Compliments in Non-Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication

Abstract

Pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic knowledge should be part of the conceptualizing of communicative competence and attaining this knowledge would include learning a host of different speech acts. The research on complimenting behavior has pointed out that there is a great deal of differentiation when the suspect of culture enters the picture. This becomes particularly apparent when the group being compared come from distant backgrounds. When non-synchronous computer mediated communication is thrown into the context, it bears some interesting patterns that hinge not only culture but also the mode of discourse.