THE STUDY OF VIOLATING MAXIMS USED BY THE MAIN CHARACTER IN JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN MOVIE.

THE STUDY OF VIOLATING MAXIMS USED BY THE MAIN
CHARACTER IN JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN MOVIE

A THESIS
Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Sarjana Degree
of English Department Faculty of Arts and Humanities the State Islamic
University of Sunan Ampel Surabaya

By:
NURIL ISTIGHFAROH
Reg. Number: A33212087
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SUNAN AMPEL
SURABAYA
2016

THE STUDY OF VIOLATING MAXIMS USED BY THE MAIN
CHARACTER IN JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN MOVIE

A THESIS

Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Sarjana Degree
of English Department Faculty of Arts and Humanities the State Islamic
University of Sunan Ampel Surabaya

By:
NURIL ISTIGHFAROH
Reg. Number: A33212087
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SUNAN AMPEL
SURABAYA
201

ABSTRACT
Istighfaroh, Nuril. 2016. The Study of Violating Maxims Used By The Main
Character in Johnny English Reborn Movie. Thesis. English Department,
Faculty of Arts and Humanities, State Islamic University of Sunan Ampel
Surabaya. Advisor: Raudlotul Jannah, M. App. Ling
Keyword: cooperative principle, violating maxims, Johnny English
This research aims to find the maxims violated by Johnny English as the

main character in Johnny English Reborn movie. The data of this research is all of
Johnny English utterances as the main character in the movie. This research study
is using descriptive method because in this research not need statistic approach to
analyze the data and the researcher describes the types of maxim. The purposes of
this study are to identify the types of maxims violated by the main character in
Johnny English Reborn movie and to describe the reasons of violation of
cooperative principle in Johnny English Reborn movie.
The writer presents what she has found associated with the types of offense
and use the theory of Grice’s Maxim combined with classification of
Christoffersen. There are two conclusions of the research. First, the writer found all
types of maxims that violated by the main character, Johnny English. The main
character violated the maxim of quality, quantity, relation, and manner. Second, the
writer found five reasons why he violated the maxims. Those are hiding the truth,
saving face, satisfying the hearer, building one’s belief, and convincing the hearer.

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INTISARI

Istighfaroh, Nuril. 2016. The Study of Violating Maxims Used By The Main
Character in Johnny English Reborn Movie. Thesis. English Department,
Faculty of Arts and Humanities, State Islamic University of Sunan Ampel
Surabaya. Advisor: Raudlotul Jannah, M. App. Ling

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui maxims yang dilanggar oleh
Johnny English sebagai pemeran utama dalam Film Johnny English Reborn. Data
dari penelitian ini adalah tentang semua ucapan Johnny English sebagai pemeran
utama. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif karena penelitihan ini tidak
membutuhkan pendekatan statistik untuk menganalisis data dan peulis
mendeskripsikan macam-macam pelanggaran maksim. Tujuan dari penelitihan ini
adalah untuk mengidentifikasi jenis maksim yang dilanggar oleh pemeran utama
dan mendeskripsikan alasan mengapa pelaku utama melakukan pelanggaran
maksim.
Penulis menyajikan apa yang dia telah menemukan terkait dengan jenis
pelanggaran dan menggunakan teori dari Maxim Grice yang dikombinasikan
dengan klasifikasi Christoffersen. Ada dua kesimpulan dari penelitian ini. Pertama,
penulis menemukan semua tipe maksim yang dilanggar oleh pemeran utama,
Johnny English. Kedua, penulis juga menemukan alasan kenapa dia melakukan
pelanggaran maksim. Yaitu untuk menyembunyikan kebenaran, menyelamatkan

muka, memuaskan pendengar, membangun kepercayaan seseorang, dan
meyakinkan pendengar.

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TABLE OF CONTENT

INSIDE COVER PAGE ....................................................................................... i
INSIDE TITLE PAGE ......................................................................................... ii
DECLARATION PAGE ..................................................................................... iii
MOTTO ............................................................................................................... iv
DEDICATION PAGE ......................................................................................... v
THESIS ADVISOR’S APPROVAL PAGE ....................................................... vi
THESIS EXAMINER’S APPROVAL PAGE ................................................... vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................... viii
TABLE OF CONTENT ..................................................................................... ix
ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... xii
INTISARI .......................................................................................................... xiii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study ............................................................................... 1
1.2 Research problems ........................................................................................ 5
1.3 Objectives of the study .................................................................................. 5
1.4 Significance of the study ............................................................................... 6
1.5 Scope and limitation ..................................................................................... 6
1.6 Definition of the key terms ........................................................................... 7

