An Analysis of Indirectness Employed by the Main Character in the Movie “Easy A”
An Analysis of Indirectness Employed by the Main Character in the Movie “Easy A”
(A Pragmatic Approach)
THESIS
Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Sarjana Sastra Degree in English Department of Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts
By Natalia Desy Ekawati
C 0304038
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF LETTERS AND FINE ARTS SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY SURAKARTA
2012
MOTTO
Dream, Believe, and Make It Happen!
~Agnes Monica~
“Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you're wondering which way to go, remember
that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn't love you anymore.”
~ Lady Gaga~
DEDICATION
I wholeheartedly dedicate this thesis to:
The Almighty, Jesus Christ My beloved Mom and Dad,
My family My beloved friends My past, My present, My future
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Thanks God I’ve finally made it after the long road I have taken. This thesis could not be achieved without help and support from everyone during the process of finishing this thesis. Therefore, I would like to express my greatest and deepest gratitude to the following people:
Drs. Riyadi Santosa, M.ED., Ph.D as the Dean of Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts of Sebelas Maret University, for approving this thesis. Drs. Agus Hari Wibowo, M.A.Ph.D as the Head of English Department, for providing the opportunity to conduct this research. Prof. Dr. Djatmika, M.A., my thesis supervisor, for his patience, understanding, and valuable advices. Thank you for providing the opportunity to conduct this thesis when I almost believe that it is not possible to finish what I have started.
Dr. Sri Marmanto, M.Hum, my academic supervisor, for the assistance during the academic period. Lecturers of English Department, for teaching and sharing knowledge. It has been a great experience of being the student of English Department.
My Mom and Dad, thank you for who I am, I’m sorry it took forever, but you are the reason I finish this thesis. I hope it makes you smile, and I hope you are happy with my life, at peace with every choice I made how I change along the way. Forgive me for the words unsaid and for the times I forgot. I know you believe in my dreams and I owe it all to you because I love you.
My lovely sister and my cutest brother. Family is like music. Some have high notes, others have low notes, but it is always a beautiful song. Thank you for loving me just the way I am, and for being proud that I’m your kindest, hottest, and best sister ever.
My best friend, Tatiana Fernandez. Thank you for supporting me in so many ways that I could not tell. You always inspire me to be a better person. Someday when we are grey, old, and probably have my own kids and family (I don’t know how you do that but I believe you will make your own, he) I will be proud to tell my kids about you, and say “She’s my best friend!”
The one and only, Ingmar de Jong. From the day you went away you left thousand dreams that now I realize it changed my point of view about certain things. We might be separated by distance and time, but I believe it helps to think we are sleeping underneath the same big sky. Thank you for supporting me in every decision that I’ve made. Such a great friend, teacher, both angel and evil,
loyal fans (keep my CD, songs, and pictures, I will give my signature when we meet again, he). I will never forget you.
English Department class 2004. Am I the last one? I hope not (grin). Thank you for togetherness through good and bad times.
for English Department students especially for those who study linguistics.
Surakarta, March 2012
Natalia Desy Ekawati
PRONOUNCEMENT
Name : Natalia Desy Ekawati NIM : C0304038
I hereby state truthfully that the researcher writes the thesis entitled “An
Analysis of Indirectness Employed between the characters and the main character in the film entitled Easy A”. It is not plagiarism nor made by others. The things
related to other people’s work are written in quotation and bibliography.
If in the future it is proved that the researcher cheats, the researcher is ready to accept the academic sanction.
Surakarta, March 2012
Natalia Desy Ekawati
A. Introduction ................................................................................................. 33
B. Data Analysis .............................................................................................. 34
C. Discussion ................................................................................................... 84 CHAPTER V CONCLUSSION AND SUGGESTION ...................................................... 88
A. Conclusion .................................................................................................. 88
B. Suggestion .................................................................................................. 90 BIBBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 91
APPENDICES .................................................................................................................... 93
The List of Table
Table 4.1 Result of the data analyzed related to problem statement…………….. 84
Natalia Desy Ekawati. C0304038. 2012. An Analysis of Indirectness Employed By the Main Character in the Movie Entitled “Easy A’. Thesis: English Department, Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts, Sebelas Maret University.
This research focuses on indirectness employed by the main character and the other characters in the film entitled “Easy A”. This study aims to find out the kinds of indirectness performed in the movie entitled “Easy A”, the motives to use indirectness employed by the characters, and how the interlocutor understands indirectness used in the conversation.
This research belongs to descriptive-qualitative research that refers to the method to formulate the conclusion by collecting, classifying, and interpreting the data of the research.
