The analysis of conversation structure on the comic strip The Born Loser.

THE ANALYSIS OF CONVERSATION STRUCTURE

ON THE COMIC STRIP THE BORN LOSER

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

VIANA ANGGRAENI ROLOS

Student Number: 064214065

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTEMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2013

i

THE ANALYSIS OF CONVERSATION STRUCTURE

ON THE COMIC STRIP THE BORN LOSER

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

VIANA ANGGRAENI ROLOS

Student Number: 064214065

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTEMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2013

iv

Hope is a waking dream.

Aristotle

v

For

My Beloved

vi

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First of all, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to The Almighty

God, Jesus Christ for His blessing and graces so that I can finish this

undergraduate thesis.

My grateful also goes to my advisor, Anna Fitriati S.Pd., M.Hum., for

her guidance and patience in supporting me during the writing process of this thesis. I would also like to express my gratitude to my co-advisor Dra.

Bernardine Ria Lestari, M.S., for checking and giving advice on this thesis.

I would also like to express my proper appreciation to all lecturers of

English Letters Department for giving me the best lesson and knowledge, to all

staff of Faculty of Letters and Sanata Dharma Library for their help and

services since I studied and started writing this thesis.

My deepest gratitude is also dedicated to my beloved parents: Walter

Rolos and Dortje Parante for their love, support, and prayer. I also thank my

brothers: Jossie A Rolos and Hendry Y Rolos for giving me spirit and support.

I would also thank all my classmates of Sastra 2006 especially my best friends Siska Usmani, Lucia Eri, Sheila Putri, Indah Hayu, Elis Wahyu, and

Fabiola Sekar, thank you so much for the great friendship, care, and support for

all these times. My sincere gratitude also goes to Ari Setiyono for his support,

patience, and love. Finally, I would like to thank my friend Ellen, Gaby, Dewi

Maria and those whom I do not mention here but have given me a great hand.

ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ... i

APPROVAL PAGE ... ii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ... iii

MOTTO PAGE ... iv

DEDICATION PAGE ... v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... vi

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ... vii

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN ... viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... ix

ABSTRACT ... xii

ABSTRAK ... xiii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ... 1

A. Background of the Study ... 1

B. Problem Formulation ... 6

C. Objectives of the Study ... 6

D. Definition of Terms ... 7

CHAPTER II: THEORITICAL REVIEW ... 8

A. Review of Related Study ... 8

B. Review of Related Theories ... 9

1. Conversation Analysis ... 10

a. Turn-taking ... 10

b. Adjacency Pairs ... 12

c. Sequences ... 14

2. Preference Structure ... 16

a. Preferred ... 17

b. Dispreferred ... 18

C. Theoretical Framework ... 18

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ... 20

A. Object of the Study ... 20

B. Method of the Study ... 21

1. Data Collection ... 22

x

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ... 25

A. Analysis of Conversation Structure Used in the Comic Strips ... 26

1. Turn-taking ... 26

a. A – B ... 27

b. A – B – A ... 27

c. A – B – A – B ... 28

d. A – B – A – B – A ... 28

e. A – B – A – B – A – B ... 29

f. A – B – A – B – A – B – A ... 29

g. A – B – B ... 30

h. A – B – C ... 31

i. A – B – C – BC ... 31

j. A – B – A – C ... 32

k. A – B – A – B – C ... 32

2. Adjacency Pairs ... 33

a. Greeting – Greeting ... 33

b. Summon – Answer ... 34

c. Question – Answer ... 34

d. Compliment – Acceptance/Rejection ... 35

e. Complaint – Apology/Denial ... 35

f. Offer – Accept/Reject ... 36

g. Request – Grant/Refusal ... 36

3. Sequences ... 37

a. Pre-sequences ... 37

i. Pre-requests ... 37

ii. Pre-announcements ... 38

b. Insertion Sequence ... 39

c. Opening Sequence ... 40

B. The Patterns of Dispreferred Response that Brutus Uses as the Response to the First Part ... 41

1. Giving an account ... 42

2. Preface ... 44

3. Repetition ... 46

4. Appeal for understanding ... 47

5. Delay/Hesitate ... 49

6. Token yes ... 49

xi

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 53

BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 55

APPENDICES ... 57

Appendix 1: Table Analysis of Conversation Structure ... 57

Appendix 2: Table Patterns of Dispreferred Response ... 58

Appendix 3: Comic Strips The Born Loser from July to December in 2011... 58

xii

ABSTRACT

VIANA ANGGRAENI ROLOS. The Analysis of Conversation Structure on the Comic Strip The Born Loser. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.

Languages can be divided into two types: written language and spoken language. The example of spoken language once can be found in comic strip The Born Loser by Chip Sansom. In the comic strips, there are some characters and one of them is Brutus Thornapple. There is a structure of conversation between Brutus and other characters that later will be examined by the writer.

There are 2 problems that are formulated to be discussed in this thesis. The first problem is what kinds of conversation structure used in the comic strip. The second problem is what patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the response to the first pair.

Comic strip used as the samples are taken from the comic strip between July to December 2011. In analyzing the problems, the writer uses the theory of conversation structure and the theory of preference structure. The writer begins the analysis of the conversation structure of the comic, and then the writer analyzes the preference structure of the conversation between Brutus and other characters.

Based on the result of the analysis, there are 3 parts of conversation structure used in the comic strips, they are turn-taking, adjacency pairs, and sequences. Adjacency pair is the most dominant part in the first analysis. In the second analysis, the conversation structure of the comic strip mostly uses preference structure that is dominated by dispreferred response. From this result, Brutus is the one who use dispreferred response more often than other characters as the response to what others have said in the first part of the conversation. Brutus uses some patterns as indication of the action. These patterns are preface, repetition, appeal for understanding, delay/hesitate, token yes, and apology.

xiii

ABSTRAK

VIANA ANGGRAENI ROLOS. The Analysis of Conversation Structure on the

Comic Strip The Born Loser. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2013.

Bahasa dapat dibagi menjadi dua jenis, bahasa tulis dan bahasa lisan. Salah satu

contoh bahasa lisan dapat ditemukan dalam komik strip The Born Loser oleh Chip

Sansom. Di dalam komik strip, terdapat beberapa karakter dan salah satunya adalah Brutus Thornapple. Di dalam percakapan antara Brutus dan karakter lain, terdapat struktur percakapan yang kemudian diteliti oleh penulis.

Ada 2 rumusan masalah yang akan dibahas dalam tesis ini. Pertama, apa saja jenis struktur percakapan yang digunakan dalam komik strip. Kedua, apa saja pola tindakan sosial yang tidak disukai yang digunakan Brutus sebagai respon terhadap pasangan pertama.

Komik strip yang digunakan sebagai sampel diambil dari komik strip antara Juli hingga Desember 2011. Dalam menganalisis rumusan masalah, penulis menggunakan teori struktur percakapan dan teori struktur preferensi. Penulis memulai dengan menganalisis struktur percakapan komik, dan kemudian penulis menganalisis struktur preferensi dalam percakapan antara Brutus dan karakter lainnya.

Berdasarkan hasil dari analisis, terdapat 3 bagian dalam struktur percakapan yang digunakan dalam komik strip, ketiga bagian itu adalah pengambilan giliran, pasangan berdampingan, dan urutan. Pasangan berdampingan merupakan bagian terbanyak yang ditemukan dalam analisis pertama. Pada analisis kedua, struktur percakapan komik strip sebagian besar menggunakan struktur preferensi yang didominasi oleh tindakan yang tidak disukai. Dari hasil ini, Brutus adalah orang yang paling sering menggunakan tindakan yang tidak disukai dibandingkan karakter lain sebagai respon terhadap apa yang karakter lain katakan dalam bagian pertama percakapan. Brutus menggunakan beberapa

pola sebagai indikasi dalam tindakan tersebut. Pola-pola tersebut antara lain pembukaan,

pengulangan, meminta pengertian, menunda/ragu-ragu, tanda ya, dan permintaan maaf.

1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Language is one of the ways to communicate. Through language people can deliver message and information. In general, there are two kinds of language: first is the written language and second is the spoken language. Written language is a language that can be found in written texts, such as letters, documents, and books; and it is usually formal. On other side, spoken language is different from written language because it is spoken and usually informal. One thing that can be found in spoken language is what is called a conversation. We can say someone is having a conversation when he or she talks to others and the others reply by giving a feedback. Here, the participant may include two or more people.

