Journal Article

Politeness and Impoliteness in Egyptian and Kuwaiti Dialects

Ahmed, Ismail Abdel-Ghani, Al-Odwani, Motlak Fahd Motlak Fahd, Mazeed, Bahaa El Deen M

2019

Overview

This paper presents a comparative study of politeness and impoliteness in Egyptian and Kuwaiti dialects, aiming to highlight similarities and differences in everyday communicative strategies. The author argues that politeness extends beyond verbal etiquette to include linguistic choices and social contexts, and that it is deeply rooted in cultural and social norms. The study applies Brown and Levinson's face-saving strategies along with more recent approaches in pragmatics. Using a sample of natural conversations and interactive situations, it analyzes how speakers employ mitigation or directness in speech acts such as requests, apologies, refusals, and criticism. Findings reveal that Egyptians tend to use humor and linguistic softening as strategies to reduce confrontation, while Kuwaitis are more likely to adopt directness accompanied by respectful titles and religious expressions. The study also shows that perceptions of impoliteness vary culturally: in Egypt, excessive bluntness may be judged as impolite, whereas in Kuwait, it may be valued as honesty and straightforwardness. The article emphasizes that these differences reflect broader societal values: Egyptian discourse privileges social harmony and avoidance of conflict, while Kuwaiti discourse highlights respect and social hierarchy. Nonetheless, both dialects demonstrate flexible strategies that adapt to situational and relational factors. In conclusion, the study argues that examining politeness and impoliteness across Arabic dialects deepens our understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity in the Arab world and underscores the significance of local context in shaping communicative behavior. Abstract Written by Dar AlMandumh, 2025, Using AI

• Publisher: جامعة سوهاج - كلية الآداب
• Subject: اللهجة الكويتية / اللهجة المصرية / اﻟﻠﻬﺠﺎت