The sources of the data of the research are the movie entitled “Easy A” and its movie script found from the internet. This research focused on the
conversation containing indirectness between the main character and the other cha racters in the movie entitled “Easy A” as the data. This research applies purposive sampling technique. Overall, there are 24 data of indirectness.
The research findings show that there are two kinds of indirectness: implied meaning and mismatch of the structural forms of sentence with the original communicative function. The speaker who utters indirectness employs an implied meaning, or the mismatch of structural forms of sentence with the original communicative functions, or employing both of them. The analysis of the data shows that there is more implied meaning than the mismatch of structural forms of sentence with the original communicative function. The fact shows that 19 data represent implied meaning (79,17%), 5 data (20,83%) represent the mismatch of structural forms of sentence with the original communicative function. In regard with motives used by the character to employ indirectness, the researcher found
four reasons including interestingness (20,83%), to force one’s message (25%), competing goal (25%), and politeness (29,17%). The response of the hearer is
found that 18 data (75%) representing indirectness is responded relevant and 6 data (25%) has irrelevant response.
This research is expected to be able to be used as additional knowledge and reference for students and other researchers, especially for those who are interested in linguistics study.
Prof. Dr.Djatmika, M. A. (20,83%), to force one’s message (25%), competing goal (25%), and politeness (29,17%). The response of the hearer is found that
18 data (75%) representing indirectness is responded relevant and
6 data (25%) has irrelevant response. This research is expected to be able to be used as additional 2012. Thesis: English Department, Faculty of Letters and Fine
ABSTRACT
knowledge and reference for students and other researchers, Arts, Sebelas Maret University.
especially for those who are interested in linguistics study. This research focuses on indirectness employed by the main character and the other characters in the film entitled “Easy A”.
This study aims to find out the kinds of indirectness performed in the movie entitled “Easy A”, the motives to use indirectness employed by the characters, and how the interlocutor understands indirectness used in the conversation. This research belongs to descriptive-qualitative research that refers to the method to formulate the conclusion by collecting, classifying, and interpreting the data of the research. The sources of the data of the research are the movie entitled “Easy A” and its movie script found from the internet. This research focused on the conversation containing indirectness between the main character and the other cha racters in the movie entitled “Easy A” as the data. This research applies purposive sampling
technique. Overall, there are 24 data of indirectness.
The research findings show that there are two kinds of indirectness: implied meaning and mismatch of the structural forms of sentence with the original communicative function. The speaker who utters
indirectness employs an implied meaning, or the mismatch of
structural forms of sentence with the original communicative functions, or employing both of them. The analysis of the data shows that there is more implied meaning than the mismatch of
structural forms of sentence with the original communicative
2 Mahasiswa Jurusan Sastra Inggris dengan NIM C0304038 Dosen Pembimbing
INTRODUCTION
A. Research Background
Language plays a very important role as a means of communication used by human beings to express their ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Mar‟ at (2005:19)
states that language has two functions. The first is interpersonal function. It is usually applied in the form of imperative, interrogative, and declarative to show the message of the speaker. The second is intrapersonal function. It is related with the use of language for problem solving, decision making, remembering, thinking, etc. From these two functions of language, people can communicate and express what they want to share. Furthermore, according to Trudgill language is not simply as a means of communicating information. It is also important means of establishing and maintaining relationship with other people (Trudgill, 1974:13). It
means that communication will influence many aspects of people‟s relationship in society, including the relationship between the speaker and the hearer and the
goals for the particular communication.
A communication is basically to transfer the information or message
from a source to a receiver. Communication can be called as conversation, namely to sending and receiving message. Communication works if the message can be received and interpreted properly. In order to make communication runs well, from a source to a receiver. Communication can be called as conversation, namely to sending and receiving message. Communication works if the message can be received and interpreted properly. In order to make communication runs well,
points out that „people do not only produce utterances containing grammatical structures and words, they perform actions via those utterances. These are what so called as speech acts. In line with this, Yule explains that actions performed via utterances are generally called speech act and they are commonly given more specific label in English, such as apology, complaint, compliment, invitation, promise, or request (Yule, 1996:47).
