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“You can f*** get lost already”: (Responding to) impoliteness in the (in-)authentic discourse of comedy and crime TV series and movies

  • Hossein Talebzadeh

    Hossein Talebzadeh is an Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics at Kharazmi University. His current research interests lie predominantly in Applied Sociolinguistics and Sociopragmatics, LSP, (Multimodal) Discourse Analysis, Corpus Linguistics, and Materials Development/Evaluation.

     EMAIL logo     and Marzieh Khazraie

    Marzieh Khazraie is a PhD student of Applied Linguistics at Kharazmi University where she obtained her Master’s degree. She completed her thesis on the educational relevance of impoliteness to (authentic, multimedia) materials development and evaluation. Her areas of interest include Pragmatics and Impoliteness Studies, Discourse Analysis, and Materials Development/Evaluation.
Published/Copyright: July 5, 2023
Journal of Politeness Research
From the journal Journal of Politeness Research Volume 19 Issue 2

Abstract

As a vital means of communication in social life, people’s talk is likely to be influenced by the media, specifically film talk. The study aimed at understanding how impoliteness is presented in TV series and movies. We investigated, quantitatively and qualitatively, 928 min of interactions from selected comedy and crime genres (popular among a group of English as a Foreign Language [EFL] learners). The collected corpus was analyzed using (revised) taxonomies of impoliteness strategies and defensive strategies. The findings revealed that although both cinematic genres abound with incivility, the type of prevalent impoliteness strategies differ between genres. Moreover, the viewers of the English TV series and movies are exposed to impoliteness presented in film discourse, specifically, taboo words. Considering the overall adequacy of the adopted analysis models and the noticeable impact film talk might have on individuals and society, we draw on our findings and the literature to conclude with explanations (e.g., disaffiliative humor and cognitive safety) and implications for similar sociopragmatic studies and applied linguistics domains (particularly language learning and teaching).

Keywords: cinematic genre; fictional discourse; film talk; impoliteness (strategies); taboo words
Corresponding author: Hossein Talebzadeh, Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Kharazmi University, Tehran 15719-14911, Iran; and Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Kharazmi University, Karaj 3755131979, Iran, E-mail:

About the authors

Hossein Talebzadeh

Hossein Talebzadeh is an Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics at Kharazmi University. His current research interests lie predominantly in Applied Sociolinguistics and Sociopragmatics, LSP, (Multimodal) Discourse Analysis, Corpus Linguistics, and Materials Development/Evaluation.

Marzieh Khazraie

Marzieh Khazraie is a PhD student of Applied Linguistics at Kharazmi University where she obtained her Master’s degree. She completed her thesis on the educational relevance of impoliteness to (authentic, multimedia) materials development and evaluation. Her areas of interest include Pragmatics and Impoliteness Studies, Discourse Analysis, and Materials Development/Evaluation.

Acknowledgements

We would like to sincerely thank Dr. Elizabeth Marsden, the assistant managing editor of Journal of Politeness Research, and the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions and comments on earlier versions of this paper.

Appendix

Participants’ response options proposed by Dobs and Garcés-Conejos Blitvich (2013: 126)

Response options Explanations Instances
1 Counter Participants can counter the face attack offensively or defensively.
2 Compromise A compromise occurs where the participants negotiate (a) concession(s) which can either end or continue the conflict. Example 2.
3 Accept apposition Example 3.
4 React Make a reactive comment to heighten the drama or react with genuine surprise to the impoliteness act. Example 1A.
5 Corroborate opposition It happens when the witness to a questionable act verifies, and reinforces, its face threatening nature. Example 3.
6 Stand-off It happens when (either of) the conflict participants, usually understanding there is no chance for either submission or compromise by the other party, changes the topic.

  1. Note. The explanations are taken from Dobs and Garcés-Conejos Blitvich (2013) and Bousfield (2007).

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Received: 2021-03-10
Accepted: 2023-01-09
Published Online: 2023-07-05
Published in Print: 2023-07-26

© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Research Articles
  3. “Can I have a cup of tea please?” Politeness markers in the Spoken BNC2014
  4. Two phenomena behind the terminology of face
  5. Mitigating strategies and politeness in German requests
  6. Conceptualization of first-order politeness in Russia: an exploratory study
  7. Grand strategy of politeness in new social networks: revisiting Leech’s politeness theory among Iranian EFL learners using Telegram
  8. When the Norwegian ‘politeness marker’ vennligst becomes impolite
  9. Native observers’ evaluations of ritual frame indicating expressions in Chinese
  10. “You can f*** get lost already”: (Responding to) impoliteness in the (in-)authentic discourse of comedy and crime TV series and movies
  11. Impoliteness among multilingual Facebook users in Congo Brazzaville
  12. Book Review
  13. Grundtvig, A. 2021. English is context: Practical pragmatics for clear communication. Stuttgart: DELTA Publishing, Ernst Klett Sprachen GmbH, 144 pp., ISBN 978-3-125-01742-9. Price: € 28,50.
https://doi.org/10.1515/pr-2021-0010
Keywords for this article
cinematic genre; fictional discourse; film talk; impoliteness (strategies); taboo words

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Research Articles
  3. “Can I have a cup of tea please?” Politeness markers in the Spoken BNC2014
  4. Two phenomena behind the terminology of face
  5. Mitigating strategies and politeness in German requests
  6. Conceptualization of first-order politeness in Russia: an exploratory study
  7. Grand strategy of politeness in new social networks: revisiting Leech’s politeness theory among Iranian EFL learners using Telegram
  8. When the Norwegian ‘politeness marker’ vennligst becomes impolite
  9. Native observers’ evaluations of ritual frame indicating expressions in Chinese
  10. “You can f*** get lost already”: (Responding to) impoliteness in the (in-)authentic discourse of comedy and crime TV series and movies
  11. Impoliteness among multilingual Facebook users in Congo Brazzaville
  12. Book Review
  13. Grundtvig, A. 2021. English is context: Practical pragmatics for clear communication. Stuttgart: DELTA Publishing, Ernst Klett Sprachen GmbH, 144 pp., ISBN 978-3-125-01742-9. Price: € 28,50.
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