Institutional Repository | Satya Wacana Christian University: Language Style by Radio Broadcaster toward Different Audiences

Language Style by Radio Broadcaster toward Different Audiences
Martinus Ronald Christian

Abstract
Many studies generally examine the language use from the speaker’s point of
view. This study sees if the language style use is also influenced by the audiences,
namely audience design Bell in Coupland (2007). Inspired from the use of language
style, this study attempts to analyze the use of formality and informality by the radio
broadcaster toward different audiences. The use of formality and informality of
language style is important because a radio broadcaster must be capable to
differentiate the language style based on the audience’s background. The research
question is ‘how is the use of formality and informality by the radio broadcaster
toward the different audiences?’ This study uses audience design method, which
proposes that linguistic style-shifting, occurs primarily in response to a speaker's
audience Bell in Coupland (2007). The result of the study shows that a radio
broadcaster changes his language style depending on his audience. He uses more
formal language to talk to the adult audience, because he wants to create a close
formal interaction situation as he did not know the audience’s level of age. In contrast,
he uses informal language to the young audience, because he wants to make a liberate
conversation, because a language style that is used by young people is mostly
informal.

Key words: language style, formality, informality, audience design.