Written Language Politeness (of Short Messages on Social Media) and Emotional Intelligence: A Study in Indonesia and Malaysia

INTRODUCTION: The use of written communication through short messages in social media on smartphone platforms has recently become a habit in social relations and communication. Language politeness and emotional intelligence are required by individuals, groups, communities, or institutions in conveying the contents of the messages, ensuring them to be perceived appropriately by their targets. METHODS: Survey research was carried out on 173 respondents with Malay culture background in Indonesia and Malaysia using the Self-Rated Malaysian Emotional Intelligence Scale developed by with a reliability value of 0.922 for Malaysian respondents and 0.803 for Indonesian respondents as well as using a politeness scale developed based on Lakoff’s linguistic politeness theory. RESULTS: The findings of the study demonstrated that culture may affect language politeness (F (3.169) = 5.759 and M2 = F (4.168) = 4.300, P<0.05). However, language politeness did not correlate to emotional intelligence, age, gender, and educational background. Consequently, the use of communication in short messages should consider the cultural background of both the sender and receiver. Cultural similarities may facilitate the understanding of the message’s content and diminish the occurrence of communication issues or conflicts.