The Analysis of Sarcasm: Good, Bad & Beyond in Snatch Movie

Ronang Wahyu Narpati

10/299403/SA/15349

Submitted for the partial fulfillment of

the Language Research Method Class
Yogyakarta, January 2013

The Analysis of Sarcasm: Good, Bad & Beyond in Snatch Movie

Ronang Wahyu Narpati
Abstract
Sarcasm is the unique utterance in communication ways. However, people
often utter sarcasm without aware that this is it. In this research, the ways
sarcasm develops through communication will be analyzed. In addition, how
the sarcasm occur and construct will be explore in this research. The source of
the mater will be the Hollywood blockbuster movie entitled Snatch. The
focus on this research however will be reviewed the utterance of sarcasm used
in the movie that might apply also in daily life. Hence, the analysis in this
research of sarcasm in this film will expand the horizon and give better
understanding of it.
1.

Introduction
According

to

Jacob

Mey

(1993),

pragmatics is

subfield

of linguistics which studies the ways in which context contributes to meaning.

Pragmatics encompasses speech act theory, conversational implicature, talk in
interaction and

other

approaches

to

language

behavior

in philosophy, sociology, and linguistics and anthropology. Unlike semantics,

which examines meaning that is conventional or "coded" in a given language,
pragmatics studies how the transmission of meaning depends not only on
structural and linguistic knowledge (e.g., grammar, lexicon, etc.) of the speaker
and listener, but also on the context of the utterance, any preexisting
knowledge about those involved, the inferred intent of the speaker, and other
factors. Sarcasm is a linguistic phenomenon used by many speakers to express
opinions of something or someone--often negative opinions. Unlike other
verbal behaviors, sarcasm represents the opposite of what speakers actually
mean. Speakers expect, in most cases, for recipients to recognize this
contradiction. The assumption by linguists regarding sarcasm use is that
speakers knowingly choose to use sarcasm to create a particular effect and
should be able to explain their reasoning for choosing sarcasm in any particular
situation or context if asked.

It means that situation is one of the deciding factors in pragmatics studies

since it determine the actual meaning of the speaker. Besides, it depends on
how the communication between two peoples itself in order to understand the
actual meaning for one to the others. In conversation, one of the ways to
communicate is by utilizing sarcasm. Sarcasm is the activity of saying or
writing the opposite of what you mean, or of speaking in a way intended to
make someone else feel stupid or show them that you are angry (Macmillan
English Dictionary 2007). While, the Webster Dictionary stated that sarcasm is
1: a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain. 2:
a mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often
ironic language that is usually directed against an individual. Therefore, the
simple meaning of sarcasm is a sharp, bitter, and caustic manner that stated
precisely what it means. Sarcasm and irony sometimes makes the pupils argued
that it is similar to the others however irony must not be confused with
sarcasm. Sarcasm is differs from irony since irony deals with the unsaid idea
and the intended meaning is the opposite from the expression. However, still
sometimes sarcasm needs irony in its utterances and in the other hand irony
does not required sarcasm.
Sarcasm is indeed important in daily communication since it can be used
to criticize others during the conversation and it can be more effective if it used
in proper situation. For instance, when a man is assisted by his fellow he said
as a response: Thanks for your once in a lifetime help! The utterance of
sarcasm in this example is clear enough to see since the man stated that his
friend never helped him before, that is the first time ever, and he uses that as a
chance to jibe him even though he said thank you. However, sarcasm
sometimes required sensitivity from the listener as if the conversation not
happened one way only from the speaker. If not, the speaker can utilize
sarcasm continuously without being realized by the listener though it is not
affecting the whole communication.

In order to expand the utilizing of sarcasm that might occur in daily

communication, the example from movie entitled Snatch will be used on this
paper.
2.

