ABSTRACT
Rostyaningtyas, Yustina. 2017. Kurt Hummel’s Language Features in Glee Television Series Season 1: A Sociolinguistic Analysis. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.
The use of language by individuals is influenced by many factors. Gender is one factor that influences the use of language. In this research, gender is seen to be different from sex. It is seen as a social construction rather than as a fixed category. As a result, women and men do not stick to one language style but change it based on their social context. Therefore, the researcher was interested in analyzing the women’s language used by a feminine man named Kurt Hummel in Glee Television Series Season 1.
In conducting the research, a research question was formulated: What women’s language features does Kurt Hummel use in his speech inGlee Television Series Season 1?
The research was qualitative research in which discourse analysis was employed to analyze the data. Kurt Hummel’s language features inGlee Television Series Season 1 was used as the primary data. The researcher was the human instrument who was involved significantly collecting the data. Observation checklist was also used as the research instrument to help the researcher analyzing the data to answer the research question.
The researcher identified that women’s language features used by Kurt Hummel in Glee Television Series Season 1 were lexical hedges or fillers, tag questions, raising intonation on declaratives, empty adjectives, intensifiers, hypercorrect grammar, superpolite forms, avoidance of strong swear words and emphatic stress. Meanwhile, the researcher did not find one feature of women’s language which is precise of color terms in KurtHummel’s utterances since it was influenced by the topic discussion. Besides the topic discussion, other factor that influenced Kurt’s language was his identity as a man associated with femininity. Although he was a man, he usedwomen’s language features because he tended not to be certain with his utterances. It confirms Holmes who states the use of hedging and boosting devices are not only influenced by gender but also by power. People who are powerless in the society usually use a relatively high number of these devices.
ABSTRAK
Rostyaningtyas, Yustina. 2017. Kurt Hummel’s Language Features in Glee Television Series Season 1: A Sociolinguistic Analysis. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Penggunaan bahasa oleh individu dipengaruhi oleh berbagai macam faktor. Gender merupakan salah satu faktor yang mempengaruhi penggunaan bahasa. Dalam penelitian ini, gender dipandang berbeda dengan jenis kelamin. Gender dilihat sebagai sebuah konstruksi sosial dan bukan sebagai sebuah kategori tetap. Akibatnya, wanita dan pria tidak hanya menggunakan satu gaya bahasa tetapi mengubahnya berdasarkan konteks sosial mereka. Oleh karena itu, peneliti tertarik untuk menganalisis bahasa perempuan yang digunakan oleh pria feminin bernama Kurt Hummel dalam Glee Television Series Season 1.
Dalam melakukan penelitian ini, terdapat sebuah rumusan masalah: Karakteristik bahasa perempuan apa saja yang Kurt Hummel gunakan dalam Glee Television Series Season 1?
Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif dimana analisis wacana digunakan untuk menganalisis data. Karakteristik bahasa yang digunakan Kurt Hummel dalam Glee Television Series Season 1 digunakan sebagai data utama. Peneliti berperan sebagai “human instrument” yang secara signifikan mengumpulkan data. Observation checklist juga digunakan sebagai instrumen penelitian untuk membantu peneliti dalam menganalisa data untuk menjawab rumusan masalah.
Peneliti mengidentifikasi bahwa karakteristik bahasa perempuan yang digunakan oleh Kurt Hummel dalam Glee Television Series Season 1 adalah lexical hedges or fillers, tag questions, raising intonation on declaratives, empty adjectives, intensifiers, hypercorrect grammar, superpolite forms, avoidance of strong swear word, dan emphatic stress. Sementara itu, peneliti tidak menemukan satu karakteristik bahasa perempuan yang disebut precise color terms dalam ujaran Kurt Hummel karena hal ini dipengaruhi oleh topik diskusi. Selain topik diskusi, faktor lain yang mempengaruhi penggunaan bahasa Kurt adalah identitas Kurt sebagai seorang pria yang dikaitkan dengan feminitas. Walaupun Kurt adalah seorang pria, ia menggunakan karakteristik bahasa perempuan karena cenderung tidak yakin dengan ucapannya. Hal ini menegaskan pernyataan Holmes yang menyebutkan bahwa penggunaan hedging dan boosting devices tidak hanya dipengaruhi oleh gender, tapi juga oleh kekuasaan di masyarakat. Orang yang tidak berkuasa biasanya akan sering menggunakan karakteristik tersebut.
i
KURT HUMMEL’S LANGUAGE FEATURES IN
GLEE
TELEVISION SERIES SEASON 1: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC
ANALYSIS
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Yustina Rostyaningtyas Student Number: 131214113
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
iv
“There is no substitute for
hard work.”
Thomas A. Edison
This thesis is dedicated to:
Antonius Wiryono, Yuliana Saryati,
vii ABSTRACT
Rostyaningtyas, Yustina. 2017. Kurt Hummel’s Language Features in Glee Television Series Season 1: A Sociolinguistic Analysis. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.
The use of language by individuals is influenced by many factors. Gender is one factor that influences the use of language. In this research, gender is seen to be different from sex. It is seen as a social construction rather than as a fixed category. As a result, women and men do not stick to one language style but change it based on their social context. Therefore, the researcher was interested in analyzing the women’s language used by a feminine man named Kurt Hummel in Glee Television Series Season 1.
In conducting the research, a research question was formulated: What women’s language features does Kurt Hummel use in his speech inGlee Television Series Season 1?
The research was qualitative research in which discourse analysis was employed to analyze the data. Kurt Hummel’s language features inGlee Television Series Season 1 was used as the primary data. The researcher was the human instrument who was involved significantly collecting the data. Observation checklist was also used as the research instrument to help the researcher analyzing the data to answer the research question.
The researcher identified that women’s language features used by Kurt Hummel in Glee Television Series Season 1 were lexical hedges or fillers, tag questions, raising intonation on declaratives, empty adjectives, intensifiers, hypercorrect grammar, superpolite forms, avoidance of strong swear words and emphatic stress. Meanwhile, the researcher did not find one feature of women’s language which is precise of color terms in KurtHummel’s utterances since it was influenced by the topic discussion. Besides the topic discussion, other factor that influenced Kurt’s language was his identity as a man associated with femininity. Although he was a man, he usedwomen’s language features because he tended not to be certain with his utterances. It confirms Holmes who states the use of hedging and boosting devices are not only influenced by gender but also by power. People who are powerless in the society usually use a relatively high number of these devices.
viii ABSTRAK
Rostyaningtyas, Yustina. 2017. Kurt Hummel’s Language Features in Glee Television Series Season 1: A Sociolinguistic Analysis. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Penggunaan bahasa oleh individu dipengaruhi oleh berbagai macam faktor. Gender merupakan salah satu faktor yang mempengaruhi penggunaan bahasa. Dalam penelitian ini, gender dipandang berbeda dengan jenis kelamin. Gender dilihat sebagai sebuah konstruksi sosial dan bukan sebagai sebuah kategori tetap. Akibatnya, wanita dan pria tidak hanya menggunakan satu gaya bahasa tetapi mengubahnya berdasarkan konteks sosial mereka. Oleh karena itu, peneliti tertarik untuk menganalisis bahasa perempuan yang digunakan oleh pria feminin bernama Kurt Hummel dalam Glee Television Series Season 1.
