FROM CONFUCIAN COURTESY TO WESTERN CANDOUR: A FILM-BASED ANALYSIS OF GENDERED POLITENESS IN CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS

Abstract

Politeness is vital to sustaining harmonious communication, yet its expression and interpretation are shaped by both cultural norms and gender roles. While prior research has examined politeness through either a cultural or gender lens, little is known about how these factors interact within the same cross-cultural context, particularly in everyday family settings. Moreover, studies rarely integrate Western and Chinese politeness frameworks to explore how cultural and gendered norms intersect in real-time, informal interactions. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates gendered politeness strategies in Chinese–Western communication, drawing on the film When a Beijing Family Meets an Au Pair as its primary data source. Using qualitative content analysis of 201 utterances, the findings reveal that both Chinese and Western characters frequently employed positive politeness to reduce social distance and build rapport. Wenjuan and Natalie (female characters) favoured indirect strategies such as off-record and negative politeness to maintain relationships, while Youzhi (male) used fewer politeness strategies and preferred direct speech, reflecting traditional Chinese male communication norms. The Chinese characters displayed modesty, harmony, and indirectness, characteristic of a collectivist style, whereas the Western character emphasised assertiveness and equality, reflecting an individualist style. Overall, the results suggest that women are generally more relationship-oriented, while men tend toward directness and efficiency. These findings highlight the need to consider both cultural and gender dimensions in cross-cultural pragmatics, offering practical insights for intercultural competence development and language education.