THE REALIZATION OF HEDGING IN REQUESTS IN THE FILM PRETTY WOMAN Rianna Wahyu Ekastari Alumnus of English Department, STBA LIA Jakarta Abstract In making a request, we may use hedging strategy in the face threatening act. The film Pretty Woman consists of 83 request utterances which can be categorized into seven types of request strategies by the characters, namely: mood derivable, want statement, hedged performative, suggestory formula, query preparatory, strong and mild hints in order to achieve politeness. Key words: request, strategy, face threatening 1. Introduction As common and effortless as it is to talk, using language for communication is a very complex task. The speaker is demanded not only to produce a system of sounds, words, or sentences, but also to transfer it into a meaningful expression in order to make a certain effect when it is delivered in an appropriate context. A request which exhibits a greater effect when it is delivered in both formal and informal contexts requires the processes mentioned above. In a request, the speaker does not merely attempt to make sounds, words, or sentences of a request, but s/he has to be able to adjust them to the hearer in order for the hearer to recognize the request and then take action verbally or non-verbally. Furthermore, when the speaker makes a request, s/he is also influenced by politeness because the speaker intentionally infringes the privacy of the hearer. This later ensues the needs of preserving face. The term face means the public self-image of a person. It refers to one’s emotional and social sense which is satisfying. According to Brown and Levinson (1987), politeness involves a concern for two different kinds of face “The Realization of Hedging in Requests in the film Pretty Woman (Rianna Wahyu Ekastari) 147need : positive and negative face. Positive face refers to our need to be accepted and liked by others and our need to feel that our social group shares common goals, while negative face refers to our right of freedom of action and from imposition. In the light of this concept, when people say something that is interpreted as intruding people’s self-image (positive and negative face), it is described as a potential Face Threatening Act (FTA) (Janet Holmes, 1995:5). Thus, it is understood that a request is a face threatening act (FTA), which intrinsically threatens the negative face. It threatens the negative face of the hearer (his/her wants of freedom of action and from imposition) because by requesting something, the speaker indicates that s/he exercises power or direct control over the intentional behavior of the hearer. Moreover, when delivering a request, the speaker also runs the risk of loosing face as the hearer may choose to refuse to comply with his/her request. Therefore, to save the faces of both interlocutors, the speaker can say something that lessen or minimize the threat of face. Given that particular need, many linguists propose the concept of hedging as an effort of preserving the face from the threat by reducing the strength or force of the utterance. The concept of hedging, which the writer takes for the subject of her study, was introduced first by G. Lakoff (1972) in his article “Hedges: A study in meaning criteria and the logic of fuzzy concept”. Lakoff doesn’t discuss hedging in term of expression of avoidance of the speaker’s full commitment to the communicated proposition, but tends to focus on the function of words which make meanings fuzzier or less fuzzy. Along with this definition, he gives a long list of examples of some hedges, such as somewhat, sort of, perhaps, and soon, and other related phenomena, such as very, really, and rather. Above all, Lakoff’s examples of some hedges 148 UNGUA Vol. 3 No. 2, September 2004 147-160and related phenomena include not only words which diminish the speaker's commitment to the proposition but also those which intensify the commitment. Another extensive analysis related to this study is Brown and Levinson analysis of politeness (1987). They suggest two types of face preserving strategies. They list hedging as one of various face preserving politeness ive strategies, for example in order to avoid disagreement with the hearer (posi politeness which aims to establish solidarity), the speaker can make his/her own opinion safely vague by using a hedge sort of. Whereas, in order not to coerce the hearer (negative politeness which aims to restrain imposition), the speaker might use a hedging expression which weakens illocutionary force e.g. command. Thereafter, Holmes (1995) views hedging as one of politeness devices which is used to signal that the speaker is reluctant to impose by attenuating or reducing the strength of the utterance, damp downing its force or intensity or directness. The devices used may include tag questions, modal verbs, lexical items, pragmatic particles, and even paralinguistic signals such as pauses and vocal hesitations (um or er). Brown and Levinson (1987), Fraser (1978,1980), and Holmes (1995) conclude that hedging is the modification of illocutionary force, which primary function is to achieve politeness. In general, hedging in the study of spoken discourse has received more attention than the one in the study of written discourse. This is based on the fact that in conversation, a complete data of hedging devices either linguistic or paralinguistic can be obtained. In conversation, hedging is often treated as a part of an extended system of politeness, especially for creating a mitigating effect on the hearers (Fraser, 1978 & 1980), modifying illocutionary force (Holmes, 1995) or indirect illocution (Blum Kulka, 1987). ‘The Realization of Hedging in Requests in be film 2rety Woman (Réanna Wahyu Ekastari) 149Consequently, hedging makes a request realization more polite, so that the persuasion over the hearer can be carried out successfully. Therefore, the researcher wants to explore the realization of hedging as a strategy of politeness in request. In order to get a better understanding and analysis, the researcher uses a movie entitled Pretty Woman which is directed by Garry Marshall and casted by Julia Robert and Richard Gere. As one of the best selling movies in the 90s, Pretty Woman excites its viewers by presenting a love that grows between Edward Harris, a millionaire corporate raider, and Vivian Ward, a sex worker. Their relationship begins as a purely business transaction, but then it develops into a true love. There are two reasons why the researcher chooses this movie as the object of analysis. First, the use of real conversational talks in this movie is the right source for the researcher in order to get a tangible data of hedging devices. Second, Pretty Woman shows a lot of situations where request utterances occur in different degrees of power and social distance among characters. 