A study on the use of politeness strategies produced by the main characters of thank you for smoking.

i

A STUDY ON THE USE OF POLITENESS STRATEGIES PRODUCED BY THE MAIN CHARACTERS

OFTHANK YOU FOR SMOKING

A THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain theSarjana PendidikanDegree

in English Language Education

By

Lucia Desy Ari Kristiningrum Student Number: 061214122

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

ii A Thesis on

A STUDY ON THE USE OF POLITENESS STRATEGIES PRODUCED BY THE MAIN CHARACTERS

OFTHANK YOU FOR SMOKING

By

Lucia Desy Ari Kristiningrum Student Number: 061214122

Approved by

Sponsor

iii A Thesis on

A STUDY ON THE USE OF POLITENESS STRATEGIES PRODUCED BY THE MAIN CHARACTERS

OFTHANK YOU FOR SMOKING By

LUCIA DESY ARI KRISTININGRUM Student Number: 061214122

Defended before the Board of Examiners on 2 February 2011

and Declared Acceptable

Board of Examiners

Chairperson : Caecilia Tutyandari, S.Pd., M.Pd. __________________ Secretary : Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd. __________________

Member : Drs. JB. Gunawan, M.A. __________________

Member : Christina Kristiyani, S.Pd., M.Pd. __________________ Member : Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd. __________________

Yogyakarta, 2 February 2011

Faculty of Teachers Training and Education

Sanata Dharma University Dean,

iv

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY

I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the references, as a scientific paper should.

Yogyakarta, 24 January 2011

The Writer

Lucia Desy Ari Kristiningrum 061214122

v ABSTRACT

Kristiningrum, Lucia Desy Ari. 2011. A Study on the Use of Politeness Strategies Produced by the Main Characters of Thank You for Smoking. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

It has been obvious that learning language is also learning certain social rules and values of a society. This means that speakers should be able to adjust their use of words in different social situations, which is by paying attention carefully to both the messages that they want to convey and the suitable way of delivering those messages in order to avoid embarrassing other persons or making them feel uncomfortable. Speakers’ competence to select the suitable way of conveying feelings or thoughts has something to do with politeness. In fact, English speakers or learners still often face difficulties in choosing the most appropriate expression or utterance to express what they want to say in English politely. As a result, when having conversation with others, they sometimes produce English which still sounds strange. Moreover, it might lead to misunderstanding in conversation.

Considering the English learners’ difficulties to speak English politely, a study on the use of politeness strategies was conducted. This study aimed at analyzing how the main characters of Thank You for Smoking use the politeness strategies in their conversations according to Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies theory, and at finding out the factors that influence the use of politeness strategies based on the socio-cultural variables of Brown and Levinson’s model and the social dimensions proposed by Holmes.

The method employed in this study was a document analysis. The main characters’ utterances became the data of this study. They were Nick Naylor, Joey (Nick’s son), Polly Bailey (Nick’s best friend), BR (Nick’s boss), Jill (Nick’s ex-wife), and Senator Ortolan Finisterre (Nick’s rival). The writer analyzed the main characters’ utterances, and classified them into four types of politeness strategies, namely Bald on Record (direct), Negative Politeness, Positive Politeness, and Off Record (indirect). Afterwards, the writer analyzed what factors that may influence their use of politeness strategies.

Based on the result of the analysis some conclusions were drawn. First, related to the first research question, the strategies appearing frequently are Bald on Record (93 times) and followed by Positive Politeness (64 times). Then, Off Record is employed about 16 times. Meanwhile, the least frequently used strategy is Negative Politeness (9 times). Second, related to the second research question, a) the use of politeness strategies in Thank You for Smoking was determined by the main characters’ social distance, relative power, as well as degree of imposition; b) using language appropriately involves not only understanding the grammatical aspects but also the sociolinguistic aspects. Finally, c) the acquisition of politeness strategies is just one of the ways in order to use language appropriately and politely. The classification of the politeness strategies proposed here hopefully would help learners, teachers, or lecturers to recognize the politeness expressions and enhance the development of their sociolinguistic competence.

vi ABSTRAK

Kristiningrum, Lucia Desy Ari. 2011. A Study on the Use of Politeness Strategies Produced by the Main Characters of Thank You for Smoking. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Sudah jelas bahwa mempelajari suatu bahasa itu sekaligus juga mengenal struktur atau nilai sosial suatu masyarakat. Yang berarti bahwa penutur bahasa sebaiknya dapat menyesuaikan pengunaan kata-kata sesuai dengan situasi sosial tertentu yaitu dengan memperhatikan baik itu pesan yang ingin disampaikan maupun cara penyampaian pesan tersebut agar tidak mempermalukan orang lain atau membuat mereka merasa tidak nyaman. Kemampuan penutur bahasa untuk memilih cara penyampaian perasaan atau pikiran yang tepat berkaitan dengan kesopanan. Pada kenyataannya, pelajar atau penutur bahasa Inggris masih sering kesulitan dalam memilih ekspresi atau kalimat yang paling tepat untuk disampaikan dalam bahasa Inggris dengan sopan. Akibatnya, ketika mereka mengobrol dengan orang lain, terkadang bahasa Inggris mereka masih terdengar aneh, bahkan bisa terjadi salah paham.

Bertolak dari kesulitan yang dialami para pelajar bahasa Inggris, maka dilakukanlah sebuah penelitian penggunaan strategi kesopanaan. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah menganalisa bagaimana penggunaan strategi-strategi kesopanan yang dilakukan oleh para pemain utama film Thank You for Smoking

berdasarkan teori strategi kesopanan Brown dan Levinson, dan mengetahui faktor-faktor apa saja yang mempengaruhi pengunaan strategi kesopanan mereka. Peneliti menggunakan kombinasi model variabel sosio-kultural Brown dan Levinson, dan teori faktor dimensi sosial milik Holmes.

Dalam penelitian ini, peneliti menggunakan metode analisis dokumen. Data dari penelitian ini adalah kalimat-kalimat para pemain utama. Mereka adalah Nick Naylor, Joey, Polly Bailey, BR, Jill, dan Senator Ortolan Finisterre. Peneliti menganalisa dan kemudian mengklasifikasikan kalimat-kalimat mereka ke dalam empat macam strategi kesopanan, yaitu Bald on Record, Negative Politeness, Positive Politeness, and Off Record. Terakhir, peneliti menganalisa faktor sosial yang mempengaruhinya.

Hasil penelitian tersebut adalah sebagai berikut. Pertama, berkatian dengan pokok permasalahan yang pertama, strategi kesopanan yang paling sering muncul adalah Bald on Record (93 kali) kemudian diikuti Positive Politeness (64 kali). Off Record digunakan sebanyak 16 kali, dan strategi yang paling jarang digunakan adalah Negative Politeness (9 kali). Kedua, berkatian dengan pokok permasalahan yang kedua, a) pengunaan strategi kesopanan di film ini dipengaruhi oleh jarak sosial, kekuasaan, dan tingkat pembebanan; b) menggunakan bahasa dengan baik berarti tidak hanya dapat bertindak tutur menurut kaidah tata bahasa, tetapi juga kaidah sosiolinguistik. Terakhir, c) penguasaan strategi kesopanan adalah salah satu cara berbahasa dengan benar dan sopan. Pengklasifikasian strategi kesopanan yang dijabarkan dalam penelitian ini diharapkan dapat membantu pelajar, guru, atau dosen untuk mengenali ekspresi kesopanan dan meningkatkan kompetensi sosiolinguistik mereka lebih baik lagi.

vii

God always does things right

His way is ALWAYS the best way,

even if to us it seems all wrong

If you asked God for one thing and received another, TRUST

You can be sure that He will always give you what you need

at the appropriate time...

What you want is not always what you need

God never fails to grant our petitions, so keep on going for Him

without doubting or murmuring.

Today is THORN, but tomorrow is FLOWER...

(Unknown Author)

This thesis is dedicated to These beloved people:

My beloved parents, Mama and Papa (Ch. Ismoyowati and Fx. Purwanto) My beloved brother, Mas Fredy

viii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First of all, I would like to thank Jesus Christwho has given me strength and patience even in my worst time. Without His kindness and blessing, certainly I could not accomplish my study.

Second, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to my major sponsor, Drs. JB. Gunawan, M.A. Because of his attention, patience, guidance, careful correction, advice, criticism, and encouragement, finally I could finish this thesis.

Third, I would like to thankall PBI lecturers(Pak Sasmoyo, Pak Markus, Pak Purba, Pak Prayit, Pak Pras, Pak Chosa, Bu Lanny, Bu Yuseva, Bu Ndari, Miss Frida, Bu Mita, Bu Marni, Bu Nanik, etc.) for the meaningful guidance during my study, and all the staff of PBI and Sanata Dharma University libraryfor the help and cooperation.

Next, my deepest gratitude goes to my beloved mother, father, and brother, mas Fredy for their endless and fantastic affection. I am so thankful because I can have them in my life. I really love them. Besides, I also thank my sisters and new brothers, mba Nana and mba Lina, then mas Galih and mas Akank for the great attention, support, and prayer. I would like to let them know that I am very happy to have sisters and brothers like them. Besides, I thank my lovely relatives, mba Ning and her family, Surabaya family, mba Dika and her family who always ask me when my “wisuda” is. I really thank them for the meaningful attention.

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My deepest thanks also fly tomy best friends: Tista, Angga, Tita, Ayu, Guntur, Ceye, Adit, Trio, Agnes, Zita, Susan, Riris, Intan, Chucky, and all 2006 PBI students. I thank them for spending the precious time together. I really enjoyed our laugh, jokes, and stress in EAD, EWD, SPD, and many precious moments.

Finally, my special thanks also go to Vendi (PBI’03), mba Festy (PBI’04), andMrs. Yuseva (PBI lecturer)for spending their precious time to be the proofreaders of my thesis. I thank them a bunch! Then, I thank Romo Estaphanus Gerardus Willem Pau, Pr for his blessing, YSS children (anak-anak jalanan Pingit)for reminding me to be always thankful of this beautiful life I have, Lektor Kumetiranandkomunitas tari Kotabaruin which I could share my talent and spend my precious time during my study. With them I could grow better.

Last but not least, I also thank anyone whom I haven’t mentioned here but have given a hand.

May God always bless them

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE ... i

APPROVAL PAGES ... ii

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY... iv

ABSTRACT ... v

ABSTRAK... vi

DEDICATION PAGE ... vii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ... viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... x

LIST OF TABLES ... xii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION... 1

A. Research Background ... 1

B. Problem Formulation ... 4

C. Problem Limitation ... 5

D. Research Objectives ... 5

E. Research Benefits ... 5

F. Definition of Terms ... 6

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ... 8

A. Theoretical Description ... 8

1. Pragmatics ... 9

a. Context of Speaking ... 9

2. Speech Acts ... 11

a. Locutionary, Illocutionary, Perlocutionary acts ... 11

b. Classification of Illocutionary Speech Acts ... 12

3. Sociolinguistics ... 13

a. Language choice ... 15

xi 4. Politeness

a. Politeness ... 18

b. Positive and Negative faces ... 18

c. Face Threatening Acts ... 19

d. Politeness Strategies ... 20

e. Socio-cultural Variables of Brown and Levinson’s Model... 31

B. Theoretical Framework ... 33

CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY ... 36

A. Research Method ... 36

B. Research Subject ... 37

C. Research Instruments ... 39

D. Data Gathering Technique ... 39

E. Data Analysis Technique ... 40

F. Research Procedure ... 40

CHAPTER IV. RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ... 43

A. The Use of Politeness Strategies by the Main Characters ... 43

B. The Factors Influencing the Use of Politeness Strategy inThank You for Smoking... 71

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ... 76

A. Conclusions ... 76

B. Suggestions ... 78

References ... 80

Appendix: The Analysis of Politeness Strategies Produced by the Main Characters ofThank You for Smoking... 82

xii

LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 1 : The Number of Each Character’s Dialogue... 43 Table 2 : The Number of Politeness Strategies Produced

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter is divided into six sections. The first section is Research Background. This section covers the background of the study. The second section is Problem Formulation that contains questions to be answered in this study. The third section is the Problem Limitation. This section limits the scope of the study. The fourth section is Research Objectives. This section mentions the main purpose of this study. Next, Research Benefits contains the advantages of this study. The sixth section is Definition of Terms. It explains the terms used in this study to make a better understanding for the readers about this study.

A. Research Background

Due to living in heterogeneous society, speakers will definitely face many differences such as age, sex, ethnic background, social context and many more. Consequently, the way speakers convey their messages will certainly differ to each other. Indeed, those factors influence the choice of appropriate ways of speaking. Therefore, it is obvious that in various social situations, speakers are obligated to adjust their use of words to fit the situation. Inappropriate linguistic choices may be considered rude. Hence, speakers should pay attention carefully to both the messages that they want to convey and the suitable way of delivering those messages. The speakers’ competence to select the suitable way of conveying feelings or thoughts has something to do with politeness.

According to Brown and Levinson (1987: 61), politeness is showing concern for people’s face: the public self-image that every member wants to claim for himself. Then, when a speaker says something that threatens a hearer’s face, it means that he or she conducts a face-threatening act (FTA). In other words, speakers should pay attention to others’ feeling, for example, by being friendly or respecting others, trying not to insult or threaten someone’s feeling in order to avoid embarrassing other persons or making them feel uncomfortable. Accordingly, it is indeed important to learn politeness strategies in order to lessen the threats and save someone’s face.

However, in accordance with English language learning, particularly for ESL or EFL learners, problems may appear in the acquisition of politeness devices of a language, specifically English language in this case. English learners still often face difficulties in choosing the most appropriate expression or utterance to express what they want to say in English, politely. As a result, when having conversation with others, sometimes their English language still sounds comical and strange. Moreover, it might lead to misunderstanding in conversation. These problems might happen due to some reasons. First, the different concepts of politeness found in the target language. In Indonesian community, the most frequent ESL learners’ response to a compliment is denial. For example, a native speaker says, “You are good at English.” and the ESL learner answers, “No, no that’s not true.” This kind of response is uncommon in English community, or even considered impolite. They tend to regard this response as a kind of disagreement (Daikuhara, 1986: 121). Second, EFL or ESL learners’ production

of appropriate expressions is sometimes still influenced by their L1 knowledge and culture background (http://www.cc.mie-u.ac.jp/~lq20106/eg5000/master2001-2.html). Third, ESL or EFL learners are still less aware of sociolinguistic competence, which means understanding the social context in which language is used, such as the roles of the participants, the information they share, and the function of the interaction (http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/June_06_mcy.php).

In accordance with the issues and significance of politeness strategies elaborated above, it is perfectly clear that the acquisition of politeness strategies certainly could support English teaching and learning. Therefore, it is indeed interesting to investigate politeness strategies because it is not simple as a matter of saying “please” or “thank you” in the right place. In fact, it needs to understand about social distance, power, and many more. This study, therefore, is aimed at observing and analyzing the application of politeness strategies in conversation by applying the politeness strategies model proposed by Brown and Levinson. They are Bald on Record, Positive Politeness, Negative Politeness, and Off Record.

The writer analyzes the use of politeness strategies in movie, not in a group of people, class, novel, or song, because here in this study the writer wants to show that by watching movie can be another good way or media to learn about sociolinguistics, especially politeness strategies.

The writer choseThank You for Smokingas the source of her data. It tells about a chief spokesperson for the Academy of Tobacco Studies named Nick Naylor who is talented in speaking and spinning argument to defend the cigarette

industry in public. It is chosen because of the writer’s considerations that first, in the beginning, the writer has decided to find a film that is simple or not serious so that it is good to watch and learn. Hence, the writer choseThank You for Smoking. Second, it is a comedy-drama film satire, so definitely it describes a daily life: how the relationship between parents and child, between close friends, between employer and employee, and how the characters often express their intended meanings by giving hints (Off Record), or even telling straightforwardly (Bald on Record). Many conflicts or problems, and intentions frequently happen. Hence, this film certainly contains many various politeness expressions.

Accordingly, the writer is truly eager to observe and analyze the use of politeness strategies and find out what factors that may influence the use of politeness strategies produced by the main characters ofThank You for Smokingin their conversations by applying Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies. Moreover, the writer believes that acquiring politeness strategies could assist English learners to be able to speak English more polite and appropriate in different social contexts.

B. Problem Formulation

The question to be answered in this study is formulated as follows.

1. How do the main characters of Thank You for Smoking use the politeness strategies in their conversations?

2. What are the factors influencing the use of politeness strategies produced by the main characters ofThank You for Smoking?

