3 Title only T
If a speaker addresses someone by title only T, it means that heshe uses the most formal address term. This type is probably a less intimate and more deferential
than title with last name TLN. For example, pupils often address their teacher with hisher title only. According to Wardaugh 2006: 268, the use of title only in
addressing others indicates the least intimate relationship. This type is usually used to determine social status or ranks of occupation.
An example of this type in the utterance can be seen as follows: Student
: Excuse me, sir. Do you think it’s okay if I go home early today?
Teacher : Why?
Student : My mom’s hospitalized, and I want to visit her.
Teacher : Never mind. I hope your mother will get better soon.
Student : Thank you, sir.
The above example is a conversation between a student and a teacher. In this
conversation, the student addressed hisher teacher by using “sir”. The use of title only T indicated that the student used the most formal address term to show power
differential and distance between the teacher and the student.
4 Last name LN
Last name is a type of address terms that is less formal than title with last name TLN but not as intimate as first name FN. According to Chaika 1982: 49,
the use of last name indicates that the speaker is more superior to the hearer. It means that the use of last name in communication shows asymmetric power between the
speaker and the hearer. In addition, the inferior will receive hisher last name alone
while the superior will be addressed by hisher title with last name. Here is the example in a conversation.
Teacher : What’s your name?
Student : My name is Ni Made.
Teacher : Are you from Bali, Made?
Student : Yes.
The above example is a conversation between a teacher and a student. In this conversation, the teacher used last name LN to address hisher student. The use of
last name indicated that the teacher used the less formal address term type to show hisher superiority towards the student.
5 Special name SN
The fifth type of address terms is special name. The use of special name SN is a kind of informal language that usually used by people in the non-formal
situations. According to Chaika 1982: 49, this type of address terms is used in communication between a speaker and an addressee that has an intimate relationship
such as between close friends. It is used as a sign of intimacy. The examples of special name such as Charles that turns into Charlie, James that turns into Jim,
Katherines that turns into Kathy, and Deborah being called as Debbie.
6 Pet name PN
Pet name refers to an extra name which is normally unofficial. It is not used for legal purposes as well. Pet name indicates higher level of intimacy compared to
the use of first name in addressing other people Wardaugh, 2006: 268. People usually use this type to address someone who has a close relationship with them. It is
originally used as intimacies within the family circle. This type is sometimes used by a couple who have their own nickname to the one they love, such as honey, dear and
sweetheart. For example, the word sweetheart is used in the following dialogue. A
: Happy birthday, Stella. Wow, you are one year older now. Congratulations sweetheart
B : Thank you.
The above conversation is interesting since A used “sweetheart” to addressing B. It indicates that they had an intimate relationship.
7 Kinship term KT
Kinship term is about the term used in a speech community to identify relationships between individuals in a family. Wardaugh 2006: 271 states that the
kinship system itself is generation and age-oriented with terms for both the paternal and maternal sides. An example of this type in the conversation can be seen as
follows: Father
: Will you turn off the lights when you leave the room? We have to save the electricity.
Daniel : Ok, Dad.
The above example is a conversation between a father and his son. The father asked
his son to turn off the light to save the energy. Here, the son uses kinship term KT, “dad”, to address his father. Here, kinship is used to show respect from a son to his
father by obeying the father’s order. Kinship term is also used here as a result of family relation factor which influences the son to use such kinship term.
b. Social Factors in Using Address Terms
In communication, people will address other people in different way. They address people based on the context whether they are in formal or informal contexts.
When they address someone, there are some social factors affecting the choice of address terms Wardaugh, 2006: 272. They are particular occasion PO, social
status or rank of the other SS, gender G, age A, family relationship FR, occupational hierarchy OH, transactional status TS, race R, and degree of
intimacy DI. In daily life, people may use more than one type of address term. The choice of the types is greatly influenced by those factors.
1 Particular occasion
People tend to address a certain person differently in different place where they communicate. Wardaugh 2006: 272 gives an example of this kind of social
factor in a military area. A soldier has to maintain hisher respect toward hisher commander. A soldier has to maintain hisher respect while in the same time heshe
has to live together with the commander in dangerous circumstance, like in a war. In formal occasion, people are demanded to respect other people overriding social
status. Another example of this kind of social factor is in a school area. A boy
schools in a school where his father becomes the school principal there. A boy should not address his school principal as his father, but he should address him as his school
principal. A boy should address his father by using title with last name or title only
inside the school. The context will be different when they are in the house. They are in the different context or occasion with the different degree of formality that will
impact the way to address. In school, they are involved in an institutional setting that requires formality and respect to the other.
2 Social status
There are some social factors that influence people to use certain types of address term in their communication. One of the social factors that can influence
people in use address terms is social status. According to Chaika 1982: 47, the superior will receive title with last name when heshe is being addressed. Chaika adds
that title with last name also given to the superior and to relative strangers. This type of address terms indicates inequality in power between the speaker and the addressee.
The superior will receive title with last name when they are addressed, while the inferior will received first name.
3 Gender
Gender in a certain society also affects the choice of the address terms. Dickey in Wardaugh, 2006: 270 states that in Athenian society, men addressed
women by either name or “gunai” which means woman. Then, women and children addressed men by name. Wardaugh 2006: 270 adds that different societies classify
the choice of the address terms differently. In Java, a wife will address her husband with “mas” which means elder brother, and she will get her first name, a nickname, or
“dhik” which means younger siblings.
4 Age
Age is a kind of the social factors that can influence people to choose certain types of address terms. Age is a determinant factor in the use of address terms.
Chaika 1982: 47 illustrates an older person usually prefers being addressed by using title with last name especially when they are addressed by younger person. In the
other hand, when a younger person is the boss of an older one, age often wins out. Therefore, the boss calls hisher employee by title with last name.
The use of this kind of social factor in using address terms is an appropriate way to show politeness.
5 Family relationship
The change of age and family relationship influences the choice of address terms. Wardaugh 2006: 271 gives an illustration that the condition which may arise
when someone has to address hisher father-in-law. For example, it seems to be too formal if addressing a father-in-law as Mr. Smith. It also seems that too familiar if
addressing him by only call Smith and it seems to be unnatural if addressing him as Dad. However, the arrival of grandchildren is sometimes seen as a way out because it
is being easier to call a father-in-law as Granddad than Dad.
6 Occupational hierarchy
The choice of the types of address terms is determined by the circumstance around the place where people work. According to Wardaugh 2006: 272, it is clear
that in a hierarchical structure, those at the bottom seek to minimize their difference in status from those at the top position and those at the top seek to maximize that
difference. Wardaugh adds that different circumstance of field of work such as in military and business world will also affect the choice of address term. People who
have higher occupational status will receive title with last name when they are addressed by the people who have lower occupational status. In the other hand,
people who have lower occupational status will receive first name when they are being addressed.
7 Transactional status
Status of a person can give great effects in hisher daily life. In a society, social status of someone can be clearly seen in a communication especially in using
address terms. The different social status will determine which types of address terms are applied. The inequality in power between higher and lower social status can be
seen in the use of title with last name and first name in communication. Beside social status, there is a transactional status that also determines the use
of certain types of address term in communication. Transactional status is a status achieved by specialty in a certain field of work, so other people will follow hisher
instruction. According to Wardaugh 2006: 272, transactional status is a relationship between two sides like a doctor with a patient or a priest with a penitent. This kind of
relationship can indicate inequality power which presents in a certain institution like in a hospital or a church.
