66 strategy number 12, namely Be vague. It is done by Senator Finistirre. He said,
“Well, not as mixed as the stance that Big Tobacco has taken about the dangers of smoking cigarettes.” From this Senator Finistirre’s utterance, it
could be illustrated that he is doing Off Record with an FTA by being vague about what the offence is. It is implemented, for he is going to aim his criticism
or a kind of allusion at Nick indirectly. In other words, he does not reveal what he means by the stance of Big Tobacco has taken about the dangers of smoking
straightforwardly, because he believes that the hearer Nick already knows his intention. Furthermore, he indirectly reveals his feelings and intention by being
vague in order to remove himself from any imposition and responsibility of doing FTAs.
4. The Use of Negative Politeness
Negative Politeness is the least strategy committed by the main characters in the movie. In this movie, this strategy typically happens in the conversation
between Nick and his rival, Senator Ortolan Finisterre. Besides that, it also happens between Joey and his mom, Jill; Nick and his best friend, Polly
Bailey; Nick and his Boss, BR. However, they are in the lower frequency. As has been explained before, Negative Politeness strategy is oriented towards the
hearer’s negative face and emphasizes avoidance of imposition on the hearer. This deference strategy is employed because they assume that they may be
imposing on the hearer the interlocutor and intruding on the interlocutor’s space, and there is a higher potential for awkwardness, embarrassment, and
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67 some social distance than in Bald on Record strategy and Positive Politeness
strategy. In this following conversation, Speech Act 11; it is obviously noticed that the characters apply Negative Politeness strategy.
Setting : in the kitchen of Jill’s house
Situation : Joey is trying to ask for Jill’s permission
Participants : Jill and Joey
SPEECH ACT 11 JOEY:
Mom, why cant I go to California?
JILL: Because Californias just not a... safe place.
And besides, Im not sure its appropriate for your father to bring you on a business trip.
JOEY: Appropriate for who?
JILL: What?
JOEY: Mom, is it possible that youre taking the frustration of your failed marriage out
on me?
JILL: Excuse me? NP 6
JOEY: This California trip seems like a great learning opportunity and a chance for me
to get to know my father. But if you think its more important to use me to channel your frustration
against the man you no longer love, Ill understand. NP 3
Speech Act 11 illustrates how Joey attempts to persuade his mom, Jill so that she would permit him to have a California trip with his father. This
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68 conversation indicates that some social distance or awkwardness really exists
between Jill and his lovely son, Joey. It appears when Jill said, “Excuse me?” Here, Jill is employing Negative Politeness strategy number 6, which is
Apologize. This deference strategy is employed because she assumes that she might be imposing on the hearer Joey and intruding on his space. Afterwards,
Joey replies her by applying Negative Politeness strategy as well. It is strategy number 3, namely Be pessimistic. Although they have close relationship, Joey
realizes that his request of having California trip with his father might be intruding on his mother. Looking at this dialogue, Jill clearly looks
uncomfortable if his son, Joey too much spends his time with Nick, her ex- husband. Therefore, he conveys his request by being pessimistic. This gives
redress to hearer’s negative face by explicitly expressing doubt of the hearer’s willingness to fulfill the speaker’s request.
Then, in this following Speech Act 28, the writer also finds the other case of Negative Politeness strategy.
Setting : in a House of Parliament, at Finistrre’s subcommittee congress
Situation : Nick is asked for some information and explanation
Participants: Senator Finistirre and Nick
SPEECH ACT 28 SENATOR:
Nick Naylor, please step forward. Please state your name, address and current occupation.
NICK: My name is Nick Naylor.
I live at 6000 Massachusetts Avenue, and I am currently unemployed, but until recently, I was the vice president of.
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69
SENATOR: Mr. Naylor, as vice president of the Academy of Tobacco Studies, what was
required of you? What did you do? NP 5
NICK: I informed the public of all the research performed in the investigation on the
effects of tobacco.
SENATOR: Mm-hmm, and what, so far, has the Academy concluded in their investigation
into the effects of tobacco?
NICK: Well, many things, actually.
Why, just the other day they uncovered evidence that smoking can offset Parkinsons disease. amused buzz
SENATOR: Im sure the health community is thrilled.
Mr. Naylor, who provides the financial backing for the Academy of Tobacco Studies? NP 5
NICK: Uh... Conglomerated Tobacco.
Speech Act 28 illustrates the process of Finistrre’s subcommittee congress in which Nick Naylor is the subject of the congress investigation. After the
chaos that has been made of his “kidnapping”, Nick is required to give information and explanation of the stance that Big Tobacco has taken about the
dangers of smoking cigarettes. Accordingly, the atmosphere at that time is formal and tense. In addition to applying Bald on Record strategies, Senator
Finistirre also applies Negative Politeness strategy occasionally. It is Negative Politeness strategy number 5 that is Give deference. Here, Senator Finistirre is
in order for giving deference or respect to the hearer, Nick. Besides, it evidently seems that Senator Finistirre really realizes that there are some social
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70 distance between himself and Nick. Therefore, when he asks some questions to
Nick, he occasionally addresses him with Mr + LN Mr.Naylor, and or also adds the position “as vice president of the Academy of Tobacco Studies” after
Mr +LN. This deference strategy is employed because he assumes that he might be imposing on the hearer Nick Naylor and intruding on his space.
Hence, in order to satisfy the hearer’s negative face or mitigate the imposition, he commits Negative Politeness strategy toward Nick that is by giving
deference. In the investigation of the use of politeness strategies, the writer only
discovered three kinds of Negative Politeness strategies in the movie, thus there were only two speech acts that could be discussed in Chapter 4. Put it
briefly, the other speech acts that contained Negative Politeness strategy produced the same result.
From the whole discussion in this subchapter concerning the use of politeness strategies applied by the main characters, the writer could draw
some important points. The first is that the four kinds of politeness strategies appeared in this movie. They were Bald on Record, Positive Politeness, Off
Record, and Negative Politeness strategies. The second is that sometimes each character committed more than one strategy in their conversation.
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71
B. The factors influencing the use of politeness strategy in Thank You for