Dalam melakukan penelitian ini, terdapat sebuah rumusan masalah: Karakteristik bahasa perempuan apa saja yang Kurt Hummel gunakan dalam Glee Television Series Season 1?
Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif dimana analisis wacana digunakan untuk menganalisis data. Karakteristik bahasa yang digunakan Kurt Hummel dalam Glee Television Series Season 1 digunakan sebagai data utama. Peneliti berperan sebagai “human instrument” yang secara signifikan mengumpulkan data. Observation checklist juga digunakan sebagai instrumen penelitian untuk membantu peneliti dalam menganalisa data untuk menjawab rumusan masalah.
Peneliti mengidentifikasi bahwa karakteristik bahasa perempuan yang digunakan oleh Kurt Hummel dalam Glee Television Series Season 1 adalah lexical hedges or fillers, tag questions, raising intonation on declaratives, empty adjectives, intensifiers, hypercorrect grammar, superpolite forms, avoidance of strong swear word, dan emphatic stress. Sementara itu, peneliti tidak menemukan satu karakteristik bahasa perempuan yang disebut precise color terms dalam ujaran Kurt Hummel karena hal ini dipengaruhi oleh topik diskusi. Selain topik diskusi, faktor lain yang mempengaruhi penggunaan bahasa Kurt adalah identitas Kurt sebagai seorang pria yang dikaitkan dengan feminitas. Walaupun Kurt adalah seorang pria, ia menggunakan karakteristik bahasa perempuan karena cenderung tidak yakin dengan ucapannya. Hal ini menegaskan pernyataan Holmes yang menyebutkan bahwa penggunaan hedging dan boosting devices tidak hanya dipengaruhi oleh gender, tapi juga oleh kekuasaan di masyarakat. Orang yang tidak berkuasa biasanya akan sering menggunakan karakteristik tersebut.
ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my gratitude to those who helped me to finish my thesis. First of all, I praise Jesus Christ, the One that makes everything possible, for His endless blessing and guidance for me in finishing my thesis.
My special gratitude goes to my thesis advisor, Truly Almendo Pasaribu, S.S., M.A., for her guidance, constructive feedback, helpful suggestions, encouragement, and contributions to help me finish my thesis. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to all lecturers in ELESP for the valuable knowledge that I have learned throughout my four-year study in Sanata Dharma University. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my beloved family for their limitless love, patience, and support. I also owe gratitude to my friends, especially my classmates for the sharing and friendship.
Finally, I would thank all people whose names cannot be mentioned one by one, who gave contributions to the completion of this thesis.
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... i
APPROVAL PAGES ... ii
DEDICATION PAGE ... iv
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY... v
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... vi
ABSTRACT... vii
ASTRAK ... viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS... x
LIST OF TABLES ... xii
LIST OF FIGURE ... xiii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION... 1
A. Research Background... 1
B. Research Question... 5
C. Research Significance ... 5
D. Definition of Terms... 6
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF REKATED LITERATURE... 9
A. Theoretical Description... 9
1. Language and Gender ... 9
2. Femininity and Masculinity ... 10
3. Women’s Language ... 11
4. Women’s Language Features... 12
5. Discourse Analysis ... 16
B. Theoretical Framework ... 16
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ... 18
xi
B. Research Instrument and Data Gathering Technique... 19
C. Data Analysis Technique ... 21
CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH RESULT AND DISCUSSION ... 23
A. Kurt Hummel’s Language Features... 23
1. Lexical Hedges or Fillers ... 25
2. Intensifiers... 27
3. Superpolite Forms ... 30
4. Emphatic Stress... 32
5. Hypercorrect Grammar ... 34
6. Raising Intonation on Declaratives ... 35
7. Tag Questions ... 37
8. Empty Adjectives ... 39
9. Avoidance of Strong Swear Words... 41
10. Precise Color Terms ... 42
CHAPER V: CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ... 45
A. Conclusions ... 45
B. Implications ... 46
C. Recommendations ... 46
REFERENCES... 48
xii
LIST OF TABLES
xiii
LIST OF FIGURES
1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of four sections that discuss the introduction to the
research. The first section is research background that covers the general
information related to the topic and the reasons why the researcher chose the topic. The second section is research question, that is used as a guideline to this study. The next section is research significance that identifies the contribution of the study for some parties. The last is definition of terms that defines the keywords or phrases used in the study.
A. Research Background
Language is defined as system of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. Thus, language is used by individuals to communicate with each other in society. The use of language by individuals is influenced by many factors, such as geographical and social mobility, gender and power, age, audience, identity, and social network relations (Milroy & Milroy, 2012).
include women’s and men’s speech has been of particular interest to sociolinguists until now. Therefore, it is interesting to discuss the relationship of language and gender.
In this research, gender is seen to be different from sex. Butler (1990) says that gender is culturally constructed; gender is neither the casual result of biology nor as seemingly fixed as sex. Since gender is culturally constructed, it cannot be said to follow a specific sex in any one way. The construction of “men” will not always interpret the male bodies or likewise, the word “women” will not always interpret the female bodies. The word “man” and “masculine” might signify a female body where“woman”and“feminine”may signify a male body. Similar to Butler (1990), Holmes (2013) also states:
Approaching gender identity as a construction, rather than as a fixed category, is useful in accounting for examples where women adapt masculine contexts, and men adapt to feminine context by using features which indirectly index or are associated with masculinity and femininity (p. 320).
a sports club. They use features which index femininity such as avoiding strong swear words and encouraging their addressee to talk.
According to Lakoff (1975), there are 10 linguistic features of women’s language, including: lexical hedges or fillers, tag questions, rising intonation on declaratives, ‘empty’ adjectives, precise color terms, intensifiers, ‘hypercorrect’ grammar, ‘superpolite’ forms, avoidance of strong swear words, and emphatic stress.
The use of women’s language features can be found not only in the real life but also in the movies. For this study, the researcher analyzes women’s language features from a television series titled Glee. In this study, the researcher is interested in analyzing Kurt Hummel’s language as seen inthe Glee Television Series Season 1. Kurt Hummel becomes the focus of this study because he is seen to be a feminine
male in the television series. Figure 1.1 shows how Kurt Hummel adapts feminine traits. It can be seen that Kurt uses sponge and wears bandana when he cleans his face. It is similar to what usually women do. Thus, Kurt is seen as a man who adapts feminine traits.
