Komplimenterwiderungen im Wandel: Eine typologische Analyse anhand deutschsprachiger Dramen des 18.–20. Jahrhunderts

This paper analyzes compliment responses using a pragmalinguistic approach grounded in speech act theory. Examining 1,555 paired sequences from German-language dramas identifies three primary types of compliment responses: positive, negative, and hybrid, each further divided into subtypes. Additionally, a distinct category is dedicated to cases where no response to a compliment is provided. The study also traces the evolution of compliment responses within the German-speaking context from the 18th to the 20th century. Contrary to the assumption that positive reactions to compliments would be most prevalent, they appear relatively infrequently across all periods examined.