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Vegas and English : a sociolinguistics analysis

General consensus in the fandom is that in Kinnporsche all the charcaters use English as a tool of deception, Vegas the most.

Now that may be true for all the other characters, but it has been pretty clear for a long time that Vegas is different, because he is essentially portrayed as bilingual.

And so English for Vegas is not a lingua franca, used to communicate with foreign people for business. English is a part of him. And so code-switching has multiple reasons for him.

For those who do not know, code-switching refers to the practice of a multilingual speaker of alternating between two or more languages in a single conversation or situation. 

Sociolinguistically there are different reasons for code-switching, being

to show solidarity with a social group, 

to distinguish oneself, 

to participate in social encounters, 

to discuss a certain topic, 

to impress and persuade the audience

to express feelings and affections

Vegas uses English with the assassin(EP2) to discuss mafia business(reason 4), with Porsche(EP4-EP7) to make himself appear less threatening and to manipulate him (reason 5), with Macau(EP6) to discuss without having others understand them(reason 1), with Tawan(EP10) to talk about the plan(reason 4 again), even with the hedgehog(EP11) to again appear less threatening and to reassure it(reason 5).

Now Episode 13 just highlighted the fact that Pete is the only one Vegas uses English with to express both feelings and affections. 

In Episode 11, the feeling he expressed in English with Pete were for the most part anger,  “What a load of bullshit” and “Who’s a good boy?”. 

In Episode 13 instead Vegas uses English essentially to express the height of his feeling. His love and incredulity first “do you know how sexy you are" and then his desperation "Shoot me" and sincerity "I'm sorry, I'm sorry". 

All bilingual people know that sometimes when we feel too much it is easier to use another language to express ourselves. Because being open is scary, and sometimes feelings are too much. And that is exactly what Vegas feels. 

And he’s so full of emotion it's overflowing everywhere, a dam open that cannot be closed again. 

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First and last appearance Part 2

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First and last appearance

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LMFAOOOO the kind of kinktober happening on twt…

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KINNPORSCHE (2022) | Ep. 14

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KINNPORSCHE (2022) | Ep. 13 | BTS

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Pete + “following” Vegas

+ Bonus

“Why are you still here?”

For @kissporsche​​

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week 6: favourite quote(s)

The totally accurate subtitles of iQiyi

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“Go ahead and eat it. If you hate me, you’ll have energy to kill me later.” KinnPorsche (2022) : Episode 14.

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Rewrite: Starting over

Why?

Don't think about the parallels, don't think about Pete having an actual answer this time around, don't think about how "I can't run off to anywhere" isn't just Pete choosing Vegas, it's Pete deciding to give himself no other choice. He's not just refusing to run off, he's not allowing it to be an option. Handing the rope to Vegas, all over again.

If you run now, I'm alright with that.

Don't think about Vegas being unconditionally selfless for the first time and giving Pete a way out anyway. Don't think about how this is better than all of the apologies because they're literally rewriting their lowest moment, going back and correcting all the wrongs of the past in order to move foward.

I got nothing left.

For sure don't think about this fucking line getting reused. Reframed. Don't think about the way it was originally Pete who was split open, hurt and empty, the fight drained out of him. How this was Pete with nothing left to give. Don't think about how now the fight is out of Vegas. How his will to keep taking is gone.

I don't want to be your burden. I just want to follow my heart.

Don't think about this confirmation that staying isn't just what Pete needs, what Vegas needs, it's what they both want.

From now on, you're no longer my pet. You're the most important person in my life.

Don't think about how it's so important for to them that they have this conversation in full before they even consider touching each other. Don't think about the way healing is important to them. Don't think about how KP said "Can we start all over?" and VP went ahead and did this.

Are y'all fucking??? Okay??????? Because I'm not.