2. Statement of the Problems This research is emphasized on how the request speech act with hedging strategy is realized by each character in the film Pretty Woman and how it correlates with politeness in maintaining the face and minimizing the threat. Thus, the researcher intends to tackle this intriguing problem described in the following questions: 1. do the characters in the film “Pretty Woman” use different ways in expressing requests?; 2. are hedging devices frequently used to achieve politeness in requests?; 150 LINGUA Vo. 3 No. 2, September 2004 147—1603. what hedging devices are used in the request utterances?. 3. Research Methodology The methodology that will be used in this study is a descriptive - qualitative method, focuses on describing and interpreting the data according to the theories. In conducting this method, the researcher examines her own frames of interpretation according to the theories in order to recheck the concept of her interpretation and later support her interpretation. 4, Data Collection Data collecting instruments consist of: 1. Audiovisual material (Video Cassette Disc): the movie that will be used as the data source is one of the best selling movies in the 90s, Pretty Woman. 2. The script: the script of the movie Pretty Woman is taken from no|/bundlan/scripts/pretty woman. htm. /home.ontli Then the data is collected from the dialogues of each character, which are identified as the request utterances with hedging strategy 5. Theoretical Framework There are four theories that will be used in this research. The theories Speech Act Theory Request Theory . Politeness Theory Rene . Hedging theory ‘The Reatization of Hedging in Requests inthe film Pretay Woman (Rianne Wahyu Ekastari) 1516. Analysis The data consists of 83 utterances in the film Pretty Woman are examined in three general areas of discussion. First, the analysis is concerned with the types of request strategies. In doing this, the requested data consists of 83 utterances are directly classified according to their types proposed by Blum Kulka (1987). Second, the analysis deals with the occurrence of hedging in requests in order to prove whether it is used to achieve politeness or not. Third, particles, words, or phrases which indicate hedging are analyzed adequately. 6.1 The Classification of Request Strategies 83 utterances in the film Pretty Woman belong to only 6 types out of the nine types of request strategies proposed by Blum Kulka (1987). They are mood derivables, want statements, hedged performatives, suggestory formula, query preparatory, and hints. Below are the examples: 1. Mood Derivabies + Give me your car keys, will you? I'm going back to my hotel. + Prepare the filing papers. Have them ready by the middle of the week. [’ll tell you when to submit them. + Get out of my face, or I'll have those cops on your ass in two seconds. 2. Want Statements * Do-you-want-to-stay-here-for-the- week? * Barnard Thomas here, Miss Vivian. I wonder if you might come down to the front desk. There’s someone to see you 3. Hedged Performatives * Bridget, Hello. This is Barnard Thomas over at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Well, thank you. That’s flattering. I'd like to ask a favor of you. I’m going to send someone over. Her name is Vivian. 152 LUNGUA Vol 3 No.2, September 2004 147160She’s a guest of ours, a very special guest. 4. Suggestory Formula * Why don’t you just do it out of the kindness of your heart? 5. Query Prepatory * Good. Can you tell me how to get to Beverly Hills? unless you respect yourself (as a request to respect herself) (Mild hint). 6.2 Hedging in Requests In order to prove whether hedging is frequently used to achieve politeness when expressing a request, each request utterance which indicates a request with hedging is investigated. Below are some of hedging-request utterances which have been successfully identified from the data. The utterances are: Give me your car keys, will you? I’m going back to my hotel. Actually, some of the richest people I know have the worst manners. Of course Mr. Harris being old money, knows his way around a table. All right now, pay attention please, salad fork. Bridget, Hello. This is Barnard Thomas over at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Well, thank you. That’s flattering. I'd like to ask a favor of you. I’m going to send someone over. Her name is Vivian. She’s a guest of ours, a very special guest. Do-you-want-to-stay-here-for-the-week? Barnard Thomas here, Miss Vivian. 