Interrogative Form of Indirect Speech Act in Brave (2012) Movie Script

Abstract

This research discusses the interrogative form of indirect speech acts and their functions found in the Brave movie. Indirect speech acts are important phenomenon in pragmatics since they allow speakers to communicate beyond the literal meaning of their words. The research objective is to observe and analyze how interrogative forms are used indirectly and what pragmatic purposes they are intended to serve in the movie. The data found were gathered from dialogues using a descriptive qualitative method, containing interrogative structures that function indirectly. The analysis applied Searle’s (1979) and Yule’s (1996) frameworks to categorize the utterances by structural form and function. The findings reveal four functions of interrogative indirect speech acts in the movie: directives (4 data), commissives (2 data), assertives/representatives (1 data), and expressives (1 data). No data were found functioning as declaration. The results highlight how interrogative forms are frequently employed to maintain politeness, convey refusal, express emotions, or assert opinions without direct confrontation. This suggests that indirect interrogatives serve as a pragmatic strategy for negotiating power, politeness, and emotional expression within hierarchical and familial relationships depicted in the film. In conclusion, the study shows that interrogative indirect speech acts play a significant role in forming character interactions and social dynamics. The implication of this study is that the analysis can provide insights for both pragmatic research and language teaching, especially in showing learners how indirectness operates in authentic media discourse.