Data and Methods

2.1. Data Source(s)

Snatch is a comedy crime movie that takes London as setting place and
background which is directed by Guy Ritchie in 2000. It has, as Wikipedia
stated on its article, two intertwined plots: one dealing with the search for a
stolen diamond, the other with a small-time boxing promoter named Turkish
and his pity partner Tommy who finds themself under the thumb of a ruthless
gangster known as Brick Top. The film features an assortment of colourful
characters, including gypsy Mickey O'Neil, arms-dealer Boris "the Blade"
Yurinov, professional thief and gambling addict Franky "Four-Fingers",
American gangster-jeweller "Cousin Avi, bounty hunter Bullet-Tooth Tony
and amateur criminals in Tyrone, Solomon and Vinny. It all begins after
Franky stole the 86 carats of diamond and attract the attention of the other
criminals, even brought one of them fly from Los Angeles to London in order
to snatch the diamond. In the other hand, Turkish is struggling with his illegal
boxing business and that makes him in a debt to criminal promoter. In the end,
all of the characters in the movie connected with the diamond.
It is also distinguished by a kinetic direction and editing style, a circular
plot featuring numerous ironic twists of chance and causality, and a fast pace.
Through the movie, the researches focus on the dialogues that linked with
sarcasm based on the definition of Macmillan English Dictionary 2007 and
Webster Dictionary as guidelines to gain the examples of sarcasm. In addition,
the researches also focus to the examples of irony and added it into the data in
order to determine the difference between sarcasm and irony.

2.2. Methods
Sarcasm is the focus in this research that being reviewed in this movie.
The author use observation studies, which involve the collection of data
without manipulating it. The researcher simply observes ongoing activities,
without attempting to control or determine them. In this case, the researcher
observes Snatch by Guy Ritchie in order to collect data related to sarcasm.
Through the film, there were many dialogues, and then the author chose the
proper conversation that related with the utterances of sarcasm. There were
fourteen data of sarcasm utterances that has been collected successfully. The
data collected in November 2012 and it is required up to 5 times of watching
the movie in order to minimize the error might occur from determining
whether one conversation is sarcasm, irony or even another figure speech. In
addition, the author also focused towards the utterance of irony to distinguish
the difference between sarcasm and irony.
3.

Results
The main aim of this part is to describe the results of the sarcasm

utterances that occur during the movie. The movie itself has approximately 1
hour and 39 minutes of duration and the researches gain 14 data that has been
collected. However, to make the analysis simpler only several data will be
explained. In addition, to make the researches easier, the transcriptions of the
dialogue will be added.
In the first scene, it shows that the movie has the humor atmosphere since
though it is sometimes harsh but the dialogues are amusing and enjoyable to
watch. The relevance with the utterances occur in the first scene of the movie
when Turkish is concerned about his office caravan is not proper and ask
Tommy to buy from the Gypsy. When Tommy asks why he needs a new
caravan, Turkish responses in sarcastic manner:
Turkish : Well, you know about caravans.
Tommy : How's that?

Turkish : You spent a summer in one. Which means you know more than
me. And I don't want to have me pants pulled down over the
price.
Tommy : What's wrong with this one?
Turkish : Oh, nothing, Tommy. It's tiptop. I'm just not sure about the
colour.
In this part, the time when Turkish answers Tommys last question he
reply and try to open the door at the same time, and the door is broken. Then,
his answer, with the italic line, indicates that he utters the sarcasm. In fact, it
has similarities with irony since he does not said exactly what he intend and
we the unsaid manner is important that the caravan is not in good condition.
However, based on Macmillan definition which is used in this researches as a
guideline Turkish indeed said sarcasm because he said the opposite of the
meaning and shows that he is upset with Tommy since he cannot see the
condition of the caravan. In the movie, it is clear enough to see that the
caravan is in bad shape but Tommy still asking why Turkish needs the new
one.
The movie continue when Brick Top watching his boxers doing the
training. When he asks to his man whether one of his boxers will make him
proud, his man, named Garry, answer by saying that the boxers will make
Brick Top proud. However, Brick Top does not happy with the response since
he thinks that Garry only attempt to crawl into him. The dialogues are:
Brick Top: He doesn't look bad, does he?
Gary

: No, he looks great. He'll do you proud.