Conversation can happen when someone is talking to another and it continues when the other gives the answer or response. According to Cook, a talk may be classed as a conversation when it is not primarily necessitated by a practical task, any unequal power of participants is partially suspended, the number of the participants is small, and the turns are quite short. In other words, Cook said that a conversation happens naturally in a small number of participants and the duration of the participant taking their turn is quite short (Cutting, 2003:28).

Some linguists do not agree with Cook’s opinion on “not primarily necessitated by a practical task”, they say that most of what we say is outcome oriented. It means that we talk to others with some purposes or we intend that other participants will know our intention. Other linguists, such as Fairclough, do not agree with Cook’s opinion on “any unequal power of participants is partially suspended”. Fairclough says that a conversation may occur when there are significant power differentials between participants. The conversation may continue when the participants have different power in talking. It means that the participants have different power when they take their turn. There is the one who dominates and takes control in the conversation and the other follows and gives their response in return (Cutting, 2003:29).

In our daily life, we cannot avoid doing a conversation. Just like what Saint-Laurent said in his book The Art of Conversation (1951: 12), a conversation

is as necessary to us as eating and drinking. Wiling or unwilling we devote a great deal of our time to a conversation. Not only in our daily life can we find conversations, we can also find it inside a written text, such as a story, a drama text, and even a comic strip. However a comic strip is different from a written story or a drama, a comic strip has pictures that show the attitude of the person who is talking and sometimes the place where the conversation takes place. It makes people easy to recognize what the speaker’s feeling, whether he or she is happy or mad. The following are some examples of a conversation in a story, a drama, and a comic strip.

In a story:

“My name is Alice...”

“It’s a stupid name enough!” Humpty Dumpty interrupted impatiently. “What does it mean?”

“Must a name mean something?” Alice asked doubtfully.

“Of course it must,” Humpty Dumpty said with a short laugh. “My name means the shape I am – and a good handsome shape is, too. With a name like yours, you might be any shape almost.”

(Fromkin, 2003: 185)

In this example Alice talked to Humpty Dumpty. She introduced herself by saying her name. As the response to Alice, Humpty Dumpty said that her name was a stupid name but then he asked what the meaning of her name is. Here Alice could not answer the question. Instead of giving him an answer, she gave him another question by saying that “must a name mean something?”. Humpty Dumpty then explained that every name has their meaning, just like his name that showed his shape which is a good handsome shape, he said Alice’s name must have meaning too which showed which shape she was.

In a drama

NATALYA STEPANOVNA: Excuse my interrupting you. You say, "my Oxen Meadows. ..." But are they yours?

LOMOV: Yes, mine.

NATALYA STEPANOVNA: What are you talking about? Oxen Meadows are ours, not yours!

LOMOV: No, mine, honoured Natalya Stepanovna.

NATALYA STEPANOVNA: Well, I never knew that before. How do you make that out?

LOMOV: How? I'm speaking of those Oxen Meadows which are wedged in between your birchwoods and the Burnt Marsh.

NATALYA STEPANOVNA: Yes, yes. ... They're ours.

LOMOV: No, you're mistaken, honoured Natalya Stepanovna, they're mine.

NATALYA STEPANOVNA: Just think, Ivan Vassilevitch! How long have they been yours?

LOMOV: How long? As long as I can remember.

NATALYA STEPANOVNA: Really, you won't get me to believe that! (Taken from a play The Proposal by Anton Chekhov)

<http://www.one-act-plays.com/comedies/proposal.html> (28 May 2013) In this example, the conversation happened between Natalya Stevanovna and Lomov. Here they both argued about the Oxen Meadows. Both Natalya and Lomov said that the Oxen Meadows was theirs, none of them was caving in. In a comic strip:

(Taken from The Born Loser; The Jakarta Post, 01 March 2010)

Brutus : “I’m freezing! Would you get me a hot cup of coffee?” Gladys : “Certainly –cream or sugar?”

Brutus : “Don’t bother –I’m going to pour it on my feet!”

Above is the example of comic strips that tells about Brutus who is asking for a drink from Gladys. From the conversation above, it is clear that Brutus feels cold and asks for a coffee. The situation is not clear yet because there is no description like in a short story that tells about the condition when the conversation takes place or the explanation about the gesture of the one who is talking. The situation can be seen from the picture that explains them. In the picture the setting of the conversation is clearly seen, it is outside their house when snow has falling and Brutus is holding a shovel.

In a story, a conversation takes only a few parts. The conversation is usually followed by descriptions of who is talking, how the person acts, and the feeling of the person. These descriptions are used as an explanation during the conversation. In drama, the conversation is the main content. A conversation in a drama is more like a conversation in daily life because a drama is made to be performed. There are also descriptions in a drama but it is lesser than in a story. Both a story and a drama contain description inside, while in a comic strip, it is almost nothing. Instead of the description, pictures are used to explain the situation.

One of comic strips written by Art and Chip Sansom, The Born Loser is

one of the examples of comic strip that tells about people’s daily life that contains conversation inside. The Born Loser is one of the comic strips that The Jakarta

Post chooses to publish inside their newspaper along with some other comic

strips. This comic strip tells about Brutus Thornapple’s life. Brutus Thornapple is the main character in this comic strip. There are also other characters; they are Gladys Thornapple, Wilberforce Thornapple, Rancid W. Veeblefester, Ramona Gargle, and Hurricane Hattie O'Hara.

In this paper, the writer intends to analyze the conversation in a comic strip. In order to analyze the conversation, a conversation analysis is needed to see how to analyze the preference structure used in the comic strip. The writer also intends to reveal the patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the response to the first part, here the writer uses the series of optional elements of dispreferred response by Yule as the guidance. Through this study, the write

wants to inform the readers about the preference structure of the comic strip The

Born Loser and what the patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the

response to the first part are.

B. Problem Formulation

Two problems are formulated to analyze the topic, they are:

1. What kinds of conversation structure are used in the comic strip?

2. What are the patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the response to the first part?

C. Objectives of the Study

Since the conversation analysis helped on the understanding of utterance meaning by showing how large proportion of the situated significance of utterances can be traced to their surrounding sequential environment, it is necessary to know the preference structure of the conversation in the comic strip to know how the characters react to certain utterance. Therefore, the first objective of the study is applied to identify the preference structure used in the comic strip

The Born Loser.

By finding the preference structure, the dispreferred response of the first part in conversation can be found. This finding may help to study the second objective of the study, the writer uses the series of optional elements of dispreferred response by Yule as the guidance to find the patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the response to the first part.

D. Definition of Terms

There are four definitions of terms used in this topic. They are conversation, conversation analysis, dispreferred, and comic strips. It is important to know the terms in order to avoid the misunderstanding.

1. Conversation

Conversation is discourse mutually constructed and negotiated in the time between speakers: it is usually informal and unplanned. (Cutting, 2003: 28)

2. Conversation Analysis

Conversation Analysis is an approach that studies the way that: what the speaker says dictates the type of answer expected, and that speakers take turns when they interact. (Cutting, 2003: 24)

3. Dispreferred

Dispreferred is the structurally unexpected response or next act. (Yule, 1996: 79)

4. Comic Strip

Comic strip is a series of drawings inside boxes that tell a story and are often printed in newspapers. (Hornby, 2002: 253)

8

CHAPTER II

THEORITICAL REVIEW

This chapter is divided into three parts. The first part is Review of Related Studies. In this part there are two reviews given by two people. The second part is Review of Related Theories. This part discusses theories that are going to be used in this study. The third is Theoretical Framework. This part explains the use of the theories in order to solve the problem formulation.

A. Review of Related Study

Miller in Conversation Analysis and the Book of Jonah:

A Conversation tried to analyze the conversation in Raymond Person's book In

Conversation with Jonah with Conversation Analysis. She found that Person

succeeds in analyzing the conversation in Jonah, and Person also succeeds in highlighting that dialogue and the structure of biblical narrative is important.

Nonetheless, the analysis of conversation in Jonah which Person has presented has been successful in a number of respects. He has highlighted the importance of dialogue and its structural significance for biblical narrative. He has shown how the first part of an adjacency pair produces the expectation of a relevant and acceptable response; where a response is absent, a gap is opened up which the reader must attempt to fill. He has shown that the linear order of narrative may be displaced chronologically in order to place the second part of an adjacency pair immediately after the first part <http://www.arts.ualberta.ca/JHS/Articles/article2.htm> (6 September 2009).

