also be positive. If the speaker shows negative behavior, then the judgment will lead to negative judgment.
Intergroup distinctiveness happens when the speaker and interlocutor compare themselves and find distinctiveness of each other. “If language is a salient
dimension of the speaker‟s identity, he can use to distinctive linguistic markers of his own group to assert his cultural identity and to distinguish himself from his
interlocutor” Hamers et al, 1989: 137
4. Theory of Speech Modification strategies
There are two speech modification strategies used to communicate with people from different culture. First strategy is called „foreigner talk‟. In foreigner
talk, the speaker simplifies his language to make himself understood by an interlocutor who has lit
tle knowledge of the former‟s language. Typical features of foreigner talk include variable omission of verb inflections, deletion of the
copula and the article, reduction of personal pronoun to one form e.g. me him, utilization of lexical words, short juxtaposed sentences slowing down of delivery,
voice amplification, and the use of expressive device Hamers et al, 1989:147. The second strategy is called „broken language‟, in which the speaker tries to
speak the interlocutor‟s language, although he has little proficiency of it. This strategy uses devices as simplification, reduction, overgeneralization, transfer and
formulaic language Hamers et al, 1989: 147. 5.
Theory of the Components of Communicative Events
A conversation is considered as a good conversation if both of the speaker and the interlocutor can well understand the message. In order to have a good
conversation, based on Hymes‟ theory, there are seven components needed in communication. Those components are including participants, channels, codes,
settings, the forms of messages, the attitudes and contents and the events as the components of communicative events.
First, we need to consider the participants. Both the speaker and the interlocutor should consider each other. We can have different ways of
communication with someone who has different age, gender, social status, relationship, the race Hymes, 1974: 10
Second, we need to consider the channels. Channel means the method of communication. When we communication, we can speak to someone, we can
write, we can sing, we can move our body or we can whistle Hymes, 1974: 10. Third, we need to consider the code. Hymes stated that code includes
“linguistic, paralinguistic, kinesic, musical, interpretative, interactional and other” Hymes, 1974: 10.
Fourth, we need to consider the setting. We need to consider when and where the conversation happens Hymes, 1974:10.
Fifth, we need to consider the forms of messages. Hymes stated that forms of messages “ranging verbally from single-morpheme sentences to the patterns and
diacritics of sonnets, sermons, salesmen‟s pitches, and any other organized routines and styles” Hymes, 1974: 10.
Sixth, we need to consider the content. Content means the topic of our conversation Hymes, 1974: 10.
Seventh, we need to consider the events. “The events themselves, their kinds and characters as wholes
– all these must be identified in an adequate way” Hymes, 1974: 10.
C. Theoretical Framework
There are five theories needed in doing this research. Those theories are the theory of African American Vernacular English, the theory of Standard English
and the theory of speech accommodation, the theory of speech modification strategies, and the theory of the components of communicative events.
Theory of African American Vernacular English and the theory of Standard English are helpful to answer the first problem about the linguistic features. The
theory of African American Vernacular English is not only explaining what African American Vernacular English is but also consisting of the linguistics
features of African American Vernacular English syntactical, phonological, and lexical and the history of African American Vernacular English. This contributes
to better understanding of African American Vernacular English: the definition, the linguistic features and the history. The theory of Standard English is used to
see the comparison of the linguistic features found in the novel to Standard English.
The theory of speech accommodation, the theory of speech modification strategy, and the theory of the components of communicative events are the
theories to answers the second problem about the causes of two different cultural communication among the characters. The theory of speech accommodation is to
find the causes, why the characters adapt to the others. The theory of speech