Kurt is also having a tendency of using women’s language features. Kurt, in the one of the episodes uses question tags and emphatic stress forms, that can be seen in the following excerpts:
(1) Since you are separated from your wife you spend most of your evenings in front of reruns of New York police, doesn’t it?
(2) One, I’m a sucker for makeovers, and two, you need something to distract from your horrible personality----You are extremely talented, Rachel.
Kurt uses a question tag in excerpt [1] and emphatic stress in excerpt [2]. According to Lakoff (1975), these two features usually belong to women’s language features because women are claimed to have less confidence to talk. Lakoff (1975) argues that women are generally lacking status in society because they are more subordinate than men. Therefore, women are more aware of the way they talk by hedging and boosting their utterances to attract the addressee’s attention. A question tag is usually used by women to ask confirmation from the addressee, and emphatic stress is usually used to emphasize or strengthen the speaker’s statements.
language features used by feminine male is one of the language and gender issues in Sociolinguistics that is important to be learned by English Language Education students and other parties. Third, the phenomenon can be found in the daily life. However, it can also be found in a television series. The television series can be used as media for English Language Education students to learn Sociolinguistics about women’s language features.
B. Research Question
To guide the researcher in conducting this study, a research question is formulated. The following is the research question:
1. What women’s language features does Kurt Hummel use in Glee Television Series Season 1?
C. Research Significance
The researcher believes that this study will be useful and beneficial for some parties who want to know more about the useof women’s language features.
1. English Learners
2. English Teachers
This study is useful and beneficial for English teachers. This study also contributes to the language study development as an additional source in teaching and learning. The English teachers, especially those who teach Sociolinguistics can usethis study in preparing the material about women’s language features.
3. Future Researchers
The researcher hopes that this study can be an appropriate reference for the future researchers who are interested in conducting research on language and gender andwomen’s language features. The researcher believes that this study will provide information needed by futurewomen’s language featuresresearchers.
D. Definition of Terms
In order to give more understanding for the readers, this section defines some main terms which are frequently used in this research. There are three terms namely women’s language features,feminine men, and Glee television series.
1. Gender
2. Feminine
The word “feminine” cannot be separated from the word “masculine”. Those words describe gender identity. Since “feminine” is described as gender identity, it is shaped by the socio-cultural, not biology process. The socio-cultural process allows both male and female to exhibit feminine traits. It is possible for one to be male and see himself as feminine. The word feminine means having or showing qualities or characteristics more often associated with women.
3. Women’s Language Features
Culturally, gender is one of the factors that influences someone in using language. Therefore, women and men are different when they use language. Women are considered as weak creatures, so many people assume that women’s language is also weak. According to Lakoff (1975), women are disempowered by being constrained to use “powerless” language, ways of speaking that simply are not very effective of getting others to think or see what the speaker wants them to.
Based on Lakoff’s theory, there are 10 linguistics features of women’s language, they include: lexical hedges or fillers, tag questions, rising intonation on declaratives, ‘empty’ adjectives, precise color terms, intensifiers, ‘hypercorrect’ grammar, ‘superpolite’ forms, avoidance of strong swear words, and emphatic stress.
4. Glee Television Series
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series. It aired on the
9 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter consists of two sections: theoretical description and theoretical framework. The first section is theoretical description that provides the theoretical review related to the topic of this research. The second section is theoretical framework which provides information about the relation between the theories and
the research question of this research.
A. Theoretical Description
In this theoretical description section, the researcher discusses the theoretical review related to the topic of this research. There are four main parts in this section: language and gender, femininity and masculinity, women’s language, and women’s language features.
1. Language and Gender
explain that, “gender can be the actual content of a linguistic sign (p. 60)”.It can be considered that gender contributes to communicative practice in different ways.
Gender influences an individual in using language. Men and women are different when they use language to communicate. Based on Kramer (1977) as cited by Spender (1980, p. 33):
English speakers believe that men’s speech is forceful, efficient, blunt, authoritative, serious, effective, sparing and masterful. Women usually are seen by one side because women are regarded as weak creatures. It is different from what they believe about women’s speech which is weak, trivial, ineffectual, tentative, hesitant, hyper polite, euphemistic and is often marked by gossip and gibberish.
Men are seen to be effective when they use language. It is different from women who are lack of power in society. Women’s speech is powerless sothat they need to be careful in using language. Therefore, both men and women have different ways in expressing their utterances through the language they use.
2. Femininity and Masculinity
socially constructed, it is possible for a female to see herself as masculine or a male to see himself as feminine.
People have views of themselves about being feminine and masculine. Some people are more feminine, some more masculine, and some perhaps a mixture of masculine and feminine. Those views reflect their gender identity and guide them to behave in society. In Glee Television Series Season 1, Kurt Hummel is the first openly gay character. He is physically seen as a man. However, he adapts more feminine context rather than masculine context. It reflects from the way he sees himself, and the way he behaves and talks in his society.
3. Women’s Language
The language used can show the nature and the role of an individual in society. Women and men use language differently, especially when they are speaking. Women are claimed to have less confidence to talk than men since women are considered powerless. Edward states that “the eternal stereotypes of women are weak, changeable and unreliable, endlessly, talkative” (2009, p. 127).
4. Women’s Language Features
Lakoff (1975) creates a list that shows women’s tendency in using language. Lakoff (1975) describes that women’s speech is characterized by linguistic features such as the following:
a. Lexical Hedges or Fillers
Lakoff (1975) describes lexical hedges or fillers as one of the characteristics of women’s language features.Lakoff (1975) defines hedges as words that convey the sense that the speaker is uncertain about what he or she is saying or cannot vouch for the accuracy statement (p. 53). The use of hedges by women occurs as a fully legitimation when they are unsure of the fact or statement, and justifiable when they try to mitigate the possible unfriendliness or unkindness of statement. You know, short of, well, you see are examples of lexical hedges or fillers.
b. Tag Questions
Tag question is one of the women’s language features. This feature usually shows women’s insecurity and hesitancy in their speech. Lakoff (1975) observes that women use question tags more frequently than men. She defines tag-question as:
a declarative statement without the assumption that the statement is to be believed by the addressee: one has an out, as with questions. Tag gives the addressee leeway, not forcing him to go along with the views of the speaker (Lakoff 1975, p. 16).
into two functions. The first is facilitative that shows speaker’s solidarity or positive attitude to the addressee. The second is softening that shows politeness or speaker’s concern for addressee’s feeling (Holmes, 1986, p. 3). Tag questions are used by women in many ways. For examples, She is really nice, isn’t she?, really?, See?, …, you know?, and many others.
c. Rising Intonation on Declaratives
Rising intonation on declaratives is one of women’s features according to Lakoff (1975). She defines raising intonation in declaratives as:
a peculiar sentence intonation pattern, found in English as far as I know only among women, which has the form of a declarative answer to a question, and is used as such, but has the raising inflection typical of a yes-no question, as well as being especially hesitant (Lakoff 1975, p. 17).
