Managing modesty through self-denigration in Omani online interaction

Abstract

While previous research has examined self-denigration across a range of cultural contexts, its manifestation in Omanis’ digitally mediated communication remains underexplored. This study explores self-denigration in Arabic WhatsApp interactions among Omanis, with particular attention to its linguistic and pragmatic features. Drawing on a corpus of naturally occurring conversations, the analysis identifies two primary self-denigration patterns: first-turn and second-turn self-denigration. These patterns are further categorized into distinct subtypes, including first-turn stand-alone self-denigration, first-turn self-denigration preceding self-praise, and second-turn self-denigration in response to praise, criticism, and neutral statements or questions. Quantitative findings indicate that second-turn self-denigration following praise is the most frequent pattern, highlighting the role of modesty in maintaining social harmony. Qualitative analysis further reveals that self-denigration functions as a relational strategy through which speakers mitigate potential face-threatening acts and reinforce interpersonal bonds. These practices are shaped by sociocultural and religious values that emphasize humility and communal orientation, particularly within online environments where non-verbal cues are limited. The study contributes to research on politeness and face management in online-mediated communication, especially within Arabic-speaking contexts, by illustrating how culturally grounded interactional norms are adapted to virtual communication. The findings also offer broader implications for pragmatic and intercultural communication studies by underscoring the influence of cultural values on self-presentation in digital interaction.