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speaker does not use denying vocabulary in rejecting something. Below are the indirect refusal applied by the characters in the film entitled Knowing:
A. Excuse reason explanation Data 04 K Disc 1 IF I-Ref T-C
The conversation below is conducted between Ted, the father and Caleb, the
son. They have a close relationship. This conversation happens in Caleb’s room and runs in non formal situation. As usual, Caleb is watching TV for
one hour before going to bed and because it is almost over one hour, Ted commands him to switch off the TV. But, Caleb refuses the command because
it is almost over and because he does not have class tomorrow. The genre of the dialogue is daily conversation.
Ted orders Caleb to switch off the TV Ted
: Off Caleb
:
It’s almost over
Ted : You won’t be able to concrete in class tomorrow.
Caleb : We don’t have class, it is the fiftieth anniversary, remember?
Ted : Sure I remember
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Data Interpretation
The conversation above applies indirect refusal namely giving excuse reason explanation. It can be seen when Caleb said
It’s almost over . From Caleb’s refusal, we know that he insists on watching TV. This sentence delivers a message that he
refuses indirectly for Ted’s command. Furthermore, he also gives additional explanation that he does not have class tomorrow. Here, Caleb prefers to use indirect
refusal because he wants to refuse politely since he knows that he is over the time for watching TV. Moreover, this indirect refusal employed by Caleb has function to
soften the refusal because Ted is his father and older than him. Thus, he refuses the order
politely to save the hearer’s face.
Data 06 K Disc 1 IF I-Ref T-C
The participants of the dialogue below are Ted and Caleb. They are between
father and son. The relationship between them is close. The conversation below occurs in the kitchen between Ted and Caleb after having dinner. This
conversation runs in non formal situation. In this scene, Ted orders Caleb to save the ear-aid in a proper place because he does not want him to lose
another one. The genre of this dialogue is daily conversation.
Ted : Caleb, could you please watch where you put this?
I dont want you to lose another one.
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Caleb : Its making funny noises
Ted : Try turning the volume down.
Data Interpretation
In the dialogue above, Caleb uses indirect refusal by giving: excuse reason explanation. It can be seen when Caleb says
It’s making funny noises towards Ted’s command. In this context of situation, Caleb prefers to employ indirect refusal rather
than direct refusal because he wants to refuse politely by giving reason that the ear- aid is making funny noises. Moreover, the indirect refusal by giving excuse reason
explanation can refuse Ted’s command appropriately because by giving reason,
Caleb can show the reason behind the refusal.
Data 08 K Disc 1 IF I-Ref T-C
The participants of the dialogue below are Ted, the father and Caleb, the son.
They have a close relationship. This conversation takes place in the kitchen and runs in non formal situation. The topic of this dialogue is the Lucinda
Embry’s letter. In this scene, Caleb brings the letter to home and it surprises Ted because he thinks that Caleb should not bring it home. Therefore, Ted
suggests that Caleb should return it but Caleb tries to refuse the suggestion by saying that he wants to understand it more because maybe it contains some
hidden messages. The genre of this dialogue is daily conversation.
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Ted : What are you doing with this?
Caleb : I wanted to look at it some more… try to figure it out.
Ted : Caleb, you weren’t supposed to bring this home. It belongs to the
school. Caleb
: But maybe it means something
Ted : I don’t know, but it’s not ours to keep. You return this as soon
as you get to school tomorrow. Got it? Caleb nods it
Data Interpretation
In dialogue above, we can see that Caleb employs indirect refusal by giving: excuse reason explanation. It can be seen when Caleb says But maybe it means
something. From that sentence, we know that Caleb wants to k eep the Lucinda’s
letter to figure it more. In this dialogue, Caleb prefers to employ indirect refusal rather than direct refusal because he wants to refuse politely by giving reason towards
his father. Moreover, the indirect refusal by giving excuse reason explanation can refuse Ted’s suggestion appropriately because by giving reason, Caleb can show the
reason behind the refusal.
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Data 11 K Disc 1 IF I-Ref T-C
The participants of this dialogue below are Ted and Caleb. Ted as father and
Caleb as son. The participants have a close relationship. This conversation takes place in the backyard and runs in non formal situation. In this scene,
Caleb is playing football and suddenly a car with the two passengers approaches him. They do not say anything and only give a stone to him.
