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Conversational implicature and The Dumb Waiter
[Context: At the beginning of The Dumb Waiter, the two characters,
Ben and Gus, have recently arrived in Birmingham and are in the main room
of a bed-sit flat with two beds in it, and a kitchen offstage. It has
become clear that they are professional killers, are waiting to receive
instructions on who they are to kill from someone whose identity they
do not know. Just before this part of the conversation, an envelope containing
a small book of matches has been pushed under the door. Throughout the
play they continue to receive objects and instructions in this anonymous
way, sometimes via a small service lift (the dumb waiter which provides
the title for the play). Earlier, Ben has told Gus to go to the kitchen
and make some tea. But Gus has not yet done so because his attention keeps
wandering to other, rather trivial, topics, about which Ben has corrected
his views and memories on a number of occasions. The arrival of the matches
prompts Ben to re-issue his order to Gus to make the tea.]
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Gus probes his ear with a match.
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1. BEN
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(slapping his hand) Don't waste them!
Go on, go and light it.
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2. GUS
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Eh?
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3. BEN
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Go and light it.
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4. GUS
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Light what?
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5. BEN
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The kettle.
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6. GUS
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You mean the gas.
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7. BEN
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Who does?
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8. GUS
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You do.
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9. BEN
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(his eyes narrowing) What do you mean,
I mean the gas?
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10. GUS
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Well, that's what you mean, don't you? The gas.
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11. BEN
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(powerfully) If I say go and light
the kettle I mean go and light the kettle.
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12. GUS
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How can you light a kettle?
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13. BEN
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It's a figure of speech! Light the kettle. It's a figure of speech!
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14. GUS
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I've never heard it.
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15. BEN
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Light the kettle! It's common usage!
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16. GUS
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I think you've got it wrong.
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17. BEN
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(menacing) What do you mean?
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18. GUS
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They put on the kettle.
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19. BEN
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(taut) Who says?
They stare at each other, breathing hard.
(deliberately) I have never in all my
life heard anyone say put on the kettle.
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20. GUS
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I bet my mother used to say it.
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21. BEN
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Your mother? When did you last see your mother?
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22. GUS
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I don't know, about -
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23. BEN
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Well, what are you talking about your mother for?
They stare.
Gus, I'm not trying to be unreasonable. I'm just trying to point
out something to you.
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24. GUS
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Yes, but -
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25. BEN
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Who's the senior partner here, me or you?
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26. GUS
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You.
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27. BEN
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I'm only looking after your interests, Gus. You've got to learn,
mate.
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28. GUS
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Yes, but I've never heard -
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29. BEN
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(vehemently) Nobody says light the
gas! What does the gas light?
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30. GUS
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What does the gas -?
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31. BEN
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(grabbing him with two hands by the throat,
at arm's length) THE KETTLE, YOU FOOL!
Gus takes the hands from his throat.
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32. GUS
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All right, all right.
Pause
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33. BEN
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Well, what are you waiting for?
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34. GUS
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I want to see if they light.
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35. BEN
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What?
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36. GUS
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The matches.
He takes out the flattened box and tries to strike.
No.
He throws the box under the bed.
Ben stares at him.
Gus raises his foot.
Shall I try it on here?
Ben stares. Gus strikes a match on his shoe. It
lights.
Here we are.
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37. BEN
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(wearily) Put on the bloody kettle,
for Christ's sake.
Ben goes to his bed, but, realising what he has
said, stops and half turns. They look at each other. Gus slowly
exits, left.
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