THE REQUEST STRATEGIES USED BY THE STUDENTS OF SMP N 3 PATI GRADE IX The Request Strategies Used By The Students Of SMP N 3 Pati Grade IX Academic Year 2012/ 2013.

THE REQUEST STRATEGIES USED BY THE
STUDENTS OF SMP N 3 PATI GRADE IX
ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/ 2013

A THESIS
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Master Degree in English

WELAS HADI SUSILO
NIM S 200110028

GRADUATE PROGRAM OF LANGUAGE STUDY
MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF SURAKARTA
2013

NOTE OF ADVISOR I
Agus Wijayanto, Ph. D
Lecturer of Magister of Language Study Post Graduate Program Muhammadiyah
University of Surakarta
Official note on Welas Hadi Susilo’s Thesis
Dear

The Director of Graduate Program of Magister of Language Study of Graduate
Program Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.

Assalamu’alaikum Wr wb
Having read, examined, corrected, and necessarily revised towards the thesis of
Name

: Welas Hadi Susilo

NIM

: S 200 110 028

Program

: Magister of language Study

Focus on

: Pragmatics

Title

: The Request Strategies Used by The Students of SMP 3 Pati Grade
IX Academic Year 2012/ 2013

I access that the thesis is approved to be examined by the board of examiners in the
Magister of Language Study of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta
Wassalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb

Surakarta, July 2013

Agus Wijayanto, Ph. D

ii

NOTE OF ADVISOR II
Dra. Siti Zuhriyah Ar, M. Hum
Lecturer of Magister of Language Study Post Graduate Program Muhammadiyah
University of Surakarta

Official note on Welas Hadi Susilo’s Thesis
Dear
The Director of Graduate Program of Magister of Language Study of Graduate
Program Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.

Assalamu’alaikum Wr wb
Having read, examined, corrected, and necessarily revised towards the thesis of
Name

: Welas Hadi Susilo

NIM

: S 200 110 028

Program

: Magister of language Study

Focus on

: Pragmatics

Title

: The Request Strategies Used by The Students of SMP 3 Pati Grade
IX Academic Year 2012/ 2013

I access that the thesis is approved to be examined by the board of examiners in the
Magister of Language Study of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta
Wassalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb

Surakarta, July 2013

Dra. Siti Zuhriyah Ar, M. Hum

iii

ADVISOR’S APPROVAL

This thesis entitled
The Requ
equest Strategies Used by The Students of SMP
P 3 Pati
Grade IX Academic Year 2012/ 2013
by
WELAS HADI SUSILO
S 200110028

This thesis has beenn approved
a
by the advisors to be examined byy the
th board of
examiners on :
Day

: ……………………..

Date : ……………………….

iv

PRONOUNCEMENT
I am the writer of this thesis,
Name

: WELAS HADI SUSILO

NIM

: S 200 110 028

Programme

: Magister Pengkajian Bahasa (MPB)

Focus on

: Linguistics

Title

: THE REQUEST STRATEGIES USED BY THE
STUDENTS OF SMP N 3 PATI GRADE IX
ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013

Certify that this thesis is definitely my own work. I am completely responsible
for its contents. Otherwise, there are some other writer’s opinions for findings
included in this thesis but they are quoted or cited in accordance with ethical
standard. When there is an evidence that this thesis is a kind of plagiarism, I
will accept the cancellation of my post graduate degree given by
Muhammadiyah Surakarta University.

Surakarta, July 2013
Sincerely,

S 200 110 028

v

MOTTO AND DEDICATION

MOTTO
There’s a way if there’s a will

With deepest love, this thesis is devoted to:
My beloved wife
And my son and daughter
I love you and thank for your loving

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Thanks to Allah SWT, the merciful and the beneficent, who has been blessing
me with power and brain for being able to accomplish this greatest job in my life to
do my thesis entitled “The Request Strategies Used by The Students of SMP 3 Pati
Grade IX Academic Year 2012/ 2013” as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for
my Master Degree in English. Greeting and invocation are presented to the Prophet
Muhammad SAW, who has guided mankind to right path blessed by the Lord.