Worrying about that, Ted asks Caleb about what has happened. Then, he commands him to study but Caleb refuses that. The genre of this dialogue is
daily conversation.
Ted : What did I tell about talking to strangers Caleb
Now you’ve got homework to be getting on with Caleb
: Give me ten more minutes of practice
Ted : I don’t want to tell you twice, Caleb
Data Interpretation
The dialogue above applies the indirect refusal strategy by giving excuse
reason explanation. It can be seen when Caleb says Give me ten more minutes of
practice . In that refusal, Caleb intends to refuse Ted’s command by using indirect
refusal in order not to hurt Ted’s feeling. Moreover, the indirect refusal by giving excuse reason explanation
can refuse Ted’s command appropriately because by
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giving reason, Caleb can show the reason behind the refusal.
Data 17 K Disc 2 IF I-Ref T-P
The dialogue below is conducted between Ted and the passenger. This
conversation happens in non formal situation inside the train. The relationship between them is distant since they are stranger each other because they just
met on the train. In this scene, Ted commands the passenger to get off the train because he wants to save her from the accident that will happen. The
genre of this dialogue is daily conversation.
Ted : Get off the train.
Passenger : Why? Whats wrong?
Ted : Just take the baby and get off the train.
Data Interpretation
In dialogue above, the passenger employs indirect refusal expression by saying excuse reason explanation. It can be seen when she says Why? Whats
wrong?. Here, the passenger intends to say like that because Ted’s command is
unreasonable. That is why; the passenger refuses the command by asking the reason. Moreover, the indirect refusal by asking the reason explanation can refuse
Ted’s command appropriately because by asking the reason, the passenger can find
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out the reason behind the command.
Data 20 K Disc 2 IF I-Ref T-C
The participants of the conversation below are Ted and Caleb. They are
between father and son. Their relationship is close. This dialogue occurs in front of Lucinda’s house and runs in serious condition. In this scene, Ted
worries about Caleb’s condition. Thus, he asks Caleb to go with him because he thinks that the strangers will hurt him. However, Caleb refuses Ted’s
request since he thinks that they must go with the strangers. The genre of this
dialogue is daily conversation.
Ted : Where is he?
Where is Caleb? I want my son - now
Caleb : Dad
– don’t Ted
: Are you hurt? What did he do to you? Caleb
: It’s okay dad. I’m okay. This is my friend.
They said I could keep him. Ted
: Caleb… I want you to come with me. Caleb
: But we have to go with them
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Data Interpretation
In the dialogue above, Caleb applies indirect refusal by giving: excuse reason explanation that they should go with the strangers. It can be seen when he
says But we have to go with them. In this context of situation, Caleb prefers to use indirect refusal rather than direct refusal since the indirect refusal by giving excuse
reason explanation can refuse Ted’s request appropriately. By giving reason, Caleb
can explain the reason behind the refusal clearly. Furthermore, if Caleb employs the direct refusal, it will trigger the misunderstanding between them and make conflict.
Data 21 K Disc 2 IF I-Ref T-C
The conversation below is conducted between Ted, the father and Caleb, the
son. They have a close relationship. This conversation takes place in front of Lucinda’s house and runs in serious situation. In this scene, Caleb persuades
Ted to go with him and the strangers, but Ted refuses the invitation since he thinks that he is not included in the selected people who must go. The genre of
this dialogue is daily conversation.
Ted : I can’t go with you Caleb
There’s something I have to do here. Something really important Caleb
: More important than me? Ted
: No one is important to me than you are
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Caleb : Then come with me Right now They‘ve chosen us to go
Ted :
They haven’t chosen us, Caleb. They’ve chosen you. Both of you
Data Interpretation
In the dialogue above, Ted employs indirect refusal by giving: excuse reason explanation that he can not go since the strangers only choose two persons. It can be
seen when he says
They haven’t chosen us, Caleb. They’ve chosen you. Both of you.
Here, T ed refuses Caleb’s request because he realizes that he is not included in the
selected people who must go with the strangers. In this context of situation, Ted prefers to use indirect refusal rather than direct refusal because the indirect refusal by
giving excuse reason explanation can refuse Caleb’s request appropriately. By
giving reason, Ted hopes that Caleb can catch the reason behind the refusal rationally. Moreover, if Ted employs the direct refusal, it will trigger the misunderstanding
between them and make conflict.
B. Physical departure Data 15 K Disc 1 IF I-Ref T-D
