Abstract

LOPERA MEDINA, Sergio Alonso. The Characterization of Compliments in a University Population. Íkala [online]. 2015, vol.20, n.1, pp.61-77. ISSN 0123-3432.  https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.ikala.v20n1a04.

This article describes the characteristics of compliments in a university population in Medellín, Colombia. As a research instrument, a discourse completion test (DCT) was administered to 740 participants. The DCTs were analyzed using Cratilo software; gender and relationship with the university (student, professor, and employee) were taken into account as variables. Results show that informants prefer to use prototypical exclamatory sentences introduced by interjections and the word qué. Informants also use the adverb muy in order to intensify the object of the compliment; students tend to use more qualifying adjectives and informal language than professors and employees; males tend to protect their face by avoiding a female tone or using tuteo among men; in contrast, females are more expressive and produce more extensive compliments than men. Results show that speakers use compliments as a way to reinforce the interlocutor's image.

Keywords : compliments; DCTs; university population.

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