Through the context, indirectness has been extensively used by the people to express something in daily life conversation. Thomas (1995:119) states that indirectness occurs when there is a mismatch between the expressed meaning and implied meaning. An indirect speech act occurs when there is an indirect relationship between a structure and a function (Yule, 1996:54). Due to this definition indirectness can be classified into two major kinds: implicit sentences or implied meaning and sentences that are not used in accordance with their original functions (the mismatch of structural forms of sentence with their original communicative functions). Somehow people have their own reason why they use indirectness and their own way how to use indirectness remarks. Therefore the researcher is interested in analyzing the use of indirectness to find out the reason Through the context, indirectness has been extensively used by the people to express something in daily life conversation. Thomas (1995:119) states that indirectness occurs when there is a mismatch between the expressed meaning and implied meaning. An indirect speech act occurs when there is an indirect relationship between a structure and a function (Yule, 1996:54). Due to this definition indirectness can be classified into two major kinds: implicit sentences or implied meaning and sentences that are not used in accordance with their original functions (the mismatch of structural forms of sentence with their original communicative functions). Somehow people have their own reason why they use indirectness and their own way how to use indirectness remarks. Therefore the researcher is interested in analyzing the use of indirectness to find out the reason
Due to the explanation above, the researcher is interested in analyzing indirectness employed by the main characters in the conversation in the film entitled “Easy A” since it provides adequate data that researcher needs to analyze
indirectness. The movie itself is a comedy drama of high school students with
some youth problems in which, ideally, the use of indirectness is inescapably large. The used of indirectness are influenced by some motives or goals.
Here are the examples of conversation taken from the film entitled “Easy A” which may help us understand the concept of indirectness:
Example 1
The setting of this conversation is in Melody Bostic‟s room when Olive is still in 8th grade. Olive and Todd join the game that makes them have to kiss
each other for the first time.
Olive
: I think this is the part where you're supposed to stick your tongue in my mouth. That's what I've heard, anyway.
Todd
: Just give me a second, okay?
Olive : According to my watch, you have 382 of them.
Olive‟s statement to Todd in Melody Bostic‟s room is an indirectness. The speaker‟s utterance is declarative and contains information but it is not just Olive‟s statement to Todd in Melody Bostic‟s room is an indirectness. The speaker‟s utterance is declarative and contains information but it is not just
By employing a declarative form, the speaker actually asks the hearer to do something for her. A declarative used to make command is considered as an indirectness.
Olive employs indirectness for her interest and she enjoys the language.
Practically, she only needs to say “I think it’s the time for you to kiss me.” But the speaker chooses to use a long sentence describing the word „kissing‟. The speaker
wants the interlocutor to be excited about kissing. Both Olive and Todd have never been kissed before so she tries to describe it in order to make Todd not nervous.
Todd is actually not ready yet to get his first kiss. The way Olive
describes kissing itself makes Todd nervous. “Just give me a second, okay?” shows that Todd is not ready to do it. The interlocutor gets the point that they should have their first kiss at that time, but the speaker fails to make the interlocutor get the excitement because in return he tries to refuse it.
Example 2
Brandon and Olive have their detention after school. This conversation takes place in the basketball court while mopping the floor. Brandon
: Aren't there, like, child labor laws against this? : Aren't there, like, child labor laws against this?
: We haven't talked in a while. How have you been, Brandon?
Brandon
: Fabulous. I'm crushing it. Everything’s according to plan. I wanna be in detention.
Olive : Yeah, why are you here? From the blood I saw gushing out of your nose, I thought you were bullied.
Brandon‟s utterance in answering Olive‟s question is an indirectness. Brandon employs sarcasm to imply his intention about how he hates the detention.
Brandon‟s utterance “Fabulous I'm crushing it. Everything’s according to plan. I wanna be in detention.” does not mean that he is in a happy condition, instead he
is mad about his own life which is not like something he hopes for and he also
criticizes Olive‟s question who actually knows that Brandon is in trouble. It can directly be said “as you know we are in detention, and it’s not good.” However the speaker chooses to represent the opposite of what the speaker actually means. Here, the speaker employs an indirectness in sarcastic way.
The speaker employs an indirectness for competing goals. The speaker tries to tell the interlocutor about his life in sarcastic ways. Brandon wants to tell Olive about his messy life because he gets bullied from being a gay, on the other
hand, he tries to criticize Olive‟s question. In this case, Olive and Brandon are in the same situation, detention, which means they have to do the cleaning after hand, he tries to criticize Olive‟s question. In this case, Olive and Brandon are in the same situation, detention, which means they have to do the cleaning after
sarcasm. The interlocutor gets well understanding that the speaker is being sarcastic. The interlocutor ‟s remarks “Yeah, why are you here? From the blood I saw gushing out of you r nose, I thought you were bullied.” shows her sympathy about what happens to Brandon. It relevants to the speaker‟s intention.
