LINGUISTIC FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS OF
WOMEN LANGUAGE WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE
TO SOUL SURFER MOVIE
Ni Made W.B. Megasari Bintang
1201305064
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF ARTS
UDAYANA UNIVERSITY
This paper is submitted as a partial fulfillment
to obtain the Sarjana Sastra degree
at the English Department, Faculty of Arts,
Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali
Approved by the Examination Board
of the English Department,
Faculty of Arts,
Udayana University
Denpasar, April 2016
NIP. 195901091984032001 M.Hum, M.App.Ling
NIP.197603252005022007
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I praise God the Almighty, Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa for
His blessing and grace that this undergraduate thesis could be completed. The
thesis is aimed to fulfill one of the requirements for obtaining bachelor degree at
the English Department, Arts, Udayana University. During the process in writing
the thesis, there are many participation and assistance of so many people whose
names may not all be enumerated. Their contributions are sincerely appreciated
and gratefully acknowledged. Therefore I would like to thank for those who
helped me directly and indirectly.
I would like to express my greatest gratitude to my first supervisor Dr. Ni
Wayan Sukarini, M.Hum and my second supervisor A.A Agung Shanti Sari
Dewi, S.S., M.Hum, M.App.Ling for their constant encouragement and insightful
comments and advices throughout the process in completing the thesis. Besides
my supervisor, my sincere thanks also goes to Putu Ayu Asti Senja Pratiwi, S.S.,
M.Hum as my academic supervisor for her unflagging willingness to advice,
assist and accompany me during my academic years.
I also owe important thanks to the following: Prof. Dr. Ni Luh Sutjiati
Beratha, M.A., the Dean of Faculty of Arts, Udayana University; I Gusti Ngurah
Parthama, S.S., M.Hum the Head of English Department; and all of the lecturers
ii
Then I thank my beloved family for the love, supports, advices and every
single thing they gave me; I am in debt in very many ways. To my very special
friends – Moksa group, thank you for the humor and friendship we shared.
Finally my appreciations go to all members of English Department class 2012.
I hope this paper will be useful for those who may need the information of
women language. I realize this paper is far beyond perfect due to my lack of
knowledge and experience in doing academic research, and thus, any comment
and suggestion will be highly appreciated.
Denpasar, February 2016
iii ABSTRACT
This paper entitled Linguistic Features and Functions of Women Language with Specific Reference to Soul Surfer Movie is aimed at identifying the
types of women’s linguistic features found in the movie and analyzing the functions of each type of women’s linguistic features.
The main theory applied in the study is theory proposed by Robin Lakoff in her book Language and Woman’s Place (1973). Lakoff stated that there are some linguistic features which distinguish women language from men language. Lakoff divided the linguistic features into two parts – lexical features and syntactical features. The lexical features consist of color terms, particles and evaluative adjectives while the syntactical features consist of tag- questions, rising intonation on declaratives and politeness in requests and orders. Lakoff theory (1973) also used in analyzing the functions of each type of women’s linguistic features. In addition, theory proposed by Dell Hymes in his book Foundations in Sociolinguistic: An Ethnographic Approach (1974) used in
analyzing context of situation as supporting theory of the functions of women’s
linguistic features.
The study uses an American biographical film entitled Soul Surfer movie as data source. The movie is chosen as the data due to its richness in women’s linguistic features. The data is in the form of dialogues between each character in the movie which involves some utterances either uttered in same sex conversation or in different sex conversation.
The finding of the analysis showed that the women’s linguistic features found in the movie include particles, evaluative adjectives, tag-questions and politeness in requests and orders. Most of the women’s linguistic features are
uttered by female characters. Although the ratio of the use of women’s linguistic
features uttered by women is higher than the use of the features uttered by men, it is possible for men to use women’s linguistic features as in the analysis of syntactical feature – politeness in requests and orders which shows that men and women have the same chance in using women’s linguistic features. In general, the finding of the analysis of functions of women’s linguistic features is aimed to be polite and avoiding strong expressions. In specific, each type has different function based on the context in which it is used.
