This study investigates the differences in politeness strategies between Japanese and North American during the use of evaluative expressions in social scenarios. Japanese and North American university students (𝑛 = 25 each; 48% female) were shown with 12 metaphorical expressions about dishes prepared by their conversation partners, with varying emotional intensities (strong negative, weak negative, weak positive, strong positive). Participants evaluated the appropriateness of these expressions in four scenarios, varied by social distance (acquaintance vs. close friend) and subject matter (negative vs. positive themes). Following this, participants evaluated their discourse goals for each scenario. Results showed that for negative themes, both cultures rated positive expressions as more appropriate when addressing acquaintances, while aptness ratings were consistent across all intensities with close friends. For positive themes, strong positive expressions were rated as the most apt regardless of social distance. The analysis of discourse goals revealed cultural differences in the emphasis on “consideration for the listener” and “creative expression.” This study highlights the role of politeness strategies in cross-cultural communication and provides new insights into the use of evaluative expressions in maintaining interpersonal relationships.