C. Problem Limitation

This study is limited only to the use of politeness strategies of the main characters of Thank You for Smoking. There are six main characters. They are Nick Naylor, Joey (Nick’s son), Polly Bailey (Nick’s best friend), BR (Nick’s boss), Jill (Nick’s ex-wife), and Senator Ortolan Finisterre (Nick’s rival). It is chosen because of the writer’s consideration that they play the important roles in the movie. Therefore, they certainly have more portions in conversations than the other characters. Besides, they experience various things and face many kinds of conflicts dealing with expressing or revealing their feelings or thoughts.

D. Research Objectives

There are two objectives that will be gained in this study. The first objective of this study is to know how the main characters of Thank You for Smokinguse the politeness strategies in their conversations. The second objective is to find out what factors that may influence the use of politeness strategies produced by the main characters ofThank You for Smoking.

E. Research Benefits

The writer believes that first, this study will encourage English teachers or lecturers to be able to create kind of exercises not only focusing more on the grammatical aspects but also the sociolinguistic aspects. Second, it will make English learners more aware of sociolinguistic competences, especially politeness strategies and assist them to be capable of applying English expressions politely.

F. Definition of Terms

In order to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation, the writer feels that it is necessary to define some terms that will be used in this study. The definitions are as follows.

1. Politeness Strategies

According to Brown and Levinson (1987: 68), politeness strategies are used to formulate messages in order to save the hearer’s face when face-threatening acts are inevitable or desired. They propose four kinds of strategies. They are Bald on Record strategy (direct strategy), Positive Politeness (solidarity strategy), Negative Politeness (deference strategy), and Off Record strategy (indirect strategy). Politeness strategies in this study are therefore dealing with the use of language or the way of talking of the main characters by considering those five strategies in order to minimize face threat or smooth their intentions or requests when they are engaging in conversations.

2. Positive face and Negative face

The term face may be defined as the positive social value a person effectively claims for himself by the line others assume he has taken during a particular contact (Goffman 1967: 5). Meanwhile, Brown and Levinson state that face is the public self-image that every member of society wants to claim for himself (1987: 61). They then divided face into two separate, but related aspects, namely positive face and negative face. Tracy explains that positive face concerns the desire to be appreciated and approved of by selected others. Negative face

concerns a person’s want to be unimpeded and free from imposition (1990: 210). In this study, positive face is dealing with the main characters’ wants to be loved by others, for instance, by being appreciated or approved of when involving in conversations. Meanwhile, negative face is defined as the main characters’ feelings or wants not to be imposed by others in conversation.

3. FTA (Face Threatening Act)

If a person says something that represents a threat to another individual’s expectations regarding self-image, it is regarded as face threatening act (Yules, 1996: 61). Face threatening acts, in this study, are concerned with the main characters’ acts that may threaten either the positive or the negative face of their interlocutor.

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter consists of two parts. The first part is Theoretical Description. This part comprises brief discussions of basic theories of Pragmatics, Speech Acts, Sociolinguistics, and Politeness. The second part is the Theoretical Framework. It discusses the framework for identifying and analyzing the politeness strategies used by the main characters ofThank You for Smoking.

A. Theoretical Description

In this section, the writer would like to discuss four parts. The first part is Pragmatics. In this part, the writer will discuss the understanding of Pragmatics. It is significant to discuss since the writer will only focus on the conversation, so it will closely deal with analyzing meaning in context (Pragmatics). The second part is Speech Acts. In this part, the writer would like to discuss the theory of Speech Acts. The theory of Speech Acts cannot be separated from Pragmatics, for it concerns more on language use on communication. The third part is Sociolinguistics. It is quite significant to discuss the understanding of Sociolinguistics, since Politeness Strategies are under the scope of Sociolinguistics. In the last part, the writer would like to discuss Politeness Strategies, for the analysis and discussion of this study would emphasize on the application of the politeness strategies inThank You for Smoking.

Those theories above would be used to establish the framework of identifying and analyzing the politeness strategies inThank You for Smoking.

1. Pragmatics

Levinson (1983: 8) states that Pragmatics is the study of those relations (language structure and principles of language usage) between language and context that are grammaticalized, or encoded in the structure of a language. Meanwhile Leech, as quoted by Nirmala Sari, states that pragmatics is the study of how language is used to communicate. It concerns itself with how people use language within context and why they use language in particular ways (1992: 19). In everyday conversation, usually a speaker will communicate not only explicitly but also implicitly. The speaker will modify his utterance in order to get successful communication, for instance, using indirect speech, imperative speech, etc. To do this, the speaker always pays attention carefully to the context of speaking. Meanwhile, the hearer will interpret or infer what the speaker implies as well as possible in order to avoid miscommunication and to maintain a smooth conversation.

a. Context of Speaking

According to Nirmala Sari, context can be divided into four subparts. The first one is called physical context that is where the conversation takes place, what objects present, and what actions take place. The second one which is called an epistemic context covers background knowledge shared by the speakers and the hearers. Third, there is a linguistics context which concerns with how the hearer interprets the speaker’s previous utterances. Finally, the fourth context which is illustrated in the social relationship and setting of the speakers and hearers is called a social context (1992: 20).

In order to build a smooth conversation, thus it is quite significant to pay attention to the context of speaking. For example, when we talk to an elementary student about global warming, we are supposed to use simple words instead of using scientific words. In other words, modifying our utterances by avoiding scientific words means that we comprehend the background knowledge of that person. In fact, the conversation could run well. The elementary student will get more interested in our explanation. Furthermore, Leech (1992: 14) clearly puts forward that:

Categories and rules are set of conventions governing language use that preserves its integrity by requiring us, among other things, to be honest in its use, to have evidence for what we say relevant to the speech context.

What is interesting about these conventions is that they were never officially proposed and voted to anybody, but instead have emerged naturally. Besides, we learn then in much the same way we learn most social rules, that is, by trial and error.

Indeed, pragmatics is closely related to the use of language in conversation, which becomes the focus of this study. In other words, it has to do with the way we use language to communicate rather than the way language is structured internally. Therefore, by paying attention carefully to the meaning in context or the context of speaking in conversation, someone will be able to express meaningful utterances and interpret utterances correctly. It is one of the ways to being polite in order to make someone else more comfortable and respected (Politeness).

2. Speech Acts

John Searle, one of the Austin’s students, developed and extended Austin’s ideas by assuming that all utterances, not just those containing performative verbs, constitutes acts (1987a: 54). Furthermore, Searle states that every speech act consists of three separate acts, namely an act of saying something, an act of doing something, and an act of affecting someone (1987b: 59). Further, in order to investigate these three different components, Searle adopted the following terminologies from Austin:

a. Locutionary, Illocutionary, Perlocutionary acts 1) Locutionary Act

This act contains a description of what the speaker says about something. The speaker will simply utter his or her sentence from a language. Therefore, this act contains a description of what the speaker says, or could be perceived as the literal meaning of the utterance. For example, if a pupil says to a teacher or sends a note,

“It is hot in here,” the locutionary meaning would concern the warm temperature of the classroom which means it is indeed really hot in here.

2) Illocutionary Act

This act contains of the speaker’s intention to do something, by uttering sentence. In other words, this act is the social function of what is said. Illocutionary acts consist of act of stating, promising, apologizing, threatening, predicting, ordering, complaining, refusing, and act of requesting. For example, “It's hot in here”. The illocutionary meaning or function of that expression may be an indirect request for someone to open the window or turn down the heat.

3) Perlocutionary Act

This is the effect on the hearer of what the speaker says. Since this act concerns on the hearer’s point of view, perlocutionary act would include such effects as persuading, embarrassing, intimidating, boring, imitating, or inspiring the hearer (Searle, 1987). For example, if your boyfriend says to you ten times in five minutes, “Hurry up, Honey, we’re going to be late for the party” then, illocutionary meaning of this utterance is maybe one of urging. However, it can also be observed that the utterance above has a perlocutionary, that is, the act of irritating because the utterance is expressed emphatically, or repeatedly.

b. Classification of Illocutionary Speech Acts

Searle has set up the following classification of illocutionary speech acts: 1) Assertives

Speech acts that commit a speaker to the truth of the expressed proposition, e.g. reciting a creed.

2) Directives

Speech acts that cause the hearer to take a particular action, e.g. requests, commands, and advice.

3) Commissives

Speech acts that commit a speaker to some future action, e.g. promises and oaths.

4) Expressives

Speech acts that express the speaker's attitudes and emotions towards the proposition, e.g. congratulations, excuses, and thanks.

5) Declarations

Speech acts that change the reality in accord with the proposition of the declaration, e.g. baptisms, pronouncing someone guilty or pronouncing someone husband and wife.

Referring to the discussion on pragmatics, speech acts and their component acts cannot be separated from the term of context. They have tight relationship. They influence each other. Meaning to say, they are extremely sensitive to the context of speaking, particularly to the relationship between the speaker and the hearer. For example, “You’d better do your homework”. It should be noted that the context of speaking would be able to influence the illocutionary act and perlocutionary act of the utterance. For instance , if a father utters that sentence to his school-age son, then illocutionary act might be one of ordering, and the perlocutionary act might be one of irritating (if that sentence is uttered for many times). Both of those acts will change depend on the context of speaking.

3. Sociolinguistics

Sociolinguistics studies the relationship between language and society. They are interested in explaining why we speak differently in different social contexts, and they are concerned with identifying the social functions of language and the ways it is used to convey social meaning (Holmes, 2001: 1). Based on the

definition, there are several factors that take in this field. The factors are the social backgrounds of both the speaker and the addressee (for example age, social class, and ethnic background), the relationship between the speaker and the addressee (good friends or parent-child), and the context and manner of the interaction (in church, school, loudly, or whispering). These factors are closely related to the understanding of the structure and function of the language used.

Llmas and Stockwell (2009: 21) give more specific definition of sociolinguistics, the study of the linguistic indicators of culture and power. The definition focuses on language as well as linguistic tools (grammar, vocabulary, corpus linguistic, discourse analysis, and pragmatics). Besides, it also concerns on the influence of several social factors such as ethnicity, gender, ideology, and social rank on language events. Considering this definition, sociolinguistics then principally focuses on language use.

As it mainly concerns on language use, the majority of sociolinguistics studies then presented in a form of description. The goal of sociolinguistic studies involves scientific objectivity. Most studies deal with the description of social aspects of language in real world.

Finally, Llmas and Stockwell (2009: 21) define sociolinguistics as the study of language variation and change. They argue, “Societies differ from each other and change over time.” Language is part of societies and grows along with the processes. Therefore, all linguistic tools may be extended along with the process of the two dimensions: language variation and change.

a. Language Choice

Language choice is part of Sociolinguistics that deals with the code choice in certain society. Wardaugh (2002: 87) mentions the term code to indicate language and a variety of language. Code is considered as neutral because it refers to “any kind of system that two or more people employ for communication.” As a matter of fact, there are a lot of codes that exist in social life. Some people even use various codes in various circumstances. Holmes (2001:7) says that people may select different languages according to the situation in which they are speaking.

The selection of language itself also cannot be separated from the influence of social factors. Holmes (2001:8) mentions four social factors that deal with language choice. They are the participants, the setting or social context of interaction, the topic, and the function. The participants consist of the speaker and the addressee. The setting includes where they are speaking. The topic contains what is being talked about. Finally, the function includes why they are speaking.

b. Domain

Related to those social factors, Holmes (2001:21) mentions the term domain in language use. A domain involves typical interactions between typical participants in typical settings. This is like a useful way in describing language choice in a society by putting the social factors into the points-to be-considered. For example, when imagining a typical family the typical participants are family members, the typical topics are family activities, and the setting is at home. Another example is a religion domain has priest as the addressee, church as the

setting, and choosing the Sunday liturgy as the topic (Holmes, 2001: 22). The next step of those two examples, then, is deciding what variety or code is going to be chosen.

The examples above illustrate that domain exemplifies three social factors in code choice: participants, setting, and topic. Holmes (2001: 23) states that domain is useful for capturing broad generalizations about any speech community because the information about the domains of use in a community enables people to draw the model of the norms of language use. This is useful for bilingual and multilingual speech communities. Yet, Holmes adds, sometimes, the components of a domain are not congruent. For example, people discuss a particular work or school at home using the language in those domains rather than the language of the family domain.

The situation cannot put domain as an effective way on language choice. Hence, Holmes (2001: 25) mentions other social factors influencing code choice. First is the social distance, whether the speakers are friends, strangers, brothers, or relatives. It is relevant when both participants share more than one variety. Speaker then will use different codes to different addressees. Second is the status relationship among people. A high-status person and a low-status person may use different language in many contexts. Social role can be an important factor contributing to status. Somebody will speak different code when becoming a father, another code when acting as a teacher, and different code when acting as a customer in a market. Third is formality. The formality of an event will affect certain code choice. For example, in church, at a formal ceremony, the appropriate

variety will be different from the code used in the church porch. Another example is the codes used for radio lecture will be different from those used for adverts. Fourth is function or goal of the interaction. For certain function, people use different language, whether it is standard or vernacular. For example, when applying for a job, a person will use the best standard written language on the application form and formal standard spoken language on the interview. However, when talking to his friends, he will use less formal spoken language. Furthermore, Shumin(1997)states that:

Learning to speak a foreign language requires more than knowing its grammatical and semantic rules, learners must also acquire the knowledge of how native speakers use the language in the context of structured interpersonal exchange. Besides, it involves understanding not just the language, but also the social and cultural values of the community.

Accordingly, people should pay attention to the sociolinguistic aspects when they want to express or understand utterances in conversation. In other words, using language appropriately in communication involves knowing when to speak or when to be silent, knowing how to choose appropriate linguistic code (language choice), learning to take account of who you are talking to, etc. It is one of the ways to being polite in order to make someone else more comfortable and respected (Politeness).

4. Politeness

In this part, the writer discusses five things concerning on politeness. They are theory of politeness, positive and negative face, face threatening acts, politeness strategies, and scale of politeness.

a. Politeness

Politeness refers to behavior which actively expresses positive concern for others, as well as non-imposing distancing behavior. In other words, politeness may take the form of an expression of good-will or ‘camaraderie’ (Holmes, 1996: 5). Meanwhile, Brown and Levinson (1987: 60) states that politeness is related to the psychological state, something that is emotionally invested and that can be lost, maintained, or enhanced, and must be constantly attended to in interaction. In addition, Leech’s view of politeness involves a set of politeness maxims analogous to Grice’s maxims. Among these are (Leech, 1983:132) tact, generosity, approbation, modesty, agreement, and sympathy. These maxims vary from culture to culture. What may be considered polite in one culture may be strange or downright rude in another.

From the explanations above, it can be said that being polite means paying attention to others’ feeling. This could be gained by being friendly or respecting them. This will avoid us insulting or threatening someone’s feeling. Hence, it is indeed expected that when we engage in a conversation, we should present more positive concern toward people we are talking to rather than the negative one in order to maintain successful and meaningful interaction.

b. Positive and Negative Faces

Face is the “public self-image that a person wants for himself (Brown and Levinson, 1987: 61-62). They defined positive face two ways: as "the want of every member that his wants be desirable to at least some others", or alternately,

"the positive consistent self-image or 'personality' (crucially including the desire that this self-image be appreciated and approved of) claimed by interactants. Negative face was defined as "the want of every 'competent adult member' that his actions be unimpeded by others", or "the basic claim to territories, personal preserves, rights to non-distraction--i.e. the freedom of action and freedom from imposition".

Further, Brown characterized positive face by desires to be liked, admired, ratified, and related to positively, nothing that one would threaten positive face by ignoring someone. At the same time, he characterized negative face by the desire not to be imposed upon, noting that negative face could be impinged upon by imposing on someone. Positive Face refers to one's self-esteem, while negative face refers to one's freedom to act. The two aspects of face are the basic wants in any social interaction, and so during any social interaction.

c. Face-Threatening Acts

Brown and Levinson (1987) state that positive and negative faces exist universally in human culture. In social interactions, face-threatening acts are at times inevitable based on the terms of the conversation. A face threatening act is an act that inherently damages the face of the addressee or the speaker by acting in opposition to the wants and desires of the other. Most of these acts are verbal, however, they can also be conveyed in the characteristics of speech (such as tone, inflection, etc) or in non-verbal forms of communication.

The threats to negative face might take the forms of orders, requests, suggestions, and advice. They potentially damage an individual’s autonomy. In contrast, disapproval, disagreement, accusation, and interruptions are threats to positive face, which potentially lower an individual’s self and social esteem. To lessen the threats and save face, people need politeness. It arises as a strategy speakers need to know in order to fight against face threatening acts and guarantee safety in conversation (Bernier, 2001).

d. Politeness Strategies

Brown and Levinson (1987: 60) outline four main types of politeness strategies: bald on-record, negative politeness, positive politeness, and off-record (indirect). The more an act threatens the speaker or hearer´s face, the more the speaker wants to choose a `higher-numbered´ strategy. The choice may be schematized follow.

