The interesting thing when it comes to compliments specifically is that both ‘honest assessment’ and ‘status negotiation’ are part of the interaction. You can even use this ambiguity in a ploy to gain status by “qualifying”, i.e. when you do compliment someone, make sure that it does reflect some good quality of them, and keep it very low-tone. Very few people will feel insulted bh such a move, but by understating you get a free boost in status. I suppose that many sorts of everyday flattery work pretty much the other way around, in that you’re giving up some perceived status to persuade someone about what qualities might make them impressive, and how you could help them be even more iimpressive!
The interesting thing when it comes to compliments specifically is that both ‘honest assessment’ and ‘status negotiation’ are part of the interaction. You can even use this ambiguity in a ploy to gain status by “qualifying”, i.e. when you do compliment someone, make sure that it does reflect some good quality of them, and keep it very low-tone. Very few people will feel insulted bh such a move, but by understating you get a free boost in status. I suppose that many sorts of everyday flattery work pretty much the other way around, in that you’re giving up some perceived status to persuade someone about what qualities might make them impressive, and how you could help them be even more iimpressive!