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Abstract This study aims to examine the pragmatic aspect of offensive compliments in Egyptian Arabic and American English with emphasis on contexts in which compliments rather than being benign and promoting social relationship create social disruption. Research on compliments has focused on their nature as a positive politeness strategy employed to promote and maintain social harmony. On the other hand, very little has been done on the pragmatic nature of compliments that produce offense. In this study, the researcher considers the potential of offense in compliments with respect to Grice{u2019}s maxim of quality. It also attempts to find out the nature of offense produced by compliments as inspired by the frameworks of Spencer- Oatey (2002) and Culpeper (2011). Finally, a pragmatic study is conducted comparing offensive compliments in both Egyptian Arabic and American English with respect to Spencer- Oatey{u2019}s (2002) rapport management. The researcher categorizes compliments that offend hearers as whether they damage their quality face, social identity face, equity rights, association rights, or more than one of the fore mentioned aspects |