Detective Inspector Lestrade. When they are in the middle of a discussion about the phone, the
topic about John’s blog arises. Sherlock
: The Study in Pink? You read his blog? Lestrade
: Course I read his blog We all do. Do you really not know that the earth goes around the sun?
Sherlock :
It isn’t the same phone. This one is brand new. 61-3NIENDE
The function of the impoliteness strategy performed by Lestrade is entertaining impoliteness. He does not believe that Sherlock does not know that the earth goes
around the sun and asks him about it to make sure. However, his utterances make Sherlock become the object of entertainment since Sherlock does not master a
general knowledge although he is a genius.
3. The Characters’ Responses to the Impoliteness Strategies
There are three choices open to a recipient of a face threatening act or impoliteness act, i.e. accepting the face attack, countering the face attack, and
choosing not to respond. All three responses of impoliteness strategy can be found in Sherlock along with the subcategories of countering face attack, which are
offensive and defensive.
a. Accepting the face attack
According to Bousfield 2008: 193, participants who choose to accept the face attack sense some kind of responsibility for the impoliteness act to happen.
They may also agree with the impolite assessment contained within the exacerbated FTA. In this research, accepting the face attack is the most infrequent
response used by the characters in Sherlock.
In the first example, Sherlock gives his thought about Molly’s lipstick. He performs negative impoliteness strategy as he criticizes Molly for removing her
lipstick. Sherlock
: What happened to the lipstick? Molly
: It wasn’t working for me.
Sherlock : Really? I thought it was a big improvement. Your
mouth’s too small now. Molly
:
… Okay.
05-1WPCRDE In the example, Molly accepts Sherlock’s face attack as she says “Okay.”
Although she does not actually agree with Sherlock’s critique, she accepts it because she has a crush on Sherlock.
The next example can be seen when Lestrade asks Sherlock to come and help him solve a murder case. Lestrade comes to Sherlock’s flat to pick him up.
Lestrade : Will you come?
Sherlock :
Not in a police car. I’ll be right behind. Lestrade
: Thank you.
09-1PICRAC
Sherlock employs positive impoliteness strategy toward Lestrade by saying that he does not want to come with Lestrade in a police car. As a response, since
Lestrade does really need Sherlock’s help, he just accepts the face attack. He expresses his agreeme
nt by saying “Thank you” and agrees with Sherlock’s request for not coming with Lestrade in a police car.
The last example of accepting face attack can be seen in the conversation between a receptionist and a woman at a clinic. The woman has been waiting for
the doctor for a long time even though she has made an appointment.
Woman : This is taking ages.
Receptionist :
Err… sorry.
Woman :
What’s the point of making an appointment if they can’t even stick to it?
52-2BRAFAC
The woman directly attacks the receptionist’s face because she has made an
appointment with the doctor but she still has to wait for so long. She uses the impoliteness strategy to express her disappointment. The receptionist is aware of
the situation and thus she accepts the face attack directed to her. Although it is not the receptionist’s fault, she feels a sense of responsibility for making the woman
wait for so long.
b. Countering the face attack