Super-strategies of politeness ordered against estimated risk of face loss (Brown and Levinson, 1987: 60)

1) Bald On-record

Bald on-record strategies usually do not attempt to minimize the threat to the hearer’s face, although there are ways that bald on-record politeness can be used in trying to minimize FTAs implicitly. Often using such a strategy will shock or embarrass the addressee, and so this strategy is most often utilized in situations where the speaker has a close relationship with the audience, such as family or close friends. Brown and Levinson (1987: 94-98) outline various cases, in which one might use the bald on-record strategy, including:

 Instances in which threat minimizing does not occur  Great urgency or desperation:Watch out!

 Speaking as if great efficiency is necessary:Hear me out:...

 Task-oriented:Pass me the hammer.

 Little or no desire to maintain someone's face:Don't forget to clean the blinds!

 Doing the FTA is in the interest of the hearer:Your headlights are on!

 Instances in which the threat is minimized implicitly  Welcomes:Come in.

 Offers:Leave it, I'll clean up later, Eat!

2) Positive Politeness

Positive politeness strategies seek to minimize the threat to the hearer’s positive face. They are used to make the hearer feel good about himself, his interests or possessions, and are most usually used in situations where the audience knows each other fairly well. In addition to hedging and attempts to

avoid conflict, some strategies of positive politeness include statements of friendship, solidarity, compliments, etc.

The following fifteen strategies are addressed to positive face and are thus examples of positive politeness (Watts, 2003: 89-90):

(1)Notice, attend to H (her/his interests, wants, needs, goods, etc.: (strategy 1)Jim, you’re really good at solving computer problems.

→(FTA) I wonder if you could just help me with a little formatting problem I’ve got.

(2)Exaggerate (interest, approval, sympathy with H):

(strategy 2) Good old Jim. Just the man I wanted to see. I knew I’d find you here.

→(FTA) Could you spare me a couple of minutes?

(3)Intensify interest to the hearer in the speaker’s contribution:

(strategy 3) You’ll never guess what Fred told me last night. This is right up your street.

→(FTA) [begins a narrative]

(4)Use in-group identity markers in speech:

(strategy 4) Here’s my old mate Fred. How are you doing today, mate?

→(FTA) Could you give us a hand to get this car to start? (5)Seek agreement in safe topics:

(strategy 5) I agree. Right. Manchester United played really badly last night, didn’t they?

(6)Avoid disagreement:

(strategy 6) Well, in a way, I suppose you’re sort of right. But look at it like this.

→(FTA) Why don’t you . . .?

(7)Presuppose, raise, assert common ground:

(strategy 7) People like me and you, Bill, don’t like being pushed around like that, do we?

→(FTA) Why don’t you go and complain? (8)Joke to put the hearer at ease:

(strategy 8) A: Great summer we’re having. It’s only rained five times a week on average.

B: Yeah, terrible, isn’t it?

A:→(FTA) Could I ask you for a favour?

(9)Assert or presuppose knowledge of and concern for hearer’s wants:

(strategy 9) I know you like marshmallows, so I’ve brought you home a whole box of them.

→(FTA) I wonder if I could ask you for a favor . . . (10)Offer, promise:

(strategy 10)I’ll take you out to dinner on Saturday

→(FTA) if you’ll cook the dinner this evening.

(11)Be optimistic that the hearer wants what the speaker wants, i.e. that the FTA is slight:

→(FTA) so, if I were you, I wouldn’t cut your lawn back so short. (12)Include both S and H in the activity:

(strategy 12) I’m feeling really hungry.Let’s stop for a bite.

(FTA = S wants to stop and have something to eat and wants to get H to agree to do this)

(13)Give or ask for reasons:

(strategy 13)I think you’ve had a bit too much to drink, Jim.

→(FTA) Why not stay at our place this evening? (14)Assert reciprocal exchange or tit for tat:4 Dad,

→(FTA) if you help me with my math homework, (strategy 14) I’ll mow the lawn after school tomorrow.

(15)Give gifts to H (goods, sympathy, understanding, cooperation): A: (strategy 15)Have a glass of malt whisky, Dick.

B: Terrific! Thanks.

3) Negative Politeness

Negative politeness strategies are oriented towards the hearer’s negative face and emphasize avoidance of imposition on the hearer. These strategies presume that the speaker will be imposing on the listener and there is a higher potential for awkwardness or embarrassment than in bald on record strategies and positive politeness strategies. There are ten substrategies addressed to the hearer’s negative face (Watts, 2003: 90-91):

(1)Be conventionally indirect:

(strategy 1)Could you tell me the time, please?

(2)Do not assume willingness to comply. Question, hedge:

(strategy 2) I wonder whether I couldjust sort ofask you alittlequestion. (3)Be pessimistic about ability or willingness to comply. Use the subjunctive:

(strategy 3) If you had a little time to sparefor me this afternoon, I’d like to talk about my paper.

(4)Minimize the imposition:

(strategy 4) Could I talk to youfor just a minute? (5)Give deference:

(strategy 5) (to a police constable) Excuse me, officer. I think I might have parked in the wrong place.

(6)Apologies:

(strategy 6)Sorry to bother you, but . . .

(7)Impersonalize the speaker and the hearer. Avoid the pronounsIandyou: (strategy 7)

A:That car’s parked in a no-parking area. B: It’s mine, officer.

A:Well, it’ll have to have a parking ticket. (8)State the FTA as an instance of a general rule:

(strategy 8)Parking on the double yellow lines is illegal, so

→(FTA) I’m going to have to give you a fine. (9)Nominalise to distance the actor and add formality:

(strategy 9) Participation in an illegal demonstration is punishable by law.

→(FTA) Could I have your name and address, madam? (10)Go on record as incurring a debt, or as not indebting H:

→(FTA) If you could just sort out a problem I’ve got with my formatting, (strategy 10)I’ll buy you a beer at lunchtime.

4) Off-record (indirect)

The final politeness strategy outlined by Brown and Levinson is the indirect strategy. This strategy uses indirect language and removes the speaker from the potential to being imposing. For example, a speaker using the indirect strategy might merely say, “Wow, it’s getting cold in here” insinuating that it would be nice if the listener would get up and turn up the thermostat without directly asking the listener to do so. In other words, Off Record is an indirect politeness strategy in which the speaker says something that can be interpreted in more than one way. It depends on the hearer’s ability to decide the real meaning. There are fifteen strategies of Off Record (Brown and Levinson, 1987: 211-227):

(1) Give hints

S says something that is not explicitly relevant, he/ she invites H to search for an interpretation of the possible relevance.

Example:

1. “This soup’s a bit bland” (Pass the salt) 2. “What a boring movie!” (Let’s leave)

(2) Give association clues

S gives a related kind of implicature triggered by relevance violations that is provided by mentioning something associated with the act required of H, either by precedent in S-H’s experience or by mutual knowledge irrespective of their interactional experience. Example:

1. “My house isn’t very far away” (Please come visit me) 2. “Are you going to market tomorrow?” (Give me a ride there) (3) Presuppose

By implicating something, S forces H to search for the relevance of the presupposed prior event. Example:

1. “John’s in the bathtub yet again” 2. “It was not me that did it” (4) Understate

S understates what he/ she actually wants to say. In the case of a criticism, S avoids the lower points of the scale, and in the case of compliment, or admission, S avoids the upper points. Example:

1. A: “How do you like Josephine’s new haircut? B: “It’s OK.” (I didn’t like it)

2. “It’s not half bad.” ( S thinks it’s surprisingly good) (5) Overstate

S exaggerates or chooses a point on a scale which is higher than the actual state of affairs.

1. “I tried to call a hundred times, but there was never any answer.” 2. “You never do the washing up.”

The use of hundred and never in those examples above exaggerates a point of scale which is higher than the actual state of affairs.

(6) Use tautologies

By uttering a tautology, S encourages H to look for an informative interpretation of the non-informative utterance.

Example:

1. “War is war”.

2. “Boys will be boys”. (7) Use contradiction

By stating two things that contradict each other, S makes it appear that he/ she cannot be telling the truth. He/ she, thus, encourages H to look for an interpretation that reconciles the two contradictory propositions. Example: 1. A: “Are you upset about that?”

B: “Well, I am and I’m not”

2. “Well, John is here and he’ isn’t here.”

In the first example, it can be seen that the speaker cannot tell the truth because he/ she said, “I am and I’m not”, here he/ she encourages the hearer to look for an interpretation that reconciles the two contradictory propositions. The second example is the same, the speaker said,“John is here and he’ isn’t here.” here the speaker forces the hearer to interpret whether John was really there or not.

(8) Be ironic

By saying the opposite of what he/ she means, S can indirectly convey his/ her intended meaning, if there are clues that his/ her intended meaning is being conveyed indirectly. Example:

1. “John’s a real genius” (after John has just done twenty stupid things in a row)

2. “Lovely neighborhood, eh?” ( in a slum) (9) Use metaphors

S uses metaphors and makes H interpret his/ her intended meaning by him/herself. Example:

1. “Harry’s a red fish” (He drinks/ swims/ is cold-blooded like a fish) (10) Use rhetorical questions

S asks a question with no intention of obtaining an answer. Questions that leave their answers hanging in the air, implicated, may be used to do FTAs. Example:

1. “How many times do I have to tell you?” (Too many) 2. “What can I say?” (Nothing, it’s so bad)

(11) Be ambiguous

S makes purposeful ambiguity which may be achieved through metaphor and lets H to guess what he/ she means. Example:

1. “John’s a pretty smooth cookie”

The meaning of the speaker is not clear, that is why he/ she lets the hearer to guess what he/ she actually means.

(12) Be vague

S may go off record with an FTA by being vague about who the object of the FTA is, or what the offence is.

Example:

1. “Looks like someone may have had too much to drink”. (vague understatement)

2. “I’m going down the road for a bit.” (to the local pub)

The speaker’s object is vague so that it can also be used as a criticism. (13) Over generalize

S utters a rule instantiation which may leave the object of the FTA vaguely off record. Then, H has the choice of deciding whether the general rule applies to him/ her, in this case.

Example:

1. “If that door is shut completely, it sticks” 2. “The lawn has got to be mown.”

(14) Displace H

S may go off record as to who the target for his FTA is, or he/ she may pretend to address the FTA to, someone whom it wouldn’t threaten, and hope that the real target will see that the FTA is aimed him/ her.

Example: A secretary in an office asks another – but with negative politeness – to pass the stapler, in circumstances where a professor is much nearer to the stapler than the other secretary. His face is not threatened and he can choose to do it himself as a bonus“free gift”

(15) Be incomplete, use ellipsis

By purposefully not finishing his/ her utterance and leaving an FTA half undone, S can leave the implicature “hanging in the air”, just as with rhetorical questions. Example:

1. “Well, if one leaves one’s tea on the wobbly table...” 2. “Well, I didn’t see you...”

From the examples above, it can be seen that, the speaker leaves the implicature “hanging in the air”, he/ she does not finish his/ her utterance. Meanwhile, Leech’s view of politeness involves a set of politeness maxims analogous to Grice’s maxims. Among these are (Leech, 1983:132) tact, generosity, approbation, modesty, agreement, and sympathy. These maxims vary from culture to culture. What may be considered polite in one culture may be strange or downright rude in another.

e. Socio-cultural Variables of Brown and Levinson’s Model

In trying to define the principles of polite speech, Brown and Levinson (1987: 74) propose that the choice of a particular strategy - whether it is polite or impolite - is constrained by important contextual factors relating to both speaker and hearer. These contextual factors include the ranking of the imposition of the act itself, the relative power of the hearer over the speaker, and the social distance between speaker and hearer. These constraints, which are the universal determinants of politeness levels in speech acts, specify the particular verbal strategy employed to accomplish the repair work of politeness.

1) Social Distance

The social distance between the speaker and the hearer will determine the degree of politeness which is used to communicate between them. When the social distance between the speakers is getting far, the degree of politeness that they use will be higher. On the contrary, when the social distance between the speakers is close, the degree of politeness that they use will be lower. The social distance between them is determined by the age, sex, and socio-cultural background.

2) Power

The power owned by the speaker will determine the degree of politeness when he or she is speaking to the hearer. When the speaker possesses higher power than the hearer, the degree of politeness will be lower when he or she is speaking to the hearer. Meanwhile, if the speaker possesses lower power than the hearer, the degree of politeness will be higher when they are speaking, for instance, when a boss speaks to his people. Although he is still younger than his people he may speak to them who are older than him with rather impolite way. It might be like someone talks to his close friend.

3) Imposition

Imposition refers to the imposition of the act itself. When the speaker shows the greater FTA, thus the imposition is getting greater as well. As a result, usually the speaker will apply high positive politeness strategy toward the hearer. For example, asking someone to borrow a quarter would not be as great an imposition as asking that person to borrow one hundred dollars. Imposition covers every

action (by this we also mean speech acts) which threatens the addressee’s autonomy and freedom of action and usually is conveyed in the form of an order.

B. Theoretical Framework

This study particularly aims at observing and analyzing the use of politeness strategies which are produced by the main characters of Thank You for Smoking in their conversations, and then finding out what factors that may influence their use of politeness strategies by applying the model of Brown and Levinson.

The result of this study would be a description of the use of the politeness strategies employed by the main characters of Thank You for Smoking in their conversations. In order to identify and analyze the use of politeness strategies in

Thank You for Smoking, some related theories have been presented previously. Since the focus of this study is the use of politeness strategies employed by the main characters in their conversations, it is obvious that it would be related to understanding many various utterances in conversation or the use of language in conversation. In other words, firstly the writer indeed needs to comprehend the meaning of the characters’ utterances in context (Pragmatics).

Further, the writer presented the theory of speech acts, the category of speech acts, and the classification of illocutionary acts. As stated by Searle that all utterances, not just those containing performative verbs, constitute acts. This means that every utterance people say might imply a kind of stating, ordering, requesting, or even imposing, etc. In addition, speech acts cannot be separated

from pragmatics and politeness. They really influence each other. In other words, it is obvious that one utterance could convey one or more than one speech acts or meaning. Those acts would be able to change depending on the context of speaking. Thus, without understanding meaning in context and speech acts of utterances, it would be difficult to classify the utterances into the politeness strategies.

The theories of sociolinguistics, namely language choice and domain were also presented in this study, since politeness strategies are under the scope of sociolinguistics. Thus, speaking politely is absolutely dealing with sociolinguistic aspects. People try to respect others by choosing the most appropriate linguistic choice when they speak to different people (parents/ good friends/ boss), or in different situations or domains (office, church, interview, family activities, etc) in order to construct smooth conversation and being polite. Furthermore, the selection of language choice in conversation is extremely influenced by some factors. They are the social backgrounds of both the speaker and the addressee, the relationship between the speaker and the addressee, and the context and manner of the interaction.

In chapter two, the writer presented politeness strategies model proposed by Brown and Levinson in order to be able to answer the first research question stated in chapter one; How do the main characters ofThank You for Smokinguse the politeness strategies in their conversations? The writer applied the politeness strategies of Brown and Levinson, due to their more detailed and understandable explanation of politeness strategies. Therefore, after understanding the meaning of

each utterance, the writer classified the utterances into four kinds of politeness strategies, namely Bald on Record, Positive Politeness, Negative Politeness, and Off Record.

In addition, the writer also took socio-cultural variables of Brown and Levinson’s Model into account. Those variables were also combined with sociolinguistic aspect, namely the social dimensions proposed by Holmes. By comprehending the social factors of politeness, the writer could easily solve the second research question that is finding out what factors that may influence the use of politeness strategies produced by the main characters of Thank You for Smoking.

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the discussion of methodology used to gain the data of this research. It is divided into six parts. The first part is Research Method. It describes how the research data will be observed and how research problem will be answered. The second part is Research Subject. It explains the center of the research, who or what is going to be observed in the whole research. The third part is Research Instruments. It illustrates the tool used to gather the data. The fourth part is Data Gathering Technique. It exemplifies the process of gathering the data. The fifth part is Data Analysis Technique. It describes how the writer analyzes the data. Finally, Research Procedure mentions and explains the steps of conducting the research.

A. Research Method

Since this research was dealing with how people speak or modify their utterances in conversations, the writer conducted a qualitative research. It is in line with the definition of qualitative research from Ary, Jacobs, and Razavieh that qualitative research focuses on understanding social phenomena from the perspective of the human participants in the study. It provides narrative description and interpretation rather than a numerical analysis of data (2002a: 22-25). In addition, since this research attempted to investigate the use of politeness strategies in movie (the first research question), the writer applied a document

analysis method in this research. Ary, Jacobs, and Razavieh (2002b: 442) define content or document analysis as a research method applied to written or visual materials for the purpose of identifying specified characteristics of the materials. The materials could be textbooks, newspapers, speeches, television programs, advertisements, musical compositions, or any of a host other types of documents. Accordingly, the document applied and analyzed in this research was the script of

Thank You for Smoking, and the analysis result was narrative description and interpretation of the use of politeness strategies applied by the main characters of

Thank You for Smoking. Furthermore, the analysis result was analyzed in order to find out what factors may influence their use of politeness strategies (the second research question).

