CROSS-CULTRAL PRAGMATICS OF POLITENESS IN WESTERN AND EASTERN CULTURES

Politeness is a fundamental component of human communication and plays a crucial role in maintaining social harmony across cultures. In cross-cultural interactions, differences in politeness norms often lead to pragmatic misunderstandings, even when interlocutors possess sufficient grammatical competence. This article examines the pragmatic realization of politeness across cultures, drawing on classical and contemporary theories of linguistic pragmatics. Using a qualitative comparative approach, the study analyzes politeness strategies in selected Western and Asian cultural contexts. The article highlights the importance of developing pragmatic competence in foreign language education and emphasizes the pedagogical implications for English language teaching in multicultural and professional environments.