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CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................... 9
2.1.1

Pragmatics ....................................................................................... 9

2.1.2

Context ........................................................................................... 10

2.1.3

Cooperative principle ...................................................................... 13

2.1.4

Violating maxims ............................................................................ 16

2.1.5

Christoffersen’s Classification ........................................................ 19

2.1.6

Related studies ................................................................................ 22

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD

3.1 Research design ......................................................................................... 25
3.2 Data and data source .................................................................................. 26
3.3 Instrument .................................................................................................. 26
3.4 Data collection ........................................................................................... 26
3.5 Data analysis .............................................................................................. 28

CHAPTER VI FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1 Finding ....................................................................................................... 31
4.1.1

Kinds of maxims are violated by the main character ..................... 31

4.1.2

The reason of violation of maxims by the main character.............. 50

4.2 Discussion .................................................................................................. 62

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CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1 Conclusion ............................................................................................... 64
5.2 Suggestion ............................................................................................... 65
REFERENCE ................................................................................................. 66
APPENDICES

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CHAPTER l

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of The Study
In every conversation there are two people involves: as a speaker and a
hearer. Between the speaker and the hearer need cooperation in their
comunication. Because in comunication, people share ideas and information
through their feeling by uttering the words or sentences to send their message

and expect the hearers to understand what they mean. A speaker and a hearer
are supposed to respond each other in their turns and exchange information that
is needed them. In this case, there must be a good cooperation between the
speaker and hearer to avoid misunderstanding. So the speaker must say
something clearly.
In order to have a successful conversation, a speaker and a hearer must
obey the cooperative principles. The cooperative principles is a set of rules to
make conversations clear, informative, and smoothly. According to Levinson
(1983:100), “cooperative principle is a set of general rules to describe how
participants ‘cooperate’ in conversation to achieve smooth and efficient
interaction”. Its mean that, there are some rules that must be required to
achieve the successful conversation.
Based on H.P. Grice theory, the rules are called as maxim. It is the rule
that gives the ways to the conversants in order to make succesful conversation.
Their conversation said to be successful when between the speaker and the

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2

hearer communicates cooperatively each other. To make a cooperative
conversation they must obey the rules of being a good conversation to make it.
The cooperative principle commonly has four maxims. Grice (1975)
explained that there are four maxims. First, maxim of quality is about speaker
tells the truth or provable by adequate evidence. Second, maxim of quantity is
speaker is as informative as required. Third, maxim of relation is about
response is relevant to topic of discussion. And the last is maxim of manner,
speaker avoids ambiguity or obscurity, is direct and straightforward (Paltridge,
2007:62).
By doing conversation, the speaker sometimes gives direct message to
the hearer, and it can be understood by the hearer easily. The conversation can
not be understood, if the speaker gives indirect message. It can cause the hearer
to try hard to undestand the utterance. Therefore, it is impossible to obey all of
the maxims in their conversation. People may violate the maxims when they
interact each other. Grice (1975) argued that intentionally breaking the rules in
conversation to achieve some purposes is called violating maxims (Sadehvandi,
2011:122).
There are some possibilities for people to violate the maxim. Maybe the

speaker needs to add too much information to the hearer to make it clear,
maybe the speaker doesn’t want the hearer knows the something real or hide
the truth and maybe the speaker wants to entertain the hearer through humor in
their conversation.

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There are many reasons why a speaker violates the maxims. One of
them is hiding the truth. For example:
Dad : Did you have voleyball practice today?”
Daugther : Yes. I`ve just arrived” (Grice, 1975:48).
In the conversation, the girl (who was with her boyfriend at the cinema)
violates the maxim of quality as he lies to his father for some reason (probably
the father doesn`t know about her boyfriend).
Violating maxim also happened in the drama, movie, and short story.
Movie is the data which chosen by the writer for her research. The movie is a
collection of some of the scene. Movies, known as films, are a type of visual
communication which use moving pictures and sound to tell stories or inform
(help people to learn). In the movie, there are complicated conversations that
use all of the elements of communication to transfer the message of the story to
the audiences or hearers.
The writer uses Johnny English Reborn the movie to be analyzed. She
will focuse on the types of maxims are violated and the reason of violating the
cooperative principles by the main character in Johnny English Reborn movie,
Johnny English. She chooses Johnny English Reborn movie to her analysis
because there are many violations of maxim in that movie. The researcher
interests to analyze the main character in Johnny English Reborn movie.
Johnny English Reborn is a British spy comedy film parodying the James Bond
secret agent genre. The film is the sequel to Johnny English (2003), and stars
Rowan Atkinson reprising his role as the title character and directed by Oliver
Parker.

