GENDER PECULIARITIES OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT COMPLIMENTS AS TACTICS OF VERBAL MANIPULATION

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study direct and indirect compliments as tactics of manipulative influence in English-speaking dialogical discourse.

The tactics are examined in the light of P. Brown and S. Levinson’s theory of positive and negative politeness. The basis of positive politeness is the verbal communication between individuals, united by mutual desire to preserve and strengthen social contact, while negative politeness is the basis of tactful behavior and mutual respect. The communicative nature of the compliment is complex and multifunctional.

Results. It has been revealed that direct and indirect compliment tactics effectively help to achieve manipulator’s goals by reducing the communicative distance and, accordingly, by creating a positive social face of the addressee. Direct compliment tactics are implemented in case of direct evaluation of the addressee, and therefore the means of expressing such evaluation are explicit. The indirect compliment tactic is implemented if the assessment does not relate directly to the addressee and is in the form of a question, prompting and / or comparison. It is proved that the meaningful and functional capacity of a compliment in the process of communication for manipulation purposes is not limited to the desire of being polite, establishing and maintaining contact. After all, stimulation of positive emotions through a compliment gives the manipulator access to the recipient's consciousness. Particular attention is given to the gender aspect. The implementation of complementary tactics for manipulation is considered in homogeneous and heterogeneous groups. Typical means and frequency of use of direct and indirect compliment tactics are studied, taking into account the communicators’ gender.

Conclusions. The analysis concludes that unlike men, women rarely use compliments for the purpose of manipulation. Female compliments are indirect or somewhat non-standard in both heterogeneous and homogeneous groups. Men, however, apply the original compliments only in heterogeneous groups in the social situation of flirting.