Miller tried to show how Person analyzed the narrative using Conversation Analysis that could help him in finding that in the narrative the order of the linear order can be changed from the second part of an adjacency pair immediately after the first part.

The other related study comes from Andi Muhammad Yauri S. Koherensi dalam

wacana komik the born loser (Coherence in The Born Loser Comic Discourse). In

his writing, he analyzed the coherence of the conversation in the comic The Born

Loser. He used linguistic tools such as reference, substitution, deletion,

conjunctions and lexical. From his analysis, he found that the cohesive in discourse that is marked with a device is used to create the harmony of in the comic discourse <http://www.scribd.com/doc/46177755/Koherensi-Dalam-Wacana-the-Born-Loser-Artikel-Tesis> (6 September 2009).

Just like Miller and Yauri S., the writer also analyses conversation in a comic strip that is The Born Loser. The analysis that the writer is going to reveal is about the dispreferred response of the preference structure in the comic strips. It is similar to Miller analysis but the writer here wants to analyze the structure of the conversation in the comic in order to see the pattern of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the response to the first part.

B. Review of Related Theories

In this review of related theories, the writer will use two theories, they are Conversation Analysis and Preference Structure. First, in the theory of Conversation Analysis there are three parts of Conversation Analysis that the

writer will use to analyze the conversation in comic strip The Born Loser, they are

turn-taking, adjacency pairs, and sequences. Second, the theory of Preference Structure, they are preferred and dispreferred.

1. Conversation Analysis

Cutting in Pragmatics and Discourse: A resource book for students (2003:

27, 28) stated that Conversation Analysis takes a „bottom-up‟ approach: it begins with the conversation itself, and then leads to the structure of the conversation. Conversation Analysis looks the conversation as a process. It looks at the flow of the event little by little and what it implies from the conversation between speakers. Conversation itself is a discourse that formed by different speakers at a time that is unplanned and usually informal (2003: 28).

In conversation analysis there are 3 parts, they are turn-taking, adjacency pairs, and sequences. Those three parts may help to find the structure of the conversation. Below are the explanations of those parts.

a. Turn-taking

In most countries and cultures there is only one person speak at the time. It naturally happened when someone is speaking, the other is listening. The people take turns; when the first speaker finishes talking, another speaker begins to talk.

“All cultures have their own preferences as to how long a speaker should hold the floor, how they indicate that they finished and another speaker should hold the floor, how they indicate that they have finished and another speaker can take the floor, when a new speaker can start, whether the new speaker can overlap and interrupt, when speaker can pause and for how long.” (Cutting, 2003: 29)

When the speaker finish talking the next speaker begins to talk, the moment of changing between the speakers is called a transition relevance place or TRP. In the conversation, the next speaker do not know exactly when the first speaker‟s turn is complete, but they will end their turn by saying a word or sentence that indicates that their turn already complete. When the next speaker begins to talk while the first one is still taking, this called an interruption. The following is the example of the interruption. The interruption is indicated with a //, this sign is adapted from Gumperz (Cutting, 2003:29).

B: well, I guess the meeting is // over for today.

A: // umm. Um, can I speak first.

The next speaker can predict when the turn is complete. The moment when they predict the turn of the current speaker almost finishes but they begin to talk is called overlap. The following the example of the overlap. The overlap begins indicated with a =. This sign is adapted from Schriffin (Cutting, 2003:29)

A: No, she is in the hospital. Well =

B: = What happened to her?

It seems there is an unwritten agreement in each culture about the acceptable length of a pause between two turns. The pause is called an attributable silence (Cutting, 2003: 29). The following is the example of the attributable silence.

A: Do you love me? B: (5) Uh-uh.

A: So, would you marry me? B: Yes.

From the above example, B pauses for five second, before her “uh-uh”. It indicated with number five which is in the brackets. The “uh-uh” is an attributable silence because it comes after the pause.

b. Adjacency pairs

Adjacency pairs are a pair of utterances that occur in conversation. In a conversation the utterance of the first speaker may lead to particular response of the second speaker. The conversation then consists of a first part and a second part, that the first part may create an expectation of particular second part. These parts are produced by different speakers. According to Levinson (1984:303), adjacency pairs are sequences of two utterances that are adjacent; produce by different speaker; ordered as a first part and a second part; and typed, so that a particular first part requires a particular second (or range of second parts) – e.g. offers require acceptance or rejections, greetings require greetings and so on. The following is a few examples taken from Cutting (2003:30).

a question has preferred response of an answer

an offer an acceptance

an invitation an acceptance

an assessment an agreement

a proposal an agreement

a greeting a greeting

a complaint an apology

In adjacency pairs, when the first speaker produces the utterance, it must be recognizable so the second speaker can produce a recognizable second part as the response of the first part. The following are some examples of adjacency pairs that have the first part and the second part. There are also some optional second parts for some examples.

a. Greeting - Greeting A: Hi. B: Hi. b. Summons - Answer A: Barbie!

B: Coming mother.

c. Question - Answer A: Do you like those cookies? B: Yes, I do.

d. Farewell - Farewell A: Ok, goodbye. B: Bye.

e. Compliment - Acceptance A: That‟s a nice watch. B: Thanks.

- Agreement B: It is quite nice, isn‟t it.

- Rejection B: Well, I think it makes my arm looks big. - Shift B: My mother bought it yesterday.

- Return B: Thanks, I like yours too.

f. Complaint - Apology A: You ate the pudding I left in the fridge! B: Sorry.

- Denial B: No, I didn‟t. It must have been Barbie. - Excuse B: You shouldn‟t have left it there.

- Justify B: I was hungry. It was just a cup anyway. - Challenge B: So what?

g. Offer - Accept A: Would you like another cup of coffee? B: Yes please, that would be nice.

- Reject B: No thanks.

h. Request - Grant A: Can you buy me a cup of coffee?

B: Sure.

- Put off B: Sure, but I‟m busy right now.

- Challenge B: Why do you always ask me to buy you a cup of coffee?

- Refusal B: Sorry, but I won‟t be near to the Coffee Shop?

c. Sequences

In conversation the speakers tend to construct their conversation that leads to some particular sequences. These sequences can be pre-sequences, insertion sequence, and opening and closing sequence. Pre-sequences happen when the speaker is giving a ground for the further sequence and the type of utterance to follow (Cutting, 2003:30). Pre-sequences can be pre-invitations, pre-requests, and pre-announcements. The following are the example of pre-invitation, pre-request, and pre-announcement:

• Pre-invitation

A: Do you know that Bona will hold a party this weekend? B: Yes?

A: Do you want to go with me to the party? B: Sure, why not?

• Pre-request

A: Celo are you busy now? B: No, why?

A: Can you help me with my homework? B: Sure.

• Pre-announcement

A: I can‟t wait to go home now. B: What happen?

A: Mona will be home today and we are going to spend our weekend with the kids in Disney Land.

B: That would be great, I guess.

Insertion sequence happens when the first speaker asking question, the second speaker answers it by another question, and when the second speaker answers the question given by the first speaker, the first speaker answers the second speaker question (Q1, Q2, A2, A1). The following is the example of insertion sequence that is taken from Cutting (2003: 31).

A: You know that French film that‟s on in the Odeon? B: Yes?

A: Do you want to go and see it tonight? B: What time does it start?

A: Eight thirty-five. B: Yeah, why not?

Opening sequence is opening of conversation that usually contains a greeting.The following is the example of opening sequence.

Alan: Hi, Bob. Bob: Hi, Alan. Alan: How are you? Bob: Fine, how about you?

Closing sequence is the end of conversation that usually contains a farewell. The following is the example of closing sequence.

A: Sorry, I have to go now. B: It‟s okay. See you.

A: See you on Monday. Bye. B: Bye.

2. Preference Structure

In adjacency pairs there is a correlation of content and format that the first parts and the second parts have, in example: request may have acceptance or refusal as the response to it. This correlation of the first part and second part is

called preference structure that consists of preferred and dispreferred respons. Preferred response is the expected response and dispreferred response is the unexpected response (Yule, 1996: 78-79).

The participants can give response based on the request. The response can be preferred response by accepting the request or dispreferred response by refusing the response. The following is a table of correlation of content and format in adjacency pairs that is taken from Levinson‟s book Pragmatics (1984: 336).