Women use this feature by raising the pitch of their voice in the end of statements when they express their uncertainty. For the example,It’s really good?, Dinner’s in half an hour?.
d. Empty Adjectives
e. Precise Color Terms
Men and women are different in using their verbal skills and controlling different aspects of English speech and vocabulary. Lakoff (1975) state:
Women make far more precise discriminations in naming colors than do men; words like beige, ecru, aquamarine, lavender, and so on are remarkable in a woman’s active vocabulary, but absent from that of most men (p. 8).
According to Lakoff (1975), the color discrimination happens since women are not expected to make decisions on important matters like men in society, they are relegated the noncrucial decision as a sop. Deciding whether to name a color “lavender” or “mauve” is one such sop. Therefore, women have richer vocabulary than men in areas that are their specialty.
f. Intensifiers
According to Lakoff (1975), women’s language is powerless; women’s position that is inferior to men’s is reflected in heavy use of intensifying adverbs. Olson (2000) states that intensifiers act as a boosting device in language. The term intensifier describes the linguistic expression of amplifying the meaning of a descriptive word, often an adjective or adverb, within an utterance. Intensifier is used to emphasize another word that comes after it. The examples of intensifiers include: so, very, and totally.
g. Hypercorrect Grammar
forms when they are speaking to reflect politeness. Women may use more standard forms as a way of retainingtheir societal value, as “society tends to expect ‘better’ behavior from women” (Holmes, 1998, p. 172).
h. Superpolite Forms
Superpolite also reflects social politeness. It is described by Lakoff (1975) as “leaving decisions open, not imposing your mind, or views, or claims, on anyone else” (p. 56). While it may be a polite command, it does not need obedience overtly, but it suggests something to be done as a favor to the speaker. For the example, If you don’t mind, Please may you…, That really means a lot.
i. Avoidance of Strong Swear Words
Eckert (2003) says that “swearing is kind of interjection that can express extreme statements.” Swearing is considered as an expression of very strong emotion. In society, women are expected to be good. They are not allowed to speak roughly. Therefore, women tend to avoid using strong wear words. The words such as my dear, goodness, and my fudge areoften found in women’s language as stated by Lakoff (1975).
j. Emphatic Stress
assertion (Lakoff, 1975). For example, It was a BRILLIANT performance, I had a BEST DAY ever!, among other.
5. Discourse Analysis
Human life and communication are the focus of discourse analysis. Different social context leads to different discourse. Gee (2001) mentions that discourse analysis is an analysis of spoken and written language as it is used to enact social and cultural perspectives and identities (p. 1). According to Brown and Yule (1983), discourse analysis applied two different functions of language. The first function is transactional function that refers to the function which language serves in expression of content. The second function is interactional function that refers to the function that involves expressing social relations and personal attitudes (p.1).
B. Theoretical Framework
In this section, the researcher presents the elaboration of how the theories are used to answer the research question. In this research, Lakoff’s theory on women’s language features is used by the researcher to answer the research question. Lakoff’s theory is used to analyze Kurt Hummel’s utterances in Glee TV Series Season 1. The ten features are used in examining the data. The data are
18 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, the researcher explains the methodology that is used to
answer the research question of this study. There are three sections in this chapter.
The first section is research method that explains the methodology used by the researcher in conducting this research. Then, the second section is research instrument and data gathering technique that explain the kinds of instruments the researcher used and how the researcher gathered the data for this research. The last is data analysis technique section that discusses how the researcher analyzed the data to answer the research questions.
A. Research Method
The goal of this research is to identify the women’s language features that are used by Kurt Hummel’s character inGlee Television Series Season 1. Women’s language features are a part of gender and language issues studied in sociolinguistics. In this research, the researcher analyzes the data from sociolinguistic perspective. Sociolinguistics studies the relation between language and society (Holmes, 2013). Trudgill (1974) also says that sociolinguistics is the field that studies the uses of language and the social structures in which the users of language live.
findings not arrived at by statistical procedures or other means of quantification. Tables and numbers in this research were used as tools to describe the phenomenon under study hereinafter it is called as descriptive qualitative research (Latief, 1999). The researcher applied discourse analysis in analyzing the data. In this research, the researcher concerned with the use of women’s language features bya feminine male named Kurt Hummel. Thedata, that is Kurt Hummel’s speech, were taken from Glee Television Series Season 1. The written transcripts were also used to help the researcher analyzed the data.
B. Research Instrument and Data Gathering Technique
In this research, the researcher is the primary instrument because the researcher decides the topic to be analyzed, chooses the instrument to collect data, reads the documents, and selects the data. The researcher also interprets the data through analysis and writes the conclusion. This approach is in accordance with Ary, Jacob, Sorensen, and Razavieh (2010), who state in qualitative studies, the investigator is the data gathering instrument whereas he or she reads the documents and records the information in the field notes.
To answer the research question of this research, the researcher searched the related data from the books, journals, and trusted websites in the Internet. The data analyzed by the researcher were collected from Glee Television Series Season 1 and its transcripts.
an observer is going to look for when observing the data. The observation checklist helped the researcher to classify and note the features used by Kurt Hummel in Glee Television Series Season 1.
Table 3.1The Observation Checklist of Women’s Language Features Used by Kurt Hummel in Glee Television Series Season 1
No Utterance Women’s Language Features
LH/F TQ R EA C I HG SP SS ES
Table 3.1 was the observation checklist used by the researcher in classifying the data. It contains Kurt’s utterances in Glee Television Series Season 1 and ten women’s language features proposed by Lakoff (1975). It was used by the researcher by giving a tick to a suitable feature column for each utterance.
LH/F= lexical hedges/fillers TQ= tag question
R= raising intonation on declaratives EA= ‘empty’ adjectives
C= precise color terms I= intensifier
HG= ‘hypercorrect’ grammar SP= ‘superpolite’ forms
SS= avoidance of strong swear words ES= emphatic stress
The researcher analyzed Kurt Hummel’s speeches inGlee Television Series 1, which included twenty-two episodes. First, the researcher looked for all episodes
C. Data Analysis Technique
In this research, the data analysis technique was done in some steps. First, the researcher observed Kurt Hummel in some episodes of Glee Television Series Season 1. The episodes that have been chosen were representing how Kurt Hummel
use women’s language features. Second, the researcher analyzed Kurt’s speech in the selected episodes from the Glee Television Series Season 1’s transcripts. The analysis would answer the research question that has been formulated in the first chapter.