iv
1.5.2 Methods and Techniques of Collecting Data ...5
1.5.3 Methods and Techniques of Analyzing Data ...6
CHAPTER II
2.2.2 Concept of Women’s language ...11
2.2.3 Concept of Women’s linguistic features ...12
2.2.4 Concept of Context ...12
2.3 Theoretical Frameworks ...13
2.3.1 Types of women’s linguistic features ...14
2.3.2 Functions of Women’s Linguistic Features ...18
v CHAPTER III
LINGUISTIC FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS OF WOMEN LANGUAGE
WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO SOUL SURFER MOVIE ...22
3.1 Types of women’s linguistic features ...22
3.1.1 Lexical Features ...22
3.1.2 Syntactical features ...31
3.2 Functions of women’s linguistic features found in Soul Surfer Movie ...49
3.2.1 Lexical Features ...49
3.2.2 Syntactical features ...59
CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION ...70
Bibliography ...73
1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Language takes an important role in the society. It has function as a means
of communication and to create social relationship within the society. In recent
years, there has developed an approach to linguistic research which focuses upon
language in use within the speech community. The term is called sociolinguistics.
Sociolinguistics is the study of the relationship between language and its
context in which it is used. Sociolinguistics covers the knowledge of how people
speak differently in different social context. It also concerned in identifying the
social functions of language and the ways it is used to convey social meaning
(Holmes, 1992:1). In sociolinguistics, language can be differentiated by the
gender of the participants.
Gender in language investigates varieties of speech associated with a
particular gender or social norms for such gendered language use. Gender in
language differentiates two kind of language; men’s and women’s language. Men
and women are so different in the means of communication that it is almost as if
they speak separate languages.
There are many differences in men’s and women’s language. The syntactic
differentiations between men and women deal with directive speech. Men often
2
saying something like “why don’t we do this for awhile?”. The initial study of
women language is associated with Lakoff and her book entitled Language and
Woman’s Place (1973) displaying the linguistic features of women as the
reflection of women powerlessness. “The marginality and powerlessness of
women is reflected in both the ways women are expected to speak, and the ways
in which women are spoken of”.
Different from Lakoff, one perspective derives from the works of Erving
Goffman (1961). For Goffman, Power does not inhere in any particular action in
itself. Rather, an act acquires meaning only as a "move" in a "game." Before
addressing the "powerfulness" of any given language feature, we should
determine within which linguistic game this move is being played.
Many researchers have been experimented on women language trying to
figure out their characteristics and their speech function. However, there still
many pros and cons of women language. Thus, women language becomes a very
interesting subject to be analyzed.
1.2 Problems of the study
Based on the background above, the problems of this study are formulated
as follows:
1. What types of women’s linguistic features are found in Soul Surfer movie?
2. What are the functions of those women’s linguistic features found in Soul
3
1.3 Aims of the study
In accordance with the problems of the study, the aims are formulated as
follows:
1. To identify the type of women’s linguistic features found in Soul
Surfer movie
2. To analyze the functions of women’s linguistic features as represented
by female characters in Soul Surfer movie
1.4 Scope of discussion
Related to the problems which have been mentioned above, the scope of
discussion in this study focuses on linguistic features of women’s language as
represented by both male and female characters in the movie as well as the
functions of those women’s linguistic features. The focus of discussion is limited
to:
1. The speech presented by female and male characters from the movie.
Men’s speech is used as a comparison to women’s speech in order to
achieve objective result of analysis. Those speeches are analyzed in
terms of linguistic features based on theory proposed by Lakoff in her
book Language and Woman’s Place (1973).
2. The functions of women linguistic features as represented by female
character in Soul Surfer movie based on theory proposed by Lakoff
4
used to support the analysis of the function based on the context of
situation.
1.5 Research method
Research method is needed in a scientific research. In general, it defines as
all of the ways or procedures used in conducting a research. The Advanced
Learner’s Dictionary of Current English defined research as a careful
investigation through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge
(1952:1069). Research Method related to the study can be defined as the
systematic steps of investigation of phenomenon found in movie in search for new
facts and knowledge in linguistics branch.
