The Emergence of Tense Atmosphere Due To The Miscalculation of The Weightiness of The FTA in 'Prison Break' Season 1 and 2.

Maranatha Christian University

ABSTRACT

Dalam tugas akhir ini, saya menganalisis salah perhitungan bobot FTA (Face Threatening Act) dalam penggunaan strategi kesantunan yang menimbulkan terjadinya ketegangan suasana dalam percakapan. Data yang saya gunakan diambil dari film seri berjudul Prison Break.

Teori kesantunan termasuk dalam teori Pragmatik. FTA (Face Threatening Act) adalah tindakan mengancam muka. Salah perhitungan bobot FTA dapat berakibat pada terjadinya ketegangan suasana dalam percakapan. Ada empat strategi kesantunan yang harus diperhatikan penutur dalam berkomunikasi dengan mitra tutur untuk meminimalisasi FTA. Sebelum menggunakan salah satu dari empat strategi tersebut, penutur harus mengenal dan mempertimbangkan Weightiness of the FTA (bobot FTA) yang berdasar pada tiga parameter, yaitu Power (kuasa), Distance (jarak), Rate of Imposition (tingkat imposisi). Setelah mengetahui parameter yang digunakan dalam perhitungan bobot FTA, penutur baru dapat menentukan jenis strategi kesantunan yang sebaiknya diterapkan untuk menyampaikan maksud atau berkomunikasi dengan mitra tutur.

Dalam data yang diambil dari film seri Prison Break, semua salah perhitungan FTA tersebut berujung pada terciptanya suasana tegang antara penutur dan mitra tutur. Efek tegang yang ditimbulkan dapat terlihat dari respon

Maranatha Christian University penutur yang berbicara dengan nada tinggi seperti sedang marah dan mimik muka kesal, dan gestur tubuh seperti ingin menampar atau memukul.

Membahas topik ini sangatlah menarik bagi saya karena ada rasa keingintahuan selama pencarian data dalam film ini. Tidaklah mudah menemukan data yang tepat karena terkadang saya tidak dapat membedakan antara ketegangan suasana yang diakibatkan oleh konteks dan ketegangan suasana yang diakibatkan oleh salah perhitungan bobot FTA. Yang terakhir inilah yang saya bahas dalam tugas akhir saya.

Maranatha Christian University

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... i

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... ii

ABSTRACT ... iii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ... 1

Background of the Study ... 1

Statement of the Problem ... 4

Purpose of the Study ... 4

Methods of Research ... 4

Organization of the Thesis ... 4

CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ... 6

CHAPTER THREE: THE EMERGENCE OF TENSE ATMOSPHERE DUE TO THE MISCALCULATION OF THE WEIGHTINESS OF THE FTA IN PRISON BREAK Seasons 1 and 2 ... 13

CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION ... 29

BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 34

35

APPENDIX

Data 1

Jack : Mind if I lamp with you, cuzzo? Smith : Roll, snowflake.

Jack : Hey man, I’m just… I’m just new, you know? I’m looking for some homies.

Smith : I said roll.

Jack : Brother, I’m just launching.

Smith : Yeah? Well, launch somewhere else, white boy. Jack : All right, y’all. I’m fitting to bounce. Peace.

Data 2

Warden : Governor. Appreciate you coming. Since our conversation, the situation has escalated. But we’re making good progress. Bill : Just cut the crap, Warden, and tell me where my daughter is.

Data 3

Owen Kravecki : Who is he?

Trixie : For your purposes, all you need to know is that man in the photo used to work at the company. He went rogue.

Owen Kravecki : And how’s he involved in this situation? Trixie : He’s Burrows father

Owen Kravecki : Wait, wait, wait. You picked the son of a company man to be our patsy. The company now.

Trixie : The company did know. That was the whole point. Owen Kravecki : How about you elaborate on that?

Trixie : How about you stop with all the questions. You’re glorified bodyguard, that’s it. Your job’s to be seen, not to be heard. Is that understood?

36 Data 4

Bolz : Hey, Squirt.

Jack : Avocado

Bolz : How many times I got to say it? You address me formal-like.

