understanding for a certain circumstance or reason. For further details of
explanation, each function is analyzed in the following section. a.
To Show the Speaker’s Lack of Enthusiasm or Reluctance to the First Speaker’s Utterance
One of the functions of the dispreferred social acts found in the Jumping the Broom movie is to show the speaker’s lack of enthusiasm or reluctance to the
first speaker’s utterances. The following example exposes how Jason shows his lack of enthusiasm or reluctance to Sabrina’s utterance.
Sabrina : Jason, I know we havent been together that long, and I
probably have no right to ask you this, but I just feel like... I dont know. Do you think we could try to make it
work? Jason
: Babe, China is really far away.
Datum no. 1 In this scene, Sabrina tries to ask Jason about their relationship after she
gets an offer to work in China. As the preferred response, she expects that the question will be responded by an expected answer that Jason will keep their
relationship although it is a long distance relationship. Unfortunately, Jason gives his dispreferred response by saying “China is really far away”. Through this
statement, it can be concluded that Jason is not really interested with a long distance relationship as Sabrina tries to talk about. In other words, he performs the
dispreferred social act to show his lack enthusiasm or reluctance of the topic uttered by Sabrina.
After watching an opera, Sabrina tells Jason that she gets an offer to work in China. Therefore, Sabrina asks Jason about his commitment for their
relationship after she moves to China. Unfortunately, Jason hesitantly answers it by saying that China is very far. It means that it is hard for him to have long
distance relationship.
b. To Provide an Explanation for the Speaker’s Inability or Disagreement
to Perform the Preferred Action
In performing dispreferred response, several characters of Jumping the Broom movie frequently give an account or a reason that prevent them to perform
the preferred action. This kind of dispreferred response is used to provide an explanation for the speaker’s inability perform the preferred act.
Mrs. Watson : What exactly is broke? Mr. Watson : Most of our retirement funds been wiped out. We can
barely afford this wedding, let alone the kids honeymoon. All we have left is this house.
Datum no. 37 In this conversation, Mrs. Watson asks Mr. Watson a question to get
further information about his previous statement. As the preferred response, Mrs. Watson expects that the question will be answered by giving an expected answer.
Unexpectedly, Mr. Watson gives a dissatisfying answer by explaining that their retirement fund has been wiped out. The implied meaning of his statement is that
he wants to convey her that their family is in a serious bankruptcy. Thus, it can be concluded that the dispreferred response is performed by the speaker as he or she
intends to provide an explanation for his inability to perform the preferred social act.
After attending a rehearsal dinner, Mr. Watson comes up to Mrs. Watson who sits down in a room. They have conversations about some issues in their
family. In the middle of their conversation, Mr. Watson tells his wife that they are broke. Hearing this, Mrs. Watson looks surprised and angry. They start to argue
and blame one another for this problem. Feeling unpleasant with Mrs. Watson’s rude response, Mr. Watson finally leaves her alone in the room.
c. To Appeal the First Speaker to View Alternative Information or Another
Option
In some cases, the characters in this movie express their dispreferred social acts by stating an alternative statement or making a non-personal reason. This
dispreferred social act is generally performed to appeal the first speaker to view alternative information or another option. The following example demonstrates
clearly about this function. Sabrina
: What are you talking about? Mrs. Taylor
: Ask your daddy who your real father is.
Datum no.47 Sabrina asks Mrs. Taylor a question to get more information about her
previous statement with an expectation that it will be answered by required information. Though Mrs. Taylor gives her response in the next turn, her response
does not contain any relevant information which is needed by Sabrina. Instead, she makes a non-personal reason by telling Sabrina to ask for more explanation to
his father. However, this dispreferred response is performed to appeal Sabrina to view alternative person that will gives her more information rather than her. In
this context, Mrs. Taylor suggests Sabrina to ask the question to his father since he has more information rather than her.