In this step, the researcher used an observation checklist (see Table 3.2) to analyze Kurt Hummel’s utterances in Glee Television Series Season 1. In completing the table 3.2, the researcher identified the women’s language features that was used by Kurt by pacing a thick sign (√). After completing the observation checklist, the researcher counted the frequency and the percentage of each feature and put it into a table (see Table 3.3). It is done to help the researcher explained of the findings.
2. I’mmadly in love with
Finn. √
3. Well, hello, Finn Hudson. √
4.
The palate in here is totally unflattering to your skin tone.
The table above shows the observation checklist that used by the researcher to analyze the women’s language features of Kurt Hummel in Glee Television Series Season 1.Women’s language features that is possible to be used by Kurt consist of lexical hedges/fillers, tag questions, raising intonation on declaratives, empty adjectives, precise color terms, intensifiers, hypercorrect grammar, superpolite forms, avoidance of strong swearwords, and emphatic stress.
Table 3.3 Women’s Language Features used by Kurt Hummel
No Features of Women's
23 CHAPTER IV
RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter presents the data findings gained from the study undertaken
and discusses them to answer the research question formulated in Chapter I. This
chapter discusses the language features of Kurt Hummel used in Glee Television Series Season 1.
A. Kurt Hummel’s Language Features
This study focuses on the women’s language features in Kurt Hummel’s utterances, a male character who is feminine in Glee Television Series Season 1. In this research, gender is seen to be different from sex that is more biological. Therefore, gender is not a fixed category but a social construction. In this section, the researcher organizes Kurt’s utterances into a table, classifies them into some features, and uses a checklist for the suitable features.
Table 4.1 Women’s Language Features in Kurt Hummel’sUtterances in Glee
Television Series Season 1
No Features of Women's Language The Frequency of Each Feature
The Percentage of Each Feature
1 Lexical Hedges/Fillers 62 29.808%
2 Tag Questions 5 2.404%
3 Raising Intonation on Declaratives 12 5.769%
4 Empty Adjectives 4 1.923%
5 Precise Color Terms 0 0.000%
6 Intensifiers 35 16.827%
7 Hypercorrect Grammar 26 12.500%
8 Superpolite Forms 30 14.423%
9 Avoidance of Strong Swear Words 3 1.442%
10 Emphatic Stress 31 14.904%
Total Features 208 100%
in declaratives (5.769%), 5 tag questions (2.404%), 4 ‘empty’ adjectives (1.923%), and 3 avoidances of strong swear words (1.442%). The last is precise color terms feature (0%), which does not appear at all in the data classification of Kurt’s utterances in Glee Television Series Season 1. To support the data presentation, the researcher provides and discusses the evidences of women’s language features uttered by Kurt in Glee Television Series Season 1.
1. Lexical Hedges or Fillers
Lakoff (1975) describes lexical hedges or fillers as one of the characteristics of women’s language features.Lakoff (1975) defines hedges as words that convey the sense that the speaker is uncertain about what he or she is saying or cannot vouch for the accuracy statement (p. 53). Lexical hedges or fillers that Lakoff (1975) means are the frequent use of words such as well, you know, sort of, kind of, I guess, I think, umm, and oh. The use of hedges by women occurs as a fully
legitimation when they are unsure of the fact or statement, and justifiable when they try to mitigate the possible unfriendliness or unkindness of statement. Lakoff as cited in Holmes (1992, p.316) claims that “hedging devices explicitly signal lack of confidence and women’s insecurity”. In Kurt’s utterances, lexical hedges or fillers are the most frequent features he used in all episodes, as many as 62 times. He uses lexical hedges and fillers such as I guess, I think, well, kind of, you know, sort of, oh and um.
unitard, a skintight one-piece garment with long legs and long sleeves; which is usually worn by women. Suddenly, his father came home and asked him what kind of clothes he was wearing. At that time, Kurt was confused to tell his father about the clothes. In excerpt [1], it shows that Kurt uses filler uh in his utterance while he is thinking what to say in order to not say something wrong to his father.
[1] KURT:Dad! You’re home early.
BURT: Deadliest Catch is on. What are you wearing?
KURT: It’s a unitard, guys wear them to,[uh], work out nowadays. Do sports. They wick sweat from the body.
The filler uhin Kurt’s utterance shows his insecurity. However, it helps to protect him from the negative effect of his statements. The filler uh that he uses provided him some time to look for the best words he should use in answering his father’s question. It also prevents him from making any mistakes in his speech.
Lexicalhedges also appear in some of Kurt’s utterances. In the first episode titled Pilot, he uses the words kind of to interact with his addressee. When Kurt and his Glee Club friends practiced to sing a new song, one of his friends, Mercedes, did not want to be a background singer. However, Kurt thought that it was the first time his Glee Club sang well. When he uses the word kind of, there is an indication that Kurt is lacking confidence in his Glee Club, and he is trying to avoid it in his speech without altering the meaning.
[2] MERCEDES: Oh, hell to the no. Look, I’m not down with this background singing nonsense. I’m Beyonce, I ain’t no Kelly Rowland. WILL:Okay, look Mercedes, it’s just one song.
KURT:And it’s the first time we’ve been[kind of] good.
or not. However, instead of showing his uncertainty, he uses the word kind of to hedge his speech in order to hide it.
From all episodes, the hedging Kurt usually uses is I guess. He uses I guess as hedging when he has a conversation with his friends or coach. The excerpt [3] is one of the evidences the researcher found from all of the episodes of Glee Television Series Season 1.
[3] MERCEDES: You shouldn’t be ashamed of who you are, Kurt. You should just tell people, especially the kids in Glee. The whole point of the club is about expressing what’s really inside you, remember? KURT:I can’t I’m just not that confident,[I guess].
When Kurt’s friend, Mercedes, told him not to be ashamed and to tell the truth to all of his Glee Club members, but still Kurt was afraid. He thought that all of his friends would not accept him after knowing the facts. From the lexical hedges and the statement that he has said in the excerpt [3], it is clear that he is lacking confidence. Even though he has clearly stated that he is not confident, he still uses a hedging I guess in order to strengthen his statement.
Briefly, Kurt says some utterances by using fillers and lexical hedges, which do not alter the main idea of his statements. From all the episodes, the researcher also finds that Kurt underestimated himself; he uses fillers or lexical hedges to strengthen his utterance when he is lack of confidence and avoid making mistakes. As a result, his addressee is not confused and able to understand what Kurt is saying.
2. Intensifiers
Intensifier is used to emphasize another word that comes after it. Women are more likely to use intensifies such as so, much, quiet, and vastly than men (Key, 1972). According to Lakoff (1975), women’s language is powerless; women’s position that is inferior to men is reflected in heavy use of intensifying adverbs. Olson (2000) presumes intensifying acts as a boosting device in language. Women use intensifiers to strengthen what they want to express. Kurt in his utterances also uses intensifiers. From all the episodes, 35 intensifiers appear in Kurt’s utterances. The intensifiers that he used are really (11), so (6), too (4), very (3), obviously (2), totally (2), clearly, dangerously, exactly, extremely, fantastically, wholly and madly. All of the intensifiers he used are in the form of adverbs.