B. Problem Statement
1. What kinds of indirectness are used by the characters in the film entitled “Easy A”?
2. Why do the characters employ indirectness?
3. How do the interlocutors understand to the indirectness used in the conversation?
C. Research Objectives
1. To figure out the kinds of indirectness used by the characters in the movie entitled “Easy A”
2. To figure out the motives of the characters in using indirectness
3. To figure out how the interlocutors understand indirectness used in the conversation
This research took conversation containing indirectness in the film entitled “Easy A” as the data. The data were analyzed based on the way in uttering indirectness by using the kind of indirectness; the motives of the characters to use indirectness, and the understanding of the interlocutor of indirectness used in the conversation in the film entitled “Easy A”.
E. Research Benefits
1. I expect that this thesis will be beneficial for other students to give some insight concerning indirectness in general
2. I expect that this thesis can be used as source of reference for those who want to conduct further study on indirectness strategy.
F. Research Methodology
This research employed a descriptive qualitative method by collecting data, classifying, analyzing, and interpreting them. The data are the conversations between the main character and the other characters containing indirect utterances in the film entitled “Easy A”. Purposive sampling technique was employed in this thesis in a way that the researcher took samples selectively under several criterias based on the purpose of the study.
This thesis is divided into five chapters, and each chapter consists of several subchapters. The outline of this research is arranged systematically as follows:
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION : Research Background, Problem Statement, Research Objective, Research Limitation, Research benefits, Research Methodology, and Thesis Organization. CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW: Pragmatics, Speech Acts, The Cooperative Principles, and Indirectness. CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Type of Research, Data and Sources of Data, Sample and Technique of Sampling, Equipment of the Research, Technique of Collecting Data, Research Data Coding, Technique of Analyzing Data, and Research Design. CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS: Introduction, Data Analysis, and Discussion. CHAPTER V: CONCLUSSION AND SUGGESSTION
LITERATURE REVIEW
A. Pragmatics
Pragmatics focuses on how language is used in context as stated by Levinson (1983:9). It is the study of the relation between language and context that are grammaticalized, or encoded in the structure of language. It is the study of language usage, or the study of relation between language and context that are basic on an account of language understanding (ibid, 21). In addition, Leech in his book Principal of Pragmatics says that pragmatics is the study of utterance meaning in relation to speech situation (1983:6). It can be said that pragmatics is the study that discuss is the meaning of utterances in regarding to the situation including the addressee and the context where the utterance happens.
However, Yule states that pragmatics involves the interpretation of what people mean in a particular context and how the context influences what is said (1996:3). This means, pragmatics always relates the meaning of utterance with its context where the utterance is delivered. It also means that pragmatics is the study on how the speaker organizes what they want to share in accordance with whom they are talking to, where, when, and under what circumstances.
Furthermore,
George
Keith (in
http://facebooky.org/printthread.php?tid=255) describes that pragmatics is all
This means that both of the speakers and the interlocutors must have high understanding in particular communication. The speakers must be able to depend on a lot of shared assumption and interpretation. By those assumption and interpretation, the hearers get a perception in understanding what is more communicated than it is said.
B. Speech Act
1. Definition
According to Searle (1969) to understand language one must understand the speaker‟s intention. Since language is intentional behavior, it should be treated
like a form of action. Thus Searle refers to statements as speech acts. A speech act is the basic unit of language used to express meaning, an utterance that expresses an intention. Normally, the speech act is a sentence, but it can be a word or phrase as long as it follows the rules necessary to accomplish the intention. When one speaks, one performs an act. Speech is not just used to designate something. It actually does something. Speech act stresses the intent of the act as a whole. According to Searle, understanding the speaker‟s intention is essential to capture the meaning. Without the speaker‟s intention, it is impossible to understand the words as a speech act. There are four types of speech act: utterance acts, propositional acts (referring is a type of propositional act), illocutionary acts (promises, questions and commands) and perlocutionary acts. A perlocutionary act can be used to elicit some behavioral response from the listener. Searle like a form of action. Thus Searle refers to statements as speech acts. A speech act is the basic unit of language used to express meaning, an utterance that expresses an intention. Normally, the speech act is a sentence, but it can be a word or phrase as long as it follows the rules necessary to accomplish the intention. When one speaks, one performs an act. Speech is not just used to designate something. It actually does something. Speech act stresses the intent of the act as a whole. According to Searle, understanding the speaker‟s intention is essential to capture the meaning. Without the speaker‟s intention, it is impossible to understand the words as a speech act. There are four types of speech act: utterance acts, propositional acts (referring is a type of propositional act), illocutionary acts (promises, questions and commands) and perlocutionary acts. A perlocutionary act can be used to elicit some behavioral response from the listener. Searle
2. Speech Act Classification
Yule (1996:53) lists five types of general functions performed by speech acts, which are: declarations, representatives, expressive, directives, and commissives.