Data 5

John : How you doing, Savrinn? Where’s your girl? Nick Savrinn : She’s doing her job, all right?

Filling a petition down at the courts.

She’ll…She’ll be at my place in about an hour. John : See, that was easy.

I shouldn’t have to chase you down to get that information. Nick Savrinn : Why don’t you just take a step back?

John : Why don’t you remember who you’re talking to, who I work for?

Data 6

Bellick : Get my shotgun.

Bob: Pope’s already given orders for all the CO’S, Sir. Bellick : Did I stutter?

Get my shotgun!

Data 7

Kate : Getting bored out of your wits’ cause you’ve been waiting so long. Really sorry about all this. We don’t get a whole bunch of homicides out here, and well, we’re trying to play catch-up. Have a seat. I’m real sorry about your friend.

Bellick : Sick world out there.

Kate : Ain’t that the truth? So you guys out here in Kansas together? Bellick Yeah, that’s right.

Kate : Doing what?

Bellick : Well, you know, just seeing the sights.

Kate : You left Chicago to see the sights in Tribune, Kansas? Bellick : Last time I checked, a man could go where he wanted.

Kate : Mr. Bellick…

Bellick : What happened with ‘Brad’? We’re both in law enforcement! Kate : Brad, my point is I don’t really care what you were doing

out here. I just need to know where you were doing it and who you might have crossed path with so I can find who carved up Mr. Geary.

37 Data 8

Paul : Yes.

Bill Kim : Where’s the photo?

Paul : Bill, there was a tactical error.

Bill Kim : I don’t want terminology from Cover Your Ass Handbook, Paul! What happened?

Paul : There were unforeseen circumstances things that could not be predicted.

Bill Kim : Where’s Sara actually? She’s gone, isn’t she? Paul : Yes, she got away, but there’s no way that she could..

1 Maranatha Christian University

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

People are social beings who need to communicate with others in daily life. The ways we communicate with one another can be seen in our utterances. By producing an utterance, we are able to show our intention such as to command someone to do something. An utterance uttered in a polite way will be better accepted than in a rude way. Therefore, politeness has an important role in a social relationship interaction.

In order to know the meaning of what is said in an interaction, we have to look at various factors which relate to social distance or closeness. They typically involve the relative status of the participants, which is based on social values such as age and power. For example, speakers who regard themselves to have a lower status usually will consider themselves to have wide social distance between themselves and higher status speakers and also with strangers if they use address forms that include a title and last name. For instance: When communicating with a speaker of a higher status, we may call him by using his title or his last name like

2 Maranatha Christian University Mr. Kennedy, Dr. Cameron, Mrs. Peterson, etcetera. Their purpose for doing that is actually to respect their status as well as to prevent them from losing their faces. Face means a self-image of a person that need to be appreciated.

The investigation of that impact is normally carried out by the term of politeness strategy. It is said by two linguists named Brown and Levinson. They find that politeness strategy is needed to preserve the stability in the relationship with others. Politeness, in an interaction, can then be defined as the means employed to show awareness of another person’s face. (Yule 60). In this sense, politeness can be used in situations of social distance or closeness. Showing awareness of another person’s face when that other seems socially distant is often described in terms of respect or deference. So, in order to avoid the threat to the addressee’s face, one of the persons needs to apply the appropriate politeness strategy.

For that reason, I am interested to analyze further the appropriate politeness strategies chosen in order to reduce the possibility of damage to the hearer’s face. If the speaker chooses an inappropriate politeness strategy to the hearer, the hearer will feel her face threatened so she may become angry. Actually, a wrong strategy may be chosen if the hearer is unaware of the Weightiness of the FTA. Disturbing one another’s face within an utterance means threatening someone else’s face. This is known as Face Threatening Act (FTA). The FTA is expressed by Weightiness (W) based on three parameters: the Rate of imposition (R), the social Distance (D) between the speaker and the person addressed, and Power (P). The three parameters are hereby formulated into: W(FTA) = R + D + P. These miscalculations of Weightiness of the FTA can be

3 Maranatha Christian University solved by choosing an appropriate politeness strategy. Politeness strategy is needed to strive for stability in the relationship with others.