In Kurt’s utterances,really is the most frequent intensifiers he used. Here is one evidence from episode 18 titled Laryngitis where Kurt used the word really as an intensifier.
[4] SUE:Hey, lady face I notice you weren’t at Cheerios practice yesterday, and I don’t look kindly on absenteeism.
KURT: ….something happened yesterday that [really]upset me. It’s my dad. He’s the most important thing in the world to me……
In the excerpt [4], the intensifier really is used by Kurt to emphasize the word upset. It is used to express his feeling to his addressee. He wants his addressee to know that he is not only upset but really upset.
[5] KURT: Make what official?
MERCEDES:You know, that we’re dating.
KURT:I’m sorry, Mercedes, but I thought I made it[very]clear. I’m in love with someone else.
Excerpt [5] is taken from episode 3 titled Acafellas. It shows that Kurt uses the intensifier very to emphasize the word clear in his statement.
[6] FINN:I can’t, okay! I can’t! I’m sick and tired of people pushing me to be somebody I’m not.
KURT: Your lashing out at me is [fantastically] compelling and inappropriate.
The excerpt [6] from episode 10 titled Ballad is a little bit different from the other intensifiers. If we take a look at the situation, it can be seen that Kurt is annoyed by Finn’s statement. He uses the intensifierfantastically also to emphasize his feeling. However, it is interesting that Kurt chose a positive word as the intensifier when he is annoyed. The researcher assumes that Kurt does it to control the dialogue and his emotion. According to Brower and Darrington (2012), negative patterns of communication can often lead to greater frustration and escalation of conflict. Therefore, Kurt does not want to use a negative word to make a conflict with Finn since he wants their duet to still run well.
[7] KURT: ...and if we want to take it to the next level, we have to start respecting each other as individual, [really]see each other…...
In short, women’s language that is considered powerless can be seen from the use of intensifiers. It is used to emphasize their utterance to draw their addressees’ attention since women’s language is lacking in power. Kurt uses intensifiers in his speech that are commonly used by women. He uses them to attract his addressees’ attentionby emphasizing his feeling or statement of his utterances.
3. Superpolite Forms
Superpolite form is one of women’s language features described by Lakoff (1975). She describes super polite as leaving decisions open, not imposing your mind, or views, or claims, on anyone else, and reflecting social politeness. While it may be a polite command, it does not need obedience overtly, but is suggesting something to be done as a favor to the speaker (Lakoff, 1975, p. 56). From the data classification, it is found that Kurt used superpolite forms in some episodes of Glee Television Series Season 1.
In Glee Television Series Season 1, Kurt uses 30 superpolite forms in his utterances. The superpolite form appears the most in the episode 15 titled The Power of Madonna as much as 6 times. One superpolite form used by Kurt in this
episode is mentioned in the excerpt below.
[8] KURT: [I would like to honor her contributions by tackling a multi-media project with Mercedes.]
WILL: Great. Go for it, Kurt.
decision in using the word honor reflects the social politeness. Besides, he also uses it to show his admiration toward Madonna.
Kurt also applies superpolite forms when he asks permission to talk to the addressees as seen in the excerpt [9] from episode 15, [10] from episode 16, and [11] from episode 17.
[9] KURT: Ms. Sylvester,[we’ d like a word.] [10] KURT: Mr. Schue? [If I may?]
[11] KURT: Mr. Schuster, [may I be blunt?]
From those three excerpts, the researcher finds that when it comes for Kurt to talk to people who are older than him, he uses superpolite forms. First, Kurt is not imposing his addressee to listen to what he is trying to say. However, he tries to be polite by asking permission for him to talk first and then deliver his idea. Second, his expressions reflect social politeness. From excerpts [9], [10], and [11], Kurt uses formal or polite modals to ask for his addressee’s permission. Instead of usingcan, he uses may and would as the modals in his utterances. Even in the excerpt [9] when the modal would is shortened intowe’d, it does not reduce its politeness level.
Another superpolite form is found in the episode 10 when Kurt helped Finn, his crush, to find an outfit that suited him. When Finn thanked Kurt for helping him, Kurt answered him by using a superpolite form as seen in the excerpt [12].
[12] FINN:Thanks for coming over, Kurt. I know you’re into fashion and that kind of stuff. And I need to find something nice to wear to the Fabray’s for dinner, so…
From the excerpt [12], Kurt uses the word could which is classified as a formal or polite modal. He also uses the word pleased and honored which usually are used in a formal situation. The utterance becomes superpolite because he uses those words not in a formal situation and not to the older people but to his friend. The researcher assumes that Kurt uses a superpolite form to show that he is glad to be able to help Finn as his friend. Also, he wants to build and protect his good reputation in front of his loved one.
Briefly, Kurt uses superpolite form in his utterances in some episodes of Glee Television Series Season 1. His choices of words such as pleased, honored,
would, could, and may make his utterances become superpolite. It happens because
Kurt tries to keep his good reputation in his society. As a different kid, he does not want to be underestimated by people around him. Rather than imposing his addressees or being rude in front of them, he considers it would be better for him to use the superpolite form.
4. Emphatic Stress
[13] KURT: I used Marlene Dietrich and Garry Cooper in Morocco as my inspiration. It’s [a perfect blend] of the masculine and feminine; the muted and the theatrical.
FINN: Are you freaking insane? I can’t live here. I’m a dude. What the hell is that supposed to be?
When Kurt redecorated his room that would be shared with his brother-in-law to be, Finn, he said a perfect blend of the masculine and feminine. The phrase a perfect blend that he uses is an emphatic stress with the aim to emphasize the meaning of
his utterance. He wants to show that the room is suitable for them. In this case, the emphatic stress shows Kurt’s attitude toward the room. In Kurt’s opinion, the room is just perfect for Finn and him. However, it seems like Finn does not like it.
Another emphatic stress is also found in the episode 10 titled Ballad and 18 titled Laryngitis. The researcher provides the evidence for each episode in the excerpts below.
[14] KURT: It’s my dad. He’s[the most important thing] in the world to me. I love him, and I’m afraid that I might be losing him because my…sexuality.
[15] KURT: He was my knight in shining armor. My feeling lingered [stronger] as we bonded over Glee. Then football. Then skin care.
Excerpt [14] and [15] show the emphatic stress that is used by Kurt. Both of the emphatic stress are used to emphasize his utterances. Both also show his point of view; it is only based on Kurt’s feeling. It can be different from others’ perspectives. As an evidence in the excerpt [14], he wants to show that his father is the most important person for him while perhaps for his friend, Kurt’s father is not that important.
can be shown from the emphatic stress he used. It is because the emphatic stress shows someone’s attitude toward something or someone where other people can have other points of view.