First Parts: Request Offer/Invite Assessment Question Blame

Second Parts:

Prefferred: Acceptance Acceptance Agreement Expected

answer

Denial

Dispreferred: Refusal Refusal Disagreement Unexpected

answer or

non-answer

Admission

a. Preferred response

The preferred responses are usually agreements and acceptances. This response contains what the first speaker expects from the second speaker. The following is the example of preferred responses:

A: Can we go to the pool now?

B: Yes. Can you call the cab so we can go now? A: Sure, just wait a second, I will call the cab.

From the above conversation, A is asking whether he and B can go to the pool right now. The answer “yes” is the preferred response because it is considered as the expected answer from B. The conversation continues when B is asking whether A can call the cab so they can go, this first part leads to the second part that B will answer the question. A‟s answer “sure” is considered as preferred response since B expected A to answer with an acceptance.

b. Dispreferred response

The dispreferred responses usually contain refusals and disagreements. This response happens when the first speaker does not expect the answer from the second speaker. There are also unusual responses that consider as meaningful or even rude. For example, the absence of response may consider as the hearer is not paying attention, refusing to cooperate, or not having heard. The following is the example of dispreferred response:

A: Do you know where the doctor‟s room is? B: I don‟t know.

From the above example A is asking whether B know where the doctor‟s room is. B answers “I don‟t know” is a dispreferred answer since A does not expect that answer from B.

C. Theoretical Framework

Theory of Conversation Analysis is applied to see the conversation structure used in comic strip. There are three parts of conversation analysis that are used to analyze the topic. They are turn-taking, adjacency pairs, and sequences. These three parts of Conversation Analysis may help in identifying the

conversation structure used in the comic strip. By finding the conversation structure, it may help in the second analysis to reveal the patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the response to the first part, here the series of optional elements of dispreferred response by Yule will be used as the guidance.

20

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the writer will explain about the object of study and the method of the study that the writer used in analyzing the topic. In the object of the study, the writer will describe the object or data of the study, which include the description of the work analyzed and the information of its publication. In the method of study, the writer will explain the procedure taken in analyzing the comics.

A. Object of the Study

The object of the study in this thesis is the comic strip The Born Loser

which written by Art and Chip Sansom. The Born Loser is one of the examples of

comic strip that tell about people’s daily life that contains conversation inside. The Born Loser is one of the comic strips that The Jakarta Post chooses to publish

inside their newspaper along with some other comic strips. This comic strip tells about Brutus Thornapple’s life. Brutus Thornapple is the main character in this comic strip. There are also other characters; they are Gladys Thornapple, Wilberforce Thornapple, Rancid W. Veeblefester, Ramona Gargle, and Hurricane Hattie O'Hara.

Chip Sansom began to continue The Born Loser when he was 14 years old

when his father, the late Art Sansom, first created the strip in 1965. After years of observing and assisting his father, he assumed that it was his destiny to be a cartoonist to continue what his father had done.

“I am very happy that The Born Loser is still as appealing to readers, new and old, as it was when it first appeared 45 years ago,” Sansom said. “It is a tribute to the great characters my dad created and his universal and timeless premise that Brutus Thornapple is an everyman, taking the fall for the rest of us in the trials and tribulations we face everyday.”

<http://dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2010/05/05/the-born-loser- celebrates-45-years/http://dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2010/05/05/the-born-loser-celebrates-45-years/> (7 July 2010)

After all The Born Loser is one of the most popular comic strips in the

world. It had readers of more than 1,300 in newspapers around the world and on the Web at www.gocomics.com. It appears daily in more than 35 countries and as the result it is also translated into nine languages. The Born Loser also gets into a

six-time National Cartoonists Society award nominee for Best Humor Strip in 1991 and 1987. In the 1990, Topper Books published a compilation book The

Born Loser’s Guide to Life

<http://dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2010/05/05/the-born-loser-celebrates-45-years/> (7 July 2010).

B. Method of the Study

The writer used library and internet research as the method of the study in analyzing this thesis. The materials were taken from newspapers, library, and websites. The sources of this study were divided into two, they are primary and secondary sources.

The primary source of the study was the comic strip written by Art and Chip Sansom, The Born Loser. The secondary sources of this study were books

and articles from internet and library; they included theories, references or any related topic.

There were some steps that the writer did to analyze the comic strip. First, the writer collected all comics from July to December 2011. After all the comics were collected, the writer chose the comics that have Brutus Thornapple as the first speaker, second, or third speaker to be analyzed. Next, the writer began to analyze the comics using a conversation analysis and a preference structure view, this is the first analysis. After finishing the first analysis, the writer began the second analysis to see the patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the response to the first part in the comic strip.

1. Data Collection

The writer collected the data manually from newspapers and websites. The data was collected during July to December 2011. Not all of the comic strips are sufficient for the research that is why the writer needs to analyze all the comic strips and collects the samples.

Strategies that will be used in the manufacture of the sample are purposive sampling strategy. Based on the book written by Sudjana, Metoda Statistika,

purposive sampling occurs when the sampling is based on personal considerations.

In this case, the researcher who asked to collect data on something that has been fixed in advance, in practice he collects necessary data in accordance with the consideration and / or take advantage of all the information in a predetermined category. Thus, taking the sampling unit is determined by the researcher until it is adequate. (Sudjana, 1989: 168)

Based on this technique, the writer decided to take a comic strip with the following criteria. First, the writer collected all comics that are published during 2011. Next the writer took comics during six months from July to December 2011. After that the writer chose some comics that contain Brutus Thornapple as the first speaker, second, or third speaker. Finally the comics that have been selected were ready to be analyzed.

2. Data Analysis

In analyzing the data there were several steps that the writer did. First of all, the writer started the study by analyzing the data. Then the writer developed a framework to simplify in writing this thesis. In addition, the author combines the data that have been collected to the competent writing. The following were steps undertaken by the writer in conducting the study of this thesis.

As a beginning, all the data were numbered. The writer used numbers inside brackets to refer to the data used in the analysis. Inside the brackets, there are 3 numbers that separated by slash. The first number referred to the number of data used in this thesis. The second number referred to the date of the comic strips. The third number referred to the month of the comic strips. After that the writer did some research on the existing comic strips. Furthermore, the writer chose the comic that is considered enough for conversation to be studied. The comic strips that were selected then were analyzed using conversation analysis

and preference structure. At this step, a comic strip conversation is analyzed using a conversation analysis to see the turn-taking, adjacency pairs, and sequences; and deeper using the preference structure to see the preferred and dispreferred response to some pairs. In the analysis, the writer uses “A”, “B”, or “C” to refer to the speaker. “A” as the first speaker, “B” as the second speaker, or “C” as the third speaker.

After analyzing the conversations based on conversation analysis and the preference structure, the writer then proceed to the next step that is to analyze the patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the response to the first part in the comic strip. Here the writer also applied theory of dispreferred by Yule in which he presents the pattern of dispreferred response. After finding these results, the writer then reached the final step of completing the conclusions of the research that has been implemented.

25

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

In this chapter, there will be two analyses. These analyses are the answers of the problems from the first chapter. The first analysis is on the conversation structure used in the comic strips. The second analysis is to find the patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the response to the first part.

The comic strips The Born Loser is one of a daily comic strips that are

posted in a newspaper The Jakarta Post. In the analysis below the writer chooses

comic strips from year 2011 as the samples which are from July, August, September, October, November, and December to be analyzed. There are 184 comic strips, from those comic strips only 121 that the writer uses as the samples in the analysis. All comic strips used in the analysis are numbered and represented in the appendices.

Table of the Comic Strips Used as the Samples

Month Comic Strips Not Used Used

July 31 9 22

August 31 14 17

September 30 13 17

October 31 12 19

November 30 8 22

December 31 7 24

From the above table, it can be seen there are 184 comic strips during July to December 2011. There are 121 comic strips that will be used in the analysis. From 184 comic strips, there are 63 comic strips that the writer does not use in analysis. The writer does not use the comic strips because the comic strips only contain one speaker talking or there is no Brutus Thornapple there.

The first example of the comic strips that is not used in the analysis is the comic strip (6/6/vii), it is when Brutus talks to himself. The second comic strip (1/1/vii), it is also one speaker talking but in this comic strip Gladys talks to Brutus. In here Gladys complains about Brutus who makes her feel so embarrassed with his behavior at the party. Brutus who drives the car still quite and don’t say anything. He’s silence then consider as dispreferred response to Gladys’ complaint. But the writer also does not use it in the analysis. The third comic strip (15/15/vii), it is the example of comic strips that has no Brutus as the speaker. In this comic strip Gladys talks to Ramona Gargle.