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The film tells the story of a secret agent named Johnny London MI7.
Johnny was told in Tibet to study the science of self-defense after the incident a
failed mission in Mozambique. But then Johnny was called in again to work on
his new bosses by "Pegasus". Johnny was assigned to stop an assassination
plan. Johnny also met with former colleague, Agent Simon. As well as the
inventor of the MI7, Patch. He also commissioned a junior agent to accompany
him. His named Tucker.
In Macau, the informant Johnny was killed at the Casino, but john
discovered a pocker chips are gripped by the informant, complete with an
address belonging to the former CIA agent, fisher in Hong Kong. Johnny then
met Fisher in his apartment and learned that Fisher has one of three metal keys
that can be used to unlock a secret weapon to murder, belonging to a secret
organization of assassins, Vortex. Fisher later was killed by a killer posing as a
cleaner. John manages to escape and grab the metal key. Unfortunately, on the
way to London, the metal key had been stolen by one of the servants of the
Vortex disguised as a flight attendant.
Kate, a psychologist at MI7 opened the session with Johnny for the
recall of the incident his mission in Mozambique. As well as considering the
second member of the Vortex, Karlenko. A golf game ever made for Johnny
and Karlenko to meet. The suspect then Karlenko planned to kill Johnny, but
he is killed by the murderer disguised as a cleaner. Before he died, Karlenko
give information that members of the last vortex is one of the agents in the
MI7.

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Johnny does not know that Simon is a betrayal in MI7 and he entrusted
a key metal that he had on Simon. But with Kate, Johnny learns that Simon is a
betrayal and wanted to give the drug to The Pegasus which can control The
Pegasus before she died. Johnny and Kate are working together to save them
all., to Johnny who take the drug and must fight an order from Simon and
death.
In this research, the writer uses Grice’s cooperative principles. The
writer also uses Christoffersen’s classification of reasons of violating the
maxims. There are some reasons proposed by Christoffersen: hiding the truth,
satisfying the hearer, cheering the hearer, saving face, avoiding to hurt the
hearer, feeling jealous about something, convincing the hearer, and building
one’s belief. From those reasons, the writer tries to analyze the reasons why
violating the maxims used by the main character in this movie.

1.2 Research Problems
1. What kinds of maxims are violated by the main character in Johnny
English Reborn movie?
2. What is the reason of violating the cooperative principle in Johnny English
Reborn movie.

1.3 Objectives of The Study
1. To identify the types of maxims are violated by the main character in
Johnny English Reborn movie

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2. To describe the reason of violation of cooperative principle in Johnny
English Reborn movie.

1.4 Significance of The Study
1. Theoritical Significance
This research is expected to be useful to expand pragmatic knowledge in
the daily life especially the using of conversational maxim in the movie,
and to know the types of conversational maxim which use in Johnny
English Reborn movie. This study hopefully can give contribution for the
linguistics study which wants to analyze violating maxims in their
research.
2. Practical Significance
The researcher can get more knowledge in understanding pragmatic
especially in cooperative principles and find out what kinds of violating
conversational maxims that used by the main character in Johnny English
Reborn movie.

1.5 Scope and Limitation
The researcher would to give restrictions in analyzing the violating
conversational maxims of the movie. The implicature that can be found in this
study are analyzed based on the researcher’s interpretation and based on the
fact, even according to some experts of this case. The data focuses on the
utterances spoken of the main characters in Johnny English Reborn movie.

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1.6 Definition of Key Term
a. Maxim :
The rule that must be obeyed by the conversants in order to make
succesful conversation. There are four maxims by Grice. The maxims are
contained (1) maxim of Quantity means giving the information as needed.
(2) maxim of quality means delivering something accordance with facts.
(3) maxim of relation means the information provided should be relevant
with the topic. (4) maxim of manner means talking with brief, clear, and
unambiguous.
b. Violating maxim :
Violating maxims occurs when the speaker intended to cover the actual
situation in the conversation. There are several reasons which violate the
maxims are saving face, hiding the truth, building one’s belief, providing a
joke or humor. For example:
Mother : How much did that the new dress cost, honey?
Daughter : Thirty-five pounds (wrong information)
In the conversation, the child doesn’t want to tell the truth when her
mother asked how much for a bag she bought. She didn’t want her mother
angry because the price of bag is very expensive.
c. Movie :
A type of visual communication which use moving pictures and sound to
tell stories or inform (help people to learn).