B. Research Subject

The subject of the research was the use of politeness strategies of the six main characters of Thank You for Smoking whose utterances were taken as the data of this research. Therefore, the writer only focused on the conversations of those six main characters. The total number of conversations in this investigation is 261 and divided into 30 Speech Acts. First is Aaron Eckhart as Nick Naylor, the Vice President and chief spokesmen for the Academy of Tobacco studies. Second is Cameron Bright as Joey Naylor, Nick's son. Third is Maria Bello as Polly Bailey, Nick’s best friend. She works in alcohol business. Fourth is William H. Macy as Senator Ortolan Finisterre, a liberal Democratic senator from Vermont who is trying to get the skull and bones picture put on cigarette packs, J.K. Fifth is

Simmons as "BR", Nick's boss at the Academy. The last is Kim Dickens as Jill Naylor, Nick’s ex wife. They are the main characters who play the important roles in the movie. They have more portions in conversations than the other characters. Besides, they experience various things and face many kinds of conflicts dealing with expressing or revealing their feelings or thoughts (sadness, happiness, anger, disappointment, truth, lies, appointment, and many more). Thus, the writer could see how the main characters often modify their utterances in order to construct meaningful conversations, maintain their relationship (between father and his son, between boss and the employee, or among close friends), appreciate others (especially elderly people), or even impose someone else. It has to do with how they apply the politeness strategies in their conversations.

Thank You for Smokingis an American comedy-drama film satire directed by Jason Reitman and produced by David O Sacks in 2005. It is based on 1994 novel of the same name by Christopher Buckley. Thank You for Smoking tells about the Vice President and chief spokesman for the Academy of Tobacco Studies named Nick Naylor who is talented in speaking and spinning argument to defend the cigarette industry in public. Hence, Nick is always involved in debates with Senator Ortolan Finistirre from Health and Human Services who wants to propose the use of skull and crossed bones in the cigarette packs. Then, when the ambitious reporter, Heather Holloway betrays Nick, his life turns upside-down. However, by the support of his best friends and son, Nick can convince the public.

C. Research Instruments

The instruments of this research were three kinds of documents, namely the movie and the script of Thank You for Smoking, and the analysis result of the use of politeness strategies produced by the main characters of Thank You for Smoking. The former is called secondary instruments or documents, and then the latter is called human instrument or primary document. Ary, et al. (2005:435) said that documents could be personal such as diaries, official such as files, or documents of popular culture, such as books, etc. The movie and the script were certainly employed to solve the first research question, namely“How do the main characters of Thank You for Smoking use the politeness strategies in their conversations?, and the analysis result was employed to answer the second research question, namely “What are the factors influencing the use of politeness strategies produced by the main characters of Thank You for Smoking?”

D. Data Gathering Technique

The writer gathered the data by borrowing the DVD of Thank You for Smoking at Studio One movie rental shop and searching for Thank You for Smoking’s script in the internet, namely at www.simplyscript.com. There were many various English expressions or utterances contained in the conversations of

Thank You for Smoking. Further, the writer only elected and collected the expressions or utterances that were produced by the main characters in their conversations as the research data; Nick Naylor, Joey, BR-Nick’s boss, the senator Ortolan Finisterre, Polly Bailey, and Jill.

E. Data Analysis Technique

In this research, the writer applied three data analysis techniques. Firstly, the writer comprehended all expressions or utterances which were only produced by the main characters of Thank You for Smoking by observing how they try to convey their messages or intentions and how they response to their interlocutors in conversations. Second, the writer classified the expressions or utterances into four politeness strategies by employing Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies model. Lastly, the writer analyzed the analysis result or discussion of the use of politeness strategies in order to find out what factors that may influence their use of politeness strategies by applying the socio-cultural variables of Brown and Levinson’s model. In addition, this theory was also combined systematically with another theory that has been elaborated in chapter two, namely the social dimensions proposed by Holmes.

F. Research Procedure

The procedures that were conducted in this research were: 1. Watching the movie ofThank You for Smoking

Firstly, the writer borrowed the DVD of Thank You for Smoking at Studio One movie rental shop. After that, the writer watched the movie in order to understand the whole story ofThank You for Smoking. Then, the writer kept watching the movie continuously in order to obtain the meanings of each expression or utterance produced by the main characters that might employed politeness strategies.

2. Improving the script ofThank You for Smoking

The script of Thank You for Smoking which has been found by the writer from the internet still needed to be improved because the names of the characters were not available. Consequently, the writer had to recheck and complete the script so that the writer could know each utterance would go to which character.

3. Understanding the script ofThank You for Smoking

Afterwards, the writer read and understood the script while watching the movie repeatedly in order to comprehend the meaning of each utterance especially produced by the main characters. As stated previously in chapter two, in the speech acts part, that one utterance could convey more than one meanings or speech acts. Hence, it was quite significant to comprehend the meanings of each utterance first in order to avoid misinterpretation.

4. Analyzing and classifying the expressions or utterances into Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies model

In this step, by employing Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies model, the writer analyzed the expressions or utterances only produced by the main characters (Nick Naylor, Joey, BR-Nick’s boss, and the senator Ortolan Finisterre, Polly, and Jill) per speech act, and then classified them into four politeness strategies, namely Bald on Record, Positive Politeness, Negative Politeness, and Off-Record. Furthermore, the writer analyzed what

factors that may influence the use of politeness strategies by considering on the socio-cultural variables and sociolinguistic aspects.

5. Writing up the report

After the whole process of watching the movie, improving the script, understanding the script, analyzing, and classifying the data, the writer wrote the report. It was the result of the writer’s contemplation in comprehending and analyzing all information and characteristics contained in the data and theory. In the report, the writer illustrated her findings, which were kinds of politeness strategies that the main characters ofThank You for Smokingapplied in their conversation, and factors influencing their use of politeness strategies.

CHAPTER 4

RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the research findings and discussion in order to answer the two research questions having been formulated in chapter one. The first is the use of politeness strategies applied by the main characters ofThank You for Smoking. The second is the factors influencing the use of politeness strategies produced by the main characters ofThank You for Smokingin their conversations.

A. The Use of Politeness Strategies by the Main Characters

This section discusses how the the main characters of Thank You for Smoking use the politeness strategies in their conversations. They are Nick Naylor, Joey, Polly Bailey, BR, Jill, and Senator Ortolan Finisterre. The total number of dialogues in this investigation is 261 and divided into 30 Speech Acts.

Table 1: The Number of Each Character’s Dialogue Name of Character Number of Dialogue 1. Nick Naylor

2. Joey (Nick’s son) 3. BR (Nick’s boss)

4. Polly Bailey (Nick’s best friend) 5. Senator (Nick’s rival)

6. Jill (Nick’s ex-wife)

126 dialogues 41 dialogues 35 dialogues 29 dialogues 15 dialogues 15 dialogues

Total 261 dialogues

This discussion is based on the politeness strategies theory of Brown and Levinson. As stated by Brown and Levinson (1987: 91), there are four main types of politeness strategies, namely Bald on Record (direct), Negative Politeness, Positive Politeness, and Off Record (indirect). In Thank You for Smoking, it is noticed that all four types of politeness strategies are found. They are Bald on Record, Positive Politeness, Negative Politeness, and Off Record. What differentiates them is the frequency of occurrence and who employs it.

Table 2: The Number of Politeness Strategies Produced by the Main Characters

Politeness Strategies Dialogue of

Bald on Record

Positive Politeness

Off Record

Negative Politeness

Total

Nick 37 41 10 0 88

Boss 16 8 1 2 27

Polly 14 6 1 2 23

Joey 14 6 0 1 21

Senator 5 0 1 3 9

Jill 7 3 3 1 14

Total 93 64 16 9 182

It could be seen in Table 2 that the strategy appearing frequently is Bald on Record (93 times). This strategy frequently happens between them who have close relationship, which is between Nick and his boss (BR), between Nick and his best friend (Polly Bailey), between Nick and his son (Joey), between Nick and

his ex-wife (Jill), and even between Nick and his rival who is older than him (Senator); then followed by Positive Politeness (64 times). This strategy also frequently happens among them who have close relationship. Meanwhile, Off Record is employed 16 times. Most of the strategies are employed by Nick to BR and Jill. Then, the least frequently used strategy is Negative Politeness (9 times). Most of the strategies are employed by Senator to Nick. It is all due to the existence of some social distance between Nick and Senator.

Here, in discussion, the writer will not put all the analysis result in subchapter A. In other words, the writer will discuss all kinds of politeness strategies occurred in this movie, and not present data that produces similar analysis result. The following is the detail of the analysis.

1. The Use of Bald on Record

Based on the politeness strategies of Brown and Levinson, this direct politeness strategy usually do not attempt to minimize the impact of FTAs. It attacks a hearer’s face without mitigating the threat. Here, in Thank You for Smoking, Bald on Record strategy frequently happens, especially between Nick and his Boss, BR. As a boss, people sometimes use Bald on Record to show that they have power over the others. This could be observed in the following dialogue, Speech Act 1.

Setting : on the phone

Situation : BR and Nick debates carrying out anti-smoking campaign Participants : BR and Nick

SPEECH ACT 1 BOSS:

$50 million?! Are you out of your fucking mind?!(BOR)

The deal was five million!

NICK:

$5 million will get you a couple of subway posters.(BOR)

It's not going to impress anyone.

BOSS:

That's the idea, Nick.

NICK:

You'll be thanking me soon.(BOR) This'll probably get you great press. BOSS:

I gotta call the captain and see if this is gonna fly.

Get your ass back to D.C.(BOR)

In this conversation, BR and Nick are involved in disagreement about carrying out anti-smoking campaign. It is obviously seen that BR, as Nick’s boss, commits face-threatening acts toward Nick and has no effort to reduce the impact of FTAs. He straightforwardly reveals that he does not agree with the deal of anti-smoking campaign by using a harsh expression; “$50 million?! Are you out of your fucking mind?!” and quite high tone in each of his utterances. Besides, by using incisive command toward Nick; “Get your ass back to D.C.”. It really indicates that BR, as a boss, has power over his employee, Nick. This is in line with the theory of Brown and Levinson that this strategy, Bald on Record is normally associated with speech events where the speakers assume that they have power over the others and hence can control the other’s behavior with words. Indeed, BR’s complaint and directive

utterances could be regarded as a potential threat toward Nick. It is said so because BR shows less emotion control and no effort to soften his imposition, that is the complaint and command in this case.

Meanwhile, Nick does not feel like being imposed or intruded by his boss. This is noticed in Nick’s response, that he looks relaxed and uses Bald on Record as well toward his boss, BR. It also implies that Nick has a little social distance with his boss. They know each other very well. Therefore, both BR and Nick frequently apply Bald on Record in their daily conversations, either inside or outside office. Their utterances are direct, clear, and unambiguous. In other words, their relationship is inclined to be between close friends, instead of between employer and employee.

Indeed, this kind of strategy is commonly applied among those who have a little close distance and very comfortable in such environment, such as close friends and family. In addition to appearing in the conversations between Nick and BR, Bald on Record also frequently happens between Nick and his best friends, Polly Bailey and Bobby Jay Bliss, who have close relationship. They very often apply Bald on Record in their conversations. However, here the writer only focuses on the utterances between Nick and Polly Bailey because as already mentioned previously that the analysis was only dealing with the conversations among the main characters.

Setting : Lunch at Bert’s cafe

Situation : They are chatting about Heather Holloway Participants : Nick, Polly Bailey, and Bobby JB

SPEECH ACT 10 NICK:

Have either of you heard of a reporter named Heather Holloway? BOBBY JB:

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Irish type. Brown hair, big blue eyes. Nice skin. Amazing tits. POLLY BAILEY:

Tits? Why are tits relevant?(BOR) BOBBY JB:

Hmm, let's see.

World-class tits on a reporter interviewing a man with privileged information are relevant.

POLLY BAILEY:

How about it, Nick? Are you a tit man?(BOR) BOBBY JB:

Don't answer that. That's a trap. NICK:

Depends whose tits.(BOR)

It could be clearly seen that both Nick and Polly Bailey equally use Bald on Record in this conversation, Speech Act 10. Polly Bailey straightforwardly asks Nick about a sensitive thing, namely about sex; “How about it, Nick? Are you a tit man?” She attacks Nick’s face without mitigating the threat. However, Nick also responds comfortably by saying, “Depends whose tits.”

Therefore, the conversation goes smoothly without anyone feeling himself / herself being imposed. In other words, this could be still considered polite.

Besides, as stated by Brown and Levinson (1987), Bald on Record is also very comfortable in emergency. It could be observed in this dialogue. Let’s just focus on the utterances between Nick and his son.

Setting : in the yard of Lorne Lutch’s house

Situation : Lorne Lutch aims his gun at Nick, while Joey is still in the car. Participants : Nick, Lorne Lutch, and Joey

SPEECH ACT 15 NICK:

(talk to Joey)You stay here, okay?(BOR) LORNE LUTCH:

What do you want? (Lorne Lutch aims his gun at Nick) JOEY:

Dad! NICK:

Joey, get back in the car.(BOR)

(talking to Lorne Lutch)Just want to talk.

LORNE LUTCH:

All right. Let's talk.

(Lorne Lucth is talking to his wife) Pearl, we got company. NICK:

(talking to his son) I'll be right back, tiger.

Bald on Record happens between Nick and his lovely son, Joey in the yard of Lorne Lutch’s house. When Nick is still in the car, he tells to his son,“You stay here, okay?” This implies that it is a kind of You imperative utterance asked by Nick, as a father to his son, Joey in order to keep staying in the car. Then, after Nick gets out of his car, suddenly Lorne Lutch aims his gun at Nick. As a father, Nick is very anxious with his son. Therefore, in this emergency he commits Bald on Record by spontaneously saying “Joey, get back in the car.”

In addition to happening among the conversations of Nick-BR, Nick-Joey, and Nick-Polly Bailey, the usage of Bald on Record is also very often found in the conversations between Nick and his rival, Senator Finistirre. Here is the example of their conversation containing Bald on Record strategy.

Setting : on TV talk show hosted by Dennis Miller

Situation : Nick and Senator Finistirre are attending on TV talk show. They are giving teasing comments each other on the talk show

Participants : Nick, Senator Finistirre, and Dennis Miller (the host) SPEECH ACT 17

DENNIS MILLER:

All right, I understand you were on Joan Lunden's show recently. Didn't make a lot of friends over there, did you?

NICK:

I will say that I don't think I'll be getting my annual invitation to the Finistirre Labor Day Barbecue.(BOR)

SENATOR:

Well, I continue to offer an open invitation to Mr. Naylor to join us in Congress to talk about the inclusion of our new poison label which, if I might say...

DENNIS MILLER:

Nick, ready to trek up the Hill and testify before Congress? NICK:

Well, I'd love to, Dennis, but not as long as the senator is calling for me to be fired. It's not exactly a welcome invitation.(BOR)

DENNIS MILLER: Yeah.

Bit of a mixed message, Senator. SENATOR:

Well, not as mixed as the stance that Big Tobacco has taken about the dangers of smoking cigarettes.

NICK: Oh, no.

DENNIS MILLER:

Now what are you laughing? You're a wind-up artist.

Give the man his due. He's got a bit of a point there, doesn't he? NICK:

Sorry. I just can't help myself, Dennis.

I... I... I'm just tickled by the idea of the gentleman from Vermont calling me a hypocrite when, uh... this same man, in one day, held a press conference where he called for the American tobacco fields to be slashed and burned, then he jumped on a private jet and flew down to Farm Aid where he rode a tractor onstage(BOR)

SENATOR: Oh, come on. NICK:

As he bemoaned the downfall of the American farmer.(BOR) DENNIS MILLER:

Care to comment, Senator? SENATOR:

He... I... No.

Indeed, it seems that some awkwardness and uncomfortable atmosphere appear in Speech Act 17. Most of the utterances are conveyed by Bald on Record strategy. It is mostly committed by Nick. He has little or no desire to maintain Senator’s face, which is by conveying teasing comments toward Senator Finistirre on and on. It begins with a ridiculous comment of Nick. He switches the subject asked by the host (Dennis Miller) by revealing,“I will say that I don't think I'll be getting my annual invitation to the Finistirre Labor Day Barbecue.” Afterwards, the tenseness of the conversation is getting more intense. Seeing from Senator Finistirre’s expressions, this clearly seems that

Senator Finistirre feels uncomfortable with Nick’s comments and arguments. He feels intruded so that he even could not convey much explanation or argument toward Nick’s comments. Actually, it is all due to the existence of some social distance between Nick and Senator Finistirre. They have a contrary background. Nick is from the Academy of Tobacco Studies, while Senator Finistirre is from Health and Human Services. Consequently, they are always involved in debates. Besides, it is also obvious that Nick neglects the age distance or even relative power or status between himself and Senator Finistirre.

