EXISTING LITERATURE ON PRAGMATICS AND CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Abstract

Pragmatics, the study of language use in context, plays a crucial role in cross-cultural communication by helping to explain how people from different cultures convey meaning and achieve communicative goals. This article reviews existing literature on the intersection of pragmatics and cross-cultural communication, emphasizing the role of speech acts, politeness strategies, and indirect communication. Key theoretical frameworks, including speech act theory, Grice's implicature, and Brown and Levinson's politeness theory, are explored in relation to cultural differences in communication styles. The review highlights empirical research on how speech acts such as requests, apologies, and complaints differ across cultures, and how misunderstandings often arise due to varying cultural norms and expectations. The article concludes by stressing the importance of understanding these pragmatic differences to enhance communication in a globalized world.