1.5.1 Data Source
The data of this study is a primary data which taken from the original
source – movie. It is taken from the dialogue between each character in the Soul
Surfer movie. The data used in this study are some utterances uttered either in
same sex conversation or in different sex conversation. Soul Surfer movie is an
American biographical sports film directed by Sean McNamara. The movie
released in April 8, 2011. The story is based on the 2004 autobiography Soul
Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by
Bethany Hamilton. Besides the film itself, the movie script of this film is also
used in obtaining the data. The movie was chosen due to its richness in women’s
linguistic features based on Lakoff theory. Moreover, movie is an art in which
5
1.5.2 Methods and Techniques of Collecting Data
The method used in collecting the data is documentation method.
Documentation method involves the study of existing documents in the form of
written or electronic documents. The data obtained by watching the movie as well
as reading the movie script. There are several techniques used in collecting the
data. It includes; observing the utterance uttered in the movie carefully followed
by observing the context of the situation, reading the movie script carefully,
repeatedly and intensively while watching the movie in order to get a good
understanding of the data. Other technique to be used is the note-taking technique
to jot down the women’s linguistic features found in the data. The last step in
collecting the data is selecting and noting the relevant data which considered as
linguistic features of women’s language.
1.5.3 Methods and Techniques of Analyzing Data
The study uses descriptive-qualitative method in analyzing the data.
Qualitative means that the data is analyzed by describing specific situation or
phenonomenon found in the movie in order to get better understanding of some
aspects in women’s language. Then, the result described descriptively. Some steps
in analyzing data of this study presented as follows:
1) First, the obtained data is categorized based on the types of women’s
linguistic features theory by Lakoff (1973)
2) Then, each of the type is analyzed based on the function of the women’s
6
supporting theory by Dell Hymes of about the ethnography of SPEAKING
7 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURES, CONCEPTS AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 Review of literatures
This subchapter is about the reviews of four undergraduate theses and one
international journal related to the topic of this study.
Frankie Subon’s article in International Journal edited by International
Organization of Scientific Research (IOSR) “Journal of Humanities and Social
Science” discussed about the differences in linguistic features in the speech of
men and women in Malaysia, the most preferred topics of conversation by men
and women and which gender used more polite linguistic forms. In this article, the
data was taken from the conversation record of men and women. The purpose of
his study is to analyze the differentiation of linguistic features of men and women
speech and also to identify which gender used more polite linguistic forms. The
theories applied here were from Newell & Simon (1972) Olshavsky (1977) Mann
(1983) cited in Seliger & Shohamy (2008). The result of his study has revealed
there are differences in linguistic features in the speech of men and women.
Although there is a similarity in term of directness in speech, the differences are
prevalent in the use of the terms of address, humor, questions, verbosity,
adjectives, politeness and the topics of conversations. Nevertheless, only slight
differences are found in the use of other features such as fillers, hedges and
8
of the studies is both study analyze the women linguistic features. The strength of
this article is: it is not only focuses on women linguistic features but also men
linguistic features. However, the theory applied in both studies is different and
unlike the article, this study focuses on the functions of the women linguistic
features as well.
Bakarbessy (2011) in her thesis entitled “The Comparison of Men’s and
Women’s Language in Top Four Hosts of America TV Talk Show in Twitter”
discussed about women’s and men’s linguistic features. She also analyzes the
functions of women’s linguistic features. In this thesis, the data was taken from
social media twitter especially the host of America TV Talks Show. The theories
applied in her study were the theory of women language proposed by Lakoff
(1975) and the theory of men’s language proposed by Holmes (1992). The finding
of her thesis showed that the women’s linguistic features found in the twitter
include the use of lexical hedges or fillers, empty adjectives, intensifier (so),
super-polite form, and emphatic stress. In women’s twitter also found the men’s
linguistic feature such ungrammatical form. Then, the men linguistic features
found in the twitter include the use of grammatical form and the use of impolite
form like swearing word. There also found women’s linguistic feature in men’s
twitter such; the use of super-polite forms. The similarity of the study is, both
studies trying to identify women’s linguistic features and their functions using
Lakoff theory (1975). The difference of the study is the data to be analyzed. Anny
9
a movie. A movie has certain advantages as a source of the data since it allows us
to see the expression and the context of situation.