My topic belongs to Pragmatics, which means the study of speaker’s meaning. It is concerned with the utterance produced by speaker and the interpretation of the utterance by the hearer. And my specific theory is politeness strategy, which means “the expression of the speakers’ intention to reduce face threats carried by certain face threatening acts to another.” The motives of politeness were in the consideration of “face”. Face is viewed as a positive public self-image of a person. It refers to emotional and social sense of self that everyone has and expects everyone else to recognize. (Yule 60)

The source of data for my analysis is the miscalculation of utterances in Prison Break movie series. The series tells about rebellion and complicated life which occur in prison. It is usually done by the prisoners to the officers or between prisoners. I decide to take this movie series because it obviously shows the conversations that lead to the emergence of tense atmosphere. It is because most of the prisoners miscalculate the appropriate politeness strategy to be applied in this movie. For instance they often say directly to the officers or to the other prisoners, which makes them angry. I choose this movie series in order to be able to find conversations in which the speakers miscalculate the weightiness of the FTA.

The significance of my study is that it may help the readers will be more aware of using appropriate politeness strategy in order to avoid the emergence of tense atmosphere in conversations.

4 Maranatha Christian University Statement of the Problem

1. What is the speech event of the analyzed scene of the Prison Break movie series?

2. How does the miscalculation of the Weightiness of the FTA emerge between the characters in the speech event?

3. How does the miscalculation of the Weightiness of the FTA lead to the emergence of tense atmosphere in the story?

Purpose of the Study

1. To describe the speech event of the analyzed scene of the Prison Break movie series.

2. To expose how the miscalculation of the Weightiness of the FTA emerges between the characters in the speech event.

3. To show how the miscalculation of the Weightiness of the FTA lead to the emergence of tense atmosphere in the story.

Method of Research

In doing this analysis, the first step is I search and try to understand the general theory of politeness from Pragmatics book and other books source. The next step is I observe the movie series that contain of miscalculation of the FTA. Finally, I find Prison Break movie series as my appropriate data. When watching the series, I find out the utterances which contain miscalculation of the Weightiness of the FTA in the movie series and then I analyze it.

5 Maranatha Christian University Organization of the Thesis

This thesis contains four chapters. The first chapter is the Introduction, which consists of the Background of the Study, Statement of the Problem, Purpose of the Study, Method of Research, and Organization of the Thesis. The second chapter is the theories used to analyze the data. The third chapter is the analysis of the data consists of the discussion of the Weightiness of the FTA. Finally the last chapter is the conclusion of the analysis. This thesis ends with the Bibliography, which is followed by the Appendix.

29 Maranatha Christian University

CHAPTER FOUR

CONCLUSION

In this chapter, I am going to make some conclusions about the miscalculations of the Weightiness of the FTA which convey to the emergence of tense atmosphere in Prison Break movie series. After doing my analysis, I find that most of the speakers in this movie miscalculate the Weightiness of the FTA, which makes them choose inappropriate politeness strategy. I find that applying inappropriate politeness strategy in order to show the speaker’s intention during the conversation will threat the hearer’s face.

Politeness Strategy is included in Pragmatics that involves performing bald-on-record strategy, positive politeness strategy, negative politeness strategy, and off-record strategy. Those strategies are used to reduce Face Threatening Act (FTA).

Based on the data analysis, performing bald-on-record strategy is applied twice by the speakers in the conversation. This strategy is performed when one is more powerful than the other in the emergency situation. Most of the speakers choose to perform this strategy because they miscalculate the parameters of Power

30 Maranatha Christian University and Distance. They usually use this strategy without being aware of the use of an identity mark. On the contrary, when it is applied by a speaker to a hearer who is equal or more powerful, it will threat the hearer’s face. As can be seen in data 3, when Owen Kravecki asks Trixie uses such direct way several times: First, “Who

is he?”Second, “And how’s he involved in this situation?” Third, “Wait, wait,

wait. You picked the son of the company man to be our patsy. The company

now.” The last, “How about you elaborate on that?” and in data 5, when Nick

Savrinn asks John: “Why don’t you just step back?”, Owen Kravecki and Nick Savrinn miscalculate the Weightiness of the FTA by using inappropriate politeness strategy. As a result, these speakers threat the hearers’ faces.

