Suing Academic Conformity: A Pragmatic Analysis of Criticism and Resistance Strategies in the Verbal Interactions of Three Idiots Film Characters
Keywords:
Pragmatics, Verbal Resistance, Higher Education, Discourse AnalysisAbstract
This study investigates verbal communication strategies as forms of resistance to academic authority in the film Three Idiots (2009). Employing a qualitative approach with pragmatic discourse analysis, the research examines speech acts, politeness strategies, and identity construction in the interactions of the main characters; Rancho, Farhan, and Raju. The findings reveal that critiques of the conventional education system are conveyed through humor, sarcasm, and strategic impoliteness, which function to challenge the symbolic power of higher education institutions. The study highlights that language in this film operates not merely as a medium of communication but also as a tool of ideological resistance, reflecting the tension between conformity and intellectual freedom. These insights suggest that education should be reimagined as a space for humanistic dialogue rather than a system enforcing rigid structural compliance
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