SPEECH FUNCTION IN ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW
A THESIS
Submitted to Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
By :
PUTRI HANDAYANI Registration Number 209520012
ENGLISH AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
DECLARATION
Except where appropriately acknowledgment, this thesis is my own work,
has been expressed in my own words and has not previously been submitted for
assessment.
I understand that this paper maybe screened ellectronically or otherwise
for plagiarism.
Medan, Juli
2014
Putri Handayani
LEMBAR PENGESAHAN PEMBIMBING
Skripsi ini diajukan oleh: Putri Handayani, NIM. 209520012, Jurusan Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris Program Studi Sastra Inggris/S-1
Fakultas Bahasa dan Seni Universitas Negeri Medan
Dinyatakan telah memenuhi persyaratan untuk memperoleh gelar Sarjana Sastra
Medan, Juli 2014 Disetujui oleh: Dosen Pembimbing Skripsi
LEMBAR PENGESAHAN UJIAN
Skripsi ini diajukan oleh: Putri Handayani, NIM. 209520012, Jurusan Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris
Program Studi Sastra Inggris Strata Satu Fakultas Bahasa dan Seni
Universitas Negeri Medan
Dinyatakan telah memenihi syarat Untuk memperoleh gelar
Sarjana Sastra
Panitia Ujian
Medan, Agustus 2014
Ketua,
Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M.Hum. NIP. 19641207 199103 2 002
LEMBAR PENGESAHAN TIM PENGUJI
Skripsi ini telah diuji dan dinyatakan Telah memenuhi persyaratan untuk memperoleh
Gelar Sarjana Sastra
Medan, Juli 2014
Tim Penguji,
Nama TandaTangan
1. Dra. Tjut Ernidawaty,M.Pd. ... NIP. 19501101 198503 2 001
2. Dra. Yunita Agnes Sianipar, M.Hum. ... NIP. 19560615 198012 2 001
3. Dra. Rahmah,M.Hum. ... NIP. 19601214 198703 2 001
4. Dra. Meisuri, M.A ... NIP. 19610523 198703 2 006
i
ABSTRACT
Handayani, Putri. 2014. Speech Function in Ellen DeGeneres show. A Thesis, Faculty of Languages and Arts. State University of Medan.
The study deals with the types of speech function in Ellen DeGeneres show. The objectives
of study were to find out the dominant type of speech function and to describe the use of
dominant type of speech function in talk show. The data were utterances of the host taken
from internet. This research was conducted by using descriptive qualitative design. It was
found that there were 123 utterances speech function by the host. The result of data analysis
showed that the occurances of speech function such as: referential (78,84%), expressive
(12,2%), directive (4,9%), phatic (3,25%), poetic (0,81%) and none of metalinguistic
function. The most dominant type of speech function was referential because the host tired to
give information as much as possible to make it clear, to create good image with good words,
to get sympathy from audiences and make the talk show more interesting.
iv
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ... 1
A. The Background of Study ... 1
B. The Problem of Study ... 2
C. The Objectives of Study ... 3
D. The Scope of Study ... 4
E. The Significance of Study ... 5
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ... 7
A. Sociolinguistics ... 7
B. Speech Function ... 9
C. Types of Speech Function ... 10
1. Expressive Function ... 10
2. Directive Function ... 11
3. Referential Function ... 12
4. Metalinguistics Function ... 13
5. Poetic Function ... 14
6. Phatic Function ... 15
D. Conversation ... 16
E. Television and Television Program ... 17
F. Talkshow ... 18
G. Biography of Ellen ... 21
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ... 25
v
3. The Total of the utterances of Speech Function ... 36
C. Research Finding ... 37
CHAPTERV: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ... 40
A. Conclusion ... 40
B. Suggestion ... 41
REFERENCES ... 42
vi
LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1. The episodes of Ellen DeGeneres Show ... 27
Table 4.2.1. The percentage of speech function in Ellen DeGeneres show ... 34
vi
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix A Identification of Speech Function in the host’s utterances in Ellen DeGeneres
show... 44
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of study
Language is a tool used by human to interact or communicate each other.
The language is used to convey what is in our minds and what we feel. By using
language we can express our ideas to the people around us. Language is one of the
important things in communication. We adapt our talk to suit our audience and
talk differently to children, friend to friend, customers and colleagues. We use
language differently in formal and casual contexts. The purpose of talk will also
affect its form. (Holmes, 2008:285)
Language meaning can be analysed at several levels, are of them in
pragmatic level. According to Peccei (1999:2), pragmatic concreates on those
aspect of meaning that can’t be predicted by linguistic knowledge and takes into
account our knowledge about the physical and social world.
Language has a wider sense than speech because language refers to
speaking, writing, and gesturing. We, for instance, recognize spoken language,
written language, body language and gestural communications of the deaf and
dumn etc. Linguistics only deals with spoken language (speech) and written
language.
One of the functions of language is an instrument in communication.
2
knowledge or feeling. To get an effective communication, the listeners should
understand the exact information or idea that the speaker intends. In a
conversation, we often do not speak in complete sentence and rarely say what we
mean literally so the listeners could interpret the meaning differently.
An endangered language is a language that may soon vanish, ceasing to be
used as a vehicle of communication, perhaps even disappearing completely from
human history. As the contributions to this issue show, an endangered language is
not necessarily a minority language, and not every minority language is
necessarily endangered. But there is a high probability that with time a neglected
minority language will become endangered.
