himself to John, Sherlock directly asks John about his military career on their first met.
In the next example, Sherlock performs withhold politeness strategy when Molly introduces her new boyfriend, Jim, to him.
Jim :
So you’re Sherlock Holmes. Molly’s told me all about you. You on one of your cases?
Sherlock : Silent
Molly :
Jim works in IT upstairs. That’s how we met. Office romance.
63-3WPCRDE
There is an absence of politeness work done by Sherlock. He does not give any response to Jim who is very excited to meet him for the first time. Sherlock is
expected and supposed to give response to Jim’s excitement or at least gives Jim a greeting but he does not say anything and keeps silent.
2. Functions of Impoliteness Strategies Used in Sherlock
Culpeper classifies functions of impoliteness into three categories. They are affective impoliteness, coercive impoliteness, and entertaining impoliteness.
a. Affective impoliteness
Affective impoliteness is the targeted display of intensely increased emotion, such as anger, which implicate that the target is responsible for making the
speaker produce the negative emotional state Culpeper, 2011: 223. The first example is taken from the conversation between Anderson and Sherlock
during an investigation of a murder case.
Anderson : According to someone, the murderer has the case, and we found it in the hands of our favourite
psychopath. Sherlock
: I’m not a psychopath, Anderson. I’m a high-functioning
sociopath. Do your research. 32-1ORAFOF
The function of the impoliteness strategy employed by Anderson is affective impoliteness. He wants to release his resentment toward Sherlock since the two of
them hate each other. Since Anderson and Sherlock do not get along well, Anderson has a particular interest in attacking Sherlock’s face. In the example,
Anderson attacks Sherlock’s face by calling him a psychopath and talks about Sherlock using third person even though Sherlock is standing next to him.
In the next example, Sherlock is in the middle of an investigation about a murder case. He is trying to concentrate so that he can solve a riddle related to the
case. However, there are too many people in his room and it is hard for him to think. Suddenly Mrs. Hudson comes in and repeatedly informs him about the
arrival of a taxi. Mrs. Hudson
: What about your taxi? Sherlock
: Shouting furiously MRS. HUDSON
Mrs. Hudson : Silent Turns and hurries away down the stairs
37-1BRAFNR
Sherlock performs a bald on record impoliteness strategy with affective impoliteness function toward Mrs. Hudson. He ignores Mrs. Hudson’s notification
about the taxi and ousts her. He displays heightened emotion and anger by shouting furiously at Mrs. Hudson.
b. Coercive impoliteness
Coercive impoliteness seeks a rearrangement of values between producer and the target in which the producer gets more benefit or gets their current benefits
reinforced or protected Culpeper, 2011: 226. An example of coercive impoliteness is taken from a conversation between
Sherlock and Detective Inspector Dimmock. Dimmock wants to help Sherlock solve a murder case since he is responsible for the case.
Dimmock : Anything else I can do? To assist you, I mean.
Sherlock : Some silent right now would be marvelous.
Dimmock : Silent
51-2PICRAC Sherlock seems unconcerned with Dimmock’s offer to help him. Instead, he
sarcastically asks Dimmock to be quiet by saying “Some silent right now would
be marvelous.” Furthermore, he wants to show Dimmock that although Dimmock is the one who has the authority on the case, Sherlock is the one who can solve it.
Thus, Sherlock has more power over the case. The next example of coercive impoliteness can be seen when Mycroft asks
Sherlock to find a flashdisk which contains a very important missile plan. Mycroft
:
You’ve got to find those plans, Sherlock. Don’t make me order you.
Sherlock :
I’d like to see you try. 60-3NICROF
By saying, “You’ve got to find those plans, Sherlock”, Mycroft enforces his message to Sherlock, which attacks Sherlock’s negative face. Moreover, Mycroft
threats Sherlock when he says, “Don’t make me order you.” It can be seen, then,
that Mycroft employs coercive impoliteness. Mycroft and Sherlock have a clash of interest but Mycroft forces Sherlock to find the missile plan. Since Mycroft is
Sherlock’s older brother, he thinks that he can order Sherlock to do anything for him.
c. Entertaining impoliteness