1. Declarations
Declarations are those kinds of speech act that change the world via their utterance. The speaker must have a special institutional role in a specific context, in order to perform a declaration appropriately.
Example: Priest: I now pronounce you husband and wife. The speaker (the priest) alters the situation by making an utterance. The
priest has a special role that is to unite a man and woman to be a husband and wife in a wedding ceremony. By declared a man and woman to be husband and wife, their status are no longer single.
2. Representatives
Representatives are those kinds of speech act that state what speaker believes to be the case or not. Statement of fact, assertions, conclusions, and descriptions, as below, are the examples of the speaker representing the world as s/he believes it.
b. The earth is flat The example above describes that the speakers commit in various ways to the truth of their statements. What they said are the truth and things that they believe.
3. Expressive
Expressives are those kinds of speech act that state what the speaker feels. They express psychological states and can be statements of pleasure, pain, likes, dislike, joy, or sorrow. The examples below illustrate that they can be caused by something the speaker does or hearer does, but they are about the
speaker‟s experience.
a. I‟m really sorry!
b. Congratulations!
c. Oh, yes, great, mmmm, sshhh! In using an expressive, the speaker makes words fit the feeling.
4. Directives
Directives are those kinds of speech act that a speaker use to get someone else to do something. They are commands, orders, requests, suggestions, and as illustrated below, they can be positive or negative.
a. Could you lend me a pen, please?
b. Don‟t touch that.
something for the speaker.
5. Commissives
Commissives are those kinds of speech act which are use by the speaker to commit themselves to some future action. They are promises, threats, refusals, pledges.
a. I ‟ll be back
b. I‟m going to get it right next time. The examples above are such kinds of promise that will be accomplished in the future by the speaker.
C. The Cooperative Principles
Grice provides a theory which explains how we correctly interpret what others are implying by universal convention called the Cooperative Principles. Grice calls such principles conversational maxims. The principles can be explained by four underlying rules or maxims.
They are the maxims of quality, quantity, relevance and manner.
a. Quality: speakers should be truthful. They should not say what
they think is false, or make statements for which they have no evidence.
b. Quantity: a contribution should be as informative as is required
for the conversation to proceed. It should be neither too little, nor too much. (It is not clear how one can decide what quantity of information satisfies the maxim in
a given case.) a given case.)
d. Manner: speakers' contributions should be perspicuous: clear, orderly and brief, avoiding obscurity and ambiguity. These maxims are useful for analyzing and interpreting conversation, and may reveal purposes of which (either as speaker or listener) we were not previously aware. Very often, we communicate particular non-literal meanings by appearing to “violate” or “flout” these maxims.
D. Indirectness
1. Definition of Indirectness
A different approach to distinguish types of speech acts can be made on
the basis of structure. In English, there are three basic sentence types that provide
a structural distinction between three general types of speech acts. There is a relationship between the three structural forms (declarative, interrogative, and imperative) and the three general communicative functions (statement, question, command or request). An indirect speech act occurs when there is an indirect relationship between a structure and function. For instance, a declarative and interrogative used to make a request are indirect speech acts (Yule, 1996:54). In
addition, Searle (1975:61, in Allan, 1986:204) states that “in indirect speech act the speaker communicates the hearer more than he actually say by way of relying
on their mutually shared background information, both linguistic and non- linguistic, together with general powers of rationality and inference on the part of on their mutually shared background information, both linguistic and non- linguistic, together with general powers of rationality and inference on the part of
The examples may clarify the explanation:
a. Move out my chair!
(imperative)
b. Do you have to sit on my chair?
(interrogative)
c. You are sitting on my chair.
(declarative) The sentences above have different structures (imperative, interrogative, and declarative), but these different structures are actually to accomplish the same basic function. The basic function of all utterances above is to command in which the speaker wants the hearer not to sit on his/her chair. The speaker wants the hearer moves out from his/her chair. According to the three utterances above, only example (a) represents a direct speech acts, that is an imperative structure as a command. The interrogative structure in (b) is not literally used as a question; hence it is an indirect speech acts (indirectness). The declarative structure in (c) is also an indirect command.