5. Hypercorrect Grammar
Hypercorrect grammar is related to the superpolite form feature. Lakoff (1975) stated that hypercorrect grammar is the consistent use of standard verb forms. Agreeing with Lakoff, Holmes (2001) also stated that women are subordinate to men, so that they must avoid offending them and should speak with standard forms. According to Pan (2011), hypercorrect grammar involves an avoidance of terms considered vulgar or coarse as ain’t and use of precise pronunciation such as sounding the final g in words such as going instead of the more casual goin’. Instead of saying the word ain’t or goin, women prefer to use the formal forms of those word like is not, are not, am not forain’t or getting for getting’.
Based on the data classification, there are 25 hypercorrect grammar features that appears in Kurt’sutterances from some episodes. The researcher provides some evidences of hypercorrect grammar used by Kurt that can be found in the seventh, twelfth, and twentieth episodes.
[16] KURT: [She told me if I even talked to one of Mr. Shue’ s kids that she would shave my head.]
[17] KURT: [Based on my investigation, I am of the opinion that a yearbook photo would only fuel the flames of anti-glee-club terror.]
It can be seen from the three excerpts above that Kurt keeps using the standard verb forms in his utterances. He uses it even when he speaks to his friends in a non-formal situation. The researcher assumes that Kurt does not want to look rough. From those three excerpts, the researcher also finds out that Kurt chooses not to abbreviate some words like she would intoshe’d and I am intoI’m. It occurs not only in those three excerpts but almost in all Kurt’s utterances. In the excerpt [18], when Kurt talks to Finn about their shared room as a step-brother to be, he also uses standard verb forms. Instead of using a non-formal form of going, he preferred to use the formal one.
According to Lakoff (1975), women tend to use the hypercorrect grammar because in society, they are not allowed to talk harshly. Women tend to avoid using terms that are considered vulgar or coarse (Pan, 2011). Kurt is trying to keep his attitude in front of people and does not want to look rough which can damage his reputation. Here, the researcher finds an indication that Kurt applies hypercorrect grammar in his speech in order to keep his good reputation in society. Therefore, he tries to use the right and polite form so his society will recognize him as a good person.
6. Raising Intonation on Declaratives
Television Series Season 1, Kurt Hummel applies this feature in his speech and it
appears 12 times or in 6.769% of his utterances reflecting women’s language features. The researcher provides some evidence from the selected episode.
The first evidence can be found in the fourth episode titled Preggers. The raising intonation on declarative feature occurs when Kurt was auditioning for the role of kicker in the football team. The utterance can be seen in excerpt [19].
[19] KURT: That was good, right? FINN: Aha, yeah.
KURT: [That was good?]
Excerpt [19] shows how Kurt raises his intonation after he kicks the football. The ball that goes all the way through the uprights at a high velocity makes him asks his friend, Finn, whether it is good or not and Finn says yes. Hearing Finn’s answer, Kurt raises his intonation when he says that was good? since he is still not sure of what he has done. He applies it in order to ask for confirmation from his addressee whether his kick is satisfactory or not.
[20] KURT: So, [they just kicked her out?]
FINN: Yeah. Gave her half an hour to pack. Father set the timer on microwave.
The second evidence can be seen from the excerpt [20]. It is taken from episode tenth from Glee Television Series Season 1. When Kurt and Finn are talking about Quinn, Kurt raises his intonation when he says they just kicked her out? to get a confirmation from Finn about Quinn’s condition.
[21] BURT: Maybe I got carried away doing stuff with Finn, but you know, I told you this thing with you was going to be hard.
KURT: Thing with me. [You mean being gay?]
BURT: Yeah. Being gay. Look, I will fight to the death for your right to love whoever you want.
In that situation, Kurt wants to ask his father confirmation about what he means by saying you mean being gay? as seen in the excerpt [21].
In short, Kurt Hummel applies raising intonation on declaratives in his speech which are usually used by women. Women use them when they are hesitant and need confirmation from each other. Here, Kurt also use the feature since he is hesitant or not sure with himself. He needs confirmation from his addressee to make him convinced. Most of this feature’s utterance used by Kurt were in the form of yes-no questions.
7. Tag Questions
Lakoff (1975) proposed that tag questions are used when a speaker is stating a claim, but lacks full confidence in the truth of that claim. The examples of tag question areisn’t it?, right?, anddon’t we?appear in the final statement. Holmes (1986) states that there are two functions of tag questions; they are modal meaning and affective meaning. The affective meaning is divided into two, they are facilitative, and softening. In Glee Television Series Season 1, it is found that Kurt applies this feature five times. The researcher provides the evidences taken from episodes 4, 8, 17 and 20 below.
[22] KURT: That was cool, [right?]
[24] KURT: And loaded with empty calories. You know why they call them slushes,[don’ t you?]
[25] KURT:Ever since you separated from your wife, you’ve spent a lot of late nights watching reruns of Law and Order,[haven’ t you?]
[26] KURT:If you’re gonna say something, say it loud,[right?]
From the excerpts above, Kurt used the tag questions ‘right?’ twice, and ‘don’t you?’,‘haven’t you?’, and‘can we?’once. When Kurt has finished kicking the ball in the football player audition, he asked Fin about his kick. As can be seen in the excerpt [22], Kurt asks that was cool, right?. The researcher assumes that Kurt actually knows that his kick is good. However, he facilitates other to agree with what he has said, by using right as a tag question.
Excerpts [23] and [24] are taken from episode 8. From excerpt [23], the researcher believes that Kurt knows that Glee Club cannot let Finn be kicked from the football team. Therefore, he asks we can’t have that, can we? to ask for his friends’ confirmation. Kurt also tries to ask confirmation from his teacher, Mr. Schue by applying a tag question as can be seen in the excerpt [24]. He needs confirmation whether Mr. Schue knows why people named the drink slushes.
The last evidence can be found in the episode 20. When Kurt’s father asked Finn and his mother to move to his house, Finn did not look happy. Then, Kurt facilitates Finn to express his feeling. Kurt applies a tag question right? to ask Finn about what he wants to say. From all the tag questions that Kurt uses, the researcher assumes that Kurt needs to get another person’s legitimation or confirmation to make him convinced.
The same with raising intonation in declaratives, a tag question is also a feature used usually by women. The use of those features by women indicate that they are in doubt with what they are saying. Looking at their position in society that is inferior to men, they are also afraid that they will not be listened to by their society. Therefore, they use both raising intonation and tag questions to hide their insecurity and hesitancy. Kurt applies tag questions because he is hesitant with his statement. He tries to hide it by using tag questions in the end of his sentences. The tag question is in the form of yes-no questions and enforces his addressee to listen and give legitimation to him. So, the addressee will be more convinced with his statement.