Marvina (2013) in her thesis entitled “Women’s Language in Wild Child
Movie” discussed about types of women’s linguistic features as well as the
function of each feature. The data used in the study was taken from the Wild Child
movie. The data were categorized based on theory proposed by Lakoff (1975) –
types of women’s linguistic features and the function of women’s linguistic
features. The thesis also used supporting theory proposed by Holmes (1992) and
Coates (1986). The finding of the study showed that there are some features found
in the movie. It includes; the use of hedges or fillers, tag questions, rising or
question intonation, empty adjective, intensifier, hypercorrect grammar, super
polite form, the avoidance of strong swear word, and emphatic stress. Moreover,
the analysis of the study shows that women’s linguistic feature were to show
speaker’s strengthened assertion, the speaker’s admiration for something, and to
emphasize speaker judgment of something. The similarity of the study is trying to
analyze the types and function of women’s linguistic features. Both of the study
also used movie as data source. Although both of the study uses Lakoff theory, the
version of the theory was different. Her thesis used Lakoff theory (1975) while the
study used Lakoff theory – Language and Woman’s Place (1973). A supporting
theory of context proposed by Dell Hymes (1974) also used in the study.
Purnama (2009) in her thesis entitled “The Analysis of Men and Women’s
Language Styles with Reference to Interview Articles of Seventeen and
10
and women’s language styles followed by which style is commonly used in the
data. The data of the thesis was taken from publish material from Seventeen and
Cosmo Girl Magazine’s interview articles. The theories applied in her study was
Coates theory (1986) stated that there some areas of difference between men’s and
women’s language in terms of verbosity, tag questions, questions, commands and
directive, swearing and taboo language. Another theory was female and male
conversational styles theory proposed by Martin Joos (1959). The finding of the
study showed that the differences of men and women’s language styles influenced
the style used in the interview. Style used in interview is mostly consultative to
casual style. The similarity of the study is trying to analyze the women’s
language. However, the theory applied was different. Unlike her thesis, the study
uses Lakoff theory which differentiated the women linguistic features into ten
types. In addition, the study also analyze the function of each features based on
the context of the situation.
Kurniawati (2009) in her thesis entitled “Women Language with Reference
to A Novel Entitled Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte” discussed about the types of
women’s linguistic features and the form of politeness in the data. In the thesis,
the data was taken from a novel entitled Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte.
The theory applied in her thesis was mainly based on Lakoff theory of women
language (1975). Other theories were proposed by Holmes (1992), Coates (1986),
and Hornby (1995). The finding of her study shows that the women’s language
features found in the novel were “empty” adjectives, question intonation and
11
avoidance of strong swear words, emphatic stress, and precise color terms.
Another finding of her study shows the form of politeness found in the novel; they
are formality and camaraderie form. The similarity of the study is, both studies
analyze the women’s language specifically their linguistic features. However, the
form of the data used is different. Helen in her thesis uses a novel as data source
while the study uses a movie.
2.2 Concepts
There are several concepts used in the study. It includes; concept of
language, concept of women’s language, concept of women’s linguistic features
and concept of context.
