Analysis of Persian WhatsApp Messages with Reference to Age, Politeness, and the Speech Act of Request

Abstract This study investigated WhatsApp messages exchanged between two generations of Iranian students and their respective lecturers in light of politeness, age, and the speech act of request. We utilised two sets of data: messages sent by current young students to two young lecturers, and those sent by former middle-aged students to two senior lecturers. Altogether, 100 WhatsApp messages were analysed (50 from each data set) focusing on salutations, body, and closing parts. The findings revealed that politeness is expressed differently across the two age groups: the younger students’ messages featured short and informal expressions and frequent use of emojis while the older group utilised elaborate messages to express politeness through the frequent use of honorifics and other politeness markers. Moreover, the younger group used WhatsApp messages towards their academic goals, such as requesting the postponement of an exam, whereas the older group messages aimed at re-establishing solidarity with their lecturers.