A. Analysis of Conversation Structure Used in the Comic Strip

In this analysis, the writer will categorize the conversation into some parts based on its conversation structure. There are three parts; they are turn-taking, adjacency pairs, and sequences. The following are the analyses for each part:

1. Turn-taking

Turn-taking is the first part that the writer uses to analyze the conversation. In this analysis, the writer will analyze the turn pattern of the conversation. From the sample of the comic strips, there are 11 pattern of

turn-taking that are found in the samples. Those patterns contain “A” as the first speaker, “B” as the second speaker, and “C” as the third speaker. Below are the patterns and the examples of each pattern:

a. A – B

The writer found 39 A – B pattern in the sample. The following are some examples of the A – B pattern:

Gladys: There you are! Oh, Good –since you’re not doing anything special...

There’s something I’d like you to do.

Brutus: Hold it right there! I’ll have you know, what I’m doing is very special to

me!

In this conversation (2/2/vii), Gladys is the first speaker. She is talking to Brutus who is the second speaker.

Brutus: And thas is my argument for why they should abolish the designated hitter!

Do you follow my logic?

Mr. Veeblefester: Trying to make sense of your sense theories is like watching a 3-D movie without the glasses!

In this conversation (40/9/vii), Brutus is the first speaker. He is talking to his boss Mr. Veeblefester who is the second speaker.

b. A – B – A

There are 36 A – B – A pattern in this sample. The following are some examples: Brutus: I’d like two seats for today’s game!

The ticket seller: We’re almost sold out – I just have standing room only tickets.

Brutus: Okay. Give me two seats in standing room only!

In this conversation (67/5/ix), Brutus is the first speaker. He is talking to the ticket seller who is the second speaker.

Brutus: My new diet and exercise regimen is really working! Gladys: Good for you! How much have you lost?

Brutus: I’ve lost an X!

In this conversation (89/27/ix), Brutus is the first speaker. He is talking to Gladys who is the second speaker.

c. A – B – A – B

There are 20 A – B – A – B pattern, the following are some of the examples: (10.142)

Gladys: Isn’t this yesterday’s weather forecast?

Brutus: Yeah – I recorded it.

Gladys: Why do you want to watch yesterday’s forecast today? You already know what’s happened!

Brutus: I like checking to see how right they got it!

This conversation (142/19/xi) happens between Gladys and Brutus. Gladys is the first speaker and Brutus is the second speaker.

Gladys: How is mama’s fruitcake? Brutus: It doesn’t taste fresh!

Gladys: How can that be? She just made it last week!

Brutus: Your mother’s fruitcake is staleas soon as it’s made!

This conversation (180/27/xii) happens between Gladys and Brutus. Gladys is the first speaker and Brutus is the second speaker.

d. A – B – A – B – A

There are 7 A – B – A – B – A pattern, the following are some examples: Brutus: Hi, Gladys! When’s dinner?

Gladys: Momma asked me to delay it a bit. Brutus: Why?

Gladys: She wanted to catch up on her beauty sleep.

Brutus: We’re in for a long wait!

The conversation (25/25/vii) happens between Brutus and Gladys. Brutus is the first speaker and Gladys is the second speaker.

Wilberforce: Do I have to eat this?

Brutus: That’s fish! Eat it –it’s food for your brain!

Wilberforce: Yeah? Do you eat fish, pop? Brutus: Every chance I get!

Wilberforce: In that case, I’ll pass!

The conversation (56/25/viii) happens between Brutus and Wilberforce. Brutus is the first speaker and Wilberforce is the second speaker.

e. A – B – A – B – A – B

There are 7 A – B – A – B – A – B pattern. The following are some examples:

Wilberforce: What have you got there, Pop?

Brutus: I’m making s’mores on the charcoal grill!

Wilberforce: Oh, I love s’mores! We made them in camp! Can I help you make them?

Brutus: Are you sure know what to do?

Wilberforce: Absolutely –I’m an expert! I’m the best s’more maker in town!

Brutus: Well, I guess that makes you the good s’more-itan!

The conversation (80/18/ix) happens between Wilberforce and Brutus. Wilberforce is the first speaker and Brutus is the second speaker.

Brutus: I don’t think you ever said where you went to school.

Wastrel P. Gravesite: I was home-schooled. Brutus: Oh, so you parents taught you? Wastrel P. Gravesite: Nope. I taught myself! Brutus: Really? How did that work?

Wastrel P. Gravesite: Just fine –I gave myself straight A’s!

The conversation (167/14/xii) happens between Brutus and Wastrel. Brutus is the first speaker and Wastrel is the second speaker.

f. A – B – A – B – A – B – A

There are 3 A – B – A – B – A – B – A pattern. The following are some the examples:

Wilberforce: Where are you goin’, pop?

Brutus: I’m going to the big opening day game, today!

Brutus: It is, but my boss Mr.Veeblefester, has an extra ticket and he’s taking me! Wilberforce: Wow! How cool is that!

Brutus: And what’s better yet –he’s got a box on the fifty-yard line.

Wilberforce: Gee, he better move it before the game starts!

The conversation (73/11/ix) happens between Gladys and Brutus. Gladys is the first speaker and Brutus is the second speaker.

Gladys: You’re watching a Nascar race? May I join you? Brutus: I didn’t know you followed Nascar, Gladys!

Gladys: All the time! I’ve become good at picking the winners!

Brutus: No kidding? What’s your method – do you do research on the drivers?

Gladys: No, see those pictures on the cars?

Brutus: The advertisements for the sponsors’ products?

Gladys: Yes – I just pick the car that has the picture of the candy or cereal I like the best!

The conversation (94/2/x) happens between Gladys and Brutus. Gladys is the first speaker and Brutus is the second speaker.

g. A – B – B

There are 3 A – B – B pattern. The following are some the examples:

Mr. Veeblefester: Care to hit first?

Brutus: Don’t mind if I do.

- (pause)

Brutus: That does it! I have to get new golf clubs – these clubs are ruining my game

The conversation (3/3/vii) happens between Mr. Veeblefester and Brutus. Mr. Veeblefester is the first speaker and Brutus is the second speaker.

Brutus: Gladys is away, so I’m having dinner at my favorite spot. Care to join

me?

Mr. Veeblefester: No, thank you. - (pause)

Mr. Veeblefester: His tastes run toward establishments where you have to flash you headlights for service!

The conversation (61/30/viii) happens between Brutus and Mr. Veeblefester. Brutus is the first speaker and Mr. Veeblefester is the second speaker.

h. A – B – C

There are 2 A – B – C patterns. The following are the examples:

Wilberforce: Do you always hold your fork in your right hand when you eat, pop?

Brutus: No, I hold it in either hand. I guess when it comes to eating, I’m

ambidextrous!

Gladys: In other words, he holds his fork in whichever hand will get the food in his mouth the quickest!

The conversation (116/24/x) happens among Wilberforce, Brutus and Gladys. Wilberforce is the first speaker, Brutus is the second speaker, and Gladys is the third speaker.

Wilberforce: Tell me again how Santa delivers the presents on Christmas Eve? Brutus: He delivers them all with a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer! Ramona Gargle: The way Santa’s been packing on the pounds this year, he’s

going to need a bigger rig!

The conversation (177/24/xii) happens among Wilberforce, Brutus, and mother Gargle. Wilberforce is the first speaker, Brutus is the second speaker, and mother Gargle is the third speaker.

i. A – B – C – BC

There is only 1 A – B – C – BC pattern. The following is the example:

Brutus: How was your trick-or-treating?

Hurricane: Horrible! It was terrifying out there!

Wilberforce: I’ve never been so scared in my life!

The conversation (123/31/x) happens among Brutus, Hurricane, and Wilberforce. Brutus is the first speaker, Hurricane is the second speaker, and Wilberforce is the third speaker.

j. A – B – A – C

There are 2 A – B – A – C pattern. The following are the examples:

Wilberforce: How old are you, Mom?

Gladys: Don’t you know not to ask a woman her age?

Wilberforce: Why not?

Brutus: Because she’ll just fib about it!

The conversation (23/23/vii) happens among Wilberforce, Gladys and Brutus. Wilberforce is the first speaker, Gladys is the second speaker, and Brutus is the third speaker.

Brutus: I think I just had a senior moment!

Wilberforce: What’s that?

Brutus: That’s when an older person has a temporary memory lapse.

Gladys: Of course, daddy has been having those moments since his twenties!