2.2.1 Concept of Language
According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary (1995), Language is
the system of sounds and words used by humans to express their thoughts and
feelings; a particular way or style of speaking and writing. A language is a system
of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group co-operates (Bloch
and Trager, 1942). Chomsky stated that language is a set of finite number
sentences, each finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of elements
(Noam Chomsky, 1957)
2.2.2 Concept of Women’s language
Women language is a language that signifies the characteristic of women
such as avoids direct and forceful statements. For Lakoff, there is a great
12
speech.’ According to her, in a male-dominated society women are pressured to
show the feminine qualities of weakness and sub ordinance toward men. (Lakoff,
1973)
2.2.3 Concept of Women’s linguistic features
Women’s linguistic features are several aspects of linguistics differences
(phonology, morphology, semantics and syntax) between women and men in
which indicates the characteristics of women’s speech. According to Lakoff, there
are several linguistic features in which characterized women speech; color terms,
particles, evaluative adjectives, tag-questions, and related aspect of intonation in
answer to request and of requests and orders. (Lakoff, 1973: 45)
2.2.4 Concept of Context
Context is a phenomenon on which the interpretation of an utterance
depends. It is a dynamic concept on which the participants in the communication
process rely to interact and in which the linguistic expressions of their interaction
13
2.3 Theoretical Frameworks
The study mainly focuses on sociolinguistics field since the objects of the
research are language particularly women’s language and how it is used in
society. The main theory about women language to be used is Robin Lakoff
theory in her article entitled Language and Woman Place (1973).
Lakoff began the study of women language and differentiated them from
men language. According to her study, there are several lexical (color terms,
particles, evaluative adjectives) and syntactical (tag-questions, and related aspect
of intonation in answer to request and of requests and orders) features to
distinguish women language from men language (1973:45). Her theory used in
indentifying the types of linguistic features used by women speech compared to
men speech in the movie. According to her, there are some reasons and purpose
why women use certain lexical and syntactical features of speech. Her theory was
chosen due to its relevancy with the topic of the study which tries to analyze the
types of linguistic features of women speech that distinguish them from men
language as well as the function of those linguistic features of women speech.
In addition, a supporting theory used in analyzing context of situation by
Dell Hymes in his book Foundations in Sociolinguistic: An Ethnographic
Approach (1974). He mentioned the SPEAKING model can be used to identify
and label the component of linguistic interaction that was driven by his view that,
in order to speak a language correctly, one needs not only to learn its vocabulary
but also the context in which words are used. Hymes constructed the acronym,
14
sequence, key, instrumentalities, norms, and genre (Hymes, 1974:53-62). His
theory used in determining the context of speech situation supporting the second
theory –function of women’s linguistic features.
2.3.1 Types of women’s linguistic features
Robin Lakoff in her book Language and Woman Place (1973) divided
several linguistic features which differentiated women language from men
language. There are two main types of the features; lexical features and
syntactical features.
2.3.1.1Lexical Features
In general, the terms lexical has strong relation to items of vocabulary in
Language. Lakoff divided linguistic features of women language into two main
parts – lexical features and syntactical features. Lexical features focuses on the
lexical items used in an utterance.
1. Color terms
Lakoff stated that women make far more precise discriminations in
naming colors than men do; words like beige, ecru, aquamarine, lavender, and so
on are unremarkable in a women's active vocabulary, but absent from that of most
men (1973:49). Lakoff has seen man helpless with suppressed laughter at a
discussion between two other people as to whether a book-jacket was to be
described as 'lavender' or 'mauve'. She claimed that men find such discussion
amusing because they consider such a question trivial, irrelevant to the real world.
15
forming any special impression of her as a result of the words alone; but if the
man says it, one might well conclude he was either imitating a woman
sarcastically, or a homosexual, or an interior decorator (1973: 49)
2. Particles
Lakoff in her article experimented on the use of ‘meaningless’ particles by
both woman and men. She claimed that the ‘stronger’ expletives are reserved for
men and the ‘weaker’ ones for women as she illustrated in the following example:
(a) Oh dear, you’ve put the peanut butter in the refrigerator again.
(b) Shit, you’ve put the peanut butter in the refrigerator again.
Lakoff stated that it can be classified that the first sentence as part of
women language while the second as men language. She explained that the
difference between using ‘shit’ (or damn, or one of many others) as opposed to
‘oh dear’, or ‘goodness’, or ‘oh fudge’ lies in how forcefully one says how one
feel (1973:50).
3. Evaluative adjective
There are also adjectives that besides their specific and literal meaning
used to indicate the speaker’s approbation or admiration for something. Lakoff
mention that some of these adjectives are neutral as to sex of speaker: either men
or women may use them. But another set seems, in its figurative use, to be largely
confined to women’s speech (1973:51). For example:
Neutral Women only
great adorable
16
cool sweet
neat lovely
divine
Example:
(a): What a sweet and charming young men you are.