The miscalculation of FTA by using bald-on-record strategy can be solved by substituting it with a different strategy. Generally, the appropriate strategy to replace it is negative politeness strategy. If the speakers in data 3 and 5 keep using bald-on-record strategy, they will make the hearers feel their face threatened which leads to the emergence of tense atmosphere.

Of the nine data, two show that performing positive politeness strategy is applied by the speakers. The speakers usually miscalculate the parameters of Power and Distance in using this strategy. This strategy emphasizes the closeness between the speaker and the hearer. Besides, this strategy involves the use of nicknames and shared dialects or slang expressions. As can be seen in data 1, when Jack says: “Mind if I lamp with you cuzzo?” and “Brother, I’m just

launching” and in data 4, when Jack addresses Bolz by saying: “Avocado”.

31 Maranatha Christian University be liked, claims the common ground, and seeks agreement. By applying this strategy, the speakers in these data threaten the hearers’ faces.

The miscalculation of the FTA by using positive politeness strategy in data 1 and 4 can be substituted by negative politeness strategy. If the speakers use negative politeness strategy to the hearers, it will minimize the imposition between them. This strategy is appropriate to be used to eliminate the emergence of tense atmosphere.

Based on the data analysis, negative politeness strategy is performed by the speakers twice. The speakers usually miscalculate the parameter of Rate of Imposition in applying this strategy. It is used to be conventionally indirect and to show hedge. In data 2, Warden applies this strategy by saying: “Governor. Appreciate you coming. Since our conversation, the situation has escalated.

But, we’re making good progress.” This strategy is also used in data 7, when

Kate says: “Mr.Bellick” to Brad. Both of their utterances show deference. Generally, negative politeness strategy can be substituted by bald-on-record strategy and positive politeness strategy. In data 2, negative politeness strategy is replaced by bald-on-record strategy without omitting negative politeness strategy. In data 8, negative politeness strategy is not substituted by bald-on-record strategy but with positive politeness strategy. This is done due to address someone with an identity marker. If the speakers keep using negative politeness strategy, it will lead to the emergence of tense atmosphere.

Off-record strategy is applied two times in the data by the speakers. In performing this strategy, the speakers usually miscalculate the parameter of Rate of Imposition. First, the strategy is applied in data 6, when Bob says: “Pope’s

32 Maranatha Christian University

already given orders for all the CO’S, Sir” and in data 8, when Paul says:

“There was a tactical error” and “There was unforeseen circumstances things

that could not be predicted” This strategy indicates hints, metaphor, and

ambiguity.

Off-record strategy is generally replaced by using bald-on-record strategy as can be seen in data 6 and 8. The speakers in data 6 and 8 try to be polite to the hearers by using this strategy. They show their intention indirectly because they feel afraid and do not want to make the hearers angry with them.

Miscalculating the Weightiness of the FTA is often done by the speakers in this movie because they perform inappropriate politeness strategies to the hearers. This practice may lead to the emergence of tense atmosphere between the speakers and the hearers. The emergence of tense atmosphere can be seen from the response of the hearers after the speakers performing inappropriate politeness strategy to them. These responses involve the utterances and the gestures of the hearers that show their dislike and anger. They feel their face threatened. The hearers often say their utterances in high pitch to the speakers. Besides, the hearers stare at the speakers and do unpredictable acts such as slapping and shouting to the speakers.

I am interested to discuss the miscalculation of the Weightiness of the FTA that leads to the emergence of tense atmosphere because watching this movie makes me curious to find the data. It is not easy to find the appropriate data because sometimes I cannot distinguish between the tense atmosphere that is caused by a real context and the other, which is caused by the real miscalculation of the Weightiness of the FTA. For further research, I suggest any researchers

33 Maranatha Christian University using different movies as the data, such as comedy movies or tragedy movies. If researchers choose comedy movies are used, the FTA will lead to the emergence of humor atmosphere. If researchers choose tragedy movies are used, the FTA will lead to the emergence of sad or ironic atmosphere.