2. The Use of Positive Politeness

Positive Politeness is considered as the most frequently used strategy by the main characters after Bald on Record. This strategy is well known as solidarity strategy, which means a strategy that seeks to minimize the threat to the hearer’s positive face. It is used to make the hearer feel good about himself, his interests or possessions, and most usually used in situations where the audience knows each other fairly well. In addition to hedging and attempts to avoid conflict, some strategies of Positive Politeness include statements of friendship, solidarity, compliments, avoid disagreement, or assert knowledge of hearer’s want. The use of in-group identity markers, such as nicknames, abusive terms, shared dialect or slang expressions, and inclusive terms such as “we” and “let’s” is very common in this strategy. In this movie, these kinds of strategies frequently happen in the conversation particularly between Nick and

his best friend, Polly Bailey and between Nick and his beloved son, Joey. It could be noticed in the following dialogue, Speech Act 3.

Setting : Dinner at Bert’s cafe

Situation : They are sharing their experience and opinion each other Participants : Nick and Polly Bailey

SPEECH ACT 3 POLLY BAILEY: So, my day's ruined. NICK:

Why?

POLLY BAILEY:

Dateline's doing a segment on fetal alcohol syndrome. Thank you. We're gonna get creamed. Any ideas?(PP > 4) NICK:

I don't know.

Deformed kids are tough.(PP > 6)

I'm lucky my product only makes them bald before it kills them.(PP > 8) NICK:

Who's doing the segment, Donaldson or Sawyer?(PP > 8) POLLY BAILEY:

Sawyer, probably.(PP > 8) POLLY BAILEY:

Maybe we should change our campaign to "If You Must Drink and Drive, Suck Charcoal."(PP > 8)

NICK:

Yeah, but don't the police wonder why you're sucking on charcoal?(PP > 8)

It is obviously observed that the conversation occurring between two best friends, namely Nick and Polly, really reveals the application of Positive Politeness strategies. Most of them are Positive Politeness strategy number 8

that is Joke. Firstly, this conversation is started with Polly Bailey’s complaint of her bad day, and then she revealed, “Dateline's doing a segment on fetal alcohol syndrome. Thank you.” The way Polly revealing her problem seems uncommon or weird a bit for daily conversation. She tells to Nick as if she is declaring something in front of audiences. Here, actually Polly is trying to keep maintaining a comfortable atmosphere in their meeting when talking about a serious problem. Accordingly, Polly applies Positive Politeness strategy number 8 that is Joke. Then, in her next sentence, “We're gonna get creamed”, it really indicates that Polly also applies Positive Politeness strategy number 4 that is the use of in-group identity markers, specifically the use of slang terms “gonna” and get “creamed”. Slang is said as special kinds ‘intimate’ or in-group speech used to claim solidarity (Spolsky, 1998: 35). Thus, the use of slang terms with close friends in particular is one of the characteristics of Positive Politeness strategy in order to establish intimacy. In addition, it also implies that Polly and Nick have so close relationship that they always try to create comfortable atmosphere. Put it briefly, there is no social distance or awkwardness between them.

Furthermore, from Nick’s response toward Polly’s complaint, it could be seen that Nick applies two kinds of Positive Politeness strategies all at once, namely Positive Politeness strategy number 6 and 8. The former is a kind of avoiding disagreement. By using the word “I don’t know....” instead of saying directly “Yes..deformed kids are tough”, Nick tries to avoid disagreement with Polly because he realizes that Polly is not in a good mood, so he tries to

understand Polly’s feeling, as well as maintain a positive and comfortable relationship. The latter is a kind of joke strategy. Nick also responds to Polly’s complaint with creating joke by saying, “I'm lucky my product only makes them bald before it kills them”, and it works well. The conversation keeps going smoothly until the last. Their following conversation bursts into joking.

In addition to applying Positive Politeness strategies to his best friend, Polly Bailey, Nick always applies Positive Politeness strategies to his son, Joey as well. It could be seen from this following dialogue; in Speech Act 4.

Setting : at Nick’s home

Situation : Nick is helping Joey to accomplish his assignment Participants : Nick and Joey

SPEECH ACT 4 ...

JOEY:

So what am I supposed to write? NICK:

You can write whatever you want. Okay. Write about...

Write about America's amazing ability to make profit by breaking down trading tariffs and bringing American jobs to Third World countries. Or how good we are at executing felons. They're all correct answers.(PP > 15)

JOEY: I can do that? NICK:

See, Joey, that's the beauty of argument.

'Cause if you argue correctly, you're never wrong.(PP > 15) JOEY:

Dad, if I finish this essay within an hour, can we stay up all night?(PP > 14) NICK:

In this dialogue, Joey gets confused with his writing assignment about American government. He is not confident to convey his ideas into writing. Hence, as a father, Nick helps Joey to overcome his difficulty. It prominently appears through Nick’s suggestive and encouraging utterances, by saying “You can write whatever you want. Okay. Write about... Write about America's amazing ability to make profit by breaking down trading tariffs and bringing American jobs to Third World countries. Or how good we are at executing felons. They're all correct answers.” Then, when Joey still feels hesitant, Nick remains to encourage Joey, by saying “See, Joey, that's the beauty of argument.’ Cause if you argue correctly, you're never wrong” According to Brown and Levinson theory (1987), these utterances are considered as Positive Politeness strategy number 15, that is Give gifts to H (goods, sympathy, understanding, cooperation). It is because here Nick is indeed giving gifts to the hearer, Joey, namely understanding and sympathy in the case. In this movie, Nick often gives gifts to his son, Joey because he is the only child he has. Most of gifts are not kind of goods (toys, money, food, or clothes), but in the form of sympathy and understanding. By giving such sympathy and understanding, besides Nick wants to express his solid interest toward Joey, he is in effort of satisfying the hearer’s positive face. In this case, it is Joey’s desire to be understood and paid attention.

The other satisfaction of hearer’s positive face also occurs between Nick and his boss, BR. Here, the satisfaction of hearer’s positive face is committed by BR toward Nick. BR gives compliments to Nick due to Nick’s success at

Finistrre’s subcommittee congress. Let’s notice the following dialogue, Speech Act 33.

Setting : in a House of Parliament

Situation : BR is approaching Nick, then giving him compliments of his success at Finistrre’s subcommittee congress

Participants : Nick and BR SPEECH ACT 33

BOSS:

Great. Well done, my boy.(PP > 1) NICK:

Were you in the same room as me? BOSS:

The whole personal choice thing?

They ate that shit up. (laughing)(PP > 8)

Just checked the whip count. That bill is going down in flames.

Your speech was unorthodox, but you did it, boy.(PP > 2)

You crushed the fucker. NICK:

That's good news for you guys. BOSS:

Oh. Whoa, whoa.... We're still a team, right? NICK:

What about damage control?(PP > 4) BOSS:

Look, Nick. Winston-Salem is ready to do whatever it takes to keep you onboard. (crowd clamoring)(PP > 10)

After observing this dialogue, the writer finds some other kinds of Positive Politeness strategies appearing in this dialogue. According to Brown and

Levinson theory (1987), there are Positive Politeness strategies number 1, 2, 4, and 10. Firstly, the dialogue is begun with BR’s compliment toward Nick, by saying “Great. Well done, my boy.” Apparently, here, BR notices Nick’s positive face, particularly Nick’s wants or desire to be approved of, noticed, or appreciated by others. Hence, BR commits Positive Politeness strategy number 1 toward Nick, that is Notice or attend to H (her/his interests, wants, needs, goods) due to Nick’s success of answering all the questions and defending his arguments, dignity, and freedom against the Finistrre’s subcommittees at Finistrre’s subcommittee congress in a House of Parliament. The intention of compliment here is such a device to express solidarity between the speaker and the hearer. Giving compliments indeed could make others feel good or comfortable and increase positive relationship.

Secondly, BR applies Positive Politeness strategy number 2 and 8 all at once. The former is Exaggerate (interest, approval, sympathy with H). BR truly realizes that Nick’s positive face needs satisfying more because Nick’s success at congress is such a wonderful turn of Nick’s life. Therefore, BR exaggerates his interest and sympathy with the hearer, Nick, by saying, “Your speech was unorthodox, but you did it, boy. You crushed the fucker.” The latter is Joke strategy. Indeed, this strategy frequently appears in the movie. BR also reveals his interest or sympathy by creating jokes, such as “The whole personal choice thing? They ate that shit up”. BR is apt to apply the word “ate” here instead of applying more refined words, such as admit, approve, or accept; and apt to apply the word that “shit” instead of that “thing”. Joking is a basic Positive

Politeness technique, for putting the hearer “at ease”. Hence, usually, it is certainly successful to maintain friendly relationship or create comfortable atmosphere, and minimize the distance, in this case between the employer, BR and his employee, Nick.

Thirdly, Nick also contributes the application of Positive Politeness strategy in this part. Nick said, “What about damage control?”It is considered as Positive Politeness strategy number 4, specifically the use of ellipsis that means removing one or more than one words in sentence. Based on politeness strategy theory of Brown and Levinson (1987), the use of ellipsis is associated with Positive Politeness, and therefore the presence of ellipsis may mark an utterance as being positively polite.

Lastly, in order to respond to Nick’s question, BR applies Positive Politeness strategy number 10 that is Offer, promise. He said, “Look, Nick. Winston-Salem is ready to do whatever it takes to keep you onboard.” This utterance implies two kinds of things that are offer and promise. BR chooses to stress his cooperation with the hearer, Nick, another way by promising as well as offering cooperation toward Nick. Actually, it could be indicated as an indirect request of BR in which asks Nick to keep staying in his company. BR chooses this strategy in order to redress the potential threat of some FTAs. Consequently, offer and promises are the natural outcome of choosing this strategy; even if they are false, they demonstrate S’s good intention in satisfying H’s positive-face wants.

3. The Use of Off Record

Off Record is considered as the third most strategy applied by the main characters of Thank You for Smoking. This strategy involves indirect utterance and removes the speaker from the potential to being imposing. By applying this indirect politeness strategy, the speakers can say something that can be interpreted in more than one way. Then, it depends on the hearer’s ability to decide the real meaning. Thus, if the speaker wants to do FTAs, but wants to avoid the responsibility for doing it, he/ she can apply Off Record strategy, and leave it up to the hearer to decide the meaning by himself or herself. It could be done by giving hints, using metaphor, understating, being vague, or being sarcastic, and many more. The application of Off Record is as follow.

Setting : at BR’s office

Situation : Nick is telling his journey by Captain’s plane Participants : Nick and BR

SPEECH ACT 8 NICK:

BR. BOSS:

Pleasant flight? NICK:

Oh! You could say that.Came up on the Captain's plane. Oh, it's quite the way to travel.(OR > 1)

BOSS:

I wouldn't know. NICK:

No? You never been on Tobacco One with those seats, that kitchen, that stewardess, Tiffany?(OR > 1)

BOSS:

Haven't had the chance yet. NICK:

Oh, well, you really must try it. It's the only way to travel.(OR > 1) BOSS:

What'd he think of your $50 million anti-smoking campaign? NICK:

Oh, the $50 million anti teen-smoking campaign? BOSS:

Yeah. NICK:

Yeah, he gave that the go-ahead.

Oh, and he loved your idea to put cigarettes back into movies.(OR > 8) BOSS:

- That was your idea. – NICK:

Oh, yeah? BOSS:

- He must have gotten confused. NICK:

- Hmm. Yeah.Well, either way, he was pretty blown away.(OR > 11) BOSS:

Right. Well, get a flight to L.A. I'll get you a meeting with Jeff Megall. NICK:

Who? BOSS:

Hollywood super agent. Runs the agency EGO: Entertainment Global Offices. This guy is the entertainment business.

NICK:

And you are cigarettes, BR.(OR > 11) BOSS:

The conversation that is carried out by Nick and BR above is very interesting and challenging to analyze and discuss. Firstly, it is due to the emergence of various kinds of Off Record strategy in this part that are mostly done by Nick. Secondly, this conversation actually contains uncomfortable and even annoyance feeling of Nick toward BR’s behavior. He indirectly conveys his feeling or implied intention by being ambiguous, ironic, vague, and many more.

Firstly, Nick answers to BR’s question by committing Off Record strategy number 1 that is Give hints. He tells to BR with satirical intonation, “Oh! You could say that. Came up on the Captain's plane. Oh, it's quite the way to travel.” Observing on the surface meaning of these utterances, Nick does describe his journey on the Captain’s plane. On the contrary, based on the deep meaning, those utterances indicate that he is boasting about his journey in order to make his boss, BR envious. In fact, he does not reveal his intention through this kind of way once, but he carries out of this repeatedly. It could be seen from Nick’s next utterances above. He remains to being boasting about his journey toward BR.

Secondly, Nick conveys something that is contrary to the fact of BR’s behavior. He says, “Oh, and he loved your idea to put cigarettes back into movies.” After having a meeting with the Captain, the founder of The Academy for Tobacco Studies, Nick knows that BR has claimed his idea of putting cigarettes back into movie as BR’s own idea. Therefore, here, in order to insinuate BR, Nick is committing Off Record strategy number 8 that is Be

ironic. By saying the opposite of what he means, the speaker (Nick) could indirectly convey his intended meaning.

Thirdly, Nick is being ambiguous to BR by saying, “Hmm. Yeah. Well, either way, he was pretty blown away.” It is still associated with the previous case that is about BR’s innocence of claiming Nick’s idea. Here, actually, Nick makes purposeful ambiguity and let the hearer (BR) guess what he means. It is regarded as Off Record strategy number 11 that is Be ambiguous. This kind of strategy also happens in the next of Nick’s utterance. Nick said, “And you are cigarettes, BR.” Once again, Nick is being ambiguous to BR. The meaning of the speaker (Nick) is not clear, that is why he let the hearer (BR) guess what he actually means by. In the order words, this utterance is apt to be considered as an ambiguous utterance rather than a kind of joke because BR’s face does not look satisfied and he just responds, “Whatever.”

All of these strategies are done by Nick due to his uncomfortable and annoyance feelings of BR’s behavior. Therefore, he remains to reveal indirectly his feelings and intention by committing Off Record strategies in order to remove himself from any imposition and responsibility of doing FTAs. Furthermore, the other example of Off Record strategy could be observed in this following conversation, in Speech Act 6.

Setting : in the meeting room

Situation : BR and his employees are discussing crucial matter befalling their company

SPEECH ACT 6 BOSS: (in the meeting)

People, what is going on out there?

I look down this table, all I see are white flags.(OR > 9) Our numbers are down all across the board.

Teen smoking- our bread and butter, is falling like a shit from heaven.(OR > 9) We don't sell Tic Tacs, for Christ's sake. We sell cigarettes.

And they're cool and available and addictive. The job is almost done for us.

This environmentalist is challenging us. We have to have an answer.

I'm asking you, whenthis cocksucker puts Captain Hook on our products,

what the fuck are we going to do? NICK:

- BR. – BOSS: Yeah, Nick.

...

After watching Senator Ortolan Finisterre on TV that persuades a poison label on cigarettes, almost all the The Academy for Tobacco Studies employees feels anxious, surprised, and panic. Hence, BR switches off the television and immediately opens the meeting by illustrating their crucial matter first, then asking for follow-up to his employees at last. From those BR’s utterances, it could be noticed that two metaphors are applied. He mentioned, “...white flags, ...our bread and butter”. These two utterances are regarded as Off Record strategy number 9 that is Use metaphor. First, “white flags” here is interpreted as desperate feeling or condition. Second, our “bread and butter” here is interpreted as livelihood. Here, BR applies some metaphors within his speech in order to redress FTAs that might bother his employees’ face.

Besides, it implies that BR is trying to draw his employees’ attention to concern more with this problem.

The last type of Off Record strategy found in this movie was Off Record strategy number 12, that is Be vague. It could be observed through this following dialogue.

Setting : on TV talk show hosted by Dennis Miller

Situation : Nick and Senator Finistirre are attending on TV talk show. They are giving teasing comments each other on the talk show

Participants : Nick, Senator Finistirre, and Dennis Miller (the host) SPEECH ACT 17

...

DENNIS MILLER:

Nick, ready to trek up the Hill and testify before Congress? NICK:

Well, I'd love to, Dennis, but not as long as the senator is calling for me to be fired.

It's not exactly a welcome invitation. DENNIS MILLER:

Yeah. Bit of a mixed message, Senator. SENATOR:

Well, not as mixed as the stance that Big Tobacco has taken about the dangers of smoking cigarettes.(OR > 12)

NICK: Oh, no.

...