2.3.1.2Syntactical Features
Lakoff categorized tag-questions, rising intonation on declaratives and
politeness in requests and orders as part of syntactical features. These features are
different from lexical features in which lexical features focuses on lexical item of
an utterance. If the lexical features tend to focus on the form, the syntactical
features focus on the meaning of the utterance.
4. Tag-questions
Lakoff stated that one makes statement when one has confidence in his
knowledge and pretty certain that her or his statement will be accepted by the
addressee while one asks question when one lacks knowledge on same point. A
tag question according to her is used in between these. She explained that a tag is
midway between an outright statement and a yes-no question: it is less assertive
than the former, but more confident than the latter (1973:54)
Example:
17
5. Rising intonation on declaratives
Lakoff mentioned in her essay, there is a peculiar sentence intonation
pattern found in English as far as she knows only among women. This sentence
has the form of a declarative answer to a question but has the rising inflection
typical of a yes-no question (1973:56)
Example:
A: When will dinner be ready?
B: Oh… around six o’clock?
6. Politeness in requests and orders
Lakoff claimed that the more one compounds a request, the more
characteristic it is of women’s speech, the less of men’s. She explained the
concept by giving some sentences as follows:
(a). Close the door
(b). Please close the door
(c). Will you close the door?
(d). Will you please close the door?
(e) Won’t you close the door?
According to her, (e) has been classified as a compound request. Sentence
(c) is closer to “are you willing to close the door?” and according to normal rules
of polite conversation; to agree that you are willing is to agree to do the thing
asked of you. Lakoff also mentioned that phrasing it as a positive question makes
18
as a more polite request than (c) or (d) because sentence (C) and (d) put the
burden of refusal on the addressee. In the sentence (e) the addressee is much freer
to refuse. The more one compounds a request, the more characteristic it is of
women’s speech, the less of men’s. A sentence that begins with “Won’t you”
seems to have a distinctly unmasculine sound. Little girls are indeed taught to talk
like little ladies, in that their speech is in many ways more polite than that of boys
or men, and the reason for this is that politeness involves an absence of a strong
statement, and women’s speech is devised to prevent the expression of strong
statements (1973:57-58).
2.3.2 Functions of Women’s Linguistic Features
Lakoff in her book Language and Woman Place (1973) mentioned that
each type of women’s linguistic features has different purpose and reasons.
2.3.2.1Lexical Features
Lakoff divided women’s linguistic features into two main parts – lexical
features and syntactical features. Lexical features consist of color terms, particles
and evaluative adjectives
1. Color Terms
According to Lakoff, women used fine discrimination in colors since
women are not expected to make decisions on important matters, like what kind of
job to hold, they are more concern on the non-crucial decisions as in naming
colors like ‘mauve’ or lavender. Lakof stated that men tend to relegate to women
19
2. Particles
The use of certain particles like shit, damn, oh dear, goodness, or oh fudge
indicates the relationship the speaker feels between himself and his addressee,
between himself and what he is talking about. Lakoff mentioned that the
difference between using 'shit' (or 'damn', or one of many others) as opposed to 'oh
dear', or 'goodness', or 'oh fudge' lies in how forcefully one says how one feels -
perhaps, one might say, choice of particle is a function of how strongly one allows
oneself to feel about something. Women avoidance of strong expletives has
function to loosen the strength of emotion conveyed in a sentence as well as to be
a ‘lady’ like. Lakoff stated that high spirit (throwing tantrums or showing temper)
are expected and tolerated when it is done by men while women are not consider
as a serious individual in the means that they are not supposed to show their
emotion (1973:50)
3. Evaluative adjectives
Lakoff claimed that the ‘women only’ adjectives indicate the speaker’s
approbation or admiration for something. These kinds of adjectives are more
restricted than neutral adjectives as it commonly used in woman to woman
20
2.3.2.2Syntactical Features
Lakoff divided women’s linguistic features into two main parts – lexical
features and syntactical features. Syntactical features consist of tag questions,
rising intonation on declaratives and politeness in requests and orders.
