Table 4.1 Distribution of Communicative Functions
No. Communicative Functions
Frequency Percentage
1 Avoiding the silence when talking
589 58.0
2 Expressing listening noises
251 24.7
3 Changing the topic of conversation
40 3.9
4 Agreeing on something
30 3.0
5 Mentioning names or titles
16 1.6
6 Giving compliments
16 1.6
7 Joking
15 1.5
8 Parting
13 1.3
9 Saying bad words
10 1.0
10 Mocking
10 1.0
11 Greeting
8 0.8
12 Thanking
7 0.7
13 Apologizing
2 0.2
14 Expressing wishes
2 0.2
15 Pacifying
2 0.2
16 Encouraging
2 0.2
17 Sympathizing
2 0.2
18 Apologizing to open conversation
1 0.1
19 Commenting on something obvious
20 Interrupting
21 Congratulating
22 Criticizing indirectly
Total 1.016
100 Table 4.2 describes that more than half of communicative functions shows
avoiding silence when talking. It can be seen that the frequency is 589 reaching 58.0. It is assumed that the graduate students were trying hard to sustain
conversation by always giving response. Meanwhile, the rest were not found in conversation because the contexts were not suitable for such communicative
functions. It can be assumed that contexts might be influential in performing communicative functions. To know the detailed analysis, it has been provided the
interpretation of several conversation representing the communicative functions of phatic communication. The following is the discussion of each communicative
function. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
1. Avoiding the Silence when Talking
This communicative function aims to continue talking. The ways of avoiding the silence when talking are various, including giving or answering
questions. All couples applied it in conversation. Therefore, it reaches 589 or 58.0 showing the highest number. The finding shows that Aan and Mello,
perfomed avoiding the silence when talking. The detail of the conversation is shown in excerpt 1.
Excerpt 1 Context
: Aan asked Mello about sports facilities in Yogyakarta, and finally he told his feeling about the sports facilities
in campus, especially for the graduate program. Aan
: Too bad. They don’t facilitate… Mello
: Us. Ap215-16
The conversation explains that Aan paused his talk. Then, Mello, as a listener, continued Aan’s statement by adding the word Us. In this case, Mello
might also have the same feeling and therefore he quickly continued it. What Mello did is included as avoiding the silence when talking because he attempted
to keep the conversation going. Moreover, Sri and Maria expressed avoiding the silence when talking in
different ways. They used fillers before or when talking. The following is the excerpt of the conversation.
Excerpt 2 Context
: Sri and Maria shared the morning activities and next activities.
Sri : What about you?
Maria : Hmm…[laughing]. Actually I have eaten some breakfast
= this morning = Ehm…twice [laughing] Ap36-7
It can be described that the expressions of avoiding the silence when talking can be varied based on the previous turn and the way people respond to questions.
Maria used Hmm and Ehm to continue her talk. It means that while she was thinking, she also produced fillers to sustain conversation.
In addition, Socrates and Rose also produced the expression of avoiding the silence when talking. They were trying to emphasize and use questions. The
detail of the conversation can be seen below. Excerpt 3
Context : Rose asked Socrates about his favorite game.
Socrates : CLASH OF CLANS. YOU DON’T KNOW?
Rose : How to play it? Ap526-27
Excerpt 3 can be descr ibed that Socrates’ expression You don’t know? is
included in avoiding the silence when talking. It can be assumed that the expression was to make sure whether Rose did know the game. In addition, Rose
also expressed avoiding the silence when talking by questioning about the procedure.
2. Expressing Listening Noises
This communicative function shows response to what speakers say. It can be clearly explained that listeners need to listen every phrase, clause, or sentence.
The data of this study presents that there were 251 utterances of listening noises showing 24.7. The finding shows that Aan and Mello produced listening noises
in order to give response. The following is the example of the conversation. Excerpt 4
Context : Aan and Mello talked about sports center in Yogyakarta,
especially for basketball. Aan
: That’s crazy. Because I al – always want to play PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
football, but eh I mean basketball, but… ==
Mello : == Yeah. When I was came and when I passed through
that core, then I saw ==. Ap23-4 The conversation describes that Aan was curious about sports center,
especially for basketball. Aan, then, told Mello that he really liked to play basketball since it might be one of his hobbies. After that, Mello expressed Yeah
as the expression of listening noises showing that he was understanding and listening to what Aan shared.
The expression of listening noises was also found in the conversation of Sri and Maria. In this point, they produced fillers and repeating words. The example
of the conversation can be explored in excerpt 5. Excerpt 5
Context : Sri and Maria talked about their next activities.
Maria : [laughing] So, what will you do after you go home?
Sri : Ehm…I don’t know. I am planning to find…not find
actually…ehm…I’m going to have some lunch = Because you know from…ehm...from the morning, =
I mean like…I haven’t had any breakfast. = Ya just ate some snacks and I know it’s not healthy = Ya,
I’m planning to like…have lunch.
Maria : = Oh Okay. = Hmhm = Breakfast = Hmhm =
Alright. Ap33-5
The conversation describes that Maria produced the expressions of listening noises when Sri explained what to do next. Maria’s expressions were various, like
Oh Okay, Hmhm, Breakfast, and Alright. Those expressions are helpful when listening to people who are still talking. Even, in the data, there was a word
Breakfast after Sri said I haven’t had any breakfast . Maria’s expression was to
repeat what Sri had said. Therefore, it can also become an expression of listening noises in order to emphasize something.