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d. Johnny English Reborn :
The title of movie. It is the sequel to Johnny English (2003) and directed
by Oliver Parker. The movie is a British spy comedy film parodying the
James Bond secret agent genre.

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CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical Framework
In this chapter, the writer describes the discussion about the supporting
theories and previous study to show the differences and similarities between this
research and another research. It involves about Pragmatics, Context of Situation,
Cooperative Principle, Violating Maxims, and Previous Study.
2.1.1 Pragmatics
Studying about language would be closely with two branches of language
science, semantics and pragmatics. Both of that sciences concern at language but
in different side. Semantics refers to the construction of meaning language, while
pragmatics refers to meaning construction in specific interactional context.
Kreidler (2002: 18) said that pragmatics is a branch of linguistics that is
concerned with meaning and people’s ability to use language meaningfully.
Pragmatics is the study of the language study of the usage of the language that is
associated with the context of use. The meaning of that language can be
understood when it is known the context. Pragmatic constraints are the rules
regarding language usage of forms and meanings associated with the intent of the
speaker, the context, and circumstances. According to Leech (1981:1), pragmatics
is is the study of linguistics communication according to the principle of
conversation. One principle is the sense of an expression violates the principle
speaker. For some people learning about pragmatics is more challenging than

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10

others science of linguistic. It is because in pragmatics we studies not only about
languages but also learns about the external meaning of the sentence or utterance.
Grundy (2000: 3) said that pragmatics is about explaining how produce
and understand the language which is used in communication everyday but
apparently rather peculiar uses of language. Then, Yule (1996: 3) also states that
pragmatics is the study of speaker meaning, the study of contextual meaning, the
study of how more gets communicated than is said, and the study of the
expression of relative distance (closeness in physical, social, or conceptual).
Yule describes pragmatics as a branch of linguistics that studies about the
meaning desired by the speakers. That explanation leads to a pragmatic aspect of
meaning, namely the intent to be delivered through the speakers of the existence
of a context. This means pragmatics trying to describe a speech delivered by
speakers. This means pragmatics trying to describe a speech delivered by the
speaker by knowing the meaning of it. Based on the explanation above it can be
concluded that the pragmatics is the study of language in its use and meaning
generated by the sentence that can be known by looking at the existing context.
Then we can know the meaning desired by the speaker to pay attention to the
context of the enclosing the conversation.
2.1.2 Context
A context is part of a description or sentence that can support or add
clarity to the meaning of a situation that has to do with the event. According to

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11

Cutting (2002:3) in “pragmatics and Discourse” , there are three sorts of context,
they are:
1. Situational Context
Situational context describes all of the events that happens when the
conversation is happening. Example :
Roland : what’s on your mind about Rio Harianto?
Albert : hmm... Rio is an Indonesian Formula One driver for Manor.
He is Indonesia's first F1 driver in history. It’s amazing.
From the conversation above, there are two boys named Roland and
Albert, they come to the circuit for watching The Australian Grand Prix. In the
conversation above they have watched that Rio was the second driver to be
eliminated from qualifying for the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix, ahead of Felipe
Nasr.
2. Background knowledge context
Background knowledge context is when both of speaker and hearer
know what they are talking about, such as talking about the surrounding
environment or culture. There are two types of background knowledge
context, they are : cultural context and interpersonal context.
a. Cultural context
Cultural context is the knowledge or information about the life held
between the speaker and the listener are same. For example:
Helena : Are you forget about the incident last Friday night?

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Fitria

: I may not forget the terrible events. it is an event that does
not make sense but really happened.

From the examples above show that Helena and Fitria talking about
the events they experienced when they walk together. Helena asks the events
of last Friday night when they met with a strange figure like a ghost.
b. Interpersonal context
Interpersonal context is the knowledge about a person's personality
between the speaker and the listener are same. For example:
Helena : Simon is a diligent student in our class.
Fitria : yes, but he's arrogant and condescending to others. many
people who do not like to hang out with him.
From he examples above show that Helena and Fitria talking about
Simon. He was a classmate of Helena and Fitria. So they know how the nature
of Anton.
3. Co-textual context
Co-textual context is when the speaker and hearer understand each
other about what or who are they talking about. Example :
Andra
Lia
Andra
Lia

: I went with Rian and Riska
: Uhuh?
: Rian’s classmate, And Riska’s family. There were six of us
to go Batu Night Spectacular
: Uhm.