The conversation (182/29/xii) happens among Brutus, Wilberforce, and Gladys. Brutus is the first speaker, Wilberforce is the second speaker, and Gladys is the third speaker.

k. A – B – A – B – A – C

There is only 1 A – B – A – B – A – C pattern. The following is the example:

Brutus: Are you enjoying your chocolate soda, son?

Will: Wow, Pop! Where did you learn to make such a good soda?

Brutus: I learned the old-fashioned way- I worked my way through college as a soda jerk!

Will: What’s a soda jerk?

Brutus: A person who makes sundaes, shakes and sodas at an ice cream parlor!

Unfortunately, times have changed and there aren’t many soda jerks

around anymore! Grammy: Just plain old jerks!

The conversation (10/10/vii) happens among Wilberforce, Brutus, and Ramona Gargle. Wilberforce is the first speaker, Brutus is the second speaker, and Ramona Gargle is the third speaker.

From the analysis of turn-taking there are 11 patterns of turn-taking that are marked by sign A as the first speaker, B as the second speaker, and C as the third speaker. The most dominant pattern is the A – B pattern. There are 39 comic strips which contain the A – B pattern.

2. Adjacency Pairs

There are 7 pairs of the adjacency pairs that are greeting – greeting, summon – answer, question – answer, compliment – acceptance/rejection, complain – apology/denial, offer – accept/reject, and request – grant/refusal. The following are the examples of each adjacency pairs:

a. Greeting – Greeting

Brutus: Hi, Wilberforce!→ greeting

Wilberforce: Hi, pop! How was golf? → greeting

Brutus: I played eighteen holes, and shot one hundred twenty! Wilberforce: Is that good?

Brutus: It is when you play twenty seven holes!

Brutus: Say, you recently moved to my street, didn’t you? I’m Brutus Thornapple!

→ greeting

Peter Pfeiffer: Hello, Brutus! My name is Peter Pfeiffer –that’s with a silent P. → greeting

Brutus: Nice to meet you, Eter!

From the two examples above the first and the second speaker has a good cooperation by giving a feedback for the greeting. In the first example (86/24/ix) Brutus on the way backs from playing golf and meets Wilberforce. Brutus begins the conversation, he greets Wilberforce with Hi and Wilberforce greets him back

Hi. In the second example (160/7/xii)Brutus meets Peter at the bus stop. Brutus

begins the conversation, he greets Peter Say as he introduces himself. Peter greets

him back Hello and also introduce himself.

b. Summon – Answer

Gladys: Brutus, it’s nine o’clock! Aren’t you getting up?→ summon Brutus: I’m sick, Gladys.→ answer

Gladys: Is it bad? Brutus: Bad?

There is nothing worse than being sick on the first day of vacation! Wilberforce: Hey, pop! I can’t find the baseball game on TV! → summon Brutus: Today’s game isn’t being televised. → answer

Wilberforce: You mean, I’ve gotta watch the game on the radio?

From the two examples above the first speaker summons the second speaker. Both second speaker answers the summons of the first speaker. In the first example (32/1/viii) Gladys summons Brutus because he is not wake up yet from the bed. Brutus answers her summons and says that he is sick. In the second example (37/6/viii) Wilberforce summons his father Brutus because he cannot find the baseball game on TV. Brutus answers him and says that the game is not being televised today.

c. Question – Answer

Brutus: Homemade chili, Gladys? → Q1 Gladys: Yes –it’s a new recipe. → A1 Brutus: Is it mild or spicy? →Q2

Gladys: It’s a teensy bit on the spicy side.→ A2 Brutus: Is this pie homemade, Gladys? → Q1

Gladys: Yes – mother baked her pecan surprise pie! → A1 Brutus: What’s the surprise? → Q2

-crunch!

From the two examples above the second speaker is really cooperative by giving some answers for the first speaker’s questions. In the first (131/8/xi) and second (152/29/xi)example Brutus asks Gladys about the food he eats, Gladys is very cooperative by giving the answers.

d. Compliment – Acceptance/Rejection

Mr. Veeblefester: Do you have a moment, Thornapple? - (pause)

Mr. Veeblefester: Congratulations on landing the hart account! It was the highlight of an otherwise mediocre year for us! → compliment So I have decided to award you a five-hundred-dollar bonus! Brutus: Gee, thanks, chief! This will really come in handy for my holiday

shopping! → acceptance

I’d like to mention that Dingle and Schunk provided valuable support in getting this done...

Perhaps you could consider them for bonuses as well?

Mr. Veeblefester: Very well (taking the money back) –in that case, I’ll give each of you one hundred!

From the example above (164/11/xii) the second speaker who is Brutus

thanks for the compliment given by the first speaker who is Mr. Veeblefester. e. Complaint - Apology/Denial

Mr. Veeblefester: This new product design was in the fax machine –I’ve told you to only send digital image files!→ complaint

Brutus: Sorry, chief, I forgot – I guess sending faxes is a force of habit with me!

→ apology

Mr. Veeblefester: Read my lips – no new faxes!

Mr. Veeblefester: You are making too many errors, Thornapple! → complain Think before you speak!

Brutus: I promise I will from now on, chief! → apology There won’t be any more careless mistooks!

The two examples above (39/8/viii) and (145/22/xii) both have apology as the response of the complaint from the first speaker.

f. Offer - Accept/Reject

The waitress: May I help you, sir? → offer Brutus: I’d like an ice cream cone. →accept The waitress: What flavor would you like? Brutus: What flavors do you have?

The waitress: All of them? Okay, here goes – vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, chocolate chip, cookie dough, peppermint stick, peach...

Coffee, mocha chip, chocolate almond, maple walnut, butter crunch, pistachio, banana, caramel, coconut, frozen pudding, peanut butter, black raspberry...

Lemon crisp, mint chip, cantaloupe, butter rum, penuche, fresh berry and ginger! Whew! What’ll it be?

Brutus: I’ll have vanilla!

Brutus: Is there something you want?→ offer

Hurricane Hattie: Sorry to bother you, but can you tell me what time it is? →

accept

Brutus: No bother. Let’s see... It’s four-fifteen. Hurricane Hattie: -

Brutus: Is there something else?

Hurricane Hattie: Yeah – sorry to bother you again, but what time is it now? From the two examples above (45/14/viii) and (101/9/x), the offer is accepted by the second speaker. In the first example and the second example Brutus accept the offer given by the waitress and Hurricane.

g. Request – Grant/Refusal

Brutus: Gladys, would you please bring me a pitcher of ice water? → request Gladys: Good idea – in this heat, you should drink lots of water to stay hydrated!

→ grant

Brutus: Drink? I’m going to pour it over my head!

Wastrel P. Gravesite: Yo, ace! Can you loan me twenty bucks till payday? →

request

Brutus: I guess that will be okay. And just when is payday? → grant Wastrel P. Gravesite: Don’t ask me – I quit this morning!

From the two examples above (46/15/viii) and (91/29/ix) the request is granted by the second speaker. In the first example the request is granted by Gladys, the second example the request is granted by Brutus.

In this analysis of adjacency pairs the writer finds 89 comic strips that contain dispreferred response. From the conversation most of the characters tend to disagree or give a refusal as the response to the first part. From the 89 comic strips, there are 42 comic strips that contain dispreferred responses, those are produced by Brutus. From all the characters, Brutus is the one who gives more a disagreement or a refusal as the response.

3. Sequences

They are pre-sequences that contain pre-request and pre-announcement, insertions sequence, and opening sequence. Below are the examples of each part:

a. Pre-sequences

There are 2 pre-sequences, they are pre-request and pre-announcement. The following are the examples:

i. Pre-request

Brutus: What would you recommend for me, tonight?→ pre-request Waiter: Without question, our house specialty – chateaubriand for two! Brutus: Would I have to share?

The conversation (11/11/vii) takes place in a restaurant where Brutus wants to have his dinner with Gladys. Brutus then asks the waiter What would you

recommend for me, tonight? That question is a pre-request. Brutus asks the waiter

before he chooses the food for the dinner. Brutus: What do you recommend?→ pre-request The waiter: Today’s special – twin lobsters! Brutus: Twins? How do you know they’re related?

Brutus begins the conversation (99/7/x) by asking the waiter what do you

recommend? That question is a pre-request. Brutus asks him about menu that the

waiter recommended for him. By asking the waiter Brutus indicates that he does not yet choose the menu.

ii. Pre-announcement

Brutus: My mother-in-law is driving me nuts! → pre- announcement Brutus’ friend: What’s new?