As having been analyzed and explained in the discussion of the use of Bald on Record strategy, besides this Speech Act 17 consists of Bald on Record strategy, it also contains a kind of indirect strategy. That is Off Record

strategy number 12, namely Be vague. It is done by Senator Finistirre. He said,

“Well, not as mixed as the stance that Big Tobacco has taken about the dangers of smoking cigarettes.” From this Senator Finistirre’s utterance, it could be illustrated that he is doing Off Record with an FTA by being vague about what the offence is. It is implemented, for he is going to aim his criticism or a kind of allusion at Nick indirectly. In other words, he does not reveal what he means by the stance of Big Tobacco has taken about the dangers of smoking straightforwardly, because he believes that the hearer (Nick) already knows his intention. Furthermore, he indirectly reveals his feelings and intention by being vague in order to remove himself from any imposition and responsibility of doing FTAs.

4. The Use of Negative Politeness

Negative Politeness is the least strategy committed by the main characters in the movie. In this movie, this strategy typically happens in the conversation between Nick and his rival, Senator Ortolan Finisterre. Besides that, it also happens between Joey and his mom, Jill; Nick and his best friend, Polly Bailey; Nick and his Boss, BR. However, they are in the lower frequency. As has been explained before, Negative Politeness strategy is oriented towards the hearer’s negative face and emphasizes avoidance of imposition on the hearer. This deference strategy is employed because they assume that they may be imposing on the hearer (the interlocutor) and intruding on the interlocutor’s space, and there is a higher potential for awkwardness, embarrassment, and

some social distance than in Bald on Record strategy and Positive Politeness strategy. In this following conversation, Speech Act 11; it is obviously noticed that the characters apply Negative Politeness strategy.

Setting : in the kitchen of Jill’s house

Situation : Joey is trying to ask for Jill’s permission Participants : Jill and Joey

SPEECH ACT 11 JOEY:

Mom, why can't I go to California? JILL:

Because California's just not a... safe place.

And besides, I'm not sure it's appropriate for your father to bring you on a business trip.

JOEY:

Appropriate for who? JILL:

What? JOEY:

Mom, is it possible that you're taking the frustration of your failed marriage out on me?

JILL:

Excuse me? (NP > 6) JOEY:

This California trip seems like a great learning opportunity and a chance for me to get to know my father.

But if you think it's more important to use me to channel your frustration against the man you no longer love, I'll understand. (NP > 3)

Speech Act 11 illustrates how Joey attempts to persuade his mom, Jill so that she would permit him to have a California trip with his father. This

conversation indicates that some social distance or awkwardness really exists between Jill and his lovely son, Joey. It appears when Jill said, “Excuse me?”

Here, Jill is employing Negative Politeness strategy number 6, which is Apologize. This deference strategy is employed because she assumes that she might be imposing on the hearer (Joey) and intruding on his space. Afterwards, Joey replies her by applying Negative Politeness strategy as well. It is strategy number 3, namely Be pessimistic. Although they have close relationship, Joey realizes that his request of having California trip with his father might be intruding on his mother. Looking at this dialogue, Jill clearly looks uncomfortable if his son, Joey too much spends his time with Nick, her ex-husband. Therefore, he conveys his request by being pessimistic. This gives redress to hearer’s negative face by explicitly expressing doubt of the hearer’s willingness to fulfill the speaker’s request.

Then, in this following Speech Act 28, the writer also finds the other case of Negative Politeness strategy.

Setting : in a House of Parliament, at Finistrre’s subcommittee congress Situation : Nick is asked for some information and explanation

Participants: Senator Finistirre and Nick SPEECH ACT 28

SENATOR:

Nick Naylor, please step forward.

Please state your name, address and current occupation. NICK:

My name is Nick Naylor.

I live at 6000 Massachusetts Avenue, and I am currently unemployed, but until recently, I was the vice president of.

SENATOR:

Mr. Naylor, as vice president of the Academy of Tobacco Studies, what was required of you?

What did you do?(NP > 5) NICK:

I informed the public of all the research performed in the investigation on the effects of tobacco.

SENATOR:

Mm-hmm, and what, so far, has the Academy concluded in their investigation into the effects of tobacco?

NICK:

Well, many things, actually.

Why, just the other day they uncovered evidence

that smoking can offset Parkinson's disease. (amused buzz) SENATOR:

I'm sure the health community is thrilled.

Mr. Naylor, who provides the financial backing for the Academy of Tobacco Studies?(NP > 5)

NICK:

Uh... Conglomerated Tobacco.

Speech Act 28 illustrates the process of Finistrre’s subcommittee congress in which Nick Naylor is the subject of the congress (investigation). After the chaos that has been made of his “kidnapping”, Nick is required to give information and explanation of the stance that Big Tobacco has taken about the dangers of smoking cigarettes. Accordingly, the atmosphere at that time is formal and tense. In addition to applying Bald on Record strategies, Senator Finistirre also applies Negative Politeness strategy occasionally. It is Negative Politeness strategy number 5 that is Give deference. Here, Senator Finistirre is in order for giving deference or respect to the hearer, Nick. Besides, it evidently seems that Senator Finistirre really realizes that there are some social

distance between himself and Nick. Therefore, when he asks some questions to Nick, he occasionally addresses him with Mr + LN (Mr.Naylor), and/ or also adds the position (“as vice president of the Academy of Tobacco Studies”) after Mr +LN. This deference strategy is employed because he assumes that he might be imposing on the hearer (Nick Naylor) and intruding on his space. Hence, in order to satisfy the hearer’s negative face or mitigate the imposition, he commits Negative Politeness strategy toward Nick that is by giving deference.

In the investigation of the use of politeness strategies, the writer only discovered three kinds of Negative Politeness strategies in the movie, thus there were only two speech acts that could be discussed in Chapter 4. Put it briefly, the other speech acts that contained Negative Politeness strategy produced the same result.

From the whole discussion in this subchapter concerning the use of politeness strategies applied by the main characters, the writer could draw some important points. The first is that the four kinds of politeness strategies appeared in this movie. They were Bald on Record, Positive Politeness, Off Record, and Negative Politeness strategies. The second is that sometimes each character committed more than one strategy in their conversation.

B. The factors influencing the use of politeness strategy in Thank You for Smoking

This section discusses the factors influencing the use of politeness strategies produced by the main characters in Thank You for Smoking. Based on the investigation of the use of politeness strategies by implementing socio-cultural variables of Brown and Levinson’s model, there were three factors emerging and influencing the use of politeness strategies. They were social distance, power, and imposition. Those factors will be also combined with sociolinguistic aspect, namely the social dimensions proposed by Holmes.

1. Social Distance

According to Brown and Levinson (1987: 76), social distance is “a

symmetric social dimension of similarity/difference”. It is determined by interlocutors’ stable attributes, such as the age, sex, and socio-cultural background. Socio-cultural background here encompasses social class and ethnic background. Furthermore, according to Holmes (2001: 9) social distance is dealing with the relationship between the speaker and the hearer (good friends, strangers or parent-child). In other words, it could be considered as the degree of friendliness. Thus, when the social distance between the speakers is getting far, the degree of politeness that they use will be higher. On the contrary, when the social distance between the speakers is close, the degree of politeness that they use will be lower. In Thank You for Smoking, the writer found out that almost all of the conversations carried out by the main characters were mostly influenced by the social distance.

First, it could be clearly seen in the conversations between Nick and BR, his boss. Although their relationship is actually between employer and employee, in which the utterances are usually supposed to be full of deference, Nick and BR frequently committed Bald on Record strategy to each other. Their utterances were very direct and clear. Besides, they also applied positive politeness strategies such as giving compliments, addressing each other only with FN (first name), using slang words, avoiding disagreement, and many more. This obviously indicates that Nick has little social distance with his boss. They know each other very well. In other words, their relationship is inclined to be between close friends, instead of between employer and employee. Thus, most of their conversations were delivered by Bald on Record strategy. It is in line with the socio-cultural variables proposed by Brown and Levinson that when the social distance between the speakers is close, the degree of politeness that they use will be lower. This could be illustrated in Speech Act 1, 6, 7, 8, 19, 20, 22, and 30.

Secondly, because of the little social distance, or the close relationship between Nick and his best friend, Polly Bailey, they liked to convey their ideas or arguments mostly by applying Bald on Record strategy. They used direct and clear words, even often attacked each other’s face without mitigating the threat, so that sometimes they were involved in debates. It might be also influenced by their social background that is as spokespeople for their company. They were inclined to be so critical that they were definitely good at spinning words. However, as best friend, they liked jokes and laughs and

remained to keep their relationship by applying Positive Politeness strategies such as avoid disagreement, seek agreement, etc in order to create good atmosphere as in debates particularly. As a result, their conversation kept going smoothly. This could be illustrated in Speech Act 3, 10, 18, 21, and 27.

Thirdly, the majority of politeness strategy used by Nick and Jill toward their lovely son, Joey and vice versa was Bald on Record and Positive Politeness strategies. Again, it was all due to the little distance among them, which was family relation (parent - child). They really know and understand each other, so that they were comfortable, or not feeling clumsy when conveying their intentions, ideas, or requests to each other directly. Besides, because of there were some age distance between them, both Nick and Jill in particular often gave gifts to Joey in the form of understanding (Positive Politeness strategy) when they were trying to explain difficult or serious topic. This could be illustrated in Speech Act 2, 4, 11, 12, 14, 15, 24, and 26.

Fourth, it could be obviously seen in this movie that there were some gaps or social distance between Nick and his ex-wife, Jill, and between Nick and his enemy, Senator Ortolan Finisterre. Put it briefly, they have no good relationship. Nick has divorced with his wife, Jill. Meanwhile Nick and Senator have completely contrary background. Nick is from the Academy of Tobacco Studies, while Senator Finistirre is from Health and Human Services. Consequently, they were involved in debates frequently. They often revealed their thoughts or arguments straightforwardly and even had no effort to soften or mitigate the threats. Moreover, sometimes they used Off Record strategies in

order to allude each other. In addition, it could be said that Nick has neglected the age and social distance or even relative power or status between himself and Senator Finistirre. Therefore, some awkwardness, and even tenseness often existed in their conversations. This could be illustrated in Speech Act 5, 9, 17, 23, 25, 28, and 29.

2. Power

Brown and Levinson (1987: 77) states that variable of Power of the hearer over the speaker, defined as the degree to which the hearer can impose his own plans and his own self-evaluation . . . at the expense of the speakers’ plans and self-evaluation. And, Holmes calls it as status scale (2001: 9). The power owned by the speaker-writer will determine the degree of politeness when he or she is speaking to the listener-reader. When the speaker-writer possesses higher power than the listener-reader does, the degree of politeness will be lower when he or she is speaking to the listener-reader. Meanwhile, if the speaker-writer possesses lower power than the listener-reader does, the degree of politeness will be higher when they are speaking.

This case was found out in the relationship between Nick and his boss, BR. Although they are close, as his boss, BR often used direct imperative words in order to control Nick’s behavior and show that he has power over the other. Therefore, due to having higher power than the other (Nick), BR applied low politeness strategy, that was Bald on Record toward Nick. This case was in

line with Brown and Levinson theory. This could be seen in Speech Act 1, 6, 7, 8, and 22.

3. Imposition

According to Brown and Levinson (1987), the imposition refers to the imposition of the act itself. When the speaker shows the greater FTA, thus the imposition is getting greater as well. As a result, usually the speaker will apply high positive politeness strategy toward the hearer. This case happened in some conversations between Joey and his mother, Jill, between Nick and BR, and between Nick and Joey. They realized that what they were going to say or want might impose or intrude the other, thus they tend to reveal it indirectly Off record), or even by applying some Negative Politeness strategies in order to soften the threats. This could be seen in Speech Act 8, 11, 19, 23, 24, and 25.

Here, the writer could draw some important points from the whole analysis in this subchapter. First, there were three social factors influencing the main characters of Thank You for Smoking chose a particular strategy in their conversation that were basically because of the social distance, power, and imposition. It was mainly based on socio-cultural variables of Brown and Levinson’s model Brown and Levinson. Second, those social factors could be considered as a kind of measurement to evaluate whether someone is being polite or not.

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

This chapter consists of two sections that are conclusions and suggestions. The first one deals with all summaries drawn in this research. In the second part, the writer would like to give some suggestions in order to make a follow-up of this research.

A. Conclusions

The problems proposed in this research were concerned with the use of politeness strategies in daily conversation. To be more specific, this research was aimed at analyzing how the use of politeness strategies and finding out the factors that influence the use of politeness strategies produced by the main characters of

Thank You for Smoking. The use of politeness strategies was analyzed according to the theory of politeness strategies proposed by Brown and Levinson. While, the factors were analyzed based on the socio-cultural variables of Brown and Levinson’s model, and the social dimensions proposed by Holmes. Having analyzed those two research questions, the writer came to some conclusions.

First, related to the first research question, the investigation of how the use of politeness strategies in Thank You for Smoking revealed that all four types of politeness strategies occurred in this movie. What differentiated them was the frequency of occurrence and who employed it. The strategy appearing frequently is Bald on Record (93 times) and Positive Politeness (64 times). Then, Off Record

is employed about 16 times. Meanwhile, the least frequent strategy used is Negative Politeness (9 times). These strategies were used by the main characters to deal with actions or statements that threatened or satisfied the face.

Second, related to the second research question:

a) The use of politeness strategies in Thank You for Smoking was determined by the main characters’ social distance, relative power, as well as degree of imposition. In this movie, the writer found out that almost all the conversations carried out by the main characters were mostly influenced by the social distance. It was because this movie presented more daily conversations between parent and child, between employer and employee, and between best friends. Thus, the most frequently used strategy was Bald on Record and Positive politeness strategies that commonly occurred in those situations. Indeed, those factors have influenced the speakers (the main characters) to use certain politeness strategies in different situation. Put it briefly, this dealt with whether they wanted to commit Face Threatening Acts or not in order to create and maintain smooth interaction.

b) We could notice that using language appropriately involved not only understanding the grammatical aspects but also the sociolinguistic aspects. One of them was the acquisition of politeness strategies, which means knowing how or when to use the politeness strategies in different circumstances.

c) The acquisition of politeness strategies is just one of the ways in order to use language appropriately and politely. Since every language spoken in the world possesses certain rules or social values, there is no the best strategy. In

other words, just because we always use Positive Politeness does not mean that we already speak politely, or use Bald on Record means impolite. Therefore, it is supposed to be the speaker himself who should have an ability to choose the appropriate strategy for certain situation. It is quite significant to pay attention to language learning, for it could help us to create and maintain successful conversation.

B. Suggestions

Here, the writer would like to give some suggestions for language learners, lecturers, and future researchers dealing with the use of politeness strategies. The explanations are as follows:

1. For future researchers

The first suggestion is presented for future researchers who are interested in sociolinguistics. Since there were only a few studies on politeness strategies in English Language Education Study Program of Sanata Dharma University, the writer encourages future researchers to have a better analysis dealing with the use of politeness strategies either it is carried out in similar or different subject, for example in a class, real community, or society. Moreover, the writer also suggests applying other politeness theories, besides Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory, such as politeness maxims by Geoffrey Leech, etc. The findings of the future research will give new insight and contribute to English learners and lecturers, which will surely be helpful for the teaching-learning process.

2. For language learners

The writer suggests language learners, English learners particularly, that the frequency of using a language, English for example, will clearly determine the ability in using that language. Therefore, they should practice it regularly in real communication. In addition, since learning language is also learning certain social rules and values, language learners should be more aware of recognizing the sociolinguistic aspects. For instance, the social backgrounds of the addressee (for example age, social class, and ethnic background), the relationship with the addressee (good friends or parent-child), and the context and manner of the interaction (in church, school, loudly, or whispering). It will enable us to choose the appropriate politeness strategies or codes for different situations.

3. For teachers or lecturers

Finally, the last suggestion is directed to teachers or lecturers, especially for English teachers or lecturers, to design or provide a kind of exercises not only focusing on the grammatical aspects but also the sociolinguistic aspects, especially in politeness strategies, which will enable learners to practice their English appropriately and politely. Since politeness cannot be conveyed by simply translating polite phrases into another language. For instance, by learning a very simplified version of Brown and Levinson’s positive and negative politeness, here called “formality” and “friendliness”, before moving to the complex ones.

REFERENCES

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Goffman, E. 1967. Interaction Ritual: Essays on Face to Face Behavior.Garden City: New York.

Holmes, J. 1996.Women, Men, and Politeness. London: Longman.

Holmes, J. 2001. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Second Edition. London: Longman.

Leech, G. 1983.Principles of Pragmatics. London: Longman.

Levinson, S. 1983.Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Yulia, M. F. and O. T, Ena. 2009. Sociolinguistics. Sociolinguistics Reader Compiled by M. F. Yulia and O. T. Ena, 21-26.

