several new concepts and the phrase that denote them: Black power, Black studies, Black history, and last but not leas
t, Black English” Kovecses,2000: 95- 96
2 .Theory of Standard English
The theory of Standard English is used to find out the definition of Standard English and it is compared to African American Vernacular English. Therefore,
the differences between those two variations of English can be understood.
a. Definition of Standard English
The term „Standard English‟ was established from the dialect of English. The
dialect was flourished and used by the educated people. “This dialect became the
one preferred by the educated, and it was developed and promoted as model, or norm, for wider and wider segments of society.
” Wardaugh, 1992:31 Until today, the term Standard English is considered as the right form of
English. People use Standard English to determine what is right and what is wrong. Before we judge whether one English is standard or not, we better know
the definition of Standard English first. Standard itself becomes controversy among linguists.
According to Peter Trudgill, the definitions of Standard English can be divided into some categories; Standard English is not a language, Standard
English is not an accent, Standard English is not a style, and Standard English is not register.
Standard English is seen as the language of educated people. Standard English is a variety of English that can be obtained in academic institution or academic
processes. However, for Peter Trudgill, he defines Standard English as a variety of English language.
Standard English, whatever it is, is less than a language, since it is only one variety of English, in all sorts of ways: it is the variety associated with
education system in all the English speaking countries of the world, and is therefore the variety of spoken by those who are often referred to as „educated
people; and it is the variety taught to non-native learners. Standard English is thus not the English language but simply variety of it Trudgill, 1999: 118.
For common people, Standard English also relates to the correct pronunciation. If there is someone speaks in different pronunciation or use
regional dialect or accent, they will be considered as the one who cannot speak Standard English.
There is one thing about Standard English on which most linguists, or at least British linguists, do appear to be agreed, and that is that Standard English has
nothing to do with pronunciatio n…It‟s true that in most cases Standard
English speakers do not have „broad‟ local accents, i.e. accents with large numbers of regional features which are phonologically and phonetically very
distant fro m RP Received Pronunciation, but it‟s clear that in principle we
can say that, while RP is, in a sense, standardized, it is a standardized accent of English and not Standard English itself Trudgill, 1999: 118
Discussing about Standard English, it means we have to relate it with the
chosen words or lexical features. People also relate it to the informal and formal style of a language.
We characterize style as varieties of language viewed from the point of view of formality. Styles are varieties which can be arranged on a continuum
ranging from very formal to very informal… Speaker are able to influence and change the degree of formality of a social situation by manipulation of stylistic
choice Trudgill, 1999: 119
Trudgill gives an example when people losses their energy, when they say „fatigued‟ is considered as formal, „tired‟ is intermediate and „knackered‟ is very
informal. Those three words have the same referential meaning, and they are still acceptable even though the level of formality of each word is different.
Register also relates to the lexical. Due to some opinions, that one lexical item or one register describe the social status of one person. Trudgill gives an example
when a person from outside the medical, says „clavicle‟ rather than „collar bone‟, it would one‟s social status. The lexis can be obtained from any source or any
circumstances. We use the term register in the sense of variety of language determined by
topic, subject matter or activity, such as the register of mathematics, the register of medicine, or the register of pigeon fancying. In English, this is
almost exclusively a matter of lexis. Trudgill, 1999:119
At the end, Trudgill defines Standard English as one of English dialects. As long as it‟s acceptable in one country, it‟s Standard English “It‟s a sub-variety of
English. Sub-varieties of languages are usually refer to as dialects, and languages are often described as
consisting of dialects.” Trudgill, 1999: 123.
3. Theory of Speech Accommodation
When we communicate with other persons especially from different culture, we may find some differences in the language and culture, which is called as
intercultural communication. “When two members from different cultural and
ethno linguistic groups communicate with each other, social categorization occurs in such a way that people will have a tendency to exaggerate differences on
critical dimensions between categories and minimize differences within social category” Hamers et al, 1989: 135. During the contact, both the speaker and
interlocutor will share their view by the use of language when they are communicating. In consequence, the intense communication of two different
persons will influence the use of language. “In an intercultural communication
these factors interact to determine the choice of language behavior and the type of speech accommodation an in
dividual will make” Hamers et al, 1989: 136. The interactions that happen in the novel are among the black housemaids,
then the black housemaids to the white masters, and white masters to white masters. Those interactions
will make the speakers adapt to each other‟s utterances. “Such adaptation can be observed in all types of verbal interaction,
whether monolingual or bilingual, and at all linguistic levels e.g phonological, lexical, etc” Hamers et al, 1990:136.
As seen in the book Bilinguality and Bilingualism, speech accommodation theory is based on four social psychological processes that are similarity
attraction, social exchange, causal attribution and intergroup distinctiveness. Similarity attraction happens because the speaker and interlocutor share
common beliefs, interests, or attitudes that make them both are attached. People will easily attached to those who has more similarities than differences. This
process can be called „convergent accommodation‟ Social exchange happens due to both the speaker and the interlocutor need to
be accepted and need a positive ambience. “Speakers are motivated to adapt their
speech style in order to gain the listener‟s approval, increase the efficacy of the communication and maintain a positive social, cultural or ethnic identity”
Hamers et al, 1989: 137. Casual attribution happens
on interlocutor‟s judgment attributed to the speakers‟ behavior. If the speaker shows positive behavior, then the outcome will
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
