A Conceptual Comparative Socio-Pragmatic Analysis of Politeness in Food Invitations Produced by the Societies of Jordan and Oman

Abstract

Food invitation discourse is a well-known custom practiced in daily interactions around the world. As a result, comparing the use of this discourse across societies helps us understand how to communicate more effectively. This study examined the similarities and differences in politeness strategies employed in food invitations by Jordanian and Omani societies. Observation and semi-structured interviews were the methods used to collect data. Brown and Levenson’s politeness theory (1987) was adopted to analyze the politeness strategies utilized by both groups. Researchers can better comprehend Jordanian and Omani polite strategies when they want to accept or reject food invitations. Additionally, they can use it as a reference to compare Jordanian and other societies’ food invitations to draw attention to their cultural differences.