Politeness Strategies in English WhatsApp Conversations Among PPNI Mojokerto Students

Abstract

Politeness in English digital communication plays an essential role for students in non-English disciplines, including those studying health sciences who frequently rely on WhatsApp for academic coordination and professional discussions. At PPNI Mojokerto, students often engage in English-based WhatsApp exchanges for coursework, group tasks, and interactions with lecturers or clinical instructors. However, many of them still struggle to select appropriate politeness strategies, especially when making requests, clarifying information, or responding to peers in sensitive situations. This research aims to investigate the types of politeness strategies used by PPNI Mojokerto students in their English WhatsApp conversations and to examine how these strategies reflect their pragmatic awareness in digital settings. Using a descriptive qualitative design, this research involved twelve health science students who actively participated in English WhatsApp groups. Data were collected through conversation screenshots obtained with informed consent and supported by semi-structured interviews to understand the pragmatic intentions behind their linguistic choices. The data were analyzed using content analysis to categorize politeness strategies and interpret their communicative functions. The findings reveal that positive politeness strategies were the most frequently used, showing the students’ tendency to maintain group harmony and encourage supportive interaction. Negative politeness strategies and off-record expressions appeared when addressing authority figures or handling clinically sensitive topics. This research provides insight into how non-English majors negotiate English politeness in digital communication, offering valuable implications for ELT practices targeting pragmatic competence among health students.