Topic 13 - Shared knowledge and absurdist drama (Session A) > Analysing Rita > Task G

Analysing Rita

Task G – Our answer

Frank does act politely throughout, in line with our schematic expectations. But Rita, although not downright rude, does act in various impolite ways:

1. She systematically disrupts Frank’s attempts to find out her name in turns 1-6, thus being negatively impolite (interfering with his conversational goals).

2. All the things we have noticed in tasks B-E can also be seen as interfering with Frank’s conversational goals.

3. She introduces taboo topics (eroticism, pornography and how well-off Frank is).

4. She uses taboo words (‘tits’ in turn 11) and derogatory terms (‘degrees for dishwashers’ in turn 30).

As with all the other things we have noticed, Rita’s impolite behaviour is at odds with the schematic assumptions we have concerning how she should behave in the situation she is in.

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