Brick Top: You reckon that's what people should do for me, Gary? Do
me proud?
Gary

: It's what you deserve.

Brick Top: Pull your tongue out of my arsehole. Dogs do that. You're
not a dog, are you?

Based on the dialogues, it is obvious that Brick Top does the sarcastic
utterance to Garry and he said it with harsh and sharp terms by using the
words dog towards him. By seeing the Brick Tops dialogue, the audience
can see that he is not happy of what Garry saying to him and in the movie
Garry does not response after Brick Top said that and it indicates that he is
realized that he makes him annoyed. In addition, it shows that Garry have the
sensitivity of being the object of sarcasm.
The other examples of the sarcasm occur when Mickey is fighting with
Turkishs boxer in Gypsy campsite after he bought caravan from the Gypsy.
George feels irritated since the caravan that he bought is broken but he is
already spend 5,000 dollars on it. Because of that, they try to solve the
problem by bare-knuckle boxing. George, 6 feet tall man, has bigger size than
Mickey and he is keep-knocking Mickey down. However, Mickey is still
stand and mocking George by saying, he has deadly kick. The lines of the
transcript follow:
George: Get back down and f*****g stay down. I promise you, you
want to stay down.
`

Mickey: Deadly kick for a fat f****r, you know that?

The analysis of the dialogue is when George beats Mickey brutally, Mickey
can stand still and even mocking him. He stated that George has deadly kick
but in the movie shows that Mickey is still okay and even do the warming up.
After Mickey says the sarcastic quotes and in caustic manner, George is
becoming angrier, furious, and even beaten Mickey more brutal but he is still
fine. Not too long after that, Mickey punches George in the face one time and
makes him lost his consciousness.
After Turkish and Tommy lost George, they make a report to Brick Top
that they lost their fighter for the upcoming match. Brick Top, the promoter
who arrange the bookies for the match seems unhappy for the news and

asking to them how could that happened in sarcasm utterances. The dialogues
following:
Turkish: We've lost Gorgeous George.
Brick Top: You're gonna have to repeat that.
Turkish: We've lost Gorgeous George.
Brick Top: Well, where'd you lose him? He ain't a set of f*****g car
keys, is he?
In this situation, what Brick Top response is also sarcasm since it shows
that he is angry and upset to Turkish. He use rough word in order to make
Turkish being cornered and it shows that Brick Top is blaming Turkish for the
situation. After that, Tommy suggest to Brick Top to change the fighter.
However, Brick Top is unhappy because he is not speaking to Tommy but to
Turkish. The following dialogues are:
Tommy: We're changing the fighter.
Brick Top: Oh, f**k me, your lady friend got a voice? Who are you
changing him to, sweetheart?
This time, Brick Top is mocking Tommy since he has guts to talk though
not ask to and for him it is impolite. Then, he sarcastically asking Tommy by
using the word sweetheart and labeled him as a woman. Here, Tommy is
aware that he is the object of sarcasm by Brick Top, but he is still talking and
as a result makes him annoyed. The following transcripts are:
Brick Top: I lose all bets at the bookies. You can't change fighters. So, no,
I don't have my fight, do I, you f*****g prat?
Tommy: You can take bets at the fight.
Brick Top: Put a lead on her, Turkish, before she gets bitten. Do you want
to get bitten, sweetheart?

