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There are also favorable comments on something that appear to parallel comments concerning possession.
Example: Your baby is adorable. Your husband is such a nice guy.
b. Topic of Ability. Compliments concerning on ability are divided into two
broad types: those, which are general, and those which refer to a specific act well done.
1. General ability The general ability includes categorical reference to skill, talent, personal
qualities, and taste. Example: You‟re so honest and you explain things so beautifully
You do this kind of writing so well. You have good taste.
2. Specific- act ability
Specific-act ability contains all compliments which are specific-act. Example: You‟re being so nice about this.
You are really did a good job. This is really nice.
3. The Function of Compliment
Noriko Ishihara sums up a variety of reasons of using compliments in American English:
To express admiration or approval of someone‟s workappearancetaste Manes, 1983; Herbert, 1990.
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To establishconfirmmaintain solidarity Manes Wolfson, 1981; Wolfson, 1989.
To replace greetingsgratitudeapologiescongratulations Wolfson, 1983, 1989.
To soften face-threatening acts such as apologies, requests and criticism Brown Levinson, 1987; Wolfson, 1983.
To open and sustain conversation conversation strategy Wolfson, 1983; Billmyer, 1990; Dunham, 1992.
To reinforce desired behavior Manes, 1983.
http:www.carla.umn.educgi-bincarlaanchor.pl?speechactscomplimentsref. While, Wolfson in Wolfson Judd, 1983 defines several functions of
compliment because compliments may play different roles on different occasion in the interaction. The speaker from higher status tends to make a compliment
concerning some activities or piece of works of others who are in the lower positions. It frequently functions as encouragements. Moreover, the person of
upper status commonly gives a compliment commenting on the quality of something produced through addressee‟s ability to an addressee of lower status.
The compliment may also function to express a positive evaluation to the addressee. The addresser frequently uses the adjective nice and good to express a
positive evaluation. However, the use of the compliment functioning to encourage other is not limited to the interlocutors having unequal status. Teammates and the
same status of colleagues may use a compliment in order to encourage the
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addressee as well as to let them know that they are appreciated and they should keep up good works.
Compliments are kinds of flattery given in all attempts to gain some advantages for the speakers. In this case, the statuses of the participants are
unequal. The person of lower status tends to make use of a compliment for the purpose of manipulating the addresses. However, the great majority of
compliments which occur in interaction between unequal statuses are given by the person in higher position. For example, the boss gives a compliment on his
employee‟s ability in order to encourage them to keep the good work. This type of topics of compliment is used to make the addressee in workplace. Meanwhile, a
true compliment generally has a great deal with apparel or appearance. In this case, women are far more likely to be the recipients of compliments than men. For
example, the speaker gives a compliment on the addressee‟s appearance when the addressee wears an elegant dress.
In interaction between sexes where the setting is the workplace, women are most likely to be inferior in status to the men with whom they interact. The
compliment from person of upper to those who are in some sense their inferiors tends to be related to ability or performance more often than to appearance. For
example, a boss gives a compliment on his employee‟s good work when the addressee does his her job well.
The major function of compliment is to create or to maintain solidarity between interlocutors. Compliment generally serves a powerful device for mutual
support and solidarity. It is used as a means to create and to reinforce good social
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relationship and hence solidarity and sympathy among people in a wide range of situations. The objects or actions complimented must be one which any member
of the speech community will recognize as positive. In particular occasion, a compliment may have social function to replace
or to strengthen other speech act formulas, for instance, apologies, thanks, greetings, etc. They are often accompanied by a compliment. For examples:
1. “Thanks for the flowers. We really like them.”
2. “Great dinner. Thanks for having us.”
It can be seen as parts of expression gratitude. Compliment can also be a means to soften criticism, particularly when the
participants are in the relationship still want to continue and to maintain a social harmony. This compliment is usually combined with but or though. This
compliment such as “You‟re doing good job, but you put much time on it.” In this case, the criticism is uttered in polite manner, since it is combined with the
compliment. It indicates that the speaker wants to minimize the irritating effect of the speaker‟s criticism.
Compliment may be used to modify the behavior of another has to do with sarcasm. In this case, a comment structured in the form of a compliment may
quite easily be turned into a reprimand or even an insult. This kind of compliment is also called the left-
handed compliment. For example, “You play a good game of tennis
– for a woman.”
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The other function of compliment is as a spontaneous expression of admiration and or approval. The spontaneity and the newness are usually linked
with the originality of expression. Based on the explanation above, it can be concluded that a compliment
may serve more than one function. It depends on many aspects. The types of compliments, status, age, sex of the participants, and the context or setting are
some factors influencing the interpretation of compliments function. For example, the utterance “You are so wonderful”, this compliment may be interpreted as
admiration and as an expression of gratitude of the speaker.
4. Compliment Response Strategies
