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who suffers stress. She uses her language function to make a verbal communication with the stress sufferer in better way.
1.2 Research Problems
This study is conducted to answer the problems formulated in the following questions:
1. What types of language functions and mostly used by Linda in Death
of Salesman drama? 2.
In what context does Linda use language functions in Death of Salesman drama?
1.3 Research Objective
Based on the problems above, the objectives of the study are aimed: 1.
To get understanding the types of language functions and mostly used by Linda in Death of Salesman drama.
2. To know in what context Linda uses language functions in Death of
Salesman drama.
1.4 Significance of the Research
This study is to make a contribution to the development of Discourse Analysis Theory. The researcher hopes this study can enrich information for
the people who concern about language function. Through the result of this study, the researcher wants to show the functions of language found in the
utterances which is made by Linda and language function mostly used by
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Linda when talking with Willy Loman who suffer stress, so that the reader of this thesis will understand how to make a verbal communication with the
stress sufferer in a better way. Therefore, the reader will be realizing that someone who sufferer stress can give response by using language functions
1.5 Scope and Limitation
This study is related to discourse that focusing in language functions. The researcher is related focused on Linda’s utterances when having a verbal
communication with Willy Loman who suffer stress in Death of Salesman drama. This research is limit just on the theory of Roman Jakobson 1960
and focuses on six kinds of language functions; they are emotive functions, conative functions, referential functions, phatic functions, methalinguistic
functions, and poetic functions. On other hand, the researcher uses theory of context that purposed by Dell Hymes 1974 to answer the second of problem
statements. The emphasis of this research is to find the Linda’s utterances
which consider can achieve the communicative purpose and also focuses on the language function only.
1.6 Definition of Key Terms
1. Language Function: what we say for a specific purpose, whether
asking permission, expressing a wish, or apologizing to accomplish
our purposes.
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2. Death of Salesman: a play which is written by Athur Miller in 1930s
and describes the situation of America when they were facing a great
depression.
3. Drama: the literary genre which is most like naturally occurring
conversation Short, 1996: 168.
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CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE
This chapter presents some divisions of theories related with the topic of the research, which is a language function. In this part, the researcher divides the
discussions of the theories into four sub chapter. The first sub chapter is about language functions. The second sub chapter tells about the types of language
functions purposed by Jacobson 1960. The third sub chapter discusses about features of context. The fourth sub chapter is about death of salesman.
2.1 Language Function
Nasr 1980: 1 stated that language is an acquired of systematic vocal activity representing meanings coming from human experiences.
Language is not only the principal medium that human beings use to communicate with others but also the links for people in binding their culture
Clark, 1981:1. Thus, language has a primary function in human life, like to convey information to each other or request something of some situations
such as language to apologize, giving command, giving direction, asking permission, and expressing a wish. Keraf 1997: 1 stated the primary
function of language is as communication tool between members of the society in the form of symbol of the sound produced by human vocal organs.
As stated in Brown and Yule 1983:1 the analysis of discourse deals with the description of linguistic forms independent of the purposes or functions
which those forms are designed to serve human affairs. It means that all
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human being needs a language to interact with other people although they have different abilities to use and deliver the language itself. People can fulfill
their need to survive through producing and receiving language.
2.2 Types of Language Function
I n order to analyze the language function in Linda’s utterances in
Death of Salesman, the researcher focus on the theory of language functions, purposed by Jacobson 1960. In his book “Linguistics and Poetics”, he
divided into six functions, which are emotive, conative, referential, phatic, metalingual, and poetic functions. These classifications of language functions
are used as the tools for the researcher in achieving the main purpose of identifying the Linda’s utterances. The six classifications of language
functions purposed by Jacobson 1960 can be seen through the explanation as follows:
2.2.1 Emotive Function
Emotive function is the mind of the speaker. It is used for the speaker to express their feelings. Expressive function focuses on personal of
addresser, expression of ideas, feelings, attitudes, or opinions. For example:
“Marvelous” “Fantastic”
“I’m feeling great today” “Oh, no”.