In the case above , pronoun ‘us’ refers to Rian’s classmate and Riska’s
family, the speaker assumes that the hearer know everyone mentioned in the
conversation, including ‘us’.

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2.1.3 Cooperative Principle
In carrying out its activity everyday human beings will always meet and
interact with others. In interacting with others, humans use language as a medium
of communication. In reasonable communication, each of the parties involved,
between the speaker and the listener will always try to deliver the speech with
effective and efficient. Paltridge (2008: 61) wrote the Grice (1975) argues that in
order for a person to interpret what someone else says, some kind of cooperative
principle must be assumed to be in operation. The cooperative principle is a
principle of conversation that was proposed by Grice, stating that participants
expect that each will make a “conversational contribution such as is required, at
the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk
exchange”.
In order for speech may be accepted by the opponent, spoken speech,
speakers generally consider carefully various factors involved or may be involved
in a process of communication. Grice argued that reasonable discourse can occur
if between speakers and petutur dutifully on the principle of cooperation
communication. Grice in his theory

(2006:68) divides cooperative principle

maxim on four sub-principle:
1. Maxim of Quality
The Maxim of Quality requires information provided in conversations to
be genuine and justified. Maxim of quality is where one tries to be truthful, and
does not give information that is false or that is not supported by evidence. The

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14

maxim of quality principles, do not say what you believe to be false and do not
say that for which you lack adequate evidence. For example:
A : How many maxims of cooperation according to Grice?
B : According to Grice books that I read, there are four maxims in
the principles of cooperation.
A : what are they?
B : Maksim quantity, maxim of quality, maxim of relevance, and
the maxim of the way (execution).
In the example above, (B) contributed the correct information, that
according to Grice books he read four maxims, that maxim of quantity, maxim
of quality, maxim of relevance, and the maxim of the way (execution).
2. Maxim of Quantity
The Maxim of Quantity relates to the amount of information provided in
conversations where one tries to be as informative as one possibly can, and gives
as much information as is needed, and no more. The maxim of quantity
principles, make your contribution as informative as required and do not make
your contribution more informative than is required. For example:
Teacher: “What is the capital city of Bali?”
Andy : “Surabaya, Sir”
Teacher: “Wrong. The capital city of Bali is Denpasar.”
The maxim of quality also says that the speaker should not say something
that lacks adequate evidence or the speaker is not sure about something. The
speaker must give true information not false.
In conversational exchanges, it is assumed that people do not lie and give
factual information, and then we are able to detect falsehood.

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15

3. Maxim of Relation

Maxim of relation is where one tries to be relevant, and says things that
are pertinent to the discussion. Coulthard (1985: 31) have described sub maxim
of relation “Be relevant”. Grice proposes this maxim as an explanation for a
certain kind of regularity in conversational behavior with respect to the
relevance of information provided at each turn of a conversation. Relevance is
speakers' contributions should relate clearly to the purpose of the exchange. The
principle of maxim of relation is make your contributions relevant (Stephen C.
Levinson, 1983:102). For example:

A : There is somebody at the door
B : I’m in the bath. (Joan Cutting , 2002:36)
When A tells B that there is someone who comes in the door of their
home and expect B to open the door to the guest, then B says that she was in the
shower at the time. Answer B implies that he expects A to understand where B is
at that moment, so that B could not open the door and see who comes at the
time. Thus, it can be said that the relationship between the participants said does
not always lie in the conversation, but it can also be located on what is implied
in the speech.
4. Maxim of Manner
Maxim of manner is when one tries to be as clear and as orderly as one can
in what one says. Brown (1983:32) said that maxim of manner must be
perspicuous. Coulthard (1985:31) have described sub maxim of manner: Avoid

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16

obscurity of expression, avoid ambiguity, be brief and be orderly. When engaged
in conversation, the maxim of manner requires you to be perspicuous. The
principles of maxim of manner:
 Avoid obscurity of expression
 Avoid ambiguity. Be brief (avoid unnecessary prolixity).
 Be orderly. (Stephen C. Levinson, 1983: 102)

For example:

Helena : Where are you going?
Fitria : I'm going to buy some food because I was hungry
In example Fitria explores her purpose to go, there is no ambiguity
or obscurity in her utterance, she also answers in a brief utterance.

