The Hearer’s Responses of Sarcastic Utterances used as Sophistication
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Oleg, Han, Earl and Max stand and they stare at how the boy stands beside her mom but a half of his body is inside her mother‟s shirt.
Caroline with her well-educated background tries to give her friends an explanation about the fact that there are some mothers who tend to breast-feed
their children longer than it supposed to be and it is called as attachment- parenting. Meanwhile, Max who does not know about that fact before tends to
ignore what Caroline says. Instead of says the literal statement in order to ignore the new fact says by Caroline, Max uses her sarcastic utterance which rhyme well
with Caroline‟s utterance. As Max‟s best friend, Caroline prefer to give her smile as her response from hearing
Max‟s sarcastic utterances. As the hearer, Caroline is capable to understand that it is okay if Max still cannot accept the truth she says.
That is why she does not get angry or persuades Max more to believe in her statement.
Situation 26
Han : Max, what is that thing that you have behind your back?
Max : What? No. Nothing.
Han : Yes, right here. pull up the catalog
from Max’s hands the catalog falling down
Caroline : Is that the auction catalog that just fell between your legs? What is this thing doing here? Isnt it enough I have a 2-foot face hair?
Max : Nice, Han. Shes upset again. Happy?
Han : Sorry, I thought we were playing some kind of hiding game.
Max : Oh, reach for me like that again and well be playing a
different game called guess which part of Han I cut off. The context of the situation above is at the diner when Sophie brings the
auction catalog of Caroline‟s family stuffs and furniture. As Caroline‟s best friend, Max knows that the auction catalog is one of the sensitive things which
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related to her old life. Before Caroline knows about that, Max asks the catalog from Sophie and hides it behind her back when Caroline suddenly comes and
talks to Sophie. Han, who does not know what Max tries to do, innocently asks her about
what is the thing behind her back. Han‟s question makes Caroline who is in front
of Max, curious and tries to look at Max‟s back and when Max tries to avoid Caroline, the catalog is snatched by Han which stand behind Max. When Caroline
sees the catalog on the floor, she recognizes it easily and gets angry immediately because the catalog is the thing that she has been avoiding from for several days.
When Han finally realizes what the catalog actually is, he apologizes for his thinking that it is a hiding game. Max, feeling fails i
n keeping Caroline‟s emotion, is mad with Han since he is the one who ruins it all. Therefore, Max uses
her sarcastic utterance to express her emotion toward him. Han, after he knows whole situation prefer to walk away from there since he knows that Max is not on
the mood of joking so he decides to save himself from the mess he makes.
Situation 27
Sophie : Now, can I have my catalog back?
Caroline : You brought this in here? raising her tone I can‟t believe it
Sophie. I cant believe you think its okay for you to just sit here
and casually flip through this catalog that contains everything I love from my old life. I just think its really insensitive and stuff. I
mean, what are you thinking? What is wrong with you, I mean, besides your obvious choice of bad fabric and color.
Sophie :Oh, no. stand up You back up your truck, bearded lady. Im
insensitive? Im the thief who stole all those peoples money? And you dont think this color is happening? Pick up a copy of Polish
Vogue. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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The situation above happens as the continuance of the previous situation
above. When Caroline is still mad in seeing her auction catalog in the diner, Sophie bravely asks her catalog back from Caroline‟s hands. Caroline does not
expect that Sophie is the person who has the heart to bring the catalog which contains her memories in the diner. She thinks that Sophie is one of a friend who
will appreciate her by not insults her feeling with the auction catalog. As the result, Caroline cannot handle her emotion and throws up words with mentioning
what Caroline thinks about Sophie. Sophie, as the hearer, cannot take critique from Caroline‟s statement
which says that she is insensitive and has a bad choice in fabric and color. Thus, Sophie with her madness says her sarcastic utterance to Caroline in order to give
critique back. By saying, “You back up your truck, bearded lady.” Sophie sarcastically gives her critique to the two hairs which Caroline has in her face. As
the hearer, Caroline feels offended and cannot give any sarcastic utterance back. Caroline also realizes that she is the one who starts all of this and that is because
her emotion. Thus, she just keeps silent and thinks about Sophie‟s utterance by
herself.
Situation 35
Caroline : turns the light on Han
: looking around I cannot believe my eyes Max
: I felt the same way when I first saw you.
