An utterance is spoken language unit used by speakers in a dialogue or conversation to communicate each other. Utterance refer to complete
communicative units,
which may consist of single words
, phrases
, clauses
and clause combinations spoken in context, in contrast to the term sentence, which we reserve for units consisting of at least
one main clause
and any accompanying subordinate clauses
, and marked by punctuation
capital letters and full stops in writing.An utterance is very related to aspects of communication process. Schiffrin 1994: 386 says that in communication, people use
utterances to convey information and to lead each other toward an interpretation of meanings and intentions.
2.2. Casual Conversation
Conversation can be: a.Transactional pragmatic: we talk to others to facilitate the exchange of goods
and services buying things, getting information, etc. b.Phatic: we talk to people to maintain or create friendships.
Conversation for phatic reasons is called ‘casual conversation’. It is usually not directed at any purpose other than to pass the time, or to make or strengthen friendships.
Casual conversation is a conversation which expressed by speakers in informal situation; such as in family and friend relationship, classroom, party, etc. In a casual conversation,
both participants assume a shared awareness of the language system, a shared awareness of what has been said before, and a shared awareness of cultural events.
A casual conversation involves the number of participants. The participants can be two or more. Casual conversation involve less intimate participants there is an orientation
towards consensus.
2.2.1. Interpersonal Meaning in Conversation
In communication, particularly in a conversation, people use language interpersonally, interact with other people, controll their behavior. The interpersonal is
reflecting the function of language as a means whereby the speaker participates in the speech situation. In text, there are three kinds of meaning. They are ideational meaning,
interpersonal meaning, and textual meaning. Interpersonal meaning cover two main areas: one concerns the types of interaction taking place and the kind of commodity being
exchanged, and the other concerns the way speakers take a position in their messages. In the conversation, the interpersonal meaning system is come up by the
participants is conversation, they adopt and assign roles. Matthisen 1995: 687 says that form an interpersonal point of view, a nominal group enacts elements of information as
given or demanded, persons and attitudes. It is a part dialogic exchange between speaker and addressee, where commodities are given and demanded: and it enacts the interpersonal
universe with the interactants as part of dialogic centre. Through the opinions, the speaker adopts a role, a set of roles and also assigns roles to others speakers, while accepting or
rejecting those that are assigned to him; he expresses his own judgements, his own attitudes, his own personality, and in doing exerts certain effects on the hearer. They adopt
and assign the roles as a channel and as a model for social interaction.
