The above dialogue happened when Stan visited Zoe’s pet store. Stan assured Zoe that he was not a stalker by offering her to take his name card. In regard with this
context, since Stan’s utterance is an imperative sentence which contains an offer to take his name card, it is identified as offering. The other offering is presented below.
The above dialogue took place in front of Zoe’s house. Before separating, Stan offered her to visit his house and his goat farm if she did not have plans in the
weekend. In regard with this context, since Stan’s utterances are statements which contain an offer to visit his goat farm, they are identified as offering.
3 Guaranteeing
Guaranteeing is an act to promise that something will happen or exist. Datum presented below is the only finding of guaranteeing performed by the main character
in the movie. 4: 53
Zoe : All right. I have to go to bed now. I’ll call you, okay? Stan : Okay. Hey, I was thinking, if you don’t have any plans this
weekend, maybe you’d like to come up to the farm and get away for a few days.
Zoe : I’ll call you tomorrow. Something’s not agreeing with me. P: Zoe and Stan
S: Hudson Pets, night
IAS-12P36D-25cCoCV
The above dialogue happened when Zoe and Stan were having a dinner at Gray’s
Papaya Hot Dogs. Stan hesitated to eat the food in front him and insisted that they could have gone somewhere else. Zoe then asked him to take a bite of his hot dog and
guaranteed that he would experience its good taste. Guaranteeing is intended to ensure other person that something will happen. In reference to the context, Zoe’s
utterance is a statement which contains the modal ‘will’. She performs the utterance to ensure Stan that he will experience the good taste of the food. Therefore, it is
identified as guaranteeing.
2. The Functions of Illocutionary Act Performed by the Main Characters in
Alan Poul’s The Back-up Plan Movie
According to Leech’s theory, there are four types of illocutionary act based on their functions. They are competitive, collaborative, convivial, and conflictive. Three
functions are found in the movie. They are competitive, collaborative, and convivial. Meanwhile, conflictive function is not found performed by the main characters. The
discussion of each function of illocutionary act in the movie is presented below. 4: 54
Stan : We could have gone somewhere.
Zoe : Just take a bite. You’ll see.
Stan : Per Se, Jean Georges, Nobu…
Zoe : Gray’s Papaya. Cheers.
P: Zoe and Stan S: Union Square Subway, day
IAS-8P24D-18cCoCV
a. Collaborative
Collaborative function commits the speaker to the truth of the expressed proposition. Being indifferent with the social goal, this illocutionary function regards
that both politeness and impoliteness are relevant. Collaborative function is mostly found in asserting, informing, and announcing. Based on the analysis, there are 158
occurrences of collaborative function found in the movie. The conversation presented below is the example of collaborative function performed by the main character.
The above dialogue happened when Stan was explaining about cheese that he sold at his stand. Stan thought that his explanation was boring. Zoe then responded by
asserting to Stan that it was not boring at all. In the example above, Zoe’s utterance is a statement that consists of her assertion
regarding Stan’s explanation about cheese. An assertion belongs to collaborative function since it ignores the social goal. Even though Stan thought that his
explanation is boring, Zoe tries to assert to Stan that instead of boring, his explanation is interesting. Therefore, her utterance belongs to collaborative function. Another
illocutionary act which contains collaborative function is provided as follows. 4: 55
Stan : This is our basic chevre, probably our best seller. The cheese that started it all, as they say. Then over here we have our surface-rippened
cheeses. These are the agedraw milk cheeses. This is really boring, huh?
Zoe : No, not at all.
P: Zoe and Stan S: The Little Goat Cheese stand, day
IAS-7P21D-16cReCB
The above dialogue happened when Zoe and Stan were reuniting after the split because of the pregnancy news. Stan was telling Zoe how he did not want the
pregnancy to break them apart. Zoe then responded his utterance by informing him that she had something to tell him.
Informing belongs to collaborative function. Since Zoe’s utterance is a statement that contains information and it ignores Stan’s previous explanation, it belongs to
collaborative function. The following dialogue also contains collaborative function.
The above dialogue occurred when Zoe and Stan were reading a book about pregnancy. Zoe asked Stan about whether he had gotten to page 79 or not. Since Stan
answered that he had not, Zoe then reported what was written on the page. 4: 56
Stan : I love you. I’ve been waiting my whole life for you. And I can’t let one little baby get in the way of that. I just… can’t.
Zoe : There’s something I need to tell you.
Stan : Okay. P: Zoe and Stan
S: Hudson Street, day IAS-23P70D-55eReCB
4: 57 Zoe
: Have you gotten to page 79? Stan : No. I stopped reading when you ripped out one of my pages and
used it as a napkin.
Zoe : Says here many women in the second trimester experience an increased sexual appetite.
P: Zoe and Stan S: Zoe’s room, night
IAS-26P74D-58cReCB
Reporting belongs to collaborative function since it commits the speaker to the expressed truth of what she has seen, read or experienced. Zoe’s utterance as shown
in the bold expression employs collaborative function since it contains the truth of what she has read.
b. Competitive
Competitive function competes with the social goal. This function is intended to show politeness in the form of negative parameter. The point is to reduce the implicit
discord in the competition between what the speaker wants to achieve and what is ‘good manner’. Ordering, questioning, demanding, and begging are some examples
of illocutionary forces that have competitive functions. Based on the analysis, there are 84 occurrences of competitive function found in the movie. The conversation
presented below contains illocutionary act which employs competitive function.
The above dialogue occurred at a subway station after the cab argument. When Zoe and Stan were about to go separately, Stan advised Zoe to not steal anymore cabs.
In relation to this context, Stan’s utterance employs competitive function since it is an imperative sentence which contains an advice. Competitive function deals with what
the speaker wants to achieve. By advising her, Stan wants Zoe to not steal other 4: 58
Stan : That’s nice. I hope it continues. Zoe : Thanks. Well, have a nice life. Try not to steal anymore cabs.
Stan : You do the same. P: Zoe and Stan
S: Union Square Subway, day
IAS-4P10D-8dDiCP