In the situation 35 Max, Caroline, Han and Oleg are at the room behind the diner which is no longer been used which used to be dirty, dark, smelly, and
full of rats before have been redecorated by Max and Caroline to be a clean, light, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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and chic cupcake shop as their new business. For the first move, Caroline and Max want to show it to their co-workers at the diner and see their first impression
looking at the inside part of their new shop. To give more dramatic impact for Oleg and Han, Caroline insists to turn
the light off before they enter the room. Later when Caroline enters the room and turns the light on, Han immediately mesmerizes every corner of the room which
he expresses through the excitement from his eyes and face. Caroline is happy with Han‟s excitement which can be considered as compliment for Caroline and
Max‟s hard work in decorate the room. Different with Caroline, Max prefers to reply Han‟s statement with her
sarcastic utterance that considered as sophistication since she means it as a humor and not to offend
Han‟s feeling. As the hearer, Han just gives his smiles because as Max‟s boss, he understands Max‟s hobby to play with language and is not get
mad or offended. Both Max and Han, as the speaker and as the hearer, are able to understand the intention and the expected response.
Situation 38
Han : Oh, man, that hippie patchouli smell is worse than the poop was.
Caroline : Han, shh. closing windows These people are in mourning. Show some respect.
Han : Me? Me show some respect? What will you two do next, sell
cupcakes at the diabetes wing at the childrens hospital?
Caroline : How dare you doubt my sincerity? I personally have shooed a
homeless man away from peeing on that shrine twice.
The situation above happens the day after Caroline and Max open the
cupcakes shop. On the soft opening yesterday, someone died in front of them after PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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eating Max‟s cupcake and later Caroline finds out that the one who died is a famous rock star. After the i
ncidence, many fans go to Max‟s cupcake shop to hear the real story and to bring flowers, candles, dolls or poems to be placed in
front of the shop where their idol died. Caroline and Max know that there will be more people come over their cupcakes shop because the incidence. Thus, they
take the advantage of it by selling cupcakes when the fans mourn and gather near their shop.
When Caroline is talking to one of the fans, Han enters the shop from the back door and comments to the weird smell inside which comes from the fragrant
oil that the fans bring. Knowing that Han‟s statement will insult her customers, Caroline immediately c
loses the shop‟s windows and asks him to show some the respect. Han, who knows that actually Caroline and Max do not really know the
rock star died yesterday and their respect is not really sincere from the heart, feels insult when Caroline asks him to show some respect. Then, Han decides to gives
his sarcastic utterance which criticizes Caroline and Max‟s act which do not show
respect either. Caroline, feeling right for what she does, cannot take Han‟s utterance which doubts Caroline‟s sincerity. Thus, she chooses to respond Han‟s
sarcastic utterance by mentioning the good act she ever does to prove her sincerity.
Situation 39
Han : I dont care what I may or may not have said on the 27th at 4:15
p.m. Your business is booming, and now I want rent. Caroline : No way, Han. That man couldve overdosed anywhere. But God
made him overdose in front of our window as a gift. And, yes, we PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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are accepting that gift because you only live once. YOLO. Han
: This isnt yolo its hodo. He Only Died Once. Im surprised you arent selling hodo t-shirts.
Caroline : How dare you again? Situation 39 above happens as the continuance conversation between
Caroline and Han who are still arguing in the new cupcake shop. Han is not happy to see Caroline and Max‟s cupcakes shop are full of people and they sell lots of
cupcakes which mean that they earn so much money from that. That fact makes Han insist Caroline and Max to pay the rent for the place that actually given by
Han himself to them as their new place for opening a bakeshop. Caroline refuses to pay the rent and says to Han that the incidence happens yesterday is special gift
from God since it makes her cupcake shop become crowded and they earn so much money but it does not mean that they should pay the rent to Han.
Realizing that Caroline cannot be persuading easily, Han makes his sarcastic utterance which, again, doubts Caroline‟s sincerity and asks about her
not making t-shirt too in the cupcakes shop and sells it to the fans. Irritated, Caroline feels offended with Han‟s keeping on saying sarcastic utterance to her
and she gets get angry.
Situation 48
clanking cookware Caroline : Max, stop it Im trying to sleep.
Max : Well, sorry, but Im pissed and its 11:30 anyway. Whats going
on? Caroline : They screwed us. sigh
Max : I know. That is why Im making hate cupcakes for the
Kardashians, see? showing the cupcakes Eat It, Bite Me, Get, A, Job. Oh, and one for the mom that says, I still love
you. Just in case. Now come on, get up. Your son needs to go PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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out and take an 8-foot crap. pointing out at Caroline’s horse
Caroline : No, I‟m done. If everyones done with cupcakes, so am I. Im
done pretending that everythings gonna work out. In our reality show, its not.