Brutus: She is certifiable neat freak! Brutus’ friend: How so?

Brutus: She insists I scrub out our garbage cans before I put trash in them!

The conversation above (29/29/vii) happens between Brutus and his friend. Brutus then begins the conversation by saying that My mother-in-law is

driving me nuts! This statement then responds by his friend by asking What’s

new? This question leads the conversation to the next turn that Brutus answers the

question but this answer is not clear yet so Brutus’ friend asks him again How so?

Finally Brutus answers the question by explaining what happens. Brutus: I think I just had a senior moment!→ pre-announcement Wilberforce: What’s that?

Brutus: That’s when an older person has a temporary memory lapse.

Gladys: Of course, daddy has been having those moments since his twenties! The conversation (182/29/12) begins when Brutus says I think I just had a

senior moment!.This statement is a pre-announcement. Wilberforce who does not

know about that asks him a question. Brutus answered the question. He explains to Wilberforce what it means. Gladys then comments on Brutus’ answer as she talks to Wilberforce.

b. Insertion Sequence

Brutus: Switch your shoes, Wilberforce.→ order

Wilberforce: Why?→ question

Brutus: The shoe on your right side should be on your left side and vice versa! →

answer

Wilberforce: There! How’s that?→ accept

The conversation (9/9/vii) happens between Brutus and Wilberforce. Brutus who sees Wilberforce use his shoes in the wrong way tells him to switch his shoes. Wilberforce gives his respond by asking why. Brutus answers the question. He explains to Wilberforce that he uses the shoes incorrect place. Wilberforce then tries to make it right by crossing his feet. In this conversation, the turn is order – question – answer – accept. This sequence becomes an insertion sequence because between the sequence order and accept, there is a question – answer sequence.

Wilberforce: What have you got there, pop?→ Q1

Brutus: I’m making s’mores on the charcoal grill!→ A1

Wilberforce: Oh, I love s’mores! We made them in camp! Can I help you make them? → Q2

Brutus: Are you sure you know what to do? → Q3

Wilberforce: Absolutely – I’m an expert! I’m the best s’more maker in town! →

A3

Brutus: Well, I guess that makes you the good s’more-itan!→A2

The conversation (80/18/ix) happens between Wilberforce and Brutus. Wilberforce begins the conversation by asking Brutus What have you got there,

pop?. Brutus answers the question by telling him that he makes s’mores. Wilberforce then asks Brutus whether he can help him. Brutus makes sure whether Wilberforce really wants to help him. Wilberforce tells him that he wants to help, he even tries convincing Brutus that he is good at it. Brutus then allows him to help.

There are three question – answer sequences. The turn is Q1 – A1 – Q2 Q3 – A3 – A2. Between the second sequence Q2 – Q3 there is another sequence Q3 – A3. Sequence Q3 – A3 is the insertion sequence because it inserts between Q2 and A2.

c. Opening Sequence

Brutus: Hi, Wilberforce!

Wilberforce: Hi, pop! How was golf?

Brutus: I played eighteen holes, and shot one hundred twenty! Wilberforce: Is that good?

Brutus: It is when you play twenty seven holes!

The conversation (86/24/ix) happens between Brutus and Wilberforce. Brutus begins the conversation by greeting Hi, Wilberforce!. Wilberforce returns

the greeting by saying Hi, pop! to Brutus. The word Hi indicates the beginning of

the conversation and also as the opening sequence.

From the three parts of the conversation analysis, the adjacency pairs with dispreferred response is the first dominant part and follow by turn-taking A – B pattern in the second place. There are 89 comic strips that contain dispreferred response and 39 comic strips which contain turn-taking A – B pattern. The complete result of the analysis can be seen in the table Analysis of Conversation Structure in the appendices.

B. The Patterns of Dispreferred Response that Brutus Uses as the Response

to the First Part

The Born Loser is one of the comic strips published in The Jakarta Post

every day. The comic strips told about a man named Brutus Thornapple. In the comic strips, there are conversations between Brutus and the other characters. Sometimes there is no conversation just some pictures of Brutus doing something or talks with no listener.

In this analysis, the writer studies the conversation between Brutus and other characters. From the first analysis, the writer finds that the most dominant part of conversation structure that occurs in the comic strips are turn-taking A- B pattern and adjacency pairs: dispreferred response or the unexpected response. From 121 comic strips there are 39 comic strips that contain turn-taking A – B pattern and 89 comic strips that contain dispreferred response. From 89 comic strips there are 42 comic strips that contain dispreferred response produced by Brutus.

The comic strips that will be analyzed are the one which has at least two speakers. Yule in his book Pragmatics (1996:81) writes about some elements of

second part that are considered as dispreferred response. This list of elements also becomes guidance for the write to analyze the patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses in the comic strips.

How to do a dispreferred Example

a. delay/hesitate pause; er; em; ah

b. preface well; oh

c. express doubt I’m not sure; I don’t know d. token Yes that’s great; I’d love to

f. mention obligation I must do X; I’m expected in Y g. appeal for understanding you see; you know

h. make it non-personal everybody else; out there i. give an account too much work; no time left j. use mitigators really; mostly; sort of; kinda k. hedge the negative I guess not; not possible

In this second analysis, the writer finds some elements that occur in the comic strips. There are 6 patterns that consider dispreferred response in the comic strips. These patterns are based on Yule’s lists above. The following are the list of the possibility answers and some of the examples that produce by Brutus that the writer finds in the comic strips.

1. Giving an Account

Most of the dispreferred patterns that are produced by Brutus are giving an account. There are 28 comic strips that use this pattern. The following are some of the examples:

Brutus: I need a book of stamps... On second thought, better make it a whole roll stamps!

The clerk: Oh, a lot of friends to write? Brutus: A lot of bills!

The conversation (19/19/vii) happens between Brutus and a clerk. Brutus asks for a book of stamps. He also wants it as a whole roll stamp. The clerk comments on Brutus’ order. She asks him whether he wants to write a lot of letters for his friend. Brutus answer it, he says that it is for a lot of bills. In this conversation, Brutus answers the question given by the clerk immediately by giving an account a lot of bills.

Gladys: I can’t take any more of this hot, humid weather. I’d prefer a winter

blizzard! Brutus: I disagree.

Gladys: You do? Then tell me one thing that’s better about this kind of weather!

Brutus: I don’t have to shovel it!

The conversation (50/19/viii) happens between Brutus and Gladys. Gladys complains about the weather. She says that she prefers the winter blizzard to the hot humid weather. Brutus disagrees with her. Gladys then asks him one thing that he thinks is better about the weather. Brutus says it is because he does not need to shovel anything. In this conversation Brutus gives straight comment of disagree response to Gladys. He also gives an account when Gladys asks him about one thing that he thinks is better about the weather.

Mr. Veeblefester: Thornapple, it’s three o’clock and you’re still working on that

report?

You promised you would finish it before lunch!

Brutus: I haven’t eaten, yet!

The conversation (68/6/ix) happens between Mr. Veeblefester and Brutus. Mr. Veeblefester complains about the report Brutus is working on. He complains because it’s already three o’clock and Brutus still does not finish working on it. He also complains because Brutus promises to finish it before the lunch time. Brutus tells him that he has not eaten yet that means it is not past the lunch time. In this conversation Brutus gives an account to Mr. Veeblefester’s complaint.

2. Preface

There are 5 comic strips that use this pattern. The following are the analysis of it:

Brutus’ friend: I bought a new radon detector, last night.

You know, if you don’t have one that’s in good working order, you

need to get one!

Brutus: Nah – I never exceed the speed limit!

The conversation (124/1/xi) happens between Brutus and his friend. His friend tells him that he bought a new radon detector last night. He also tells that Brutus needs to get one if he does not have the one which is in good working order. Brutus refuses it. He says that he never exceed the speed limit so he does not need it. There is a preface Nah before the account or the explanation.

Brutus: I’ve changed my mind about attending the voluntary seminar this

weekend.

Mr. Veeblefester: You gave a verbal commitment – that’s as good as a signed document!

Brutus: Well, in that case, I’m tearing up my verbal commitment!

The conversation (7/7/vii) above takes place in Mr. Veeblefester office. He is sitting on his chair. Brutus is also in the office talking to Mr. Veeblefester. Brutus is the first speaker. He comes to Mr. Veeblefester office and says that he changed his decision to come to the seminar in the weekend. Mr. Veeblefester in return gives comment to Brutus’ statement. He says that Brutus’ statement is like a verbal commitment and it is as good as a signed document. Brutus who hears this comment said that he is tearing up his verbal commitment which means he does not want to go to the seminar. There is a preface Well before the account.

