Politeness strategies used for requesting tips in Jordanian coffee houses

Abstract This study investigates the use of messages written on tip boxes in Jordanian coffee houses, focusing on the contrasts and similarities between English and colloquial Jordanian Arabic messages and their impact on Jordanian society. The analysis is grounded in ethnographically observed data collected from eight purposefully selected coffee houses located near the Seventh Circle, Um Uthaina, Mecca Street, and the Eighth Circle, with photographs of the tip boxes taken for detailed examination. Utilizing Brown and Levinson’s (1987a. Politeness phenomena. In Politeness: Some universals in language usage , 1–30. Cambridge University Press) Politeness Theory as the analytical framework, the findings reveal that these messages serve to politely solicit tips through the application of various strategies. In Arabic, two primary strategies are employed: positive politeness, which mitigates the request and protects the employee’s positive face, and off-record strategies, which allow for an indirect appeal for tips. In contrast, the English messages utilize both positive and negative politeness strategies, the latter designed to avoid imposing on the customer, while also incorporating off-record elements. This study highlights the unique ways in which cultural and linguistic factors influence the communication of tipping requests in the context of Jordanian coffee houses.