In daily life, people often do not directly express what they intend, but instead formulate their utterances in ways which appear more polite to hearers. For example:
1. Lend me your book
2. Could you lend me your book?
Both examples above are uttered in order to give requests, but the first one, phrased as an imperative and the second, phrased as an interrogative. Its obvious
from experience that the second example, “Could you lend me your book?” is not actually a question about the ability of the addressee to lend the book, but a prompt
to action. People usually respond this prompt simply by saying “Yes, I could” and if they do not do it, it will not be a polite reaction.
Therefore the second example above, “Could you lend me your book?” has two pragmatic levels. First, it is a question and second, it is a request. It therefore
qualifies as an indirect speech act, whereas the first example, “Lend me your book” is a direct speech act.
2.2.1.1 Direct Speech Act
Yule 1996:55 states that direct speech acts will happen if there is direct relationship between the structure and the function of the utterance.
Stewart and Vaillette 2001:223 also states that direct speech act is the relationship between the structure and the function of some utterances. It occurs
when a particular sentence type is being used to serve its typical function. It is based on the literal meaning of the sentence. For example:
1. Utterance: You wear a seat belt.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion 2.
Utterance: Do you wear a seat belt? Interrogative sentence type; Question
3. Utterance: Wear a seat belt
Imperative sentence type; Orderrequest
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2.2.1.2 Indirect Speech Act
Yule 1996:55 states that indirect speech acts will happen if there is indirect relationship between the structure and the function of the utterance.
Stewart and Vaillette 2001:225-226 states that indirect speech acts are generally considered to be more polite than direct ones. Indirect usages are not rare
or marginal. It takes little reflection, however, to notice that in most cases, some notion of politeness plays a role. The direct imposition can be ameliorated by
avoiding a direct demand and instead asking whether the addressee is willing to or capable of carrying out the act. This gives the addressee the option of not carrying
out the implied request without losing face. Hence “Would you pass the salt?” or “Can you pass the salt?” are more polite than “Pass the salt”
Indirect speech act occurs when a particular sentence type is used to serve an atypical function. It suggests a different purpose than it actually has. For example:
1
Direct: Please close the door.
Imperative sentence type; Orderrequest
Indirect: Do you think you could close the door?
Interrogative sentence type; Orderrequest
2
Direct: Did Bart get the job?
Interrogative sentence type; Question
Indirect: I was wondering if Bart got the job.
Declarative sentence type; Question Akmajian, et al 2001:381-383 states that sometimes when people speak they
are not only performing some direct form of communication but also speaking indirectly. When people speak indirectly, they mean something more than what they
mean directly and they want the hearer to guess or to conclude what they mean by saying the utterance. For example:
a. The door is over there. used to request someone to leave
b. I want 10 gallons of regular. used to request 10 gallons of regular
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c. I’m sure the cat likes having its tail pulled. used to request the hearer to stop
pulling the cat’s tail d.
I need some foods. used to request the hearer to give foods e.
You’re the boss. used to agree to do what the speaker says f.
I should never have done that. used to apologize g.
Did you bring any tennis balls? used to inform the hearer that the speaker did not bring any
h. It’s getting late. used to request the hearer to hurry
The hearer will know that the speaker is not speaking merely directly but indirectly by virtue of contextual inappropriateness. For instance, it would be strange
if, on driving into a gas station, the speaker in example b had only been reporting her wants and was not also making a polite request for some gas. A mere report of
what one now wants is relevant to the taking of a poll, perhaps, but is not contextually appropriate at a gas station. Thus, the same sort of contextual
information and presumptions used in recognizing previous communicative intentions and acts are also used with indirect acts.