Words : 1066

34 Maranatha Christian University

BIBLIOGRAPHY

References:

Brown, Penelope, and Stephen C Levinson. Politeness. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987

Thomas, Jenny. Meaning in Interaction: An Introduction to Pragmatics. London: Longman Group Limited, 1995.

Yule, George. Pragmatics. London: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Internet Source:

http://www.aresearchguide.com/12biblio.html

Data Source:

Season One Prison Break. Dir. Fred Gerber and Greg Yaitanes. Writ. Paul Scheuring. Prod. Marty Adelstein, Steve Beers, and Garry A. Brown. Perf. Dominic Purcell, Wenworth Miller, Robin Tunney, Petter Stormare, and Amaury Nolasco. Twentieth Century Fox, 2006.

The Continue Second Season Prison Break. Dir. Fred Gerber and Greg Yaitanes. Writ. Paul Scheuring. Prod. Marty Adelstein, Steve Beers, and Garry A. Brown. Perf. Dominic Purcell, Wenworth Miller, Robin Tunney, Petter Stormare, and Amaury Nolasco. Twentieth Century Fox, 2006.

29 Maranatha Christian University

CHAPTER FOUR

CONCLUSION

In this chapter, I am going to make some conclusions about the miscalculations of the Weightiness of the FTA which convey to the emergence of tense atmosphere in Prison Break movie series. After doing my analysis, I find that most of the speakers in this movie miscalculate the Weightiness of the FTA, which makes them choose inappropriate politeness strategy. I find that applying inappropriate politeness strategy in order to show the speaker’s intention during the conversation will threat the hearer’s face.

Politeness Strategy is included in Pragmatics that involves performing bald-on-record strategy, positive politeness strategy, negative politeness strategy, and off-record strategy. Those strategies are used to reduce Face Threatening Act (FTA).

Based on the data analysis, performing bald-on-record strategy is applied twice by the speakers in the conversation. This strategy is performed when one is more powerful than the other in the emergency situation. Most of the speakers choose to perform this strategy because they miscalculate the parameters of Power

30 Maranatha Christian University and Distance. They usually use this strategy without being aware of the use of an identity mark. On the contrary, when it is applied by a speaker to a hearer who is equal or more powerful, it will threat the hearer’s face. As can be seen in data 3, when Owen Kravecki asks Trixie uses such direct way several times: First, “Who

is he?”Second, “And how’s he involved in this situation?” Third, “Wait, wait,

wait. You picked the son of the company man to be our patsy. The company

now.” The last, “How about you elaborate on that?” and in data 5, when Nick

Savrinn asks John: “Why don’t you just step back?”, Owen Kravecki and Nick Savrinn miscalculate the Weightiness of the FTA by using inappropriate politeness strategy. As a result, these speakers threat the hearers’ faces.

The miscalculation of FTA by using bald-on-record strategy can be solved by substituting it with a different strategy. Generally, the appropriate strategy to replace it is negative politeness strategy. If the speakers in data 3 and 5 keep using bald-on-record strategy, they will make the hearers feel their face threatened which leads to the emergence of tense atmosphere.

Of the nine data, two show that performing positive politeness strategy is applied by the speakers. The speakers usually miscalculate the parameters of Power and Distance in using this strategy. This strategy emphasizes the closeness between the speaker and the hearer. Besides, this strategy involves the use of nicknames and shared dialects or slang expressions. As can be seen in data 1, when Jack says: “Mind if I lamp with you cuzzo?” and “Brother, I’m just

launching” and in data 4, when Jack addresses Bolz by saying: “Avocado”.

31 Maranatha Christian University be liked, claims the common ground, and seeks agreement. By applying this strategy, the speakers in these data threaten the hearers’ faces.