4. Tag questions
A tag question is used when the speaker is stating a claim, but lacks of full
confidence or truth in the claim, thus it is used by women to show their
uncertainty about their utterance as well as to seek for confirmation by the
addressee. A tag question also gives the addressee leeway, not forcing her to go
along with views of the speaker (1973:54).
Sometimes a tag-question is used in cases where the speaker knows as
well as the addressee what the answer must be, and does not need confirmation as
in utterance “Sure is hot here, isn’t it?”. The purpose of the tag-question here is to
elicit conversation from the addressee or make ‘small talk’. Other purpose of tag
-question is to discuss personal feelings or opinions as in utterance “I have a
headache, don’t I?”. Tag question can also be used in types of situation when the
speaker has a particular answer in her mind but is reluctant to state it baldly as in
utterance “The war in Vietnam is terrible, isn’t it?”. It is commonly used by
woman to avoid committing herself and thereby avoid coming into conflict with
21
5. Rising Intonation on declaratives
Rising intonation on declaratives shows the hesitant of the speaker as well
as to seek for confirmation though at the same time the speaker may be the only
one who has the requisite information. It also provides speaker a leeway from
asserting an opinion carried to an extreme (1973:55-56).
6. Politeness in request and orders
As mention before, Lakoff claimed that the more one compounds a
request, the more characteristic it is of women’s speech, the less of men’s. This
compounds request is seen more polite than a direct or simple request since it
leaves the decision open, not imposing one mind or views or claims on anyone
else (1973:56).
2.3.3 Ethnography of SPEAKING
Ethnography of SPEAKING proposed by Dell Hymes is a device used for
analyzing context of situation. The study uses the theory to support the analysis of
function of women’s linguistic features found in the movie by providing the
context of situation of each conversation. The SPEAKING model consists of
setting and scene, participants, ends, acts of sequence, key, instrumentalities,
norms, and genre.
1. Setting and Scene
Setting refers to the time and place of a speech act and, in general, to the
physical circumstances (Hymes, 1974:55). The living room in the grandparents'
22
"cultural definition" of a scene, including characteristics such as range of
formality and sense of play or seriousness (Hymes, 1974:55-56). The family story
may be told at a reunion celebrating the grandparents' anniversary. At times, the
family would be festive and playful; at other times, serious and commemorative.
2. Participants
Participants include speaker and audience. Linguists will make distinctions
within these categories; for example, the audience can be distinguished as
addressees and other hearers (Hymes, 1974: 54 -56). At the family reunion, an
aunt might tell a story to the young female relatives, but males, although not
addressed, might also hear the narrative.
3. Ends
Purposes, goals and outcomes (Hymes, 1974: 56-57). The aunt may tell a
story about the grandmother to entertain the audience, teach the young women,
and honor the grandmother.
4. Act Sequence
Form and order of the event. The aunt's story might begin as a response to
a toast to the grandmother. The story's plot and development would have a
sequence structured by the aunt. Possibly there would be a collaborative
interruption during the telling. Finally, the group might applaud the tale and move
onto another subject or activity.
5. Key
Clues that establish the "tone, manner, or spirit" of the speech act (Hymes,
23
playful way, or she might address the group in a serious voice emphasizing the
sincerity and respect of the praise the story expresses.
6. Instrumentalities
Forms and styles of speech (Hymes, 1974:56-60). The aunt might
speaking a casual register with many dialect features or might use a more formal
register and careful grammatically "standard" forms.
7. Norms
Social rules governing the event and the participants' actions and reaction.
In a playful story by the aunt, the norms might allow many audience interruptions
and collaboration, or possibly those interruptions might be limited to participation
by older females. A serious, formal story by the aunt might call for attention to
her and no interruptions as norms.
8. Genre
The kind of speech act or event; for the example used here, the kind of
story. The aunt might tell a character anecdote about the grandmother for
entertainment, or an exemplum as moral instruction. Different disciplines develop
terms for kinds of speech acts, and speech communities sometimes have their own