2. Analysis of Indirect and Non-Literal Speech
Dimitracopoulou (1990:61-63) explains the different type of indirect and non-literal speech according to the following criteria:
Indirect Speech Act
Any speech act which was judged as having two illocutionary forces was coded as being an indirect speech act. To judge the presence of an indirect speech Any speech act which was judged as having two illocutionary forces was coded as being an indirect speech act. To judge the presence of an indirect speech
Speaker (S) utters: “there is a tiger there” to the hearer (H). It is a mutual contextual belief that S and H are playing game and the
location of the tiger on the board is irrelevant to the discussion so far. Thus H infers that S could not be merely stating that the tiger is over there. It is a mutual contextual belief that „tigers‟ are dangerous. In stating and give information that
there is a tiger there implied meaning that S requests H not to go near the tiger.
Therefore the utterance “there is a tiger there” is an assertion but under the specific circumstances it also serves additional illocutionary intent and
simultaneously become a request. Bach and Harnis (1970, in Dimitracopolou, 1990:61) state there are three main subcategories of indirectness:
(1) Standardized form
Some forms which appear to be indirect actually behave as if they were direct . This process has been called “standardization” and some typical examples are:
(a) Wh imperatives
e.g Could you lend me your notes? Indirect force: (I request you) to lend your notes. (b) Impositives
e.g Why do not you drink? e.g Why do not you drink?
they are in effective idiomatic and must be learned case by case. Here are some typical examples:
(a) Imperatives
e.g. Just calm down.
(Do not scream)
(b) Interrogatives
e.g. Is not the cake delicious?
(The cake is delicious)
(3) Hints (logical inferences) Hints require a logical inference on the part of the hearer for the
realization of the speaker‟s intention. Hints are employed when the speaker and hearer can rely on shared rules or on shared understanding of habits and motives in familiar step-ups.
Examples: the pen is on the table. (Implying: please take by yourself)
Non_Literal Speech Acts
The speech act is coded as being non-literal where the speaker did not intend the literal meaning of the expressed phrase. There are three main subcategories of non-literally: The speech act is coded as being non-literal where the speaker did not intend the literal meaning of the expressed phrase. There are three main subcategories of non-literally:
the eyes. Man, I would slit my throat rather than say something to someone that
you didn't want me to say. (Adapted from Easy A) It is an overstatement represents that the speaker seriously tells the truth.
(2) Irony, Sarcasm
To recognize sarcastic comments, the hearer must understand that under the particular circumstances the opposite of what is said is actually meant.
e.g: Olive : We haven't talked in a while. How have you been, Brandon? Brandon
: Fabulous. I'm crushing it. Everything’s according to
plan. I wanna be in detention. (Easy A)
(3) Metaphor
Levinson (1983: 148) explains metaphor as follows: The comparison theory: Metaphor are silmiles with suppressed or deletion predications of
silimiarity.
The interaction theory: Metaphors are special use of linguistic expressions where one
„metaphorical‟ expression is embedded in another „literal‟ expression (or frame), such that meaning of the focus interacts with and changes the meaning of the frame, and vice versa.
wanna scream out during climax. (Adapted from Easy A) Rhiannon uses this metaphor to mocking Olive that spending weekend
with George (Olive‟s fictional date) is not as spectacular as spending time with her.
It is an utterance which the meaning is embedded in a literal expression. The meaning can not be interpreted literally based on the literal statement. The meaning should be associated to the interpretation in the literal statement.
3. Kinds of Indirectness
We must consider the notion of Literal Force Hypothesis (LFH) in achieving kinds of indirectness. Levinson explains that LFH occurs when illocutionary force is built into sentence form. Gadzar (1981) has pointed out in Levinson (1983) LFH will amount to subscribing to the following:
(i) Explicit performatives have the force named by the performative verb in the matrix clause. (ii) Otherwise, the three major sentence-types in English, namely the imperative, interrogative, and declarative, have the forces traditionally associated with them, namely ordering (or requesting), questioning and stating respectively (with, of course, the exception of explicit performatives which happen to be declarative format).
according to their force (function) are categorized into indirectness. However, in the real world, people do not always obey such kind of rules and even most usages are indirect. Thus, any usages other than those in (i) and (ii) are indirect speech act (Levinson, 1983:264)
It can be concluded that, according to Levinson‟s view, indirectness can
be divided into two major types, i.e. implicit sentences (implied meaning) and sentences that are not used in accordance with their original function (the mismatch of structural forms of sentence with the original communicative function).