The hearer is also able to use context and the Conversational Presumptions to find the speaker’s indirect communicative intent. Once the hearer identifies why the
speaker cannot merely be speaking directly, he is able to use this information to aid in recognizing her indirect intent. Thus, reporting a desire for a tank of gas at a
service station would be contextually inappropriate if that were all the speaker was doing. Since requesting expresses the desire that the hearer do something, it would be
natural in the circumstances for him to conclude that in reporting this desire the speaker was also requesting the gas, since requesting would be the contextually
appropriate thing to do. Suppose that the speaker utters in example a ‘The door is over there’ to the hearer, thereby indirectly requesting the hearer to leave. How might
the hearer reason? The first thing he must notice is that it would be contextually inappropriate for the speaker to be merely reporting the location of the door,
assuming that the speaker and the hearer both already know the location of the door, and this is not relevant to the conversation.
Stewart and Vaillette 2001:224 say that associated with each speech act is a set of felicity conditions that must be satisfied if that speech act is to be correctly
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including honestly performed. Here are some felicity conditions on the acts of questioning and requesting where “S” stands for the speaker, “H” for the hearer, “P”
for some state of affairs, and “A” for some action: A. S questions H about P:
1. S does not know the truth about P. 2. S wants to know the truth about P.
3. S believes that H may be able to supply the information about P that S wants. B. S requests H to do A:
1. S believes that A has not yet been done. 2. S believes that H is able to do A.
3. S believes that H is willing to do A-type things for S. 4. S wants A to be done.
Here are examples of direct and indirect speech act analysis in question and request form according to explanation above:
C. Question 1.
Direct a. Did you marry Helen?
b. I ask you whether or not John married Helen. 2.
Indirect a. I don’t know if John married Helen. A.1
b. I would like to know if John married Helen. A.2 c. Do you know if John married Helen? A.3
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D. Request 1.
Direct a. Please take out the garbage
b. I request that you take out the garbage. 2.
Indirect a. The garbage isn’t out yet. B.1
b. Could you take out the garbage? B.2 c. Would you mind taking out the garbage? B.3
d. I would like for you to take out the garbage. B.4
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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
3.1 Method of the Study
This thesis uses library research. It means that the data and the sources that are used in this thesis are taken from library and the other written sources. This thesis
is written by using some books as the references and the data that will be analyzed in this thesis are taken from “Harvard Business Review” magazine. The data are about
Sheryl Sandberg’s interview transcript entitled “Now is our time.” The data will be analyzed by using descriptive qualitative method. Djajasudarma 2006:11 states that
qualitative method is a procedure that is resulting descriptive data in the form of written text or spoken in language society.
3.2 Data and Data Source
The data are collected from “Harvard Business Review” magazine. This magazine is a general management magazine published by Harvard Business
Publishing since 1992. It was manufactured in USA. The data that will be analyzed in this thesis are obtained from transcript of an interview named “Now is our time” in
“Harvard Business Review” magazine that was published on April 2013. The magazine is consisted of 148 pages and the data entitled “Now is our time” is on
page 85. This data are about interview transcript of Sheryl Sandberg, the COO Chief Operating Officer of Facebook. This interview transcript was edited by Adi Ignatius.
In this thesis, the data that will be analyzed are only Sheryl Sandberg’s utterances.
3.3 Data Collecting Method
The method that is used in collecting the data is documentation method since the data source is written source. Nawawi 1991:133 states that documentation
method is a technique of collecting data by categorizing and classifying the written
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document that has relation with the problem discussed, whether from document or books, newspaper, magazine, etc.
3.3 Techniques of Data Analysis
In writing this thesis, the systematic techniques that are used in conducting the analysis are as follows:
a. Reading the interview transcript entitled “Now is our time” in “Harvard Business Review” magazine.
b. Selecting the utterances which have direct speech act. c. Selecting the utterances which have indirect speech act.
d. Analyzing the utterances by using related theory to find out type and function of direct speech acts and indirect speech acts.
e. Describing the analysis. f. Concluding the analysis.
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CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
4.1 Analysis of Direct Speech Acts 4.1.1 Direct Speech Acts in Declarative Sentence Type as an Assertion
The data, Sheryl Sandberg’s utterances were resulted from an interview, so
most utterances that were uttered by Sandberg were formed in declarative sentence type which has function as an assertion to answer the interviewer’s questions.
