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Case study: "Gipsy" frame from Borat
Hello guys,
here is an example of the power of frames, from Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat. He uses frame imposing and broken record.
Data
Him: I will look on you treasures, gipsy. Is this understood? I will look on them.
Her: Please do.
To understand the context, watch the full video:
Analysis
Hoping that he buys something, she accepted the gipsy frame as she accepted the "looking on the treasures", instead of negotiating the frame. She could have rejected the "gipsy" frame but accepted the "look on your treasures". He had a superior mind and she caved in out of greed (my interpretation). To make her accept the frame he also flatters her: "your treasures".
Thanks for sharing this scene.
I found it very interesting.
Borat is controlling the frame.
Borat: Do not fear me Gipsy. (implying that she fears him)
All I want is your tears. (social debt minimising)
Please give them to me or I will take them. (threatening via the easy way or the hard way)
She could have said
Her: You will have to pay for my tears. (Counters the social debt minimising; shows that she is not afraid of his threats)
Then, followed by the treasures frame, she could have played it to her advantage because he increases the value of her goods.
Borat: I will have a look at your treasures, gipsy. (frames himself like an authority having the right to go through her stuff)
Is this understood? (again, like a boss to a subordinate)Her: Please do (drags words; inflection goes up slightly; submissive)
She could have re-inverted the frame:
Her: You seem very interested. (solidifies that he is the one who is asking for something; countering the social scalping game)
Is there anything that interests you in particular? (Get him to play into her frame)
Then, Borat continues to control the frame:
Borat: Who was this lady that you have shrunk? (Continues to play the interrogator frame)
Was she the owner of this house that you camped in front of? (Tries to frame here as a gipsy by saying she does not own the house)
She could have side-stepped the frame:
Her: I see that you really like this figure. (Frames him to be the one who likes and possibly needs her goods on sales)
Then the last line:
Borat: Do not shrink me gipsy. (I think this means that she is unwilling to cooperate)
Her (possible reply): You are asking for a lot. (implies he is demanding)
