PRONOMINAL ADDRESS IN CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
Abstract
Pronominal address—the use of personal pronouns to refer to interlocutors—is a fundamental aspect of human communication, carrying social and cultural meaning beyond grammar. This paper presents a comparative analysis of pronominal address systems in English, Russian, French, and Japanese, with a focus on how these systems reflect and enforce cultural norms of politeness, hierarchy, and familiarity. Through linguistic analysis and qualitative data from native speakers, the study demonstrates that while English maintains a neutral, egalitarian approach with a single second-person pronoun, other languages employ distinct forms that signal formality or intimacy. These differences can lead to miscommunication in cross-cultural contexts. Understanding the socio-pragmatic use of pronouns is therefore essential for effective intercultural communication, especially in globalized settings where language learners must navigate nuanced social expectations.References
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