A pragmatic analysis of complaints strategies in academic discourse: evidence from university students' interactions

Abstract
This study investigates the pragmatic realization and implementation of complaint strategies in academic discourse, focusing on how university students articulate dissatisfaction in peer and instructor interactions. Based on naturally occurring data and simulated responses collected from students at universities in North Macedonia, the analysis applies a speech act framework incorporating politeness theory and a taxonomy of complaints. The study explores the linguistic forms, mitigation devices, and face-saving strategies employed by students when expressing complaints in formal and semi-formal academic settings. Results reveal a strong preference for indirect, hedged, and positively polite complaint forms, especially when power asymmetries are salient, such as in communication with faculty members. In contrast, peer-to-peer complaints show more variation, including instances of directness framed by humor or solidarity. These findings highlight the role of cultural norms, interpersonal dynamics, and institutional context in shaping complaint behavior. This study also addresses a notable gap in the existing literature by investigating the complaint behavior of university students in North Macedonia, with an emphasis on interethnic and intercultural dimensions in educational contexts. Through the analysis of both naturally occurring and simulated interactions, the research examines the linguistic and pragmatic strategies employed in the formulation and mitigation of complaints, thereby shedding light on underlying patterns of pragmatic competence and culturally influenced communicative norms. The findings contribute to the growing field of intercultural pragmatics by demonstrating how students navigate the tension between expressing dissatisfaction and maintaining social harmony in multilingual academic environments.
Key words: Pragmatics, complaint strategies, academic discourse, Politeness theory, intercultural communication