Kreativität und Formelhaftigkeit in der Realisierung von Komplimenten: Ein deutsch-kamerunischer Vergleich

Abstract

The large literature on compliments so far reveals that the way these speech acts are uttered depends on languages, countries or cultures. A look at the compliment behaviour of Germans and Americans for instance shows that they are fond of formulaic expressions. The present paper aims at underscoring that most Cameroonians, unlike most Germans, use variable, complex and imaginative structures to express praise or admiration. The study particularly focuses on stylistic and lexical devices.