Mr. Veeblefester: You’re late!

Brutus: Gladys left the car on empty, so I had to take ten minutes to fill the tank up.

Mr. Veeblefester: Ten minutes? But you’re almost an hour late!

Brutus: Well, once I knew I already was late, I figured there wasn’t any point in

rushing!

The conversation (27/27/vii) takes a place in the entrance of the office. Mr. Veeblefester is waiting for Brutus who comes late. When Brutus comes he complains to Brutus. He says that Brutus comes late. Brutus who hears the complaint tries to give an excuse about the reason he comes late. He said that he needs to fill the tank up because the car is empty and it takes ten minutes. Mr. Veeblefester gives another complaint because Brutus is late more than ten minutes. Brutus then tries to justify about this. He says he does not want to be in rush to come to the office because he is already late. There is a preface Well

before the account.

Brutus: Want to watch the game at my place tonight? Gladys is going to a sidewalk sale at the mall.

Brutus’ Friend: Uh – oh! If I know Gladys, that could end up being expensive!

Brutus: Nah! It’s safe –if there’s anything she doesn’t need, it’s a sidewalk!

The conversation (111/19/x) happens between Brutus and his friend. Brutus invites his friend to his house to watch the baseball game. He invites him because Gladys is going to a sidewalk sale at the mall. His friend accepts his invitation. He also gives his comment about Gladys who goes for shopping. He says that Gladys will go shopping and spend a lot of money. Brutus disagrees with him. He says Gladys will not do that if there is nothing she needs, it is just a sidewalk. There is preface Nah before the account.

Hurricane Hattie: State’s gonna lose today!

Brutus: Oh yeah? Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is?

Hurricane Hattie: Huh?

Brutus: Don’t you know what that means?

Hurricane Hattie: You think I need braces?

The conversation (65/3/ix) happens between Hurricane Hattie and Brutus. Brutus is watching a baseball game in the TV while Hurricane hangs in the back of the sofa. Hurricane says that States is going to lose in the game. Brutus disagrees with her. He says why don’t you put your money where your mouth is?

Hurricane does not understand what Brutus says so she only returns with huh?

That indicates that she does not understand. Brutus then asks her whether she understands what he said before. Hurricane asks him back whether he means that she needs braces. In this conversation there is a preface Oh yeah before the

account.

3. Repetition

There are 3 comic strips that use this pattern. The following are the analysis of it:

Gladys: Brutus, it’s nine o’clock! Aren’t you getting up?

Brutus: I’m sick, Gladys.

Gladys: Is it bad? Brutus: Bad?

There is nothing worse than being sick on the first day of vacation!

The conversation (32/1/viii) happens between Gladys and Brutus. Gladys calls Brutus because it is already nine o’clock but Brutus still does not wake up from the bed. Brutus is still on bed when he hears that. Brutus who hears Gladys called him says he is sick. Gladys who hears that Brutus is sick asks him whether it is bad or not. Brutus then answers that it is more than bad, it is worse since it is

the first day on vacation. In the conversation there is a repetition Bad? produced

by Brutus before the account There is nothing worse than being sick on the first

day of vacation!

Brutus: Gladys,would you please bring me a pitcher of ice water?

Gladys: Good idea – in this heat, you should drink lots of water to stay hydrated!

Brutus: Drink? I’m going to pour it over my head!

The conversation (46/15/viii) happens between Brutus and Gladys. Brutus asks Gladys to bring him a pitcher of ice water. Gladys agrees to him, she says that he should drink lots of water to stay hydrated in this heat. Brutus does not agree with her. He tells her that the water is for him to pour over his head and not to drink. In this conversation there is repetition drink before the account.

Gladys: Mama has come down with a cold, so she won’t be able to visit us this

weekend.

Brutus: She won’t?

I mean, she won’t?

The conversation (49/18/8) happens between Brutus and Gladys. Gladys tells that her mother will not visit them on the weekend because she gets a cold. Brutus who hears that feels happy but then pretends to not happy because he sees Gladys looks not happy about his comment. In this conversation there is no account but there are two repetitions. The first is she won’t and the second she

won’t after Brutus repairs it.

4. Appeal for Understanding

There are 3 comic strips that use this pattern. The following are the analysis of it:

Gladys: I can tell by the look in your face that somebody else got the promotion!

Brutus: You know the expression “nice guys finish last”?

100

165/12/xii

166/13/xii

167/14/xii

168/15/xii

169/16/xii

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

171/18/xii

172/19/xii

173/20/xii

102

175/22/xii

176/23/xii

177/24/xii

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

179/26/xii

180/27/xii

181/28/xii

182/29/xii

183/30/xii

ABSTRACT

VIANA ANGGRAENI ROLOS. The Analysis of Conversation Structure on the Comic Strip The Born Loser. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.

Languages can be divided into two types: written language and spoken language. The example of spoken language once can be found in comic strip The Born Loser by Chip Sansom. In the comic strips, there are some characters and one of them is Brutus Thornapple. There is a structure of conversation between Brutus and other characters that later will be examined by the writer.

There are 2 problems that are formulated to be discussed in this thesis. The first problem is what kinds of conversation structure used in the comic strip. The second problem is what patterns of dispreferred response that Brutus uses as the response to the first pair.

Comic strip used as the samples are taken from the comic strip between July to December 2011. In analyzing the problems, the writer uses the theory of conversation structure and the theory of preference structure. The writer begins the analysis of the conversation structure of the comic, and then the writer analyzes the preference structure of the conversation between Brutus and other characters.

Based on the result of the analysis, there are 3 parts of conversation structure used in the comic strips, they are turn-taking, adjacency pairs, and sequences. Adjacency pair is the most dominant part in the first analysis. In the second analysis, the conversation structure of the comic strip mostly uses preference structure that is dominated by dispreferred response. From this result, Brutus is the one who use dispreferred response more often than other characters as the response to what others have said in the first part of the conversation. Brutus uses some patterns as indication of the action. These patterns are preface, repetition, appeal for understanding, delay/hesitate, token yes, and apology.

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

xiii ABSTRAK

VIANA ANGGRAENI ROLOS. The Analysis of Conversation Structure on the

Comic Strip The Born Loser. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2013.

Bahasa dapat dibagi menjadi dua jenis, bahasa tulis dan bahasa lisan. Salah satu

contoh bahasa lisan dapat ditemukan dalam komik strip The Born Loser oleh Chip

Sansom. Di dalam komik strip, terdapat beberapa karakter dan salah satunya adalah Brutus Thornapple. Di dalam percakapan antara Brutus dan karakter lain, terdapat struktur percakapan yang kemudian diteliti oleh penulis.

Ada 2 rumusan masalah yang akan dibahas dalam tesis ini. Pertama, apa saja jenis struktur percakapan yang digunakan dalam komik strip. Kedua, apa saja pola tindakan sosial yang tidak disukai yang digunakan Brutus sebagai respon terhadap pasangan pertama.

Komik strip yang digunakan sebagai sampel diambil dari komik strip antara Juli hingga Desember 2011. Dalam menganalisis rumusan masalah, penulis menggunakan teori struktur percakapan dan teori struktur preferensi. Penulis memulai dengan menganalisis struktur percakapan komik, dan kemudian penulis menganalisis struktur preferensi dalam percakapan antara Brutus dan karakter lainnya.

Berdasarkan hasil dari analisis, terdapat 3 bagian dalam struktur percakapan yang digunakan dalam komik strip, ketiga bagian itu adalah pengambilan giliran, pasangan berdampingan, dan urutan. Pasangan berdampingan merupakan bagian terbanyak yang ditemukan dalam analisis pertama. Pada analisis kedua, struktur percakapan komik strip sebagian besar menggunakan struktur preferensi yang didominasi oleh tindakan yang tidak disukai. Dari hasil ini, Brutus adalah orang yang paling sering menggunakan tindakan yang tidak disukai dibandingkan karakter lain sebagai respon terhadap apa yang karakter lain katakan dalam bagian pertama percakapan. Brutus menggunakan beberapa

pola sebagai indikasi dalam tindakan tersebut. Pola-pola tersebut antara lain pembukaan,

pengulangan, meminta pengertian, menunda/ragu-ragu, tanda ya, dan permintaan maaf.