The writer realize it is imposible to finish writing the research paper without
any help, support, encouragement, and advises from others. The writer would also
like to express his deep gratitude to the following people:
1. Prof. Dr. Bambang Setiaji, M. Sc., The rector of Muhammadiyah
University of Surakarta,
2. Prof. Dr. Khudzaifah Dimyati, SH. M. Hum., The Director of
Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta,
3. Prof. Dr. Markhamah, M.Hum., the Head of Language Study Department,
4. Agus Wijayanto, Ph.D. and Dra, Siti Zuhriah Ar, M. Hum., the advisors of
this thesis, for their helpful and sincere guidance, understanding, patience,
and most importantly, their friendship during his post graduate studies at
Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta,
5. Prof. Dr. Endang Fauziati, M. Hum., the examiner of this thesis, for her
advices and suggestions for the completeness and goodness of this thesis.

vii

6. All lecturers of Postgraduate of Language Program Studies who has
patiently guided and helped him in preparing and finishing his study.
7. All librarians who have given permission to get privileges in using the

required references.
8. His father and his late mother for their everlasting love, care and support.
9. Special words of thanks also must be given to his family, beloved wife,
Suparti, S.Pd., beloved son, Revydo Dewandra Susilo, and beloved
daughter, Steffania Diandra Susilo. Without their support, permission and
patience, this thesis will have never been completed,
10. Sincere gratitude is also due to Akhmad Syaifuddin, S.Pd., his school
principal, for giving him chance to study in English Studies of Post
Graduate Programme, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta,
11. Finally but importantly, every special thanks is also due to the junior high
school students of SMP 3 Pati, as the respondents of this study for their
participation in finishing my thesis,
12. Last but not least those who cannot be mentioned one by one, who have
supported him to fulfill his dream.
Finally, the researcher requires constructive suggestions for the progress of
the next study. She hopes this research will be advantageous for leading to more
inspiring researches.
Surakarta, July 2013
WELAS HADI SUSILO
viii

ABSTRACT
Welas Hadi Susilo. S 200 110 028. 2013.The Request Strategies Used by The
Students of SMP N 3 Pati Grade IX Academic Year 2012/ 2013. Thesis. Magister
of Language Study. Faculty of Language Department. Muhammadiyah University of
Surakarta. Advisors: (1) Agus Wijayanto, Ph. D. (2) Dra, Siti Zuhriah Ar, M. Hum.

This study is socio-pragmatic study on Junior High School students in
expressing request strategies. This study was conducted to answer the three research
questions. They are (1) The strategy types used by the Students of Junior High
School, (2) The contribution of social variables power, distance and gender to the
choice of request. This study was a descriptive study by using qualitative approach.
Subjects of this study were twenty males and twenty females of SMP N 3
students in Pati. Data for this study is elicited from the respondents through the
Discourse Completion Test (DCT) which consisted of nine situations with different
levels of status. The respondents in each group are then asked to write the expression
of requests to complete the DCT. Their responses were collected to be analyzed based
on the 8-level Trosborg’s categories, the 8-level scale scheme to determine the types
of request strategies used by the respondents to describe the contribution of power,
distance and gender to the choice of request strategies.
There were responses expressed by the students. The findings of the study
showed that most of the respondents utilized Conventionally Indirect (hearer-oriented
condition) in the form of ability/willingness/ permission, followed by Direct request
in the form of imperatives, Conventionally Indirect (speaker-based condition) in the
form of needs/demands, and indirect request. It was also found that the more familiar
the interlocutors each other the more direct strategies the respondents applied.
In conclusion the students of SMP N 3 Pati mostly used conventionally indirect
strategies (hearer-oriented condition) to make requests according to the power status,
social distance, and gender between the interlocutors.
Key words: request strategies, power, gender

ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE …………………………………..............…….................................................
i
NOTE OF ADVISOR I ……………………………………................…....................
ii
NOTE OF ADVISOR II …………………………………….......................................
iii
ADVISORS’ APPROVAL ……………………………………..................................
iv
STATEMENT ………………………………………..................................................
v
TESTIMONIAL STATEMENT …………………………..........................................
vi
MOTTO AND DEDICATION ..............…….……........................…........................
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT …………………………..........…....…….........................
ix
ABSTRACT …………..............................………………………...............................
x
TABLE OF CONTENT ……………………........................……………...................
xiii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................
LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................
xv
LIST OF DIAGRAMS ................................................................................................. xvi
LIST OF APPENDICES .............................................................................................. xviii
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study ……….....………...………............
1
4
B. Reason for Choosing the Topic …….....……...……..............
C. Problem Statements …………………….....…...……............
6
D. Objectives of the Research ………………..........……….......
6
7
E. Benefits of the Study ………………………............……......
F. Scope and Limitation of the Research ……......…….....….....
7
CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND UNDERLYING
THEORY .........................................................................................
A. Review of Previous Study on Requests …....….......…….......
B. Underlying Theory ..................................................................
1. Speech Acts …………………...…..........................….....
2. Speech Acts Classification ……....……….........…..........
3. Speech Acts of Requests ………….................……..........
4. Form and Function of Requests …….............…...............
5. Request Strategies ………....…………............................
a. Indirect Request (Hints) .........………........................
b. The two types of Indirect Strategies ……...................
1) Conventionally Indirect Strategies (HearerOriented Condition) ..............................................

x

9
9
14
14
16
17
19
22
22
24
24

2) Conventionally Indirect Strategies (Speakerbased Condition) ...................................................
c. Direct and Indirect Request Strategies ….…..............
d. Social Context of Indirect Strategies .........................
e. Power ..................................……………...…….........
f. Social Distance ...........................................................
g. Language and Gender .................................................
6. Classification of Strategies ...............................................
Theoretical Framework ...........................................................

