Unsere Hausarbeit für das Seminar Eurolinguistics bei Dr. Grzega schrieben wir über Höflichkeitsformen in Ungarn und England mit Fokus auf Begrüßungs- und Abschiedsformeln (Politeness strategies in Hungary and England with special focus on greetings and leave-taking terms). Interessant wurde dieses Thema für uns vor dem Sommersemester 2006, nach einem Urlaub in Ungarn, in dem wir der Vielfalt der Begrüßungs- und Höflichkeitsformen in dieser Sprache gewahr wurden und sie bewusst wahrnahmen. Als Studentinnen des Faches Anglistik ist es offensichtlich, dass die Englische Sprache Mittelpunkt unseres Interesses ist. So kamen wir auf die Idee, zunächst nur Begrüßungsformeln miteinander zu vergleichen, bis wir sahen, wie sehr dieses Thema eigentlich mit Höflichkeit verflochten ist.
Um neben einem Theorieteil, in welchem wir uns in der Diskussion um Höflichkeitsformen auf andere wissenschaftliche Quellen beziehen, auch einen Praxisbezug in die Hausarbeit mit aufzunehmen, gab uns Dr. Grzega eine Vorlage eines Fragebogens, den er zuvor für andere Studienzwecke entworfen hatte; nach kleinen Änderungen verteilten wir diesen an 25 Engländer und 25 Ungarn im Alter von 14 bis 89 Jahren in einem recht ausgewogenen Verhältnis von 48% männlichen und 52% weiblichen Teilnehmern. Diese werteten wir getrennt voneinander aus, um sie später dann in der Seminararbeit miteinander zu vergleichen, um Übereinstimmungen, sowie auch Unterschiede feststellen zu können.
Ungarn ist stark von seiner Geschichte und von Traditionen geprägt, und vor allem aus seiner Zeit der österreichisch-ungarischen Monarchie, was in einigen gängigen Begrüßungsformeln erkennbar wird. Das förmliche Siezen tritt ungewöhnlich häufig auf, auffallend vor allem in Familienkreisen gegenüber älteren Verwandten, die mit dem Vornamen, Tante/Onkel und Sie angesprochen werden. Der Vergleich zum Englischen ist hier natürlich schwierig, da das archaische thou nicht mehr gebräuchlich ist und durch das umfassende you ersetzt wurde.
Im Allgemeinen ist es so, dass die Magyaren zu den contact cultures gehören und somit auch schnell die Nähe des Gesprächspartners suchen, sei es durch mehr Körperkontakt bei einer Unterhaltung oder der Begrüßung mit Küsschen, die in einer distance culture wie der der Briten nur bei sehr engem sozialen Kontakt üblich sind.
Table of Contents
1. Greetings and leave-taking terms
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Politeness in comparison
1.2.1. General
1.2.2. Different aspects of politeness
1.2.2.1. Positive/Negative Politeness
1.2.2.2. Directness/indirectness
1.2.2.3. Avoidance of face-threatening acts
1.2.2.4. Apologies
1.2.2.5. Address Forms
1.2.2.5.1 Address Forms in England
1.2.2.5.2. Address Forms in Hungary
1.3. English and Hungarian greetings
1.3.1. Variables for the choice of greetings
1.3.2. Verbal and nonverbal greetings
1.3.3 Greeting formulae
1.3.3.1. Day
1.3.3.2. Meet again
1.3.3.3. International
1.3.3.4. Greeting Changes
1.3.3.5. Health
1.4. Farewells
2. Evaluation and comparison of the English and the Hungarian questionnaire
3. Conclusion
Research Objectives & Topics
This paper examines and compares the distinct politeness strategies employed in England and Hungary, with a particular emphasis on how greetings and leave-taking terms shape social interactions. By conducting a comparative analysis, the authors aim to identify how cultural backgrounds, historical developments, and societal shifts influence these linguistic rituals and how they function in modern daily life.
- Cultural foundations of politeness and social interaction norms.
- Analysis of specific greeting formulae and their contextual usage.
- Examination of address forms as markers of power and solidarity.
- Comparative empirical study through questionnaires in both countries.
- Role of nonverbal communication in different cultural contexts.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2.2.2. Directness/indirectness
Conventionally in England indirect or off-record strategies are used when it comes to requests (Hickey 2005: 118). They try to avoid giving the hearer orders and treat him as actor. They achieve their goals more subtly by using a range of modifiers, like for example adverbs. As a consequence the hearer has to work out the appropriate inference of the conversation on his own in contrast to direct or bald-on-record strategies where it is presented to him directly.
Example: Maybe sections such as p. 6-7 could be commented on.
The criticism in this example is implicit. The speaker does not just tell the writer to comment on certain areas but he suggests it by using hedging, which is realized by maybe and modalisation, realized by could.
As mentioned above, conventional indirectness is used very frequently in England to show polite behaviour. In order to achieve this goal of politeness there are different strategies that can be used and that help to create distance between speaker and listener.
Summary of Chapters
1. Greetings and leave-taking terms: Provides an introduction to the significance of politeness strategies in cross-cultural communication and outlines the structural focus of the research.
2. Evaluation and comparison of the English and the Hungarian questionnaire: Presents the empirical findings from a comparative survey conducted in England and Hungary, contrasting theoretical frameworks with actual linguistic practice.
3. Conclusion: Synthesizes the core findings, highlighting that while both cultures share similar social rituals, they diverge significantly in their application and context-sensitivity.
Keywords
Politeness strategies, England, Hungary, linguistics, greetings, leave-taking, address forms, social interaction, comparative linguistics, cultural paradigms, nonverbal communication, questionnaires, discourse, sociolinguistics, politeness register.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the diverse politeness strategies used in England and Hungary, specifically focusing on how greetings and leave-taking terms reflect cultural differences and social relationship dynamics.
What are the primary themes discussed in this work?
Key themes include the comparison of positive and negative politeness, the historical development of address forms, the function of verbal vs. nonverbal greetings, and the influence of cultural paradigms on communication.
What is the ultimate goal of the research?
The goal is to analyze how different cultures use similar ritualistic expressions in distinct ways, providing insights into cross-cultural etiquette and avoiding communicative misunderstandings.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The authors combine a theoretical discourse analysis based on established sociolinguistic sources with an empirical approach using a questionnaire distributed to 50 participants from England and Hungary.
What is analyzed in the main body of the paper?
The main body examines the nuances of politeness strategies, the usage of address forms, the taxonomy of greeting formulae, the impact of nonverbal gestures, and the empirical evaluation of the questionnaire results.
Which keywords characterize the paper?
The research is characterized by terms such as politeness strategies, comparative linguistics, cultural paradigms, address forms, and social interaction.
How does the use of address forms differ between England and Hungary?
The study notes that England has transitioned to a more egalitarian use of "you," while Hungary retains a more complex system of formal and informal pronouns based on social hierarchy and age.
What role does nonverbal communication play in these cultures?
The authors categorize Hungary as a "contact culture" where body contact is frequent, whereas England is identified as a "distance culture" where physical boundaries are more strictly maintained in social interactions.
- Quote paper
- Catharina Kern (Author), Evelyn Eichmüller (Author), 2006, Politeness strategies in Hungary and England with special focus on greetings and leave-taking terms, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/70886
