Working-Class Voices on Screen: Pragmatic Realization of Criticism in Vietnamese Cinema
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54855/ijli.25443Keywords:
Criticism Working-class Social equality InclusitivityAbstract
Criticism, as a pivotal speech act, often threatens the addressee’s face and engages complex politeness norms. While previous research has extensively examined criticism, few studies have focused on how working-class speakers navigate these interactions, particularly within authentic, everyday contexts. This study examines the criticism strategies employed by Vietnamese working-class individuals as depicted in contemporary cinema, aiming to bridge a significant research gap and bring implications to how language is educated. From conversations in popular Vietnamese web dramas, this study employs discourse analysis and quantitative methods to uncover how criticism speech acts are performed by the working class. Findings reveal that direct criticism, predominantly in the form of negative evaluation, is the most frequent strategy among working-class characters. However, indirect strategies such as sarcasm and rhetorical questioning are also commonly utilized, adding emotional nuance and providing face-saving mechanisms. Importantly, both age and social distance are shown to influence criticism: peer interactions favor directness, whereas mixed-age exchanges balance direct and indirect approaches; moreover, as familiarity increases, speakers employ less direct criticism. These findings not only illuminate class-based communication in Vietnamese culture but also have practical implications for developing culturally relevant language teaching materials and fostering cross-cultural understanding.
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