25
26
27
29
29
32
34
36

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD ……………...................…….......…........
A. Research Method ……………………………........................
B. Research Participants ..............................................................
C. Instrument ……………………………….............……..........
D. Unit of Analysis ………………………………...…...............
E. Data Coding ............................................................................
F. Technique of Data Collecting on DCT ……...........................
G. Technique of Data Analysis on DCT ……..............................

39
39
39
40
43
44
44
46

CHAPTER IV

RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION ……..……...............
A. Types of Request Strategy ….....…......................……….......
1. Request Strategies for the First Three Situations .............
2. Request Strategies for the Second Three Situations .........
3. Request Strategies for the Third Three Situations ............
B. The Impact of Different Familiarities, Social Power, and
Gender on Request Strategies .........…................……..…......
1. The Impact of Different Familiarities on Request
Strategies …….……....................................………..........
2. The Impact of Different Social Status on Request
Strategies …….……….......................................………...
3. The Impact of Different Gender on Request Strategies ....
C. Findings ..................................................................................
D. Discussion ...............................................................................

50
51
51
63
75

C.

xi

88
88
95
102
113
117

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................
A. The Types of Request Strategies Used by the Students of
Junior High School .................................................................
B. The Contribution of Distance, Power, and Gender to the
Choice of Request Strategies ..................................................
C. Research Limitation ................................................................
D. Suggestion for the Future Research ........................................

BIBLIOGRAPHY ………………….....................................……………………....
APPENDIXES

xii

123
123
125
127
128
130

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
L1

: First Language

L2

: Second Language

DCT

: Discourse Completion Test

CCSARP : Cross Culture Speech Act Realization Project
P

: Power

+P

: Positive power

=P

: Equal power

-P

: Neagtive power

D

: Distance

+D

: Positive distance

=D

: Equal distance

-D

: Negative distance

S1 to S9 : Situation 1 to Situation 9
Str

: Strategy

MLE

: Male Learners of English

FLE

: Female Learners of English

1 to 360 : DCT Number 1 to 360
C-L

: Close Lower

C-E

: Close Equal

C-H

: Close Higher

F-L

: Familiar Lower
xiii

F-E

: Familiar Equal

F-H

: Familiar Higher

UF-L

: Unfamiliar Lower

UF-E

: Unfamiliar Equal

UF-H

: Unfamiliar Higher

Hin

: Hints

Abl

: Ability/willingness/permission

Sug

: Suggestory Formula

Wis

: Wishes/Desires

Ned

: Needs/demands

Obl

: Obligations

Per

: Performatives

Imp

: Imperatives

MTM

: Male To Male

MTF

: Male To Female

FTF

: Female To Female

FTM

: Female To Male

xiv

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1

Result of Request Strategies Used by the students for the First Three
Situations

Table 2

Result of Request Strategies Used by the students for the Second Three
Situations

Table 3

Result of Request Strategies Used by the students for the Third Three
Situations

xv

LIST OF DIAGRAMS

Diagram 1. Situation 1
Diagram 2. Situation 2
Diagram 3. Situation 3
Diagram 4. Situation 4
Diagram 5. Situation 5
Diagram 6. Situation 6
Diagram 7. Situation 7
Diagram 8. Situation 8
Diagram 9. Situation 9
Diagram 10. Close-Lower/Equal/Higher
Diagram 11. Familiar-Lower/Equal/Higher
Diagram 12. Unfamiliar-Lower/Equal/Higher
Diagram 13. Lower-Close/Familiar/Unfamiliar
Diagram 14. Equal-Close/Familiar/Unfamiliar
Diagram 15. Higher-Close/Familiar/Unfamiliar
Diagram 16. Male Vs Female Situation 1
Diagram 17. Male Vs Female Situation 2
Diagram 18. Male Vs Female Situation 3
Diagram 19. Male Vs Female Situation 4
Diagram 20. Male Vs Female Situation 5
xvi

Diagram 21. Male Vs Female Situation 6
Diagram 22. Male Vs Female Situation 7
Diagram 23. Male Vs Female Situation 8
Diagram 24. Male Vs Female Situation 9

xvii

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 1

Discourse Completion Test (DCT)

Appendix 2

Recapitulation of Responses

Appendix 3

Recapitulation of responses for each situation

xviii