.

Politeness across Languages and Cultures

Hi! This survey is about how people express politeness when speaking different languages or interacting with different cultures.

Politeness here means how we show respect or friendliness in communication — like saying 

“please,” being more formal, or softening a request.

There are two main ways people often do this:

• Positive politeness means trying to be friendly and make the other person feel liked or 

included (e.g., “Hey, you’re so good at this — can you help me?”).

• Negative politeness means being careful not to bother the other person or be too direct (e.g., “Sorry to bother you, but would you mind helping me?”).



Whether you speak more than one language, have lived abroad, or both – we’d love to hear your experiences! The survey takes about 8–10 minutes, and all answers are anonymous. Thank you for participating <3

Gesichert
Survio
Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
1

What is your age?

Wählen Sie eine Antwort
2

What is your gender?

Wählen Sie eine Antwort
Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
3

Which country did you grow up in?

Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
4

Have you ever lived in a different country for more than one month?

Wählen Sie eine Antwort
5

If yes: where did you live, for how long and what languages were spoken?

Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
6

Why were you staying there?

Wählen Sie eine Antwort
Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
7

Which languages do you speak fluently or regularly in daily life?

Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
8

How would you describe your relationship with these languages?

(if you speak more than one language)
Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
9

Do you feel that you express politeness differently depending on the language you speak?

Wählen Sie eine Antwort
10

If yes: how does your politeness change between languages? (Give examples if possible)

e.g., word choice, tone, use of formal titles, indirectness, etc.
Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
11

Are there any politeness rules or "unwritten rules" you follow in one language but not in another?

e.g., apologizing more in one language, avoiding directness, etc.
12

Do you find it easier to sound polite in one of your languages than the others? Give reasons why or why not.

Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
13

Do you ever switch languages (code-switch) to sound more polite or softer in certain situations?

Wählen Sie eine Antwort
Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
14

Have you experienced a culture where politeness norms were very different from what you were used to?

Wählen Sie eine Antwort
15

If yes: what major differences did you recognize?

e.g., more/less formality, different body language, gift-giving, directness, etc.
Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
16

Have you ever unintentionally come across as rude or overly formal because of different politeness expectations in another culture?

Wählen Sie eine Antwort
17

If yes: what happened? Please explain shortly

Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
18

Did living or spending time abroad change the way you speak or think about politeness?

Wählen Sie eine Antwort
Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
19

Would you say you're more aware of politeness differences now than before learning languages or going abroad?

Wählen Sie eine Antwort
Umfrage erstellen
Politeness in Languages and Cultures
20

Do you consciously adapt your politeness style based on who you're talking to?

e.g., older person, professor, someone from a different country, friends...
Umfrage erstellen