A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF POLITENESS FEATURES OF CRITICISM IN JOSEPH MCGINTY’S THIS MEANS WAR

Abstract

This research aims to (1) identify the politeness strategies of criticism employed by the characters in This
Means War movie, (2) find out the politeness principles underlying the use of politeness strategies of criticism by
the characters in This Means War movie, and (3) investigate the factors influencing the choice of politeness
strategies of criticism in This Means War movie.

This research used qualitative approach. However, quantitative
method was also employed to support the qualitative interpretation. The data were in the form of utterances. The
context of the data was the dialogues. The primary source of the data was This Means War movie. The secondary
source of the data was the dialogue transcript. The researcher herself was the main instrument of this research, and
she was supported by the data sheet as the secondary instrument. The data were collected and analyzed by
categorizing the utterances containing criticism into the data sheet. The trustworthiness of the data was gained
through triangulation. The results of the research show three points. First, there are only three types of politeness
strategies of criticism that occur in the movie. They are bald on record, positive politeness, and off record. Second,
there are five types of politeness principles which underlie the characters’ preference to use a certain politeness
strategy. They are tact maxim, generosity maxim, approbation maxim, modesty maxim, and agreement maxim.
Third, two factors are influencing the choice of politeness strategy; they are payoff and circumstances: relative
power, social distance and rank of imposition.

Keywords: pragmatics, politeness features, criticism, This Means War