The Role of Extralinguistic Factors in the Expression of Compliments (Based on German-language Dramas from the Mid-18th to the Late 20th Century)
This study examines the influence of extralinguistic factors such as status and gender on the expression of compliments, analyzed as speech acts from a pragmalinguistic perspective. The empirical basis comprises 43 plays from the mid-18th to the late 20th century, enabling exploration of compliments within the framework of diachronic linguoculturology and historical pragmalinguistics. For the analysis, seven epochs were defined: Enlightenment, Weimar Classicism, Period between Classicism, Romanticism and Jacobinism, Biedermeier, Literary Modernism, Literature of the Weimar Republic, and Post-war Literature. The study reveals that the status and gender of interlocutors significantly influence the thematic-semantic characteristics and functions of compliments. Men predominantly receive compliments on their inner values, achievements, and abilities, while women are more frequently complimented for their physical appearance and inner qualities. The primary goals for both men and women are to express emotions and establish solidarity, particularly between individuals of equal status. In asymmetric relationships, compliments are more often directed toward individuals of lower social status than those of higher status. The diachronic analysis shows that the number of compliments exchanged between equals increased from the mid-19th century but declined again in the 20th century. Concurrently, there was a marked increase in compliments directed toward women from the early 19th century onward, reflecting their growing depiction as dynamic and influential figures
Die Rolle extralinguistischer Faktoren bei der Komplimentäußerung (anhand der deutschsprachigen Dramen von der Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts bis zum Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts)
In diesem Beitrag wird der Einfluss extralinguistischer Faktoren wie Status und Geschlecht auf die Äußerung von Komplimenten untersucht, die aus pragmalinguistischer Perspektive als Sprechakte analysiert werden. Die empirische Forschungsbasis bilden 43 Dramen aus der Zeit von der Mitte des 18. bis zum Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts, was eine Betrachtung der Komplimente im Kontext der diachronen Linguokulturologie und historischen Pragmalinguistik ermöglicht. Zur Analyse wurden sieben Epochen definiert: Aufklärung, Weimarer Klassik, Zwischen Klassik, Romantik und Jakobinismus, Biedermeier, Literarische Moderne, Literatur in der Weimarer Republik und Nachkriegsliteratur. Die Studie zeigt, dass Status und Geschlecht der Gesprächspartner die thematisch-semantischen Merkmale und Funktionen von Komplimenten signifikant beeinflussen. Männer erhalten überwiegend Komplimente zu ihren inneren Werten, Errungenschaften und Fähigkeiten, während Frauen häufiger für ihr äußeres Erscheinungsbild und ihre inneren Werte komplimentiert werden. Die Hauptziele sowohl von Männern als auch von Frauen sind der Ausdruck von Emotionen und die Herstellung von Solidarität, vor allem zwischen gleichgestellten Gesprächspartnern. In asymmetrischen Beziehungen richten sich Komplimente häufiger an Adressaten mit einem niedrigeren als mit einem höheren sozialen Status. Die diachrone Analyse verdeutlicht, dass die Anzahl der Komplimente zwischen gleichgestellten Gesprächspartnern seit Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts zunächst zunimmt, im 20. Jahrhundert jedoch wieder an Bedeutung verliert. Gleichzeitig ist seit Anfang des 19. Jahrhunderts ein deutlicher Anstieg an Komplimenten gegenüber Frauen zu beobachten, da sie zunehmend als treibende und aktive Kräfte dargestellt werden.
The subject of this study is the compliment, which is treated as a multifunctional, emotive evaluative, and phatic speech act that serves the speaker to express their emotions, positively assess the inner qualities, appearance, achievements, skills, or material property of the addressee, establish solidarity and communicative balance, and influence the interlocutor, who responds to a compliment verbally or nonverbally with positive, negative, or hybrid reactions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extralinguistic (non-verbal) factors that significantly influence the use of compliments and to conduct a detailed analysis of the developmental dynamics of these factors from the mid-18th to the late 20th century, as they shape the formulation and perception of compliments and enable a deeper understanding of diachronic changes in communication. The empirical research base consists of 43 German language dramas categorized into seven epochs: Enlightenment, Weimar Classicism, Period between Classicism, Romanticism and Jacobinism, Biedermeier, Literary Modernism, Literature of the Weimar Republic, and Post-war Literature.
The study's theoretical framework is rooted in speech act theory, viewing the compliment through a pragmalinguistic lens as a speech act – an illocutionary act performed with a specific communicative purpose and producing a perlocutionary effect realized in response to the compliment. Incorporating diachronic linguocultural studies and historical pragmalinguistics, the study examines the compliment diachronically to determine the impact of socio-historical events on the ethics and aesthetics of each era and to reveal how the values of these periods influenced the themes and issues of dramas, and thus the articulation of compliments as a form of politeness. Furthermore, the compliment is considered an important form of social behavior regulated by certain principles of politeness, norms, and rules of speech etiquette that communication partners should adhere to for successful and harmonious communication. Compliments are regarded as a component of the positive politeness strategy, which reduces social distance and strengthens solidarity between the speaker and the addressee.
A continuous sampling method was employed to collect empirical material. Using intent analysis, the communicative intentions of the interlocutors and the hidden meanings of implicit speech acts were uncovered. For the diachronic investigation, culturally relevant information was gathered through discourse and cultural analysis, providing insights into changes in moral and ethical values, the evolution of social communication needs, and their influence on the concept of politeness and its manifestation in compliments. Quantitative research methods allowed for the exploration of extralinguistic factors regarding the thematic scope, functions of compliments, and the intentions of speakers from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives.
The analysis of the collected data revealed that most compliments are directed toward men. Women primarily receive compliments on their appearance and inner qualities, while men are mainly complimented on their inner qualities, achievements, and abilities. The primary goal of both men and women in giving compliments is to express emotions and establish solidarity with the interlocutor. Compliments are particularly used with men as a means of encouragement, motivation, and establishing communicative balance. The status characteristic of a compliment is not a constant but depends on the context and the interlocutor. Most compliments are exchanged between equals in social status. However, in asymmetric situations, speakers more frequently direct compliments toward addressees of lower social status than toward those of higher status. Analysis of the relationship between status and gender showed that men predominantly compliment women or men of equal status, whereas women tend to direct compliments toward women of lower status.
The investigation of the dynamics of extralinguistic factors influencing the articulation of compliments from the 18th to the 20th century showed that half of the compliments from the period 1750 to 1820 were exchanged between partners of equal status. In the mid-19th century, the frequency of such compliments significantly increased but decreased again in the 20th century. From the Biedermeier period onward, speakers primarily expressed emotions and established solidarity with partners of equal status. Regarding the gender aspect, the epoch of Weimar Classicism stands out, as compliments directed toward men's inner qualities, achievements, and abilities were particularly common. These compliments in the analyzed dramas expressed respect, sympathy, and encouragement. In subsequent periods a noticeable increase in compliments directed toward women was observed, as they were increasingly portrayed as driving and active forces. During the Enlightenment and Weimar Classicism, women’s inner qualities were particularly appreciated, whereas later epochs shifted the focus to their appearance. Such compliments primarily expressed sympathy and admiration, while in the 20th century, compliments with flirtatious or seductive intentions became more prevalent. A gradual increase in compliments exchanged in same-gender interactions (woman-to-woman) was also noted. Across all epochs, compliments directed toward men primarily focused on their inner qualities, achievements, and abilities. Especially in the 18th century, compliments served as an important means of encouragement and motivation for men. The number of compliments intended to express sympathy remained consistently high throughout the centuries.