Although the utterances are formed in the same sentence type and function, they still have difference topics. It is because the interviewer asked Sandberg many topics in
his questions and there are six topics that being the most topics that usually asked by the interviewer. In this analysis, the utterances that are produced in declarative
sentence type and have function as assertion will be classified again as below:
4.1.1.1 Declarative Sentence Type as an Assertion about Women
1. Women are making progress at every level except as leaders.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about women. The
speaker uses the utterance to inform that women are making progress at every level except as leaders. Based on the sentence type and the function, the
utterance is a direct speech act.
2. Women face huge institutional barriers.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about women. The
speaker uses the utterance to inform that women face huge institutional barriers. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct
speech act.
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3. Women are often very good listeners.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about women. The
speaker uses the utterance to inform that women are often very good listeners. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech
act.
4. They are often good consensus builders.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about women. The
person deixis ‘they’ refers to women. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that women are often good consensus builders. Based on the sentence type and
the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
5. They can make teams cohesive.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about women. The
person deixis ‘they’ refers to women. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that women can make teams cohesive. Based on the sentence type and the
function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
6. There arent enough women sitting at the tables where decisions are made.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about women. The
speaker uses the utterance to inform that there are not enough women sitting at the tables where decisions are made. Based on the sentence type and the
function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
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7. Its hard to admit that you go home at 5:30, no matter where you are in your
career.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about women. The
person deixis ‘you’ refers to women. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that it’s hard to admit women go home at 5:30, no matter where they are in
their career. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
8. Women are given messages all through their lives that they shouldnt lead.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about women. The
speaker uses the utterance to inform that women are given messages all through their lives that they shouldnt lead. Based on the sentence type and the
function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
9. Theyre getting way better.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about women. The
person deixis ‘they’ refers to women. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that women are getting way better. Based on the sentence type and the
function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
10. Women still largely have two jobs, and men have one.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about women and men’s
jobs. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that women still largely have two jobs and men have one. Based on the sentence type and the function, the
utterance is a direct speech act.
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4.1.1.2 Declarative Sentence Type as an Assertion about the Speaker herself, Sheryl Sandberg
1. I wear jeans to work almost every day.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about Sheryl Sandberg.
The person deixis ‘I’ refers to Sheryl Sandberg. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that she wears jeans to work almost every day. Based on the sentence
type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
2. I dont believe there are stereotypical forms of male and female leadership.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about the speaker’s
believe, Sheryl Sandberg’s believe. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that she doesn’t believe that there are stereotypical forms of male and female
leadership. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
3. I am not blaming women.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about Sheryl Sandberg’s
assertion. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that she is not blaming women. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct
speech act.
4. I dont hold myself up as a role model.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about Sheryl Sandberg’s
assertion or statement. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that she does
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not hold herself up as a role model. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
5. Im incredibly fortunate, and I have had amazing opportunities and mentors and
support.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about Sheryl Sandberg’s
fortune. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that she is incredibly fortune, and she has had amazing opportunities, mentors and support. Based on the
sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
6. But I did it on purpose to say to people, Look, I can be both a mother and a
professional, and I do it by going home at 5:30.”
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about Sheryl Sandberg’s
purpose in her action. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that she went home at 5:30 on purpose that is to say people that she can be both a mother and
a professional. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
7. I also said that after I have dinner with my kids, give them a bath, and put them
to bed, I get back online.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about what Sheryl
Sandberg said about her life. The person deixis ‘I’ refers to the speaker, Sheryl Sandberg. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that she said that after she
has dinner with her kids, gives them a bath, and puts them to bed, she gets back online. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct
speech act.
