children, you teach for aa senior or… as Eva knew that Will was a teacher in a certain institution. So, Will explained about his work as a teacher.It can be seen in utterance
turn 149 where Will taught all every different type of person everyday. Another example of this topic reveals in excerpt 6 between an Indonesian
student and a Germany. It will be explained below.
Excerpt 6 Turn
Speakers Utterances
56 Veti
What’s your job? 57
Chris In Job? My job? I’m an English
teacher..at English First
. From excerpt 6, the topic about occupation appeared in directly question which
Veti asked to Chris by saying
Whats your job?.
Chris answered the question completely by responding a statement
I’m an English
teacher..at English First.
It means that the topic about occupation is still common topic for people who has no
close relationship each other.
4.2.1.3 Business
Not really far from the topic about customer, the topic about business also sometimes appears for people who are workers. They speak about business because
they share each of their own experience in their own profession. The example can be explained in excerpt 29 between an Indonesian employee and a Wales.
Excerpt 7 Turn
Speakers Utterances
99 Will
Are you in a business?
100 Eva
Ya.
101 Will
What business?
102 Eva
Aa.
. It’s so freight forwarding.
From the conversation in excerpt 7 about, it is really clear that Eva and Will were talking about business. Will directly asked about her job by asking
Are you in a business?.
Then, she answered about her business which can be seen from utterance
Aa.
. It’s so freight forwarding
.
A conversation about business is always interesting for people who live in it. By this topic, people can add partner, co-worker or customer.
4.2.1.4 Study
This is one of commonly topic to ask addressee about his or her education. The example for the using of this topic can be shown in the conversation between an
Indonesian interpreter and a Libyan below.
Excerpt 8 Turn
Speakers Utterances
28 Krista
Ow, I see. Okay. pause Mm,
I wanna ask you about..amm.. your..your study. You say..you said ..eh..
you came to Indonesia to study, right? Aa.. What is your major?
29 Roman
My major is environmental science.
Based on the excerpt 8 above, the topic about study appeared when Rista asking about Romans major in turn 28
I wanna ask you about..amm.. your..your study.
You say..you said ..eh.. you came to Indonesia to study, right? Aa.. What is your major?.
Then, Roman answered by telling his major in study which can be seen in turn 29
My major is environmental science.
The topic about study can definitely appear if speakers know the background of the addressee is a student. In phatic communication,
this topic is allowed.
4.2.1.5 Family
The topic about family actually is closer than another topic for just a phatic or small talk. This topic is not really casual for people who have in first meeting. The
conversation between an Indonesian interpreter and a Libyan which uses this topic will be shown in excerpt 9 below.
Excerpt 9 Turn
Speakers Utterances
122 Krista
Okay. Aa..may I ask about your family?
123 Roman
Yes. My family is big family. I have..yes.. I have seven brothers and the four sisters.
All my sisters ismarried. And the I have just one brother is married and he lives in
a Germany.
It can be seen in excerpt 9 above where Krista was starting to have a deeper conversation about Roman’s life. She directly asked about Roman’s family. The
appeared topic means that Krista was not just only a foreigner for Roman, but she was being
to be his friend. This is signed by Roman’s answer where he had willingness to explain about his family
My family is big family.I have..yes.. I have seven brothers a nd the four sisters. All my sisters is married. And the I have just one brother is married
and he lives in a Germany.
He felt okay to share about his family since it is still general information and not something too privacy.
4.2.1.6 Customer
