5 3.
Future researchers For future researchers, they can use this study as one of preliminary
information to conduct other studies related in linguistics, especially speech acts. The researcher expects that the research can inspire the future researchers. They can
conduct the study of speech acts in written communication deeper or in different perspective.
E. Problem Limitation
The research focuses on speech act categories which are employed in TYS column of the Jakarta Post. In this case, the researcher analyzes written text from
the readers’ opinions in TYS column of the Jakarta Post. The researcher limits on the opinion texts posted in September 2015 issues. There are 114 texts and 16
themes during one month. The texts have various sentence length. However, it cannot influence how many speech act categories which are employed.
F. Definition of Terms
The researcher defines some terms to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation as follow:
1. Speech Acts
According to Searle 1969, p. 16, the speech act is “the basic or minimal
units of linguistic communication.” He explains that speech act refers to the process of uttering. It is a performed act when a speaker makes an utterance. Based on the
Searle ’s theory, speech acts are divided into five categories based on illocutionary
6 point: assertive, commissive, directive, expressive, and declarative. Moreover,
mood types declarative, imperative, interrogative, exclamative influence the speech act. There are the correlation between them. Mood types are the form of
sentences and speech acts are the function of the sentences. Furthermore, expressing one speech act can use several mood types.
In the first time, the term ‘declarative’ is used to differentiate mood types. However, this term is also found in speech acts theory as the development of
linguistic theory. In this case, the study uses the term ‘declarative’ in two fields.
This term is found in the theory of speech acts and mood types. Although the researcher uses same term in different field, the term has different meaning. In
speech acts, the term ‘declarative’ is the speech act category where the speaker brings about state of affairs by the mere performance of speech acts. In mood types,
the term ‘declarative’ is the sentence which is used to give statement and ends with period.
2. Text Your Say
Text Your Say is one of opinion columns in the Jakarta Post. It is also part of Reader’s Forum in the Jakarta Post. TYS column in the Jakarta Post is a type of
interactional written communication. The editorial staffs of the Jakarta Post prepare the current issue in order to gain the readers’ opinion. It is for the readers to give
their opinion about a topic that is discussed in a current issue. In this column, readers can send a message or an email to respond the issue which is decided by the
Jakarta Post staffs. The readers express their opinion whether they agree, respect, disagree, refuse, comment, or show other responses to the issue.
7 3.
Jakarta Post The Jakarta Post is a daily newspaper in Indonesia using English since 1983.
The newspaper is owned by PT Bina Media Tenggara. The main office is at Jl. Palmerah Barat No. 142 - 143, Jakarta 10270, Indonesia. The Jakarta Post has many
features such as news, readers’ forum, community, academia, etc. In this case, TYS column is one of columns
of readers’ forum to express opinion. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