2.1.4 Violating Maxim
According to Grice, there are five major ways of failing to observe a
maxim: Flouting, Violating, Infringing, Opting out and Suspending.
Violation is defined as the unostentatious or ‘quiet’ non-observance
of a maxim. A Speaker who violates a maxim ‘will be liable to mislead’
(Grice 1975: 49). Violating a maxim is quite the opposite of flouting a
maxim. Violating a maxim rather prevents or at least discourages the Hearer
from seeking for implicatures and rather encourages their taking utterances at
face value. Examples:
Dady : Do you love me?
Helen : Yes
(supposing you don’t really: quietly violates maxim of quality: hence, a lie)

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Violation is defined as the unostentatious or ‘quiet’ non-observance
of a maxim. A Speaker who violates a maxim ‘will be liable to mislead’
(Grice 1975: 49). Violating a maxim in order to exploit it: Unlike someone who is
simply violating a maxim, someone who is violating a maxim expects the listener
to notice.
1. Violating the first Maxim of Quality (avoid falsehoods)
Violation maxim of quality occurs:


if the speaker is not telling the truth and giving false information



if the speaker does irony or makes ironic and sarcastic statement



if the speaker disavows something



if the speaker changes information

There is example for this violation:
A : does your cat scratch?
B : No
A : (bends down to stroke it and gets scratch) Ow! You said your
cat does not scratch!
B : that is not my cat.
In a speech at the top, can be described like this, when A visit to the home
of B, there is no neighbor cat B that often are in A terrace House. A asked if the
usual clawing cat B, and B does not answer. A do not know if the cat is in front of
him it's not cat b. then when A try messing with the cat, it turns out that the cat is
scratching, then he shouted that the word B doesn't like her cat scratched, but it
turns out the cat scratches him. B said that cat scratches him replied that it was not
his cat. Here the participants awarded feature either A and B do not provide as
much information as is needed by both sides, so it happened a misunderstanding.

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2. Violating the second Maxim of Quantity
Violating maxim of quantity occurred:


when what the speaker want to say is not suitable with the hearer’s
expect



if the speaker in uninformative



if the speaker talks too short



if the speaker talks too much



if the speaker repeats certain words

For example:
A: Are you going to work tomorrow?
B: I am on jury duty, but I’ll have to go to the doctor in the
evening. I have asked the manager for permission.
In this example, B’s reply violates maxim of quantity because B does not
give information as required by A, yes or no. Instead, B gives more information
which is not required or expected at all.
3. Violating the third Maxim of Relevance
Violation maxim of relevant occurs:


if the speaker does not contribute that are relevant to the issue of
the talks.



If the speaker changes conversation topic abruptly



If the speaker avoids talking about something



If the speaker hides something or hides a fact

For example:
A: how the value of your examination yesterday?

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B: I was invited by the party tomorrow night. Would you come with
me
In the example B’s answer is not relevant to A’s question. B says
something else which is not about A’s problem at all.
4. Violating the last Maxim of Manner
Violation maxim of manner occurs:


if the speaker does not speak directly.



If the speaker uses ambiguous language



If the speaker’s voice is not loud enought

For example:
A: Why was he arrested?
B: He stole the money from the bank.
In the example B’s statement is ambiguous. It can be interpreted that B
didn’t steal the money which is stored in he bank. He had gone the bank first and
he stole the money in another place. Another interpretation is that he stole the
money stored in the bank. He got the money by robbing the bank.

2.1.5

Christoffersen’s Classification
In a conversation, a speaker giving the required information to a hearer.

They can understand each other’s utterances if they are said to have fulfilled the
Cooperative principles. However, people sometimes cannot fulfill those maxims
and they seem to disobey them.

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Christoffersen (2005) (as cited in Tupan and Natalia, 2008: vol.10 P.64)
says that in reality, people tend to tell lies for different reasons. The following
reasons will be used in the analysis to interpret the data. They are:
i.

Hide the truth
This reason happened when the speaker doesn’t want the hearer
knowing the something real. Example: (Johnny hides the truth when the
scientists asked whereabouts the voice-changing travel because johnny
has to eat)
Scientist : Has anyone seen the voice-changing travel lozenges?
Johnny : Um... No. No.

ii.

Saving face
This reason happened when people do something embarrassing in
public. Example: (Ann covers herself for being shoplifter in front of
people)
A : What is in your bag? I think our bracelet is in it
B : I – I do not know what you are talking about. I do not have any
bracelet.

iii.

Feel jealous about something
Example: (Lia lies to Anggi that she doesn’t know Toni, the new student.
Lia actually likes him.)
A : I know you talked to Jim, this morning. He is awesome. What
do you think about him?
B : I don’t know what you are talking about.

iv.

