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Politeness in Intercultural Discourse and Communication
Introduction1
Example 1
Tino, a young Samoan boy who had recently arrived in New Zealand, was summoned to the office of the school principal for being repeatedly late for school. He knocked on the door of the principal’s office. When he was told to come in, he walked in with hunched shoulders, scuttled over to a chair and sat down without being asked to do so by the principal. In response to the principal’s questions, he either said nothing or he muttered I don’t know. He looked down at the floor throughout the interview and never met the principal’s eyes. Cross-cultural differences in norms of polite interaction have the potential to cause grave difficulties, especially when there is a clear power differential between participants. From the principal’s perspective, a New Zealander of European origin, Tino’s hunched posture seemed an uncooperative stance, possibly expressing resentment, and Tino should have waited until asked to sit down in the office of a superior. Tino’s avoidance of the principal’s eyes was also interpreted as evasive behavior. In fact, Tino’s communicative behavior followed culturally appropriate norms for expressing respect to a superior in Samoan culture. A bowed posture is respectful, since one must attempt to keep oneself at a lower level than the superior; for the same reason, Tino sat down as quickly as possible. Keeping one’s eyes lowered is similarly a signal of respect; and it is ...
