and
compliment responses. Journal of Pragmatics, 13, 145–165.
5.
Blum-Kulka, S. (1987). Indirectness and politeness in requests. Journal of
Pragmatics, 11(2), 131–146.
6.
Searle, J. R. (1969). Speech Acts. Cambridge University Press.
7.
Austin, J. L. (1962). How to Do Things with Words. Oxford University
Press..