Max : Look, get up, or I will close this bed with you in it, and your
new reality show will be True Life: I Live in a Wall.
Caroline : I‟m not getting up. Ever.
This situation happens after Max and Caroline hear the news that the Kardashians
is not going to make their reality show in Max‟s cupcake shop. The conversation occurred at the mid-day when Caroline still sleeps in her build
– up bed and she is disturbed b
y the clanking noise comes from the Max‟s cookware while she bakes cupcakes with the hate expressions on it which she planned to
send it to the Kardashians family. Max tries to wakes Caroline up because she needs someone to talk to, to express the emotion of disappointment and she knows
that Caroline feels the same way too. However, Caroline chooses to stay in bed and tries to sleep the whole day to forget about the failed reality show with the
Kardashians. Finally, Max tends to use her sarcastic utterance which says that she will
fold the bed with Caroline in it so that it will be the new reality show named True Life: I Live in a Wall which replaces the
Kardashians’. With her sarcastic utterance, Max actually means it as a humor to wake up Caroline since it does not
contains word which insults Caroline‟s feeling. Caroline, as the hearer knows that what Max says is just a humor in order to wake her up. That is why she does not
respond it seriously and decides to still stay in a bed. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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Situation 54
Max : And your hairs not bad either.
Caroline : Yeah, now, after the emergency trip to that salon. When you got done with me, I looked like a baby bird on chemo.
The conversation in situation 54 takes place in Max‟s cupcakes shop when they have a little chit chat in the middle of their job to serve the customers.
Max gives compliment to Caroline‟s new short hair which in the previous situation cut by Max because she cannot persuade Caroline to wake up. Then she
finally folds the bed up to the wall with Caroline in it. When Caroline asks Max to put her down and promises that she will wake up after that, unexpectedly,
Caroline‟s hair is stuck at the bed gears below and she cannot lift her head up. Max tries to free Car
oline‟s hair from the gears but none of her helps are succeed and finally Max cuts the part of hair which get caught by the bed gears.
As the respond for the compliment, Caroline gives her sarcastic utterance by reminding Max how she looks before she goes to the salon which
similar with baby bird on chemo. This sarcastic utterance said by Caroline is a humor since it does not hurt Max‟s feeling and Caroline‟s choice of words is
rather funny than rude or harsh. She just wants Max to imagine how bad she looks before she goes to the salon to get her hair done. Max as the hearer understands
what message behind Caroline‟s utterance and it makes her laughs.
Situation 64
Sophie : Im out of sugar, and can one of you read my morning pee stick? I
cant read this little window thing and I lost my cheaters and Olegs not upstairs.
Max : So you lost both your cheaters.
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Sophie : Yeah, See Max? That kind of joke is no longer funny now that
we‟re gonna be parents. So no more that In the situation above, Sophie as Caroline and Max‟s neighbor comes to
Max‟s place and asks for help to read the stick which shows whether she is pregnant or not. In that morning, Sophie asks
for Caroline and Max‟s help to read the result from her pregnancy stick since she cannot read without her glasses and
she lost it, also Oleg is not there to help her. Caroline, who does not have anything to do, chooses to help Sophie with her stick. Different with Max who often teases
people around her, she chooses to tease Sophie by saying “So you lost both your
cheaters”. In her utterance, Max is joking to say that Oleg is one of the cheaters that
Sophie lost that morning. As the speaker, Max intentionally says that as means of humor,
she uses the word „cheaters‟ for „glasses‟ while it can be means as a person who cheats which can refers to his husband. Sophie is not happy to hear
Max‟s utterance which she knows that it is kind of joke. Therefore, Sophie respond to it by clearly speaks that Max should not say any other kind of joke like
that since they are going to be parents soon.
Table 3.2. The Hearer’s Response of Sarcastic Utterances Based on Purposes
No Purpose of sarcasm
The Hearer‟s Response 2.
Sophistication a. Gives sarcastic utterance back.
b. Ask for apologize c. Smiles
d. Smiles e. Ask for apologize and are afraid then
choose to goes away f. Feels offended
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g. Smiles h. Gives protection to save hisher face
i. Gets angry j. Ignores by do not take it seriously
k. Laughs l. Feels offended