It is asserted that as long as mutual intelligibility is found, it is one
language, no matter whether its speakers are separated by social barriers and
geographical borders. But for many sociolinguists mutual intelligibility alone is
not enough to give a shared speech the status of a complete language.
Then what does constitute a language? “What it takes to make a language
is not a set of structural linguistic properties or lack of intelligibility with related
linguistic systems, but rather the conviction that the linguistic system in question
is a symbol of nationalist or ethnic identity. There are cases around the world of
the two logical possibilities—cases in which mutually unintelligible linguistic
varieties belong to the same language and others where mutually intelligible
3
In doing communication, people may not realize that spoken or written
sentences also carry a function. As an example, if a girl says “What a beautiful
day!” it carries a function named expressive function. Expressive function is to
express personal feelings, thoughts, ideas, and opinions with different choice
words, intonations, etc.
From the example above, people can see that the sentence is expressive
because the girl shows her feelings. The purpose of this function actually is to tell
others what is in the speaker’s mind so that the hearer will know if the person is
happy, sad, or the other expression.
This function is included into the speech function. It is the best way of
Irawan (2012). His study is intended to described the types of language function
and analysis of the sentence or the speaker’s intention in his speech. The study of
Dedi Irawan inspired the writer in establishing the procedure of the data analysis.
The writer is interested in conducting this research on Ellen DeGeneres
show because a talk show gave entertainment or inspiration to the audiences in
4
important guests such as; Barrack Obama (President of United States), Lady Gaga
(Sensasional Actress) and Ann Curry (Actress).
A conversation not only depends on the speaker, who is trying to deliver a
message, but also on the listeners who draw a conclusion from the implication of
the utterance, depending on the context in which it occurs. The conversation,
itself, as a reciprocal act, retains specific rules and regulation. (Parvaneh and
Nikan, 2011:122), it consists of two kinds; written such as movie script and
spoken such as talk show or interviews in television.
A talk show is a television program or radio in which people, especially
distinguishes people, and is invited to talk in informal way about various topics.
Sometimes, talk show prioritizes a panel of guests; it usually consists of noted
people or a group of people who have great experiences which still relate to the
issues which is discussed on the show for that episodes.
The speech was better in subjects born with a post alveolar cleft than in
subjects born with a complete cleft. British journal of prastic surgery, vol 7
(229-241)
The writer realizes that communication in talk show is effective if the
purpose of the communication can be gained well so that the speaker and the
hearer have same perception of what they are talking about. But in fact,
sometimes people do not know of what the speaker means and it can made the
hearer become misunderstanding or misinterpretation which can be influenced by
5
This make the writer wants to analyze conversation between host and
guests by using the speech function method.
B. The Problem of Study
The problems of the study were fomulated as the following:
1. What are the types of speech function that is used by Ellen DeGeneres
in Ellen DeGeneres Show?
Related to the background, the objectives of the study were formulated as
following:
1. To find out the types of speech function that is used by Ellen DeGeneres in
talk show
2. To find out the dominant type of speech function that is used by Ellen
DeGeneres in Ellen DeGeneres Show.
3. To describe the use of the dominant type of speech function used in Ellen
6
D. The Scope of the Study
In this research, the study was limited on the speech function as found in
the utterances of the host, Ellen DeGeneres, based on Janet Holmes’s theory
(expressive, directive, referential, metalinguistics, poetic and phatic). The data
were taken from three episodes of Ellen DeGeneres show that invited some
actress, one of them is “Ann Curry uses Ellen DeGeneres interview to push gay
marriage”
E. The Significance of the Study
The finding of this study was expected to give both theoretical and
practical contribution in discourse studies, especially in analyzing the speech
function used by some people in their communication.
Theoretically, this study was expected to be useful for the application of
the relevant sociolinguistics theory about speech function. Practically, the
research findings of the study were expected to be useful for the students of
university to understand how to analyze speech function and for the other
40
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion
Based on the analysis of the utterances in Ellen DeGeneres show
the previous chapter, it can be concluded that:
1. There were six types of speech function: directive function, expressive
function, referential function, poetic function, metalinguistic function
and phatic function, which are using by the host in Ellen DeGeneres
show in three episodes which was topic presented about NBC’s curry
uses Ellen DeGeneres interview to push gay marriage.
2. The speech function which was dominantly in Ellen DeGeneres show
was referential function (97 utterances, 78,84%) because the host gave
some additional information or less information than was required. In
asking the question given by the host, it made some factors such as the
host uses hyperbole words, say the utterances which have lack
evidences, make unrelated respond with the topic and say an obscurity
expression.
3. The reason that referential function which dominantly was to make
clearly information to be understood with clarifies and presents the
strongest information in the talk show. Host was the talkative because
she gave more additional information to respond to the speaker’s
33
talk too much and say the good words and make it to get sympathy
from audiences so that talk show become interested and get the
attention from viewers.
B. Suggestion
Having seen the result of the study, suggestions were staged as
follows.
1. For those who want to take the sociolinguistic study as the tool of their
research, especially on speech function. They must understand and
learn more about this study. They will make the research to be more
interesting.
2. The readers especially the student of English Department can choose
the speech function as the object of research, because many interesting
