A pragmatic analysis of compliment response strategies by Emirati Arabic speakers

Abstract

This study explored the compliment response (CR) strategies used by Emirati Arabic speakers. In addition, the study analysed the role of gender and the degree of formality in the use of CR strategies in this Arabic dialect. To this end, the study recruited 56 (28 males and 28 females) undergraduate students from the University of Sharjah (UAE). A written discourse completion task (DCT) consisting of 10 (five formal and five informal) scenarios was used to elicit CRs from the participants. The results showed that the Emiratis’ most frequently used major strategy is the Acceptance strategy, with Returning the Compliment and Expressing Gratitude being the most used sub-strategies and Agreeing and Encouraging being the least frequently used. The study shows that variations in the construction and realisation of speech acts exist due to gender and degree of formality. In particular, although both genders made use of the same major strategy, they showed differences in the use of the sub-strategies according to the (in)formality of the situation.

Keywords

• Compliments
• compliment response strategies
• speech acts
• Emirati Arabic
• gender
• formality degree