THE MAXIM OF MODESTY IN GENDER AND CULTURAL CONTEXT, A CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This paper explores the manifestation of the maxim of modesty within the framework of gender differences and cultural communication styles. Drawing on the theories of Brown and Levinson (1987), Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (2001), and Scollon & Scollon’s (2001) intercultural discourse model, the study analyzes how modesty is variably expressed across English and Uzbek speech communities. The research is grounded in real-life discourse data collected from both male and female speakers in educational, media, and familial contexts. The findings reveal that cultural values and gender-based communicative norms significantly affect the linguistic realization of modesty, shaping its pragmalinguistic forms and sociocultural functions.