8. Empty Adjectives
in the Glee Television Series 1 uses four empty adjectives. They are sweet, magical, lovely, and fascinating.
The researcher provides the evidence of Kurt’s utterances in using those adjectives in the excerpts below.
[27] MERCEDES: Damn, Kurt, this car is fly.
KURT: My dad got it for my [sweet] 16 after I swore to stop wearing formfitting sweaters that stop at the knee.
[28] KURT: I hit it, the high F. The [magical] note I need for “Defying Gravity”. I hit it. It means I’m going to win.
[29] KURT:That’s why I asked you about the swatches. And don’t sweat that old chair. I have a [lovely] chaise picked up.
[30] BURT: No, it’s about how the 80s were a tough time for a lot of people, and, y’know, the American dream isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. KURT: Hmm. [Fascinating.] Hey why don’t we go grab a couple burgers, and, uh, you can tell me more about it?
From the excerpts, it can be seen that Kurt uses some adjectives usually used by women. The researcher believes that Kurt uses those adjectives to show his approbation or admiration toward something. Those adjectives also used to emphasize his utterance. As seen in the excerpt [27], he approbates his 16thbirthday in front of his friends. For him, his 16th birthday was really special and unforgettable. Therefore, he uses an empty adjective to show his emotion feeling. In excerpt [28], Kurt admires a note from Defying Gravity’s song by using the word magical. The researcher assumes that Kurt knows that it is the highest note in the
show his approbation toward his father’s speech. He also uses it to emphasize his utterance so his father knows that Kurt has interest in the discussion.
In brief, Kurt uses empty adjectives that are usually used by women to show his approbation and admiration toward something. He also uses them to emphasize the utterance of his speech.
9. Avoidance of Strong Swear Words
Eckert (2003) suggests that “swearing is a kind of interjection that can express extreme statements.” He also states that by swearing, people show their expression of very strong emotion. When it comes to men and women to use swear words, women are more careful and tend to avoid using them. These words such as my dear, goodness, and my fudgeare often found in women’s language as stated by Lakoff (1975). On the contrary, these words such as damn and shit often appear in men’s language.
From all episodes in Glee Television Series Season 1, it is found that Kurt avoids to use strong swear words. In the episode 15, he avoids to use strong swear words once and in the episode 20 twice. The evidences can be seen in the excerpts below.
[31] (KURT sees SUE down the hallway) KURT: Oh, dear.
[32] RACHEL: Which led me to Jocelle Fabrics. I asked them about red Chantilly lace. They were sold out.
MERCEDES: Oh, sweet Jesus. KURT: Oh, my.
[33] AZIMIO: I believe I will. (to Karofsky) Sir, would you like to go first? FINN:You’re not hitting anyone.
AZIMIO:Is he wearing a red rubber dress or am I trippin’?
Excerpt [31] is found in the episode 15 titled The Power of Madonna. When he was talking with his friend, he suddenly saw his teacher, Ms. Sue, walking down the hallway. He noticed something different in Ms. Sue’s appearance and he was shocked. Instead of using strong swear words such as shit to show his feeling, he prefers to use the word oh, dear.
The next two excerpts, [32] and [33], from episode 20 titled Funk also show Kurt that avoids to use strong swear words. Both also happen when he is shocked. In the excerpt [32], Kurt uses the word oh, my when he was shocked because the red Chantilly lace was sold out in the store. He could not believe that his club rival used it to do their next project. The word oh, my God is used by Kurt when he sees Finn’s appearance. As Kurt knew, Finn did not want to wear any theatrical costume related to Lady Gaga. However, in the end of this episode, Finn was willing to wear it and it made Kurt shocked.
From those three excerpts, the researcher assumes that Kurt does not want to swear and say something wrong or bad that might be heard and hurt the addressee’s feelings. The researcher also believes that Kurt wants to be seen as a good boy in society.
10. Precise Color Terms
his speech. There are some color terms Kurt actually used in his utterances like white, and black as can be seen in excerpt [34] and [35].
[34] KURT: Mercedes is [black]; I’m gay. We make culture.
[35] KURT: Their school statue is a giant bronze of great [white] shark eating a seal pup.
However, those colors are classified into general language. It can be found easily both in men and women’s language. So, the researcher did not classify those colors into precise color terms as women’s language features.
The researcher believes that the feature is not found in Kurt’s utterances. In the Glee Television Series Season 1, even though Kurt talks about fashion in his speech, the researcher finds that he never relates it to color terms. Also, the topics he usually discussed with his addressee mostly had a relation with music and songs, which has no relation with color.
45 CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter consists of three sections. The first section is conclusion that sums up the research results and discussion of the research. The second is implication that presents the contribution of this study for language teaching. The last section is recommendation which give suggestions regarding the topics in this research to the readers who have an interest in the similar topic.
A. Conclusions
There is one main point as conclusion of this research. It refers to the research result and discussion in accordance with the research question; what women’s language features does Kurt use inGlee Television Series Season 1? From the data, the researcher discoverednine out of ten women’slanguage features used by Kurt in his utterances in Glee Television Series Season 1. The features were lexical hedges or fillers (29.808%), intensifiers (16.827%), emphatic stress (14.904%), ‘superpolite’ forms (14.423%), ‘hypercorrect’ grammar (12.500%), raising intonation on declaratives (5.769%), tag questions (2.404%), empty adjectives (1.923%), and avoidance of strong swear words (1.442%).
B. Implications
This study gives implications on educational purposes. For educational purposes, this study contributes beneficial information of language and gender and women’s language features to the practice of English teaching, especially sociolinguistics. Sociolinguistics is a part of linguistic knowledge that is important to be learnt by English learners. The information in this study can be used as an additional source both for the teachers and learners.
This study provides explanation on how women’s language features used by men. Therefore, this study helps the English learners not only to understand each feature of women’s language but also to know how gender and other factors influence individuals in adapt the features in their speech. This study also raises awareness that one utterances can have more than one functions. Therefore, learners need to pay attention to the context of the utterances to avoid misunderstanding. Beside the information provided in this research, the television series also can be used as teaching media in Sociolinguistic class. It will help the students learn and understand sociolinguistic materials.
C. Recommendations
1. English Learners
This research is beneficial for the English learners who are interested in sociolinguistics. The researcher recommends that English learners use this research to enrich their knowledge about women’s language features. The finding and discussion of this research can help the English learners to understand that gender is not a fixed category, and it influences the use of language by individuals. The English learners also can understand that women’s language also can be used by men.
2. English Teachers
This research is useful for the English teacher. The researcher recommends that English teacher use it as an additional source in teaching and learning. The English teacher, especially those who teach sociolinguistics, can use the finding of this study in preparing the material about women’s language features or related materials.
3. Future Researchers
