Six of the receivers eventually give in to the deejay in the ‘Gotcha’ calls. This happens when they accept the deejay’s views without further argument. An example is depicted in P11. The receiver was set up by his friend, ET, who knew that the receiver visited the karaoke outlet recently. The deejay posed as the security officer of the karaoke outlet. He claimed that the receiver’s IC was registered at the place but the security camera showed a different person. An explanation was demanded from the receiver.
P11
63 DJ2:Yes that’s what you need to do for boss la because my boss very angry. Many people borrow their friend’s IC to get discount. But it’s not their IC so he make a rule in ((bleep)). If it’s not your IC can get in trouble. Last month someone go jail!
64 R11: Okay so okay now when can I =
65 DJ2: = So what you want to do? What is your action? 66 R11: What is the action you want?
67 DJ2: Two things you can do. One thing you can tell your friend to pay back the money then case close.
68 R11: No I I don’t need to pay back you?
69 DJ2:Hah. Hah. Then close! After that nothing or this friend your friend ET ah? Because ET made you have a Gotcha call from Hitz.fm bro.
In this excerpt, the deejay gains the receiver’s compliance after coercing him relentlessly. This is realized through threatening the receiver with the prospect of jail in Turn 63. Instead of countering the verbal attacks, the receiver deploys a single question which speaks volumes of his submission in Turn 66. The way in which this question is structured makes it even more aggravating to the receiver. If he were to phrase it as “What should I do?” he would have caused less damage to his own face. This is because the pronoun “I” entails that the receiver has some control over his actions. In short, he still has a say in the matter.
However, “you” which refers to the deejay is employed instead. This leads to the inference that the deejay’s views are prioritized over the receiver’s own. It also demonstrates that the receiver willingly allows the deejay to dictate his actions. He does
this although the deejay gives him a choice to choose what to do next in Turn 65. In a nutshell, the deejay is given the upper hand in resolving the issue. All these moves reflect the receiver’s submission to the deejay in the discourse.
4.1.3.3 Compromise
Four of the receivers decide to compromise with the deejay in the findings. Here, the deejay and receiver negotiate to reach a situation which satisfies both parties. An example is shown in P23. This is the clip where the receiver was set up by her friend, Zoey, who informed the deejay that the receiver works as a real estate agent. The deejay told the receiver that he was interested in buying a piece of land for his dog.
P23
39 R23: That’s the thing. I need to ask my lawyer. So I have to ask. Because she’s my friend I will just ask I will just ask that I have this friend who would like to buy land in Melbourne and would like to pass on the land to the dog? [Is there a possibility?] So you have to give me some time to ask. Do you understand?
40 DJ : [Yes. Okay.] I understand. You really have to you have to understand that Rocky’s like my child okay?
41 R23: Ya:: I [I]
42 DJ : [You better put a hundred per cent on this ah.] Try to help me out on this= 43 R23: =I cannot be hundred per cent. I cannot. I I can help you on that see what’s the
possibility. Otherwise maybe you could I I would do my best to help ah. I cannot give you er er [guarantee or whether you will get it. Ah.]
44 DJ : [I understand. I understand.] I hope one day Rocky will have a land. But I want to know do you listen to JJ and Ean from Hitz.fm?
45 R23: (.) Oh my God. 46 DJ : ((laughs)) What’s up? 47 R23: What the ((bleep)) ((laughs)) 48 DJ & DJ2: ((laugh))
The deejay attempts to exacerbate the face threat by adding a condescending utterance “You better put a hundred per cent on this” in Turn 42. The receiver responds to this with a compromise in the subsequent turn. She explains that she is unable to guarantee the success of this venture. However, a negotiation is made when the receiver promises that she would do her best to attend to his request. Both parties stand to gain something if all goes well. The receiver has a potential business project with the deejay whereas
the deejay may get to fulfil his ‘wish’ of obtaining a piece of land for his beloved dog. The receiver’s compromise seems to have worked as the deejay accepts it in Turn 44. This is evidenced by the utterance “I understand. I understand.”
4.1.3.4 Withdrawal
There are two receivers who withdraw from the ‘Gotcha’ calls. As the interlocutors do not engage in face-to-face interactions, they cannot leave physically. Hence, ‘Withdrawal’ is attained through the act of hanging up the phone. An example is portrayed in P25. It was not disclosed who set the receiver up. The deejay informed the receiver that he had found the goat in the flyer which the receiver ‘distributed.’
P25
3 DJ : Yes I’m calling about the flyer er that er you pushed out ah. 4 R25: What flyer what pushed out? Hello? Who’s this?
5 DJ : No my name’s Sugu and I I managed to find the goat okay? ((sound of goat bleating)) So [how do I claim ((sound of goat bleating))]
6 R25: [I think you got the wrong number.]
7 DJ : ((sound of goat bleating)) No no no hello I’ve got the flyer here. It says zero one eight ((bleep)) two seven four please call if you find the goat. I found the goat ((sound of goat bleating)) It looks like the goat in the picture so where can I claim my reward?
8 R25: Okay go ((bleep)) off!
(Receiver hangs up)
As illustrated in P25, the deejay provokes the receiver by insisting that he has found the goat in Turn 7. The sound of bleating is intentionally slotted in to enhance the face threat. This is parallel to Thornborrow’s (2001) concept of the ‘dramatiser.’ The term is used to describe the deejay’s role in the prank calls. As the scene setter, it is his duty to ensure that the discourse turns heated. This is done to increase the entertainment value of the ‘Gotcha’ calls. The bleating which is inserted into the call sounds unauthentic and is bound to raise the ire of the receiver. The receiver is clearly annoyed when he tells off the deejay in Turn 8. An expletive, which is censored in this clip, is used to retaliate against the attack. He terminates the call after that by withdrawing. This is impolite
because no proper closing utterances are employed to signal the end of the discourse. The receiver’s abrupt exit cuts off the conversation and leaves it hanging.