LINGUACULTURAL ASPECTS OF ADDRESSING FORMS IN BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH

This article examines the linguacultural aspects of addressing forms in British English and American English within a comparative sociolinguistic framework. Forms of address are significant linguistic units that encode social relationships, politeness norms, and cultural values. Although British and American English share a common linguistic foundation, their addressing practices differ considerably due to distinct historical, social, and cultural influences (Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. 1987). The study adopts a qualitative research design based on discourse analysis of authentic spoken interactions drawn from media discourse, interviews, and everyday communicative situations. The analysis focuses on the use of titles, first names, surnames, and honorifics in formal and informal contexts. The findings reveal that British English tends to preserve formality and social hierarchy through the frequent use of titles and surnames, while American English favors informality and egalitarianism, reflected in the widespread use of first-name address even in professional settings. These differences highlight the close relationship between language and culture and demonstrate how addressing forms function as markers of cultural identity. The study contributes to sociolinguistics, linguaculturology, and intercultural communication by emphasizing the importance of cultural awareness in the appropriate use of addressing forms.