Eduardo Becerra Lab IV

There's Something About Mary (Scene Analysis)

(Min: 21:10) Participants: Ted (Ben Stiler), Dom (Chris Elliot) & Healy (Matt Dillon). Context: Ted and Dom are having a conversation about Mary, Teds dream girl from highschool with whom he has not been in touch for the last thirteen years. Dom suggests paying a visit to a colleague of his who is a private investigator. His name is Healy and he agrees on finding Mary on Teds request. <CUT TO: DOMS YARD> TED  See, thats  great, that's...thats what I  want. A  family....Someone to...you  know... It must be  wonderful having all this.  DOM  Each day is better than the  next. How about  you?  The big ever  been    L  Hmm? Dom uses a P tone in   next , since he is in control of the floor now and proclaims to address Teds declarative-mood question. He uses a high key to concord with the interlocutors pitch selection. Then, there is a series of R+ tones. The first one in  How about  you?  is aimed at eliciting information. Even though the typical intonation associated to wh- interrogatives is the falling tone, this case could also be said a Phatic Question, since the speaker also seeks at world-view convergence. Interactionally, the function is bridge-building and togetherness. The following rising tone in  The big  L is also convergent, since they are talking about love relationships, the shared context of interaction so far. An R+ tone is used in   Hmm? to converge and to check; finally,  ever  been  is an informal yes/no question which aims at eliciting a response that will be world-changing for the speaker. Attitudinally, the speaker is interested, encouraging further conversation. From a discoursal perspective, It can be said he wants to broaden the context of interaction. TED   What The use of a P tone is done with the idea of eliciting repetition from the interlocutor. The listener did not understand the meaning of the previous questions, so he seeks for reiteration. Attitudinally, he sounds reluctant, not willing to go on with the issue, since this topic is embarrassing for him.

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DOM  in  love?  The use of an R+ tone here indicates the projection of a context in which the response has been negotiated: Dom assumes that Ted has been in love sometime, so he is trying to get his assumption valued. It is also a case of bridge-building interaction, projecting togetherness and convergence. From an attitudinal point of view, the speaker is interested and wishes to continue with the topic. TED  Hmm ... once.  Mary.  Tom uses two proclaiming tones to add new information to the common ground. It is a step forward in the information-exchanging process. Even though Mary is common ground for both (since the whole movie goes around her) it is new in the conversation and unexpected for Dom. DOM  Oh, God. not  Mary again.  A P tone indicates new information. The exclamation with the tone of reference conveys resignation. Mary is referred to using a low R tone, which signals common ground. From an attitudinal approach, the exclamation is very strong and hostile TED   Look, I know it was  brief, but it was definitely  love, Dom. Crushes don't last for thirteen  years,  right?  The use of successive proclaiming tones indicates new information and dominance from the part of the speaker. With the final R+ tone the speaker wants to check and he seeks for convergence. He wants the interlocutor to see the world eye to eye with him.

