The Utilization of Speech Acts as a Tool of Power: A Case Study of Miranda Priestly in “The Devil Wears Prada”

This research aims to identify the types of speech acts used by Miranda in The Devil Wears Prada and analyze how these speech acts function to construct and maintain her authority in the workplace. Employing a descriptive qualitative method, the data were collected through repeatedly watching the movie and extracting Miranda’s utterances. The data were analyzed using Miles et al.’s (2014) framework of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing & verification. Searle’s (1975) theory was used to classify speech acts, while Fairclough’s (2013) theory of power guided the interpretation of their roles in workplace power relations. The findings were presented descriptively through selected utterances, their contexts, and their associated power mechanisms. The findings reveal that Miranda utilizes four types of speech acts: directive, assertive, expressive, and commissive, with directives being the most dominant. Directive speech acts are employed by Miranda to control her subordinates’ actions through various mechanisms, such as agenda control, time control, participation control, and boundary reinforcement. Meanwhile, assertive speech acts function to evaluate, shape reality, and influence her subordinates’ perceptions of professionalism. Expressive speech acts exert psychological pressure through criticism, sarcasm, and expression of dissatisfaction, whereas commissive speech acts enforce compliance through implicit threats and professional consequences. This research concludes that speech acts serve as strategic instruments for maintaining workplace authority, power relations, and institutional hierarchy.