Compliments as Speech Acts: To Whom or What Are They Given?

Abstract

The article presents various aspects and dimensions of interpersonal communication as a field where interpersonal relationships are established. Special focus is directed toward the interactional and ritual character of speech acts, which are processed and embedded in speech as a form of social practice. An utterance is not only a matter of talking, but of acting too. By saying something we also perform a specific set of actions, which largely depend on the broader interpersonal circumstances within which the interaction occurs, as well as on the identities and social roles attributed to the interlocutors. Each instance of communication is part of a larger social situation, so the motivations behind the performance of individual speech acts vary widely. This article presents compliments as specific speech acts aiming to satisfy various sets of intentions. Affective and instrumental talk are highlighted as two different sets of language function, of which the former is oriented toward expressing emotion and maintaining social relations, while the latter is concerned with conveying information and facts. This distinction is the basis for further elaboration of compliments as speech acts conveying a positive appreciation of an action or person. Compliments are closely interconnected with maintaining the face (and positive emotions) of the other. The article also investigates the gender-motivated distinctions among the various versions and types of compliments, which serve as a kind of verbal gift.