The miscalculation of the FTA by using positive politeness strategy in data 1 and 4 can be substituted by negative politeness strategy. If the speakers use negative politeness strategy to the hearers, it will minimize the imposition between them. This strategy is appropriate to be used to eliminate the emergence of tense atmosphere.

Based on the data analysis, negative politeness strategy is performed by the speakers twice. The speakers usually miscalculate the parameter of Rate of Imposition in applying this strategy. It is used to be conventionally indirect and to show hedge. In data 2, Warden applies this strategy by saying: “Governor.

Appreciate you coming. Since our conversation, the situation has escalated.

But, we’re making good progress.” This strategy is also used in data 7, when

Kate says: “Mr.Bellick” to Brad. Both of their utterances show deference. Generally, negative politeness strategy can be substituted by bald-on-record strategy and positive politeness strategy. In data 2, negative politeness strategy is replaced by bald-on-record strategy without omitting negative politeness strategy. In data 8, negative politeness strategy is not substituted by bald-on-record strategy but with positive politeness strategy. This is done due to address someone with an identity marker. If the speakers keep using negative politeness strategy, it will lead to the emergence of tense atmosphere.

Off-record strategy is applied two times in the data by the speakers. In performing this strategy, the speakers usually miscalculate the parameter of Rate of Imposition. First, the strategy is applied in data 6, when Bob says: “Pope’s

32 Maranatha Christian University

already given orders for all the CO’S, Sir” and in data 8, when Paul says:

“There was a tactical error” and “There was unforeseen circumstances things

that could not be predicted” This strategy indicates hints, metaphor, and

ambiguity.

Off-record strategy is generally replaced by using bald-on-record strategy as can be seen in data 6 and 8. The speakers in data 6 and 8 try to be polite to the hearers by using this strategy. They show their intention indirectly because they feel afraid and do not want to make the hearers angry with them.

Miscalculating the Weightiness of the FTA is often done by the speakers in this movie because they perform inappropriate politeness strategies to the hearers. This practice may lead to the emergence of tense atmosphere between the speakers and the hearers. The emergence of tense atmosphere can be seen from the response of the hearers after the speakers performing inappropriate politeness strategy to them. These responses involve the utterances and the gestures of the hearers that show their dislike and anger. They feel their face threatened. The hearers often say their utterances in high pitch to the speakers. Besides, the hearers stare at the speakers and do unpredictable acts such as slapping and shouting to the speakers.

I am interested to discuss the miscalculation of the Weightiness of the FTA that leads to the emergence of tense atmosphere because watching this movie makes me curious to find the data. It is not easy to find the appropriate data because sometimes I cannot distinguish between the tense atmosphere that is caused by a real context and the other, which is caused by the real miscalculation of the Weightiness of the FTA. For further research, I suggest any researchers

33 Maranatha Christian University using different movies as the data, such as comedy movies or tragedy movies. If researchers choose comedy movies are used, the FTA will lead to the emergence of humor atmosphere. If researchers choose tragedy movies are used, the FTA will lead to the emergence of sad or ironic atmosphere.

Words : 1066

34 Maranatha Christian University

BIBLIOGRAPHY

References:

Brown, Penelope, and Stephen C Levinson. Politeness. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987

Thomas, Jenny. Meaning in Interaction: An Introduction to Pragmatics. London: Longman Group Limited, 1995.

Yule, George. Pragmatics. London: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Internet Source:

http://www.aresearchguide.com/12biblio.html

Data Source:

Season One Prison Break. Dir. Fred Gerber and Greg Yaitanes. Writ. Paul Scheuring. Prod. Marty Adelstein, Steve Beers, and Garry A. Brown. Perf. Dominic Purcell, Wenworth Miller, Robin Tunney, Petter Stormare, and Amaury Nolasco. Twentieth Century Fox, 2006.

The Continue Second Season Prison Break. Dir. Fred Gerber and Greg Yaitanes. Writ. Paul Scheuring. Prod. Marty Adelstein, Steve Beers, and Garry A. Brown. Perf. Dominic Purcell, Wenworth Miller, Robin Tunney, Petter Stormare, and Amaury Nolasco. Twentieth Century Fox, 2006.