‘Cuente conmigo’: The expression of sympathy by Peruvian Spanish speakers

Using Spencer-Oatey's (2005) rapport-management approach, this paper studies the expression of sympathy by Peruvian Spanish speakers, in a situation exhibiting both power differential and social distance between participants.Results show that participants observed their behavioral expectations in this context expressing empathy, involvement and respect. They also respected the interlocutor's identity and respectability face, which, is argued here, reflected positively on their own identity and respectability face. Their interactional goals were strongly relational and, although there was a short transactional goal interspersed in the interaction, it only reflected and emphasized their interdependent self-construals of self (Markus and Kitayama, 1991).Gender differences showed females favoring the expression of empathy while males favored the expression of respect.