Satisfying the hearer
Example: (A conversation between a mother and her son)

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A : Mom, how was I born?
B : Uhm… because God loves you so He sends you to me as a gift
v.

Cheer the hearer
Example: (a wife asks her husband whether she looks OK with the purple
blouse or not. Her husband who hates purple, cheers his wife by
giving an answer that is expected by his wife)
A : Honey, does this color nice?
B : Of course sweetheart, you look gorgeous.

vi.

Avoiding to hurt the hearer
Example: (a mother of three years old boy wants to protect his son by
telling that his father has gone overseas rather than saying that
he died)
A : Mummy, where is Daddy?
B : Daddy has gone overseas because he wants to buy some toys
for you

vii.

Building one’s belief
Example: (Joan asks her boyfriend whether he still remembers his ex
girlfriend or not. Her boyfriend lies to her and makes her
believe 100%)
A : I wonder if you are still in love with your ex.
B : Of course not darling, you know you are the one in my heart.
(Fact: he is still in love with his ex)
A : But how come you still keep her photo in your wallet?
B : That is not her; she is my cousin who looks like her. (Fact:
that’s his ex’s photo

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viii.

Convincing the hearer
Example: (a part time clerk asks his friend to take his shift, but his friend
refuses by creating a good reason)
A : Can you take my shift tonight?
B : I wish I could, but I have to take my daughter to the dentist.

2.2 Related Studies
There are literally works that conduct almost the same topic that will be
researched by the writer. The first is a graduating paper from Stain Salatiga
written by Septi Dwi Andini, 2012. The title is “The Cooperative Principle
Analysis of Palestine Protest Poster”. This study is made to analyze the
conversational implicature used in Palestina Protest poster. The first question of
this research is how many types of conversational maxims used in Palestine
protest posters. From the protest posters which collected by researcher there are 4
types of conversational maxims that found, they are maxim of quantity, maxim of
quality, maxim of manner and maxim of relation. However the maxim of quality
is the more dominant than the other maxims. The protesters tend to use maxim of
quality on their protest poster because they tried to speak the truth based on the
fact.
The second question of this research is about the social context behind
each utterance in Palestine protest poster. To analyze Palestine protest poster the
researcher needs to know the history of the conflict between Palestine and Israel,
and the social and political condition in Palestine. Every poster have their own
history, by learning the social and political behind every poster, it will make us

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understanding the poster easier. This is very important to give evidences to the
reader to make strong the arguments of the poster. The researcher quoted some
statements from some experts or some evidences from some articles, video and
books is needed.
The differences between the researcher research paper and the others
research above are the researchers thesis is focused on violating of conversational
maxims analysis, while the research paper from Septi Dwi Andini is focused on
conversational implicature meaning or the implicit meaning, even though she also
analyzed conversational maxims in her research paper. The objects of the research
are also different, Septi Dwi Andini was researched protest poster while another
one was movie.
The second is the thesis of Yudith Tyas Prameswari “JOHNY ENGLISH’S
CHARACTERIZATION THROUGH THE WAY HE USES COOPERATIVE
PRINCIPLE IN JOHNY ENGLISH REBORN MOVIE”. This research aims to find
Johnny English’s characterization as the main character in Johnny English Reborn
movie through the way Johnny English uses the maxims of the cooperative
principle by Grice in his conversation. The data of this research is all of Johnny
English utterances in the movie. Since, almost every utterances of Johnny English
can be analyzed by using cooperative principle. The way Johnny English uses the
cooperative principle leading to his characterization is explained. This research
uses qualitative method. The data is analyzed by understanding the meaning of the
utterance, considering the context when the conversation happens, finding the way

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Johnny English uses the maxims of the cooperative principle, and concluding
Johnny English’s characterization. There are two conclusions of the research.
First, Johnny English uses the cooperative principle by observing and
failing the maxim. He observes the maxim by following the requirement of the
maxim and fails the maxims by flouting, violating, opting out, facing clash, and
infringing the maxim. Second, from each characterization found in the analysis,
there are nine bad characterizations and six good characterizations of Johnny
English are found. It is also known that Johnny English is a person who can
possess some opposite characterizations at once.

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CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHOD

In the research method, the writer presents about the methods that used to
analyse the data, data and source of data, procedure of data collection, and the
way analyze the data.

