Abstract: Complimenting is a common positive speech act that is frequently used in human communication. The functions of compliments are usually positive. However, in cross-cultural communication, there exists a lot of pragmatic failure of compliments.Based on the previous studies on compliment, the paper makes a research on pragmatic failure of compliments in cross-cultural communication. The study uses some examples to analyze the Chinese pragmatic failure of compliments in the aspects of occasions, objects and topic, and summarized three causes of pragmatic failures of compliments: different cultural values, different thinking models and different moral standards. To avoid the pragmatic failures of compliment in cross-cultural communication, the paper sum up some avoiding strategies: understanding the differences between two cultures and cultivating Chinese English learners’ pragmatic competence.

Key words: pragmatic failure; compliments; cross-cultural communication; avoiding strategies

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction1

2. Literature Review.2

2.1 Compliments in cross-cultural communication

2.2 Pragmatic failure in cross-cultural communication

3. Pragmatic failure of compliments in cross-cultural communication...5

3.1 Situations

3.2 Subjects

3.3 Topics

4. The cause of pragmatic failures of compliments and its countermeasures8

4.1 Cultural values

4.2 Way of thinking

4.3 Moral standards

4.4 Avoiding Strategies

5. Conclusion10

Bibliography.11

Acknowledgements12