Presupposed Meaning in Factive Presupposition
The first utterance is found in Scene 15, both of them are portraying the conversation between Harvey Milk and Scott Smith.
1 Scott Smith: Now you tell me.
Harvey Milk: There‘s nothing tougher than a New York City cop.
They‘re arrogant, and they‘re everywhere p.5. New York City cops are behaving in an unpleasant way.
In utterance 1, it presupposes that New York City cops are behaving in an unpleasant way towards the gay community in San Francisco, indicated by the
lexical meaning of arrogant. It is also strengthened by the phrase uttered by Harvey Milk that there is nothing tougher than the arrogant New York City cops
mentioned before. The second utterance is found in Scene 27, portraying the conversation
between Allan Baird and Harvey Milk. 2
Allan Baird: What‘s that? Harvey Milk:
The mayor part. I‘ve considered gathering an army of queers to march up the City Hall and secede p.14.
Harvey Milk considers gathering an army of queers to become independent, separating themselves from the nation.
Based on the utterance 2 above, it presupposes that Harvey Milk
considers gathering an army of queers to become independent, separating themselves from the nation. Secede, in its isolated meaning, means that to leave an
organization or state and to become independent. In the era of gay liberation, therefore, Harvey Milk would like to rally up a group of queers to form a sort of
separatist movement, as a political expression that the state San Francisco is not representative for them anymore.
The third utterance is found in Scene 27, the third utterance which transcribes Harvey Milk‘s recorded will.
3 Harvey Milk: We weren‘t just a group of pansies anymore. We had
a neighboorhood. We had the unions. And for the first time, we had a little bit of power p.15.
They the gay community were a group of pansies and they did not have a power before.
Based on the utterance 3 above, it presupposes two kinds of meaning
that are related to each other, thus it can be concluded with one sentence. The presupposed meaning is they the gay community were a group of pansies and
they did not have a power before , indicated by the phrase anymore added to a
negation in the word weren’t and the phrase for the first time which shows a state
of change in that sentence. The phrase anymore with a negation indicates a state of change that something had happened in the past, and it does not happen in the
current momentum. In relation to the utterance above, it affirms that in the past, the gay community was a group of pansies before, and in the context of 1970s,
they were not classified as pansies anymore. On the contrary, the phrase for the first time is the opposite of anymore,
for it explains something that has never happened before and eventually it happens for the very first time. In relating the state of change to the utterance, the
contribution of the phrase for the very first time is to affirm that the gay community did not have any power before and right now they have obtained a
power for the first time. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Scene 31 provides three utterances fourth, fifth, and sixth that presupposes certain information, all of them illustrate a speech given by Harvey
Milk in the Castro Street 4
Harvey Milk: A week ago, Police officers came into our area with covered up badges and sent fourteen of our people to
the hospitals, and to jail p.17.
Police officers sent fourteen gay people to the hospitals, and to jail. 5
Harvey Milk: Let us have our tax money go for our protection and not our persecution p.17.
Harvey Milk has an intention to provide a protection to gay community.
6 Harvey Milk: My fellow degenerates, I would like to announce my
candidacy for San Francisco City Supervisor p.18. Harvey Milk has an intention to announce his candidacy for San
Francisco City Supervisor Based on utterance 4, it presupposes a factual event that had happened
in the past which was fourteen gay people who were sent to the hospitals and jail by the police officers. The presupposed meaning is indicated through the verb
came which means the event had happened in the past.
In utterance 5 and 6, it presupposes that Harvey Milk has the intention to provide the protection for the gay community, therefore he establishes his
candidacy for San Francisco City Supervisor in order to do that. Both kinds of presupposed meaning can be indicated through the verb let and the phrase would
like which share the same meaning in isolation giving intention towards
something or an activity. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
The seventh utterance is found in Scene 33, portraying Harvey Milk‘s
recorded will in his kitchen. 7
Harvey Milk: There was nobody to look up to, no hope for a better life. Those that did were outcast. . .arrested. .suicide
p.20. The gay community was outcasted, arrested, and they committed
suicide. Based on utterance 7, it presupposes that the gay community was
outcasted, or arrested, and some of them even committed suicide to escape from the blatant treatment to them. It is indicated by the auxiliary verb did which
implies a factual event in the past. Eighth and ninth utterance are found in Scene 61. Both of them portray
Harvey Milk‘s speech at the City Hall. 8
Harvey Milk: We will no longer sit quietly in our closets. We must fight. p.39.
Harvey Milk starts to fight against gay oppresion and discrimination. 9
Harvey Milk: And I say, we have to give them hope p.39. Harvey Milk must give gay people a hope.
In utterance 8, it presupposes that Harvey Milk starts to fight against
gay oppression and discrimination. It can be seen through the phrase no longer which presupposes a state of change that does not retain something in the past. In
the utterance, it shows that Harvey Milk no longer wants to succumb to the gay discrimination and oppression, thus initiating a fight for the gay people‘s cause. In
utterance 9, it presupposes that Harvey Milk must give gay people a hope due to the phrase have to is used to show that you must do something. Thus, the