Deconstructing Pedagogical Authority: A Linguistic-Pragmatic Analysis of Teacher-Student Interactions in Bad Teacher
Keywords:
Pedagogical Authority, Speech Acts, Pragmatic PolitenessAbstract
This study investigates the construction and deconstruction of pedagogical authority in teacher–student interactions through a linguistic-pragmatic analysis of the film Bad Teacher (2011). Employing a qualitative-descriptive approach, it applies Searle’s (1976) speech act theory and Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness framework to examine dialogues between the teacher character, Elizabeth Halsey, and her students. The findings reveal that Elizabeth frequently employs dominant and aggressive directive speech acts, sarcastic expressive acts, and manipulative representational strategies. Her communication style consistently violates principles of politeness, utilizing both on-record and off-record bald strategies that undermine normative expectations of educational interaction. Furthermore, pedagogical authority in the film is represented as pseudo-authority, constructed through verbal dominance, symbolic manipulation, and embodied coercion, marking a shift from educational authority to transactional power. These results highlight a crisis in the cultural representation of teachers and open avenues for critical discussion on professional ethics, power relations, and teacher identity in contemporary educational discourse
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