Again, in this occasion Brick Top launched sarcasm utterances to Tommy

by stating that he is a woman. He even refers him by using she since he is
furious that Tommy is too outspoken. Then, he sarcastically asks Turkish to
put a lead in order not to be bitten and ask Tommy whether he wants to be
bitten or not by using the words sweetheart. It indicates that Brick Top
underrated Tommy and treat Tommy as if he is a woman and continuously
being the object of sarcasm. In other scene shows, that sarcasm can be used to
make others fee stupid and looks like a fool. For example, when Tyrone
drives the car with Sol and Vinny in order to robbed the bookies he
accidentally hit the car parked. Vinny angrily asks why he hit the van parked.
The following dialogues are:
Vinny: People'll see the damage. Why'd you do that?
Tyrone: I didn't see it.
Vinny: It's a four-ton truck. It's not like it's a packet of f*****g peanuts.
The analysis is Tyrone argue that he does not see the van when he wants
to parked the car. However, Vinny is questioning Tyrones alibi by stating that
it is not a pack of peanut and that big static parked van is impossible not to be
seen. By sarcastically comparing the van with the peanut simply shows that
Tyrone driving skill is doubtful and he simply not a good driver. By
analyzing Vinnys quotes, it is obvious that his words make Tyrone stupid and
obtuse person and sarcasm can be used to mock others and shows annoyed
expression effectively.
In the other hand, the example of irony also occurred in this film. The
author will give the following transcript:
Sol: Grab hold of his legs.
Man: What do you think I'm gonna grab him by, his ears?
Brick Top (enters the room): Hope this is not a bad moment.

In this occasion, it depicted that Solomon and Vinny try to throw the
dead body of Franky from their office. During their attempt, Brick Top enters
the room and witnesses the incident then stated, Hope this is not a bad
moment to them. The audiences should aware that it is not good moment for
someone interrupts when someone deals with dead body. However, ironically,
Brick Top said that quotes and makes Solomon and Vinny surprised because
he does not know who Brick Top is and that means he is stranger to them.
What Brick Top said is irony since it is the opposite of the fact that it is not a
bad moment and indeed, it is the bad moment because in the movie
described that he still enters the room and then gives advice how to dump
someones body effectively. However, there is no sharp or bitter atmosphere
from Brick Top quotes. Hence, there is difference between sarcasm and irony
since irony does not use sharp, bitter or caustic manner in its utterances.
4.

Conclusion
The purpose of this research is to analyze the utterances of sarcasm in

daily conversation by using the Macmillan and Webster Dictionary definition

of sarcasm as the guideline. These two definitions are important in order to
analyze the utterances in Snatch movie. Sarcasm is the unique way to
express feeling and one of the tools to communicate. The utterance of
sarcasm can be utilized in humor that can make people laugh as in the movie
that most of all the comedy aspects comes through the dialogues, especially
that related with sarcasm, which is being the focus on this research. Besides,
the topic of the conversation is also important for being analyzed since it is
determine whether the dialogue using sarcasm or not. In addition, the
sensitivity of person arguably is the deciding factor in order to understand
sarcasm or not. For instance, when Brick Top labeled Garry as a dog since he
is licking his arsehole Garry then remain silent and aware that he has
already make his boss upset and being the object of sarcasm.

Not all the characters understand the utterances that being used, for
example, when Brick Top confronts Tommy in the first occasion. After the
first warning, Tommy should realize that Brick Top is not in the good mood
to listen Tommys speaking and should silent. However, he is still talking and
the results shows in the second situation. When Brick Top asks to Tommy
you do not want to get bitten, sweetheart? The character of Brick Top
depicted as a cruel criminal that many of his utterances are sarcasm and
mainly it shows when he is in bad temper. Therefore, we can imply that
sarcasm is one way to express anger and upset towards another person in
communication.
As a result, sarcasm shows that there is disorganize between what being
said and what the actual intention is. Moreover, to determine whether the
utterances is sarcasm or irony by realizing that sarcasm often use harsh word,
sharp terms in order to make caustic manner and bitter feeling to make
another person feel stupid and used to mock another people. Hence, the
differences between sarcasm and irony sometimes seem bias and many critics
argue that sarcasm is one of the forms of irony.

