A Research by Maggie Rulli‟s “„Live from New York Its Saturday
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c. Evaluation
Sarcasm can mute negative effects of the criticism that it may emerges. At the same time, sarcasm can mute the positive effects of the praise that it
may convey. The way sarcasm mutes those two aspects simultaneously becomes the point of using sarcasm Attardo, 2001: 183.
When the speaker uses sarcasm as evaluation, she usually does not really want to show the negative thing in criticizing someone or she does not really
want to show the positive way in giving compliment. For example, when a mother says “you looks calm like you did not do it” to her son who just ate all
the food. Instead of delivering the exact meaning, the mother chooses to use sarcasm for evaluates her son’s act. From the utterance, the mother actually
gives compliment for his act that can be calm as nothing happens. On the other hand, the mother also gives critique to his son who eats all the food.
d. Politeness
Sarcasm can be used as a “tool for politeness.” Although sarcasm seems aggressive, it is admitted that sarcasm is less
damaging the hearer’s face than overt aggression 2001: 184. For example, when a man
says “I will buy some food so you do not have to cook today.” can be means that his wife’s
food is not delicious or his wife cannot cook well so that he prefers buy it outside. However, sarcasm as politeness used to make the utterance a little
less aggressive. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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e. Persuasive Aspect
Sarcasm can be a powerful rhetorical tool to be used persuasively. This is achieved in three ways. First, sarcasm provides itself the evident for the
utterance to be accepted as a truth. Second, sarcasm is easier to memorize than literal utterance. Thirdly, sarcasm is very informative 2001: 184.
As the example, from the situation among friends when one of them tries to persuade the other friend by saying “Come on, tell her know or else any
other men will catch her as fast as you will lose her ”. From the utterance, the
one friend sarcastically persuades hisher friend to make a move in order to get closer with his crush. Instead of saying the literal meaning, the speaker
uses sarcasm to show that hisher utterance can be accepted as a truth and also it is easier for the hearer to memorize.
f. Retractability
Sarcasm lets someone “take a noncommittal attitude towards what heshe is saying” 2001: 184. In other words, by stating something and expressing
its opposite at the same time, the speaker can avoid any responsibility for the falseness that she says.