1 wonder if you might come down to the front desk. There’s someone to see you. Why don’t you just do it out of the kindness of your heart? Good. Can you tell me how to get to Beverly Hills? ‘The Realization of Hedging in Request ia the ln Pein, Women (Rianna Wahyu Ekastari) 153 |__+ Better get dressed. We’re having guests [6 Hints + People aren’t going to respect you* People aren’t going to respect you unless you respect yourself 6.3 Hedging Devices There are various devices to signal hedging in a request. It can be signaled by tag questions, modals, lexical items, questions, paralinguistic signals such as pauses and vocal hesitations, and many other expressions that can signal the speaker’s reluctance to impose or that are relevant to achieve politeness as the primary function of hedging. In this research, the researcher has successfully identified six devices of hedging in request utterances. The devices are: 1. Questions 4.Embeddings 2. Tag Questions 5. Lexical items - Adverbs - Adjectives - Modals - Verbs = Pronouns 3. Conditional Clauses 6. Negations As an example, turn to the following discussion: Questions Hedging can be presented in the form of question. It is used to presuppose someone that s/he can and is willing to do something. By questioning, the speaker politely conveys that s/he does not take compliance for granted and simultaneously lowers the risk of losing face of her/himself, for example: [Speaker-hearer: Saleswoman-Vivian, in the boutique] Would you like to try it on? In the boutique or other stores, the customers will be treated as if they were kings and queens because the life of the store is on their hands. Adhering to 154 LUNGUA Vol. 3 No. 2, September 2004 147—160this, as a saleswoman, it is a must for her to serve the customer politely. But in order not to convey her request bluntly, she asks the hearer (Vivian) whether she is willing to fit and then buy the dress. Embeddings The accomplishment of hedging can be done by prefacing the request with a clause in which the request is embedded in order to convey the speaker’s attitude to the request. The expression of tentativeness or hope is what the speaker usually embeds in his /her request. The embedding often occurs in connection with a conditional clause such as the example below: (Speaker-hearer: Mr. Thomas-Vivian, on the phone] Barnard Thomas here, Miss Vivian. I wonder if you might come down to the front desk, there’s someone to see you. The tentativeness in this request is actually caused by the speaker (Mr. Thomas) who feels a little bit surprised and uncomfortable with the visitor who wants to meet Vivian as he knows that she is a very close friend of Vivian. So, when delivering a request to Vivian and in order to ask her to come down to the front desk, the speaker (Mr. Thomas) unconsciously embeds his feeling in his request which is in fact more polite. 7. Conclusion This Research inquiry comes to the end. Expressing requests can be done in various ways, from the most direct one, such as mood derivables, to the most indirect one, such as hints. As reflected on the data, from the nine types of request strategies proposed by Blum Kulka (1987), there are six types of request strategies used by the characters in the film Pretty Woman. The types are: ‘he Realization of Hedging in Requests inthe film Er Woman (Riana Wohyu Ekta) 155. Mood derivables; Want statements; Hedged performatives; Suggestory formula; Query preparatory; Hints. ae kee The distribution of six types of request strategies above has represented the scale of directness which acknowledges the request as a face threatening act demanding face-work for its realization. At the highest level of directness, a mood derivable occurs in an explicit order. It asserts that the hearer is the subject to some kind of authority and consequently, is expected to comply. Requests formulated as want statements are requests with an explicit wish. This makes it more difficult for the hearer to refuse. Structures employing verbs like want and will are more difficult to refuse than structures employing verbs with a less demanding and more polite lexical meaning like let, would, and could. In suggestory formula, the speaker does not feel obliged to question any particular condition, rather s/he asks whether the hearer might have any objections that would prevent him/her from carrying out the act. Then, the requests alluding to the hearer preparatory condition are considered as a transparent request which needs an excuse for non-compliance. However, by questioning the hearer’s ability or willingness to perform, the speaker has already shown that s/he does not take compliance for granted. At the lowest level of directness (hints), the speaker's impositive intention is not made explicit and can easily be overlooked by a non-compliant 156 UNGUA Vol. 3 No. 2, September 2004 147—160hearer. In this type, there is no excuse needed if the hearer does not want to comply with the request. The greater the imposition is presented, the more polite the speaker’s wording of a request would be required. As mentioned, an (fairly) indirect request is more likely be polite than a straightforward order. Given this importance, the hedging strategy occurs to fulfill politeness. It is used to attenuate or reduce the strength of the utterance, damp down its force, intensity, or directness. After the data which consist of 83 request utterances are investigated, it is found that 50 utterances or 60,2 % of the request utterances apply hedging devices to achieve politeness. The hedging devices that can be identified in the request utterances are summarized in Table below: Relative Frequency of Hedging Devices in Request Utterances Hedging Devices | Number of Occurrences in | Percentage (% ) Request Utterances 1. Questions 1S 15.5 2. Tag Questions 3 3.1 3. Conditional clauses 4 41 4. Embeddings 1 10 5. Lexical items - Adverbs 13 13.4 - Adjectives 3 3 - Modal 23 23.7 - Verbs 16 16.5 - Pronouns 16 16.5 6. Negations 3 31 Total 7 100 “The Realization of Hedging in Requests inte fm rey Woman (Rianna Waly Ekasar) 157Those devices are some of the linguistic means which function as hedges on illocutionary force of a request. They are used to soften the illocutionary force, by minimizing the impact of threatening face considerably. In essence, it is concluded that hedging devices are a salient feature of face-to-face speaking, especially in the request from which the examples are taken. This is mainly because the devices not only help the speaker to save his/her face as s/he tries to exert his/her influence over the hearer and in doing so benefit him/herself but also help the speaker to communicate his/her wants politely to the hearer as s/he is concerned about the face of the hearer who wants to have freedom of action and from imposition. 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