Generational Differences in Politeness Strategies in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Workplace Communication: A Narrative Review of Theories, Practices, and Emerging Trends

Politeness in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and workplace communication is a vital pragmatic resource for maintaining professionalism, managing relationships, and negotiating intercultural interactions. This narrative review synthesises major theoretical perspectives, Brown and Levinson’s Politeness Theory, Leech’s Politeness Principle, Spencer-Oatey’s Rapport Management, and Culpeper’s (Im)politeness Framework, to trace how politeness strategies evolve across generations and digital contexts. The review highlights distinctive communicative preferences between Generation Y (Gen Y) and Generation Z (Gen Z), particularly in their approaches to formality, directness, and digital etiquette in professional English use. Drawing from Southeast Asian studies, it identifies a persistent gap in ESP-oriented research that integrates generational and regional perspectives. The paper proposes a multi-framework approach to understanding generational politeness in digital workplaces and outlines implications for ESP pedagogy and workplace communication training. Findings underscore the need for culturally grounded and generation-responsive ESP curricula that foster pragmatic competence, digital awareness, and intergenerational communication effectiveness.

politeness; ESP communication

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