<![CDATA[Compliment speech acts are integral to digital communication, as they convey appreciation while fostering interpersonal relationships among social media users. However, the forms, objects, and pragmatic meanings of compliments in TikTok interactions remain insufficiently explored. This study therefore examines how compliment speech acts are realized in netizens’ comments on the TikTok account @Aqeela Aza Calista from July 2024 to June 2025. Employing a descriptive qualitative design within a pragmatic framework, the study analyzed purposively selected comments containing compliments, collected through observation and note-taking. Data were analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s interactive model of data collection, reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. The findings identified twenty-six compliment speech acts, encompassing direct, indirect, and complex compliments, directed toward physical appearance, abilities or skills, creative content, and personality. Pragmatically, these compliments expressed appreciation and operated as positive politeness strategies that strengthened solidarity, supported content creators, reinforced positive self-image, and sustained harmonious digital interaction. The study concludes that compliment speech acts perform significant interpersonal functions in TikTok discourse and extend pragmatic understandings of compliment realization within social media communication.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