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Searle, J. 1969. Speech Acts: An Essay in the Philosophy of Language.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Shumin, K. 1997. Factors to Consider: Developing Adult EFL Students' speaking Ablities.ELT Journal, 35 (3), 8-13/29.

Spolsky, B. 2004.Sociolinguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Tracy, K. 1990.The Many Faces of Facework. Chichester: John Wiley.

Wardaugh, R. 2002. An Introductions to Sociolinguistics. Fourth Edition. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publisher.

Watts, R. 2003.Politeness. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Yu, M. 2006. On the Teaching and Learning of L2 Sociolinguistic Competence in Classroom Settings. Asian EFL Journal, VIII (2), June 2006. http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/June_06_mcy.php (accessed on 9 July 2010).

Yule, G. 1996.Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Yulia, M. F. 2003. Brown and Levinson’s Model of Politeness Strategies in Ernest Hemingway’sHills like White Elephants:LTT Journal, 6 (2), 169-179. __________.2001. A Pragmatics Analysis of Politeness Strategies in Requesting.

http://www.cc.mie-u.ac.jp/~lq20106/eg5000/master2001-2.html (accessed on 10 March 2010).

APPENDIX

The Analysis of Politeness Strategies Produced by the Main Characters ofThank You for Smoking

Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 1

BOSS:

$50 million?! Are you out of your fucking mind?! The deal was five million!

NICK:

$5 million will get you a couple of subway posters. It's not going to impress anyone.

BOSS:

That's the idea, Nick. NICK:

You'll be thanking me soon.

This'll probably get you great press.

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 4 Bald on Record

SPEECH ACT 2 JOEY:

Please don't ruin my childhood. NICK:

Come on, Joey. Trust me.

Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 15 SPEECH ACT 3

POLLY BAILEY: So, my day's ruined. NICK:

Why?

POLLY BAILEY:

Dateline's doing a segment on fetal alcohol syndrome. Thank you.

We're gonna get creamed. Any ideas?

Off Record > 1

-Positive Politeness > 4

Utterances Politeness Strategies NICK:

I don't know. Deformed kids are tough.

I'm lucky my product only makes them bald before it kills them.

NICK:

Who's doing the segment, Donaldson or Sawyer? POLLY BAILEY:

Sawyer, probably. POLLY BAILEY:

Maybe we should change our campaign to "If You Must Drink and Drive, Suck Charcoal."

NICK:

Yeah, but don't the police wonder why you're sucking on charcoal?

Positive Politeness > 6+8

Positive Politeness > 8

Positive Politeness > 8

Positive Politeness > 8

Positive Politeness > 8

SPEECH ACT 4 NICK:

Joey, stop for a second. What is the subject of your essay?

JOEY:

Why is American government the best government in the world?

NICK:

Your teacher crafted that question? JOEY:

Yeah. Why? NICK:

Well... I'll look past the obvious problems in syntax for a moment, and I'll focus more on the core of the question. I mean, "A," does America have the best government in the world? And "B," what constitutes a "best government"?Is it crime, is it poverty, literacy? Hmm? And America- definitely not best.

Perhaps not even better than most.

We do have a very entertaining government...

Bald on Record

-Bald on Record

Utterances Politeness Strategies JOEY:

Dad...! NICK:

I'm sorry. Are you familiar with the term "B.S."? JOEY:

Bullshit. NICK:

Yes, exactly. B.S., if I may, is what questions like the one your teacher posed are made for. Because even if America had the best government, there'd be no way to prove it. And how many pages are you writing? JOEY:

Two pages. NICK:

Two pages... Definitely not in two pages. JOEY:

So what am I supposed to write? NICK:

You can write whatever you want. Okay. Write about...Write about America's amazing ability to make profit by breaking down trading tariffs and bringing American jobs to Third World countries. Or how good we are at executing felons. They're all correct answers.

JOEY: I can do that? NICK:

See, Joey, that's the beauty of argument.

'Cause if you argue correctly, you're never wrong. JOEY:

Dad, if I finish this essay within an hour, can we stay up all night?

NICK:

That's a negotiation, not an argument

-Bald on Record

-Positive Politeness > 15

-Positive Politeness > 15

Positive Politeness >14

Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 5

JILL:

Hey....Nick, you still own a watch, don't you? NICK:

Jill, I can't help feeling Joey's getting the wrong idea about his dad.

It would be great if I could spend a little more time with him, you know?

To give him a fair and balanced perspective. JILL:

Nick, you had plenty of time for that. Now you're his weekend guardian. Besides, he has Brad.

NICK:

He still needs his father.

Off Record > 2

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record SPEECH ACT 6

BOSS:

(in the meeting)

People, what is going on out there?

I look down this table, all I see are white flags. Our numbers are down all across the board.

Teen smoking- our bread and butter, is falling like a shit from heaven.

We don't sell Tic Tacs, for Christ's sake. We sell cigarettes.

And they're cool and available and addictive. The job is almost done for us.

This environmentalist is challenging us. We have to have an answer.

I'm asking you, when this cocksucker puts Captain Hook on our products,

what the fuck are we going to do? NICK:

- BR. – BOSS: Yeah, Nick.

Off Record > 9

Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 4

-Utterances Politeness Strategies NICK:

If I may. In 1910, the U.S. was producing ten billion cigarettes a year. By 1930, we were up to 123 billion. What happened in between? Three things. A world war, dieting... and movies.

BOSS: Movies? NICK:

1927- talking pictures are born. Suddenly, directors need to give their actors something to do while they're talking. Cary Grant, Carole Lombard are lighting up. Bette Davis- a chimney. And Bogart- remember the first picture with him and Lauren Bacall?

BOSS:

Well, yea... not specifically. NICK:

Oh, she sort of shimmies in through the doorway, 19 years old. Pure sex.

She says, "Anyone got a match?"

And Bogie throws the matches at her... and she catches them.

Greatest romance of the century. How'd it start? Lighting a cigarette.

These days when someone smokes in the movies, they're either a psychopath or a European.

The message Hollywood needs to send out is smoking is cool. We need the cast of Will and Grace smoking in their living room. Forrest Gump puffing away between his box of chocolates. Hugh Grant earning back the love of Julia Roberts by buying her favorite brand- her Virginia Slims. Most of the actors smoke already. If they start doing it on-screen, we can put the sex back into cigarettes.

BOSS:

Well, it's a thought.

I was hoping for something a little more inspiring, but at least you're thinking.

Rest of you people, slam your fucking brains against your desks until something useful comes out.

Positive Politeness > 3

-Positive Politeness > 15

-Positive Politeness > 15

Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 7

BOSS:

Nick, you've been summoned. Captain wants to see you.

NICK:

He saw the Joan show? What'd he think? BOSS:

Get your ass on the next flight to Winston-Salem.

Bald on Record

-Bald on Record SPEECH ACT 8

NICK: BR. BOSS:

Pleasant flight? NICK:

Oh! You could say that.

Came up on the Captain's plane. Oh, it's quite the way to travel. BOSS:

I wouldn't know. NICK:

No? You never been on Tobacco One with those seats, that kitchen, that stewardess, Tiffany?

BOSS:

Haven't had the chance yet. NICK:

Oh, well, you really must try it. It's the only way to travel.

BOSS:

What'd he think of your $50 million anti-smoking campaign?

NICK:

Oh, the $50 million anti teen-smoking campaign?

Positive Politeness > 4

Positive Politeness > 1

Off Record > 1

-Off Record > 1

-Off Record > 1

Bald on Record

Utterances Politeness Strategies BOSS:

Yeah. NICK:

Yeah, he gave that the go-ahead.

Oh, and he loved your idea to put cigarettes back into movies.

BOSS:

- That was your idea. – NICK:

Oh, yeah? BOSS:

- He must have gotten confused. NICK:

- Hmm.

Yeah. Well, either way, he was pretty blown away. BOSS:

Right. Well, get a flight to L.A.

I'll get you a meeting with Jeff Megall. NICK:

Who? BOSS:

Hollywood super agent.

Runs the agency EGO: Entertainment Global Offices. This guy is the entertainment business.

NICK:

And you are cigarettes, BR. BOSS:

Whatever.

-Positive Politeness > 4 Off Record > 8

Positive Politeness > 6

-Positive Politeness > 6

Off Record > 11

Bald on Record

-Off Record > 11

Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 9

NICK:

Yeah, but it's not a vacation, it's a learning experience. And California is one of the fastest-growing states, it's got the largest number of electoral votes in the country. I mean, this could be a very good trip for Joey.

JILL:

You know what? Don't smooth-talk me.

You're not going to take him sightseeing.

You're probably going to take him to some lung cancer symposium where a guy with an electronic voice box will tell him that his father is the devil. NICK:

That's unfair. JILL:

Unfair? What about Virginia? NICK:

And what about Virginia? JILL:

You took him to a cigarette factory. NICK:

No, I took him to a tobacco farm. That's hardly the same thing. JILL:

This conversation's over. NICK:

(sighs): Oh, fuck.

Positive Politeness > 5

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

-Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 10

NICK:

Have either of you heard of a reporter named Heather Holloway?

BOBBY JB:

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Irish type. Brown hair, big blue eyes. Nice skin. Amazing tits.

POLLY BAILEY:

Tits? Why are tits relevant? BOBBY JB:

Hmm, let's see.

World-class tits on a reporter interviewing a man with privileged information are relevant.

POLLY BAILEY:

How about it, Nick? Are you a tit man? BOBBY JB:

Don't answer that. That's a trap. NICK:

Depends whose tits.

-Bald on Record

-Bald on Record

-Bald on Record SPEECH ACT 11

JOEY:

Mom, why can't I go to California? JILL:

Because California's just not a... safe place.

And besides, I'm not sure it's appropriate for your father to bring you on a business trip.

JOEY:

Appropriate for who? JILL:

What?

-Positive Politeness > 15

Bald on Record

Utterances Politeness Strategies JOEY:

Mom, is it possible that you're taking the frustration of your failed marriage out on me?

JILL: Excuse me? JOEY:

This California trip seems like a great learning opportunity and a chance for me to get to know my father.

But if you think it's more important to use me to channel your frustration against the man you no longer love, I'll understand.

Bald on Record

Negative Politeness > 6

Negative Politeness > 3

SPEECH ACT 12 NICK:

How'd you convince her? JOEY:

It was an argument, not a negotiation. NICK:

That's my boy.

-Positive Politeness > 1 SPEECH ACT 13

JOEY:

So, you go to an office, then you go on TV and talk about cigarettes. Then you fly out to L.A. To talk to some guy who works with movie stars. What is that? NICK:

That’s my job; I'm a lobbyist. JOEY:

I know, but did you study to do that? NICK:

No. No, I just kind of figured it out. JOEY:

Then can't anyone just do that?

Positive Politeness > 3

-Utterances Politeness Strategies NICK:

No, it, uh, requires a...

a moral flexibility that goes beyond most people. JOEY:

Do I have flexible morals? NICK:

Well, let's say you became a lawyer, right? And you were asked to defend a murderer. Worse than that- a child murderer.

Now, the law states that every person deserves a fair trial. Would you defend them?

JOEY:

I don't know. I guess every person deserves a fair defense.

NICK:

Yeah, well, so do multinational corporations. JOEY:

So, what happens when you're wrong? NICK:

(chuckles)Well, Joey, I'm never wrong. JOEY:

But you can't always be right. NICK:

Well, if it's your job to be right, then you're never wrong.

JOEY:

But what if you are wrong? NICK:

Okay, let's say that you're defending chocolate and I'm defending vanilla. Now, if I were to say to you, "Vanilla's the best flavor ice cream," you'd say?

JOEY:

"No, chocolate is."

-Politeness strategies > 15

Politeness strategies > 6

-Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 15

-Utterances Politeness Strategies NICK:

Exactly.

But you can't win that argument.

So, I'll ask you ---- So you think chocolate is the end-all and be-end-all of ice cream, do you?

JOEY:

It's the best ice cream; I wouldn't order any other. NICK:

Oh. So it's all chocolate for you, is it? JOEY:

Yes, chocolate is all I need. NICK:

Well, I need more than chocolate.

And for that matter, I need more than vanilla.

I believe that we need freedom and choice when it comes to our ice cream, and that, Joey Naylor, that is the definition of liberty.

JOEY:

But that's not what we're talking about. NICK:

Ah, but that's what I'm talking about. JOEY:

But... you didn't prove that vanilla's the best. NICK:

I didn't have to. I proved that you're wrong and if you're wrong, I'm right.

JOEY:

But you still didn't convince me. NICK:

'Cause I'm not after you. I'm after them.

Bald on Record

-Positive Politeness > 15

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 14

NICK:

Hey, kiddo, I got to go do a little bit more work this afternoon, all right?

JOEY: Can I come? NICK:

No. Not this time. JOEY:

But I want to see what you do.

Positive Politeness > 4

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record SPEECH ACT 15

NICK: (talk to Joey)

You stay here, okay? LORNE LUTCH: What do you want?

(Lorne Lutch is going to shut them with his gun) JOEY:

Dad! NICK:

Joey, get back in the car.

(talking to Lorne Lutch) Just want to talk. LORNE LUTCH:

All right. Let's talk.

(Lorne Lucth is talking to his wife) Pearl, we got company.

NICK:

(talking to his son) I'll be right back, tiger.

Bald on Record

-Bald on Record

Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 16

JOEY:

Dad, how did you know he would take the money? NICK:

You'd have to be crazy to turn down all that money. When I saw he wasn't crazy, I knew he'd take it. JOEY:

Would you have taken it? NICK:

If I were him? Sure. JOEY:

So would I.

-SPEECH ACT 17

DENNIS MILLER:

All right, I understand you were on Joan Lunden's show recently.

Didn't make a lot of friends over there, did you? NICK:

I will say that I don't think I'll be getting my annual invitation to the Finistirre Labor Day Barbecue.

SENATOR:

Well, I continue to offer an open invitation to Mr. Naylor to join us in Congress to talk about the inclusion of our new poison label which, if I might say...

DENNIS MILLER:

Nick, ready to trek up the Hill and testify before Congress?

NICK:

Well, I'd love to, Dennis, but not as long as the senator is calling for me to be fired.

It's not exactly a welcome invitation.

-Bald on Record

Negative Politeness > 5

Utterances Politeness Strategies DENNIS MILLER:

Yeah.

Bit of a mixed message, Senator. SENATOR:

Well, not as mixed as the stance that Big Tobacco has taken about the dangers of smoking cigarettes.

NICK: Oh, no.

DENNIS MILLER:

Now what are you laughing? You're a wind-up artist. Give the man his due.

He's got a bit of a point there, doesn't he? NICK:

Sorry. I just can't help myself, Dennis.

I... I... I'm just tickled by the idea of the gentleman from Vermont calling me a hypocrite when, uh... this same man, in one day, held a press conference where he called for the American tobacco fields to be slashed and burned,

then he jumped on a private jet and flew down to Farm Aid where he rode a tractor onstage

SENATOR: Oh, come on. NICK:

As he bemoaned the downfall of the American farmer. DENNIS MILLER:

Care to comment, Senator? SENATOR:

He... I... No.

-Off Record > 12

-Bald on Record

-Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 18

POLLY BAILEY:

Listen, we're all going to need bodyguards soon enough.

Did you see the coverage the fetal alcohol people got themselves over this weekend?

They made it seem like we were encouraging pregnant women to drink.

I'm surprised I didn't get kidnapped on my way to work this morning.

NICK:

I don't think people from the alcoholic beverage industry need to worry about being kidnapped just yet. POLLY BAILEY:

Pardon me? NICK:

Look, I mean, nothing personal,

but tobacco generates a little more heat than alcohol. POLLY BAILEY:

Oh, this is news. NICK:

My product puts away 475,000 a year. POLLY BAILEY:

Oh, okay, now 475 is a legit number. NICK:

Okay, 435,000. That's 1,200 a day.

How many alcohol-related deaths a year? POLLY BAILEY:

Well, does that... NICK:

100,000 tops? That's, what, 270 a day? Wowee.

270 people, a tragedy. Excuse me if I don't exactly see terrorists getting excited about kidnapping anyone from the alcohol industry.

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Negative Politeness > 6

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Utterances Politeness Strategies POLLY BAILEY:

Well, you haven't even taken into account the number of deaths...

NICK:

How many gun deaths a year in the U. S? BOBBY JB:

11,000. NICK:

11,000, are you kidding me? 30 a day. That's less than passenger car mortalities.

No terrorist would bother with either of you.(zziiinng) Okay, look... stupid argument.

POLLY BAILEY: I'll say.

NICK:

I'm sure both of you warrant vigilante justice. POLLY BAILEY:

Thank you.

Bald on Record

-Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 5

Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 5

-SPEECH ACT 19

BOSS:

Nick, I don't want to put any more pressure on you, but we got a camera crew waiting out there.

