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CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
The researcher draws conclusions and also gives suggestions as the final step of the study. Those are presented in this chapter as in the following.
A. Conclusions
Conclusions are drawn based on the findings and discussion in the previous chapter. It is to conclude the research objectives that are to identify the
types of politeness strategies, the realizations of each politeness strategy, and the sociological factors affecting the preference of politeness strategies performed by
the main character in The Great Debaters. They are stated as follows. 1.
All types of politeness strategies are performed by the main character in The Great Debaters movie i.e. bald on-record strategy, positive politeness
strategy, negative politeness strategy, and off-record strategy. Bald on-record strategy is the most frequent strategy performed by the main character, Melvin
B. Tolson. It can be implied that in most of his utterances Melvin wants to be direct, clear, and effective. It also means that he often performs FTAs without
using redressive action since he thinks it is not appropriate or necessary. On the other hand, he rarely uses off-record strategy which means he does not
want his utterance to be interpreted ambiguously. Hence, his conveyed meaning can be delivered successfully. It also can be said that Melvin is not
interested in playing safe with his words.
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2. Not all politeness sub strategies are used by Melvin B. Tolson as the
realization of politeness strategies performed. There are only 18 out of 48 sub strategies used by Melvin with 6 sub strategies in bald on-record strategy, 7
sub strategies in positive politeness strategy, and 3 sub strategies in negative politeness strategy and off-record strategy. Bald on-record strategy is mainly
realized by task-oriented strategy in which the utterance addressed to the hearer orientates to task. It is used to give instruction, so that it gives
constraints t o hearer’s freedom of action. Other ways are to show urgency,
entreaty, advice, and preemptive invitation related to face impingement. Positive politeness, negative politeness, and off-record strategy
performed by Melvin do not have dominant sub strategy since some of them have the same frequency. Positive politeness strategy is used by him to give
information and evaluation to the hearer’s utterances and actions. To be
specific, it is to convey admirable and to approve their ability. These are realized by noticing, exaggerating, and intensifying interest to the hearer. It is
also used to be treated as the same group by using in-group identity marker, to claim mutual common ground such as knowledge and point of view by
presupposing it and seeking agreement, and to invite cooperativeness by including him and the hearer in the activity. Negative politeness strategy is
realized by being conventionally indirect to show that there is clash in Melvin
’s wants to go on record and off record. It is also by using hedge to minimize the assumption of hearer’s willingness in responding to the FTA
addressed and by giving deference or respect to the hearers. Finally, off-record
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strategy is averagely realized by giving hints and overstating to invite the additional meaning of the utterance performed and by being vague about what
object that is being referred to. 3.
The three sociological factors including rank of imposition, social distance, and relative power affect the preference of those politeness strategies
performed by Melvin B. Tolson. Rank of imposition is the very least to affect them. It is because Melvin seldom performs acts which require services or
goods both material and non material from the hearer. Social distance is also influential factor although it is not the most significant one. It regards the race
similarity as Negroes and the frequency of interaction. Melvin employs this factor mainly to perform positive politeness strategy. Finally, relative power
comes as the dominant sociological factor. It brings implication that Melvin is indeed aware of his power especially as the professor in Wiley College. He
exercises it mainly in performing bald on-record strategy. Thus, in The Great Debaters, asymmetric relation between Melvin and the hearers is more
significant rather than their symmetric relations. It is because most of the addressees of his politeness strategies are his students.
B. Suggestions