IMPOLITENESS STRATEGIES AS VIOLENCE AND DEFENCE THERAPY IN BOLLYWOOD’S ANUPAMA

Abstract

Various stripes of violence against women have been the thrust of many discourses including various film industries especially Nollywood and Bollywood. While some Nollywood films have been studied from non-linguistic theoretical frameworks, hardly has any Bollywood film been studied from the relatively nascent linguistic-based politeness principle linguistic framework. This study examines the Face-threatening Acts (FTAS) and impoliteness strategies that constitute psychological and emotional violence in Bollywood Anupama and the impoliteness strategies adopted as psychological therapy. Forty utterances and texts extracted from the study film by the stratified random sampling technique constitute data for examining the identified variables. Insights for theoretical framework drawn from Culpeper’s (1996 & 2005) impoliteness strategies also constitute framework for analyzing the variables. From the investigations, it is discovered that bald-on-record and negative impoliteness strategies are predominantly deployed by females in altercative discourses to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the psychological violence they experience at males’ utterances and actions. Impoliteness in the study film is intentional as fight against injustice and defence of female dignity. The scale of perceived offence is high in order to portray hurt, cause offence as retaliation and serve as defence therapy. Some interrogatives are face-threatening acts designed as violence therapy for female dignity as well as tool for offence and retaliation to heal. It is therefore concluded from the study film that, intentional maximization of bald-on-record and negative impoliteness strategies can serve as violence and defence therapy against psychological violence. Intentionality in the use of words is very essential as it cause violence and also remedy mental hurt. Intentionality is essential in adopting impoliteness as violence therapy. It is recommended that interlocutors should be politeness rather than impoliteness strategies that can cause health disorders as Psychological violence.