If we want to make the evening news... NICK:

You want to unhook me here? (talking to the doctor)

Negative Politeness > 3

-Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 20

BOSS: You okay? NICK: Great. BOSS:

Good, 'cause you're booked on all the Sunday talk shows.

For once we got public sympathy on our side. We can start our own little celebrity victim tour. I mean, we couldn't have planned this thing better ourselves.

NICK:

Oh, maybe next time I can lose a lung. BOSS:

Oh. Uh, I heard the, uh... Heather Holloway article is coming out tomorrow.

NICK: Really? BOSS:

Yeah, anything I should be worried about? NICK:

Uh, yeah, the Cancer Association. Apparently, they have it in for us. BOSS:

Fuckers

Positive Politeness > 1

-Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 8

-Positive Politeness > 6

Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 21

NICK: What? BOBBY JB:

I got a call from the paper. NICK:

Really? What'd they want? BOBBY JB:

They wanted the correct spelling of my name and job title.

POLLY BAILEY:

didn't tell her about us, did you? NICK:

Who? Heather? No...

I mean, maybe in passing, I... POLLY BAILEY:

In passing. BOBBY JB:

Oh, God, he fucked her. I tried to warn you. POLLY BAILEY: Hey, he didn't fuck her.

You didn't fuck her, did you? When? BOBBY JB:

In passing. NICK;

Look, she's a really nice girl. BOBBY JB:

Oh, God. We're really fucked.

-Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 6

Positive Politeness > 5

-Bald on Record

-Positive Politeness > 6

-Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 22

BOSS: Bitch. NICK: Whore. BOSS:

You should have been more careful, Nick. You've destroyed all the good will created by your kidnapping.

NICK:

Well, we'll work up a rebuttal. Heather Holloway isn't the only reporter in town.

BOSS:

No, there isn't going to be any rebuttal. NICK:

What do you mean? BOSS:

Don't talk to anyone. We're pulling you from the congressional hearing.

NICK:

No, no, no. You can't pull me from the congressional hearing. All you'll be doing is giving credence to her article. I'm ready to testify.

BOSS:

Look, Nick, half of my job is damage control. Today, that consists of distancing ourselves from you entirely-letting you take all the heat on this article. Your job relied on your ability to keep secrets and spin the truth. I just cannot imagine a way in which you could have fucked up more. There's just no way I could possibly keep you on staff.

NICK:

Then I assume you've run this by the captain. BOSS:

Captain died this morning.

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 12

Bald on Record

-Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 14

Negative Politeness > 3

Positive Politeness > 6

Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 23

NICK: Who is it? JILL: It's me, Nick. NICK:

Jill, this is a bad time. JILL:

Let me in. NICK:

(sighs softly) No. JILL:

I brought someone who needs to talk to you.

-Off Record > 1

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Off Record > 2 SPEECH ACT 24

NICK: Hey, buddy. JOEY: Hey, Dad. NICK:

Coke in the fridge.

Positive Politeness > 4

-Off Record > 2 SPEECH ACT 25

JILL:

So, this Heather Holloway, she must have been pretty hot. NICK:

Yes. She's pretty hot. JILL:

Don't take it so hard.

A few flaws can be appealing. Makes you human.

Off Record > 12

Off Record > 12

Utterances Politeness Strategies NICK:

Who wants to be human? JILL:

Well, I know one person who still thinks you're a God.

-Positive Politeness > 8 SPEECH ACT 26

JOEY:

Why did you tell that reporter all your secrets? NICK:

You're too young to understand. JOEY:

Mom says it's because you have dependency issues and it was all just a matter of time before you threw it all away on some tramp.

NICK:

Well, that's one theory. JOEY:

Why are you hiding from everyone? NICK:

It has something to do with being generally hated right now.

JOEY:

But it's your job to be generally hated. NICK:

It's more complicated than that, Joey. JOEY:

You're just making it more complicated so that you can feel sorry for yourself. Like you always said, "If you want an easy job, go work for the Red Cross." You're a lobbyist. Your job is to be right, and you're the best at what you do. You're the sultan of spin. NICK:

"Sultan of spin"?

Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 5

Positive Politeness > 15

Positive Politeness > 5

Bald on Record

-Bald on Record

Positive politenes > 5

Positive Politeness > 15

-JOEY:

Mom subscribes to Newsweek.

Who cares what the Brads of the world think? He's not my dad. You are.

SPEECH ACT 27 POLLY BAILEY: Baby seal poacher? BOBBY JB:

Even I think that's kind of cruel. NICK:

All right, you're missing the point. POLLY BAILEY:

I must be, because I thought you were apologizing. NICK:

I'm getting to that. POLLY BAILEY: When?

NICK:

Look....The two of you, you're basically my only friends, and the last thing that I would ever want to do would be to hurt you. And, I can only imagine... --Why are you smiling? (talking to Bobby)...--Why is he smiling? (talking to Polly)

POLLY BAILEY:

He won a hundred bucks off of you. BOBBY JB:

I bet Polly you'd spill the beans to that reporter. NICK:

That goes against everything that we stand for. POLLY BAILEY:

Oh, please! You've ratted us out to some reporter with tits!

Positive Politeness > 15

-Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 5

Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 2

Positive Politeness > 8

Utterances Politeness Strategies BOBBY JB:

Glorious tits. NICK:

Only after you created a betting pool testing my incompetence?

POLLY BAILEY:

Do you have any idea the beating I'm taking at Moderation?

NICK:

Well, look, I'm sure both of you are under a lot of scrutiny.

POLLY BAILEY:

You know what? You can stop using the plural. BOBBY JB:

The guys at Safety actually liked the name "Merchants of Death." They're gonna have some bumper stickers made up. I'll make sure you get one.

NICK:

That is disgusting. BOBBY JB: It's American. POLLY BAILEY: Can I have a bite? BOBBY JB: Mmm.

POLLY BAILEY:

So I guess this means you won't be appearing at Finistirre's subcommittee.

NICK:

Hmm. I was kind of looking forward to it, too. It's kind of cool in a Jimmy Stewart sort of way. BOBBY JB:

More like an Ollie North sort of way.

-Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Positive Politeness > 5

Bald on Record

-Negative Politeness > 2

Positive Politeness > 8

-Utterances Politeness Strategies POLLY BAILEY:

Finistirre would have torn you a new asshole in a House of Parliament, no less.

NICK:

I could have taken him. POLLY BAILEY: Yeah.

BOBBY JB: Oh, yeah?

What would you have said? NICK:

I don't know. I'd just like him to feel immeasurable pain, humiliation.

BOBBY JB:

Yeah, well, that would be kind of tough. I mean, he's already a Senator. (chuckles) POLLY BAILEY:

I mean, how would you get back in even if you wanted to?

BOBBY JB: Uh-oh.

Positive Politeness > 8

-SPEECH ACT 28

SENATOR:

Nick Naylor, please step forward. Please state your name, address and current occupation.

NICK:

My name is Nick Naylor.

I live at 6000 Massachusetts Avenue, and I am currently unemployed, but until recently, I was the vice president of the Academy of Tobacco Studies. SENATOR:

Mr. Naylor, as vice president of the Academy of Tobacco Studies, what was required of you?

What did you do?

Bald on Record

Utterances Politeness Strategies NICK:

I informed the public of all the research performed in the investigation on the effects of tobacco.

SENATOR:

Mm-hmm, and what, so far, has the Academy concluded in their investigation into the effects of tobacco?

NICK:

Well, many things, actually.

Why, just the other day they uncovered evidence that smoking can offset Parkinson's disease. (amused buzz)

SENATOR:

I'm sure the health community is thrilled.

Mr. Naylor, who provides the financial backing for the Academy of Tobacco Studies?

NICK: Uh...

Conglomerated Tobacco. SENATOR:

That's the cigarette companies. NICK:

For the most part, yes. SENATOR:

Do you think that... might affect their priorities? NICK:

No, just as I'm sure campaign contributions don't affect yours.

-Bald on Record

Negative Politeness > 5

Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 29

MR.DUPREE:

The warning symbol is a reminder, a reminder of the dangers of smoking cigarettes.

NICK:

Well, if we want to remind people of danger, why don't we slap a skull and crossbones on all Boeing airplanes, Senator Lothridge? And all Fords, Senator Dupree?

SENATOR: That is ridiculous.

The death toll from airline and automobile accidents doesn't even skim the surface of cigarettes.

They don't even compare. NICK:

Oh, this from a senator who calls Vermont home. MR.LOTHRIDGE:

I don't follow you, Mr. Naylor. NICK:

Well, the real demonstrated number one killer in America is cholesterol, and here comes Senator Finistirre, whose fine state is, I regret to say, clogging the nation's arteries with Vermont cheddar cheese. (audience murmuring)

If we want to talk numbers, how about the millions of people dying of heart attacks.

Perhaps Vermont cheddar should come with a skull, and crossbones.

SENATOR:

That is lud... The great state of Vermont will not apologize for its cheese.

MR.LOTHRIDGE: Mr. Naylor,

we are here to discuss cigarettes. Not planes, not cars-cigarettes. Now, as we discussed earlier, these warning labels are not for those who know, but rather for those who don't know.

-Bald on Record

Bald on Record

Bald on Record

-Bald on Record

Bald on Record

-Utterances Politeness Strategies NICK:

(sighs) What about the children? NICK:

Gentlemen... it's called education.

It doesn't come off the side of a cigarette carton. It comes from our teachers, and more importantly, our parents.

It is the job of every parent to warn their children of all the dangers of the world, including cigarettes, so that one day, when they get older, they can choose for themselves.

I look at my... son

who... was kind enough to come with me today,

and I can't help but think that I am responsible for his growth and his development.

And I'm proud of that. (talking to the audience) SENATOR:

Well, having said that, would you condone him smoking?

NICK:

Well, of course not. He's not 18. That would be illegal.

SENATOR:

Yes, l-I heard you deliver that line on 20-20, but enough dancing. What are you going to do when he turns 18? Come on, Mr. Naylor. On his 18th birthday, will you share a cigarette with him? Will you spend a lovely afternoon, like one of your ludicrous cigarette advertisements? You seem to have a lot to say about how we should raise our children. What of your own? What are you going to do when he turns 18?

NICK:

If he really wants a cigarette, I'll buy him his first pack. (audience mutters softly)

SENATOR:

Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Naylor. You're excused.

-Bald on Record

-Bald on Record

-Utterances Politeness Strategies SPEECH ACT 30

BOSS:

Well done, my boy. NICK:

Were you in the same room as me? BOSS:

The whole personal choice thing? They ate that shit up. (laughing) Just checked the whip count. That bill is going down in flames. Your speech was unorthodox, but you did it, boy. You crushed the fucker.

NICK:

That's good news for you guys. BOSS:

Oh. Whoa, whoa. We're still a team, right? NICK:

What about damage control? BOSS:

Look, Nick. Winston-Salem is ready to do whatever it takes to keep you onboard. (crowd clamoring)

Positive Politeness > 1

-Positive Politeness > 2+4

-Positive Politeness > 4

v ABSTRACT

Kristiningrum, Lucia Desy Ari. 2011. A Study on the Use of Politeness Strategies Produced by the Main Characters of Thank You for Smoking. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

It has been obvious that learning language is also learning certain social rules and values of a society. This means that speakers should be able to adjust their use of words in different social situations, which is by paying attention carefully to both the messages that they want to convey and the suitable way of delivering those messages in order to avoid embarrassing other persons or making them feel uncomfortable. Speakers’ competence to select the suitable way of conveying feelings or thoughts has something to do with politeness. In fact, English speakers or learners still often face difficulties in choosing the most appropriate expression or utterance to express what they want to say in English politely. As a result, when having conversation with others, they sometimes produce English which still sounds strange. Moreover, it might lead to misunderstanding in conversation.

Considering the English learners’ difficulties to speak English politely, a study on the use of politeness strategies was conducted. This study aimed at analyzing how the main characters of Thank You for Smoking use the politeness strategies in their conversations according to Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies theory, and at finding out the factors that influence the use of politeness strategies based on the socio-cultural variables of Brown and Levinson’s model and the social dimensions proposed by Holmes.

The method employed in this study was a document analysis. The main characters’ utterances became the data of this study. They were Nick Naylor, Joey (Nick’s son), Polly Bailey (Nick’s best friend), BR (Nick’s boss), Jill (Nick’s ex-wife), and Senator Ortolan Finisterre (Nick’s rival). The writer analyzed the main characters’ utterances, and classified them into four types of politeness strategies, namely Bald on Record (direct), Negative Politeness, Positive Politeness, and Off Record (indirect). Afterwards, the writer analyzed what factors that may influence their use of politeness strategies.

Based on the result of the analysis some conclusions were drawn. First, related to the first research question, the strategies appearing frequently are Bald on Record (93 times) and followed by Positive Politeness (64 times). Then, Off Record is employed about 16 times. Meanwhile, the least frequently used strategy is Negative Politeness (9 times). Second, related to the second research question, a) the use of politeness strategies in Thank You for Smoking was determined by the main characters’ social distance, relative power, as well as degree of imposition; b) using language appropriately involves not only understanding the grammatical aspects but also the sociolinguistic aspects. Finally, c) the acquisition of politeness strategies is just one of the ways in order to use language appropriately and politely. The classification of the politeness strategies proposed here hopefully would help learners, teachers, or lecturers to recognize the politeness expressions and enhance the development of their sociolinguistic competence.

vi ABSTRAK

Kristiningrum, Lucia Desy Ari. 2011. A Study on the Use of Politeness Strategies Produced by the Main Characters of Thank You for Smoking. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Sudah jelas bahwa mempelajari suatu bahasa itu sekaligus juga mengenal struktur atau nilai sosial suatu masyarakat. Yang berarti bahwa penutur bahasa sebaiknya dapat menyesuaikan pengunaan kata-kata sesuai dengan situasi sosial tertentu yaitu dengan memperhatikan baik itu pesan yang ingin disampaikan maupun cara penyampaian pesan tersebut agar tidak mempermalukan orang lain atau membuat mereka merasa tidak nyaman. Kemampuan penutur bahasa untuk memilih cara penyampaian perasaan atau pikiran yang tepat berkaitan dengan kesopanan. Pada kenyataannya, pelajar atau penutur bahasa Inggris masih sering kesulitan dalam memilih ekspresi atau kalimat yang paling tepat untuk disampaikan dalam bahasa Inggris dengan sopan. Akibatnya, ketika mereka mengobrol dengan orang lain, terkadang bahasa Inggris mereka masih terdengar aneh, bahkan bisa terjadi salah paham.

Bertolak dari kesulitan yang dialami para pelajar bahasa Inggris, maka dilakukanlah sebuah penelitian penggunaan strategi kesopanaan. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah menganalisa bagaimana penggunaan strategi-strategi kesopanan yang dilakukan oleh para pemain utama film Thank You for Smoking

berdasarkan teori strategi kesopanan Brown dan Levinson, dan mengetahui faktor-faktor apa saja yang mempengaruhi pengunaan strategi kesopanan mereka. Peneliti menggunakan kombinasi model variabel sosio-kultural Brown dan Levinson, dan teori faktor dimensi sosial milik Holmes.

Dalam penelitian ini, peneliti menggunakan metode analisis dokumen. Data dari penelitian ini adalah kalimat-kalimat para pemain utama. Mereka adalah Nick Naylor, Joey, Polly Bailey, BR, Jill, dan Senator Ortolan Finisterre. Peneliti menganalisa dan kemudian mengklasifikasikan kalimat-kalimat mereka ke dalam empat macam strategi kesopanan, yaitu Bald on Record, Negative Politeness, Positive Politeness, and Off Record. Terakhir, peneliti menganalisa faktor sosial yang mempengaruhinya.

Hasil penelitian tersebut adalah sebagai berikut. Pertama, berkatian dengan pokok permasalahan yang pertama, strategi kesopanan yang paling sering muncul adalah Bald on Record (93 kali) kemudian diikuti Positive Politeness (64 kali). Off Record digunakan sebanyak 16 kali, dan strategi yang paling jarang digunakan adalah Negative Politeness (9 kali). Kedua, berkatian dengan pokok permasalahan yang kedua, a) pengunaan strategi kesopanan di film ini dipengaruhi oleh jarak sosial, kekuasaan, dan tingkat pembebanan; b) menggunakan bahasa dengan baik berarti tidak hanya dapat bertindak tutur menurut kaidah tata bahasa, tetapi juga kaidah sosiolinguistik. Terakhir, c) penguasaan strategi kesopanan adalah salah satu cara berbahasa dengan benar dan sopan. Pengklasifikasian strategi kesopanan yang dijabarkan dalam penelitian ini diharapkan dapat membantu pelajar, guru, atau dosen untuk mengenali ekspresi kesopanan dan meningkatkan kompetensi sosiolinguistik mereka lebih baik lagi.