Politeness of nonverbal hospitality in Saudi and British female interactions

Abstract Although linguistic politeness has been extensively theorized about, the role of nonverbal behaviour in managing politeness in interactions has been neglected until recently. In this analysis of natural conversations between female friends in dinner settings, I show how nonverbal hospitality can influence rapport management and the constructionist nature of politeness among Saudi and British female friends, and I compare the two cultures. I show how these nonverbal acts can be observed by looking at the sequences and turns taken in talking, exploring metapragmatic evaluations, and using second-order politeness concepts in interpreting politeness as situated in discourse. The combination of these analytical tools allows for an explanation of what is going on rather than a mere description of the interaction. The analysis demonstrates that nonverbal hospitality plays an important role in the management of rapport and discursive relations. I find that, although the motivation and role of nonverbal hospitality in the management of interactions in young female friendship groups in the two cultures are similar, there are remarkable differences in frequency, reactions, and complexity in the negotiation of nonverbal hospitality.