4. Factors of Using Indirectness
Every culture has its own rule of indirectness. Thomas (1995) explains the factors that determine the use of indirectness in all language and culture as the following:
a. Power
We tend to use a greater degree of indirectness with people who have some power of authority to another than those who do not. We would probably be more indirect about conveying to our teamwork because s/he always comes late, than in conveying the same to our sister or brother. It is partly because our teamwork can influence our career in a positive way (reward power) or a negative way (coercieve power). These types of power are most apparent in obviously We tend to use a greater degree of indirectness with people who have some power of authority to another than those who do not. We would probably be more indirect about conveying to our teamwork because s/he always comes late, than in conveying the same to our sister or brother. It is partly because our teamwork can influence our career in a positive way (reward power) or a negative way (coercieve power). These types of power are most apparent in obviously
1. Legitimate Power:
one person has the right to request certain things by virtue of role, age, or status. e.g.
A teacher has the power to give homework to the student or even give a punishment for not do the homework thing.
2. Referent power:
one person has power over another because the other admires wants to be like him/her in some respect e.g. Someone could change his/her attitude in order to follow his/her role
model such as an artist.
3. Expert power: one person has some special knowledge or expert about something that the other person needs.
e.g. A doctor could command a patient not to do this and that because s/he is an expert to heal the patient.
b. Social Distance
The term of social distance is the best seen as a composite of psychologically real factors (status, age, sex, degree, of intimacy, etc) which „together determine the overall degree of respectfulness‟ within a given speech The term of social distance is the best seen as a composite of psychologically real factors (status, age, sex, degree, of intimacy, etc) which „together determine the overall degree of respectfulness‟ within a given speech
c. Size of Imposition
Talking about size of imposition refers to how great is the request we are making. For an instant, we would probably use a greater degree of indirectness in requesting our parents to buy us a car rather than we requesting to buy a book. Requesting for free goods or free services requires minimal degree of indirectness. For example, we would probably use a greater degree of indirectness in requesting someone to translate the article than we would request someone to pass the newspaper.
d. Rights and Obligation
It relates to whether or not the speaker has the right to make particular demand and whether the hearer has the obligation to comply. For example, a policeman could stop or move our car by saying directly as s/he speaking with the capacity as a police officer (in a uniform), but if s/he does not wear the uniform s/he could does the same thing. For example, a policeman, speaking in his capacity as a police officer, could get you to stop you car by saying directly, but It relates to whether or not the speaker has the right to make particular demand and whether the hearer has the obligation to comply. For example, a policeman could stop or move our car by saying directly as s/he speaking with the capacity as a police officer (in a uniform), but if s/he does not wear the uniform s/he could does the same thing. For example, a policeman, speaking in his capacity as a police officer, could get you to stop you car by saying directly, but
5. The Motives of the Use of Indirectness
Thomas (1995) reveals that the variety of reasons has been put forward for the universal use of indirectness, including:
a. Interestingness
People may use indirectness because they enjoy having fun with the language. Indirectness is used to make one‟s language more or less interesting.
Example: Dill : Yeah. I would take a bullet for you. You know that. Right
between the eyes. Man, I would slit my throat rather than say something to
someone that you didn't want me to say.(Easy A) Motives: to attr act the hearer‟s intention
b. Increasing the Force of One’s Language
Indirectness can be employed to increase „the impact‟ of effectiveness of our message. Example:
Olive : Shit. I want a $100 gift card deposited into my locker by noon
tomorrow. Preferably to the Gap, but I will also take Amazon.com or OfficeMax. Actually, make it OfficeMax. I have my eye on a label maker. We did not have sex, okay? I let you fondle my chest, and it was a glorious moment
(Easy A)
c. Competing Goals
Two goals which compete make people employ indirectness. For an instance, if a teacher has to tell a student that the student‟s work is not up to standard, the teacher‟s duty to tell the truth may conflict with the desire not to hurt
the student‟s feeling or discourage him or her. In order to understand what the teacher means, the student must recognize the conflict goals.
d. Politeness
Yule (1996: 60-64) describes about politeness as follows: Being tactful, generous, modest, and sympathetic toward others include
in Politeness. The concept of politeness is „face‟ means the public self-image and it refers to emotional and social sense of self that everybody has and expects
everyone else to recognize. It shows a wareness of another person‟s faces.
If we say something that threat another person‟s self-image, it is called
face threatening act. For an instant, if we use direct speech act to someone (“your‟re boring!”) in the middle of conversation it will hurt others feeling. An indirect speech act in the form of a request (“I‟m terribly sorry, can I leave now?”)
makes the request less threatening to the other‟s person sense of self. Whenever we say something that lessens the possible threat to another‟s face, it is called face
saving act.
connected, to belong, and to be a member of the group while negative face is the need to be independent and to have freedom from imposition.
