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strategies involved in conversation among English Department’s students. She takes conversations that are done by English Department’s students of
UNNES in speaking class as the object of the study. It becomes more beneficial for English Department students of UNNES because the data that is
analyzed taken from their surroundings.
1.2 Reasons for Choosing the Topic
Since the writer is also an English learner who learns English as a foreign language so whenever the writer is engaged in English conversation
she often faces some linguistic difficulties. She often gets stuck in the middle of conversation, especially in speaking class. Whenever the difficulties occur,
she always tries to find another way to convey meaning so the conversation can run effectively, such as asking a friend to supply her a word or term in
English when she does not find the appropriate words to convey meaning. Before the writer has learnt about communication strategies, she had not
known that it was called communication strategies. After learning more about this study, she finds an interest in this study that pushes her to reveal the
communication strategies used by English Department students of UNNES in making conversation, especially in speaking class.
Here are a number of other reasons in choosing the topic: a
The writer believes that the analysis of communication strategies among English students will maintain its role in English language
learning.
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b The writer believes that the analysis of communication strategies
among English students will give contribution to English speakers of Indonesia, to give them more view of what communication strategies
are usually used by English students. c
The writer also believes that the analysis of communication strategies among English students will give more insight to English Department
students of UNNES.
1.3 Statements of the Problems
People of Indonesia only learn English at schools or universities, so they do not speak and use the language in society. This problem makes
learners not easy to study and master the language. To face the problem, speaking class may occur as the best solution until now. Speaking class is the
occasion where English students are supposed to perform their ability and knowledge in using English. English students must take advantages from the
speaking class. They must show their feelings, ideas, and they can also convey their messages to the interlocutors.
In this study the writer deals with communication strategies that are used by English Department students of UNNES in making conversation in
speaking class. Communication strategies are divided into 2 categories Mujiyanto, 1990:20:
1. Formal communication strategy which consists of transfer,
overgeneralization, etc.
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2. Functional communication strategy which consists of message
abandonment, topic avoidance, changing code, language switch, and appeal to the authority.
In doing this study, the writer chooses to observe only the functional communication strategy. In order to make the problem more specific, the
research question is as follows: “What functional communication strategies are used by English Department
students of UNNES in the academic year of 20082009 in speaking class? “
1.4 Objectives of the Study