DOM  Whatever  happened to Mary?  The use of Proclaiming tone in the Wh- question projects a context of interaction in which the respondent is expected to select from a set of possible items. The information is unnegotiated so far. Mary is already shared information, so it is not stressed. Attitudinally, he sounds brisk and businesslike. TED   told you, shemoved with herfamily to Mi ami. Even though Ted assumes this is already shared information, he proclaims to present it as new. He is changing the interlocutors world view. DOM  Well why don't you look her up? 
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Dom is projecting a context of interaction in which Ted is expected to select from a set of possible items. The information is not negotiated yet. His attitude is interested and lively. TED  I  did,  once. I  called, she wasn't  listed. Ted answers with a high pitch to concord with Doms termination. The use of a high P tone and then a lower in once indicates that he admits that his attempt was not enough. He presents pieces of new information, being divergent. DOM  So thats  it?  you get one little bump in the road and you gave  up? From a grammatical approach, a yes/no question is uttered with a rise. Dom wants Ted to confirm that he is right in his assumption that the latter is going to give up after a small difficulty in finding Mary. In this case, the use of an R+ tone (according to Brazil) is convergent, and from a social perspective it is associated with solidarity and togetherness. Doms intonation attempts to change Teds mind and give it a new try. TED  Well, you know, its probably for the  best. I mean, after thirteen  years  shell probably think Im a  stalker or something The use of successive proclaiming tones indicates new information. The high-drop (to use OConnors definition) shows a high involvement from the part of the speaker. DOM  You know, what you should  do  is to hire a private in vestigator, to  find her  and  follow around, she'll never  know anything.  Dom projects a context of interaction, moving forward in the information-exchanging process. He conveys separateness and divergence. The use or a R+ tone followed by a P one projects an enumeration where the items are rounded off (according to Lee). As anything is a noun of broad denotation, it does not attract the stress. TED  No  way.  That's way too  creepy.  Besides, shes probably  married with a couple of  kids by now, girls like  Mary... they dont  stay single.  Ted uses P tones to signal new information. The use of level tones here conveys a sense of non-finality, as if the speaker is considering the next utterance. Stay is marked as new information, since single is shared information (in contrast to married) DOM   Hey,  Ive got an i dea. Erm, there's this  guy  down at my  office  is name is  Healy. Hes a  claims investigator. He's
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a hell of a  bloodhound, he should stay in Mi ami  every couple of  weeks or so. He can  help you. He scans out a little  hot, but he gets the job  done. Finally, Dom uses of successive P tones to proclaim dominance and new information Ted is not aware of, broadening their area of convergence. He shows involvement and and he seems interested in the conversation by the choices of his tones. Interactionally, he sounds divergent, since the P tone creates separateness. <CUT TO: INT. HEALY'S CUBICLE> HEALY  So, Dom tells me you're looking for some  lady-friend you knew back in school. With a use of P tone, the speaker claims dominance. The relationship, in contrast with the previous scenario, is asymmetrical. Healy is in control, since he is offering a service Ted is interested in and, in the future, he will possess some knowledge his client will require. Thus, Healy is in control of the flow of discourse and, consequently, he has the wider choice of tones. Healy is checking if the information Dom gave him is correct and he is trying to remove his uncertainty. The world-changing element here is not the assertion, but the yes (or no) he seeks to elicit. TED   Yeah  yeah. According to Brazil, a high key is additive (as in the first case), a mid key is equative. The second yeah just reiterates the first move. HEALY  Thats  cute.   I dont buy it, but its  cute.  Healey claims dominance. He projects a context of interaction and he is taking a step forward in the information-exchanging process. He is divergent and ironic. TED  You dont buy  what? Ted projects a context of interaction in which Healey is expected to select from a set of possible items. He uses a P tone for that. Attitudinally speaking, he sounds puzzled, echoing Healeys sentence. HEALY  Ted, I'm the kind of guy who likes to shoot from the  hip. I want you to  level with me Lets  talk  Did you  knock this skirt up?  Healey continues claiming dominance. He goes on projecting a context of interaction. He is in control of the situation, since he interrogates Ted about the real purpose of his visit. He asks the questions and Ted is limited to answering them. Not only does Healey propose the topic of conversation, but he also makes the tone choices.

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TED   No! The use of a P+ tone, according to Brazil, signals double new information, both to the speaker and to the hearer. He is being divergent. According to an attitudinal approach, the rise-fall indicates surprise and antagonism. HEALY  She's


blackmailing you,

right? 

TED   Blackmailing me?  No!  HEALY  You want her



dead,


don't you? 

TED   Dead?  You are not

serious,

are you?

HEALY  You expect me to believe this is a straight  Come  on! TED   Hey, hey.  Im not a  stalker, mine. right 

stalker case?

She's a

friend of

HEALY  Oh,  sure she is.  That's explains why she got an unlisted  number  and  you haven't heard squat from her in thirteen  years.  Yeah, real  jump  you're  good, Ted.  You're a piece of  work. TED  You know  what? for get it.  Let's forget the  whole thing   right. HEALY   Okay  I'll  do it. But if this chick turns up with a  toe tag, I'm rolling  over on you,  big guy.  End( Min 24:04)

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