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8. Similarly, I dont think the desire for leadership is based in biology.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about Sheryl Sandberg’s
thought about leadership. The person deixis ‘I’ refers to Sheryl Sandberg. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that she doesn’t think that the desire for
leadership is based in biology. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
9. I think the desire for leadership is largely culturally created and reinforced.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about Sheryl Sandberg’s
thought about leadership. The person deixis ‘I’ refers to Sheryl Sandberg. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that she thinks the desire for leadership is
largely culturally created and reinforced. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
10. Ive had a lot of luck, a lot of sponsors, a lot of mentors.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about what Sheryl
Sandberg has had. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that she has had a lot of luck, a lot of sponsors, and a lot of mentors. Based on the sentence type
and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
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4.1.1.3 Declarative Sentence Type as an Assertion about Society
1. We expect men to have leadership qualities, to be assertive and competent, to
speak out.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about society
expectation. The person deixis ‘we’ refers to society. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that society expects men to have leadership qualities, to be
assertive and competent, to speak out. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
2. We expect women to have communal qualities, to be givers and sharers, to
pursue the common good.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about society
expectation. The person deixis ‘we’ refers to society. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that society expects women to have communal qualities, to
be givers and sharers, and to pursue the common good. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
3. We call our daughters-but not our sons-bossy.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about what society does.
The person deixis ‘we’ refers to society. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that society always call or command their daughter but not their sons.
They only do bossy to daughters not sons. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
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4. We overestimate our sons crawling abilities and underestimate our daughters.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about what society does.
The person deixis ‘we’ refers to society. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that society overestimate their sons crawling abilities and in the other
side they underestimate their daughters abilities. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
5. We keep telling women how important these connections are, so women walk
up to virtual strangers and say, Will you be my mentor?
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about what society does
to women. The person deixis ‘we’ refers to society and Sheryl Sandberg herself as a part of the society. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that women
are kept told by society, not only man but also women about how important connections are, so women walk up to virtual stranger and then ask the stranger
to be their mentor. Women are being careless in selecting their mentor. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
6. The problem is, we want to promote and hire people who are both competent
and liked.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about what society
wants. The person deixis ‘we’ refers to society. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that society wants to promote and hire people who are both
competent and liked and this desire becomes a problem for women. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
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7. We dont really encourage women to be leaders.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about what society does.
The person deixis ‘we’ refers to society. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that society doesn’t really encourage women to be leaders. Based on the
sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
4.1.1.4 Declarative Sentence Type as an Assertion about Facebook
1. Facebooks mission is to allow people to express themselves and connect to the
individuals and causes they care about.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about Facebook’s
mission. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that Facebook’s mission is to allow people to express themselves and connect to the individuals and causes
they care about. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
2. Its a great place for women, because it really is all about what you build and
what you do.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about Facebook, the
place where Sheryl Sandberg works. The person deixis ‘it’ refers to Facebook, the place where Sheryl Sandberg works. The speaker uses the utterance to
inform that the place where she works is a great place for women to work, because it only sees what you build and what you do. Based on the sentence
type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
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4.1.1.5 Declarative Sentence Type as an Assertion about Sheryl Sandberg’s Book
1. The book is a combination of things.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about the book,
Sheryl Sandberg’s book. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that her book, Sheryl Sandberg’s book is a combination of things. Based on the
sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
2. Its partly stories from my own life and experience, partly data and research
about gender issues, and partly a call to action by and for women.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about Sheryl Sandberg’s
book. It can be seen from the utterance that the use of person deixis ‘it’ refers to Sheryl Sandberg’s book. The speaker uses the utterance to inform about the
combination of things in her book, Sheryl Sandberg’s book that was mentioned in the utterance before that the book, Sheryl Sandberg’s book is partly stories
from her own life and experience, partly data and research about gender issues, and partly a call to action by and for women. Based on the sentence type and
the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
4.1.1.6 Declarative Sentence Type as an Assertion about the Media
1. The media rarely depict working women with children as happy and adjusted
and comfortable with themselves.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about the media. The
speaker uses the utterance to inform that the media rarely depicts or pictures working women with children as happy, adjusted and comfortable with
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themselves. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct speech act.
2. They always sound harried.
Declarative sentence type; Assertion
The utterance above is produced in declarative sentence type which has function to give an assertion or to convey information about the media. The
person deixis ‘they’ refers to the media. The speaker uses the utterance to inform that the media which rarely depicts or pictures working women with
children as happy, adjusted and comfortable with themselves always sounds harried. Based on the sentence type and the function, the utterance is a direct
speech act.
4.1.2 Direct Speech Acts in Imperative Sentence Type as a Request
