(Im)politeness in email communication: how English speakers and Chinese speakers negotiate meanings and develop intercultural (mis)understandings

摘要: This thesis looks at the way in which Chinese and English speakers employ (im)politeness strategies their emails to develop intercultural understanding. From a theoretical perspective, this contributes discussions of communication relation negotiation meaning. pedagogic reveals potential for using email experience culture as process meaning construction has relevance teachers EFL. Ethnographically-informed discourse analysis is employed investigate discursively interaction. The interplay between computer-mediated communication, speech acts are explored by analytical frameworks Hymes’ ethnography Searle’s act theory (1969) Brown Levinson’s politeness (1987). This research shows that ‘(im)politeness’ not stable construct. Rather, it constantly (re)negotiated interactants, who take into account relevant contextualisation cues. It finds functions meanings can vary from situations situations. In addition, paralanguages, such emoticons written out laughter, also important realising intent developing understanding emails.