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The Golden Girls being an absolute mood™

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So I know that the initial theory behind Vegas speaking in English is to show when he's at his most manipulative, but I just saw someone propose that we may have gotten that wrong. That when he's speaking in English, he's speaking his truest thoughts on that moment, like when he scoffs at Pete's tattoo, or when he's apologizing to him over and over at the bar. I wanted to see what your thoughts on that was?

Hi! :) Interestingly enough, I think Vegas's English does both.

On the surface, it seems manipulative because it's something most of the other characters can't understand. It's almost arrogant of him, like he's rubbing his bilingual-ness and education in everybody's faces. Given what we know about Vegas, this all seems plausible: he's never shied away from a chance to make himself look good.

But I think Vegas's use of English lately could be tied to his growth as a character, all because of Pete. I'd argue that we've seen a gradual change over the last few episodes where this is concerned. The tattoo bit you mention definitely seems like a cross between the truth and manipulation. "What a load of bullshit" comes off as harsh for Pete, who probably doesn't know what it means, but I think it's also an accurate reflection of what Vegas really thinks.

When it comes to Vegas's apology in Ep13 though, I think we're leaning away from manipulation and fully towards truth. It's kind of poetic in a way, for Vegas to have once used English as a way of taunting Pete, but now he's using it to deliver his most sincere apology. If English is a weapon that Vegas uses against his victims, then he's just offered it up to Pete as a peace offering.

Maybe it's not nearly as poetic as I'm interpreting it, but I really like the idea that Vegas's use of English coincides with the transition from his manipulative, power-hungry side to his more docile, truthful side.

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A Bit on Pete

One of our favorite characters so far, who we’re all praying faces a better fate.

Regarding episode 3….

I couldn’t help but notice the repetition here.

When used well, repetition is a rhetorical device used to “drive home” something someone is saying– to others, or to themself. In this case, it’s Pete reinforcing his stance, or his own rules.

Now, we know he’s been in the bodyguard business for some time now. He’s used to the violence, is a skilled fighter, and as we just saw, is perfectly fine with beating up a poor debtor with a kid. So he shouldn’t be needing to reassure himself of his actions at this point. His own cognitive dissonance with this is long gone.

But still, there is a repeat here. He’s telling Porsche, twice, that it’s just “teaching him a lesson”. Not brutally attacking someone. Not potentially killing someone’s father. It’s a business transaction, something he just has to do. And Porsche has to hear this– that this is what they do to traitors.

I do think hearing Porsche’s own story with loan sharks reminded him of his younger self somehow, and we see that weakness bleed through in that repeated sentence. It’s not Pete’s weakness, but Porsche’s, peeking through.

And here’s the part everyone’s connecting back to Vegas.

So this is Pete’s moral code. He himself quickly became a definition of gray. He can be the human, the friend and guide, the quasi-comedic relief to Porsche’s new terrible job.

But as stated earlier, he also has a very twisted sense of right and wrong. And he has to! It’s required for someone in his position.

I just think this explains so much of why his endgame ship could be with someone like Vegas, who as far as we know is a very large and very real threat to the Theerapanyakul clan as of right now. He can see past so much human error, but we have to acknowledge what he ignores in doing so. Is Pete so kind hearted, that he can ignore and get past someone’s evil, violating deeds? Or is he just as in the wrong, a character also so corrupt that he simply does not see what Vegas does as so wrong, or malicious?

Furthermore, as Tankhun’s longtime guard, what has he had to put up with? I’d bet good money he’s been a first-hand witness to the degradation of Tankhun’s stability over time, and got a front-row seat to watching him recover only to break again each time, from the sound of things. Pete has seen things. It’s why he’s so subtly dangerous.

I feel like he’s also very much the type to play devil’s advocate in arguments. It will be very interesting to see how that carries over to his eventual relationship with Vegas. I fear we’re in a for a very sexy, yes, but also turbulent ride with those two. And in a wholly different way than with Kinn and Porsche.

Enjoy this wholesome happy Pete in the meantime.

That’s all I got for now folks. Enjoy my attempt at some sort of meta analysis.