References
Mey, Jacob L. (1993) Pragmatics: An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell (2nd ed.
2001)
Macmillan, E. D. 2007. Macmillan English Dictionary. Macmillan Education,
2 edition.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sarcasm
Plot of Snatch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snatch_(film)

Appendices
Time: 00.19.37 Mickey to George
Mickey: You should f**k off now while you still got the legs to carry you.
Nobody brings you....unless they're trying to say something without talking.
In this occasion, takes place before they are fighting each other, George
tries to confront Mickey when he feels of being fooled by the Gypsies to buy the
broken caravan. However, before he says even single words, Mickey always
interrupted him, in the end said sarcasm quotes towards him, and stated that
people only use the advantages of his size to something without talking and
only use physical aspects. This sarcasm has the aspects of underrated people and
makes caustic manner and in this case enough to trigger George to challenge
Mickey to fight.
Time: 00.44.29
Errol: So that's where you keep the sugar.
Turkish: What brings you two here? Run out of pants to sniff?
In his scene, Errol, one of Brick Tops men, alongside with his comrade
manage to enter into Turkish house. When Turkish is trying to put the coffee,
Errol said his line and Turkish response in sarcastic manner by stating that their
works with Brick Top is not enough and they are trying to find another bosses.
Turkish sarcastically questions him in bitter way since he is upset that they are
trespassing into his house and he has bad record with Brick Top.
Time: 00.49.00
Turkish: You're lucky we aren't worm food after your last performance. Buying a
tart's mobile palace is a little fucking rich. I wasn't calling your mum a
tart. I just meant...
Mickey: Save your breath for cooling your porridge.
It is the scene when Turkish asks Mickey for fight in illegal boxing again.
In the first time, Mickey should go down in the fourth round and stay down.
Instead, he punches his opponent in the first round with his first attack and it
means Turkish is in trouble with Brick Top. This time, Turkish proposed him for
another match but Mickey wants him to buy his mother a caravan as payment.
Turkish refuses his plea by stated his line, eventually annoyed Mickey, and nearly
attacks him. Therefore, Mickey said his sarcastic quotes to warn Turkish for mind
his word or else. The analysis is Mickey use sarcasm by using harsh words and
can be argued as a thread to Turkish. It shows that sarcasm is used as the way to
mock others and Mickey wants to shows that he is unhappy of what Turkish said.

Time 00.59.30
Tony: Bookies got blagged last night.
Avi: Blagged? Speak English. This country spawned the language, and nobody
seems to speak it.
In this scene, Avi fly from USA to London in order to find the missing
Franky to get the diamond from him. In order to do so, he get assistance from
Tony to find him. Knowing that Frankys addict to gamble, they intent to go to the
bookies but Tony get the information that the bookie is robbed. However, Tony
use his British accent to describe the situation (blagged) and it makes Avi
confused with the term. Sarcastically, he advises Tony to speak English so he can
understand what he is trying to say. The analysis is Avi is unhappy with Tony
since he using the words that he does not understand and to show his
dissatisfaction he suggest Tony to speak in English instead of asking what is the
meaning of blagged. It is sarcasm because Tony indeed speak in English and Avi
said it harshly.
Time 00.59.45
Rose Bud: I need a gun.
Tony: You don't, Rosebud, me old son. You need me.
Rose Bud, Avis bodyguard, is asking to Tony for a gun. Instead of giving
him a gun, Tony said that all his need is he. The analysis for this dialogue is Tony
utters the sarcasm towards Rose Bud since it can imply that he is underrated Rose
Bud and said bitterly that he is the savior for him.
1.00.50 Tony to Mullet
Tony: You been using dog s**t for toothpaste?
In this scene, Tony wants to get information from his fellow named Mullet
of who robbed the bookie. In order to get information, he drags Mullets head into
the car and pin it into the window of car while he is driving. Therefore, his head is
hanging inside the car and Tony smells his breath. Then, Tony said his line and
instead of stated his breath is stink, he accuses Mullet for using dog s**t as his
toothpaste. It is sarcasm because Tony use sharp, bitter and caustic manner and it
is fit with the definition of sarcasm.