E. Synopsis of The Movie
Nathaniel Hawthorne's “The Scarlet Letter” is one of subject in English class which inspires a high school girl‟s life in solving her problem. Like most high school kids, Olive Penderghast just wants to be popular. When her best friend, Rhiannon asks Olive how her weekend went, the bored teen decides to whip up a spicy white lie just to make things interesting, but that minor exaggeration begins to take on a life of its own when it reaches the ears of motor- mouth gossip Jesus freak Marianne, and in short the entire student body is abuzz over unassuming Olive's unrepentant weekend of debauchery. Of course not a word of it is true, but that doesn't stop everyone in school from talking, and an amused Olive from deciding to go with the flow. Playing the role of the hussy to the hilt, the girl who used to be invisible begins dressing provocatively and turning heads in the hallways. The students aren't the only ones taking notice, either; Olive's English teacher, Mr. Griffith, is concerned that the kind of attention she's receiving isn't healthy for a developing girl, and his wife, the school guidance counselor, is in full agreement. The only people who seem remotely interested in the truth are Olive's trusting and open-minded parents. As Olive takes note of the parallels between her own situation and the plight of the Scarlet Nathaniel Hawthorne's “The Scarlet Letter” is one of subject in English class which inspires a high school girl‟s life in solving her problem. Like most high school kids, Olive Penderghast just wants to be popular. When her best friend, Rhiannon asks Olive how her weekend went, the bored teen decides to whip up a spicy white lie just to make things interesting, but that minor exaggeration begins to take on a life of its own when it reaches the ears of motor- mouth gossip Jesus freak Marianne, and in short the entire student body is abuzz over unassuming Olive's unrepentant weekend of debauchery. Of course not a word of it is true, but that doesn't stop everyone in school from talking, and an amused Olive from deciding to go with the flow. Playing the role of the hussy to the hilt, the girl who used to be invisible begins dressing provocatively and turning heads in the hallways. The students aren't the only ones taking notice, either; Olive's English teacher, Mr. Griffith, is concerned that the kind of attention she's receiving isn't healthy for a developing girl, and his wife, the school guidance counselor, is in full agreement. The only people who seem remotely interested in the truth are Olive's trusting and open-minded parents. As Olive takes note of the parallels between her own situation and the plight of the Scarlet
F. Review of Related Study
In conducting this research, the researcher includes a related research on indirectness. The researcher considers it as counterpart and source of insight to this research. The related research taken is the research entitled Indirectness in
„Wahyu Jati Wasesa‟, a Title in the Javanese Purwa Shadow Puppet Performance, done by Bambang Setyo Nugroho in 2006.
In Bambang‟s research, he analyzed about the reason of using indirectness proposed by the characters in „Wahyu Jati Wasesa‟, and he discussed about the maxim employed in „Wahyu Jati Wasesa‟, the Javanese Purwa Shadow Puppet Performance.
In this research, the researcher would like to study further about indirectness employed by the characters i n the movie entitled “Easy A”. This research analyzes about the way in expressing indirectness performed by the characters, then provides the motives in using indirectness, and finds out the response of the interlocutor to the indirectness performed in conversation.
containing indirectness utterances employed by the main characters in analyzing indirectness.
Different from the previous research, this research analyses further in providing the way in expressing indirectness, and specifies on the way interlocutor give a respond to indirectness used in the conversation.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. Type of Research
According to Hadi (1983:4) a research is defined as an effort to find,
develop, and examine the truth of knowledge, an effort done by using a scientific methodology. Thus, research methodology is a strategy employed in collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusion to solve problem statements.
This research is a qualitative research. The qualitative research is an inquiry process of understanding based on distinct methodological tradition of enquiry that explores a social or human problem. The researcher builds a complex, holistic picture, analyzes words, reports detailed views of information, and conducts the study in natural setting (Creswell 1998:15)
In doing the research, several ways are considered to the objective of the research. The ways are collecting data, making analysis, and making a conclusion. This kind of research is considered as a descriptive method. According to Hadi, the descriptive method is kind of research method which is applied by collecting data, analyzing them and drawing conclusion without making generalization (1983:3). Due to the definition, this research is valid only for the data used in this research, not for others.
Source of data is the kinds of information researchers obtain on the subjects of their research (Fraenkel, 2000:127). In conducting the research, the data used is selected conversations between the main character and the other characters containing indirectness utterance in the film “Easy A”. The film was selected since it has various kinds of indirectness employed by the characters in the film. The film depicts the everyday life of youth high school students with all the problems dealing with it. It is about how to face the youth’s problems of