3.1 Research Design
The researcher finished this research using descriptive qualitative
approach because this research does not needed statistic approach to analyze the
data and the researcher describe the types of maxim. According to Creswell
(1994:1) qualitative research is defined as an inquiry process of understanding a
social or human problem, based on building a complex, holistic picture, formed
with words, reporting detailed views of informants, and conducted in a natural
setting. Descriptive approach primarily concerned with finding out “what is”. In
addition, Glass & Hopkins (1984) argued that descriptive research involves
gathering data that describe events and then organizes, tabulates, depicts, and
describes the data collection.
The purpose of this study is to understand and describe about violating
maxims in “Johnny Englis Reborn” movie. The writer describes the data that is
found when analyzing, then proceed with a general conclusion. The writer
presents what she has found associated with the type of offense and use the theory
of Grice’s Maxim combined with classification of Christoffersen.

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3.2 Data and Data Source
The data of this study were the utterances produced by Johnny English as
the main character in Johnny English Reborn the movie. The writer would include
also the utterances produced by other characters that make a conversation with
Johnny English.
The data source of this study was Johnny English Reborn movie. This
movie was directed by Oliver Parker. Johnny English Reborn was launch in 2011.
This movie is the sequel to Johnny English (2003).

3.3 Instrument
This study is dealing with violating maxim. Thus, the instrument that
suitable for measuring this research is the human instrument that is the writer
itself because the writer itself did the research such as identifying, classifying and
analyzing the data. She spent her time for watching and understanding the
utterances of the all characters. The writer observed the utterances the main
character which violate the maxims based on her knowledge.

3.4 Data Collection
In collecting data, the writer used the movie script of Johnny English
Reborn as the source of data. The writer collected the data with several steps:
1. The writer searched the movie of Johnny English Reborn from the
internet.

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27

2. The writer downloaded the movie of Johnny English Reborn from the
internet.

3. The writer also searched the transcription of the movie to toughen the
data.

4. The writer watched the movie for several times to match the utterances
with the transcription to know the wrong word in the script movie.

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5. The

writer

searched

the

utterance

that

violating

maxims.

3.5 Data Analysis
In analyzing the data, the researcher did several steps. The procedures of
analyzing data are :
1. The writer identified the types of violating maxims used by Johnny
English as the main character in Johnny English Reborn Story movie
using underline and make circle the utterance.

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2. The writer classified the data based on Grice’s theory of cooperative
principles.

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3. The writer identified the data by Christoffersen’s classification of lie to
find out the intended meaning of the data in each maxim.
4. The writer described and explained the violating maxims and the
reason of violating the maxims.
5. Finally, the writer made conclusion based on the result of discussion.

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CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
This study is focused to know what the maxims are violated by Johnny
English as the main character in Johnny English Reborn movie. Based on the
analysis, the writer answers the statement of the problem in this study. There are
four types of maxims that violated by the main characters, Johnny English in
Johnny English Reborn movie. Those are violating the maxim of quantity, quality,
relation, and manner.

4.1 Findings
In Johnny English Reborn movie, there are 20 utterances maxim
performed by the main character. Some excerpts are included in order to give
clear description of each violation. First, the researcher explain and describe each
violation that is done by Johnny English, and second the researcher will give an
explanation about the reason why Johnny English does the violation.

4.1.1 Violation of Maxims by the Main Character
1.1.1.1 Violating Maxim of Quality
The writer found two utterances that include violating the maxim of
quantity. Those utterances disobey the rule of quantity maxim. This maxim
indicated that the speaker was not telling the truth and giving false information.
Do not say what you believe to be false and do not say that for which you lack
adequate evidence. The result of the data can be seen as follows.

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Excerpts 1 (Data 5)
Scientist : Has anyone seen the voice-changing travel lozenges?
Johnny : Um... No. No.
The conversation occurred between the main characters Johnny and
Scientist. In that conversation, they are in the toy cupboard. At the time Johnny
was talking to Patch and then Pegasus come. He explained that Johnny will be
heading off to Hong Kong that night to meet Fisher, someone who knows about
the Vortex. Pegasus also said that Johnny will be accompanied by Tucker. When
Pegasus explains it all, Johnny eat candy that is on the table and suddenly his
voice changed. then the scientists come and ask “Has anyone seen the voicechanging travel lozenges?” but Johnny responded “Um.. No. No.”
By that dialogue, Johnny’s utterance “Um.. No. No.” contains violation of
the quality maxim. The maxim of quality indicated that people should give true
information or what they say must be true. Johnny told that he did not know
where the candy is. In fact, he had eaten