2 Jurnal Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris … Tahun ..ke.. 20..

A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACT PERFORMED

BY THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN ALAN POUL’S THE BACK-UP PLAN
MOVIE

Written by : Fahma Chimayasari

First Supervisor : Dr. Margana, M.Hum., M.A.
Second Supervisor : Paulus Kurnianta, M.Hum.

English Languages and Literature Study Program

Faculty of Languages and Arts
Yogyakarta State University
[email protected]

Abstract
This research aims to analyze the types and functions of illocutionary act performed by the main
characters in a movie entitled The Back-up Plan. In this research, descriptive qualitative method was
applied with the researcher as the main instrument and the data sheets as the secondary instrument. The
data of this research were utterances in the form of words, phrases, and sentences spoken by the main
characters in the movie. After being collected, the data were organized and analyzed based on Searle and
Leech’s theory of illocutionary act. This study found that there are four types of illocutionary act
performed by the main characters in the movie. They are representative act, directive act, expressive act,
and commissive act. Representative act is found as the most dominant type performed by the main
characters. The main characters employ representative act to convey their ideas to each other. On the
other hand, declarative act is not performed by the main characters in the movie since to perform a
felicitous declaration, particular authorities and circumstances are needed. Moreover, there are three
functions of illocutionary act performed by the main characters in this movie. They are collaborative
function, competitive function, and convivial function. The most dominant function performed by the main
characters is collaborative function since it is intended to tell the truth of the main characters’ feelings to
each other. Meanwhile, conflictive function is not performed by the main characters since it is intended to
offend the hearer.

Key words: pragmatic, illocutionary act, The Back-up Plan

INTRODUCTION study language is pragmatic approach.

Leech (1983: 1) defines pragmatics as the
Language is an inseparable part of
study of how language is used in
human’s life. Its role is inevitably crucial to
communication. When people are attempting
ease people’s intentions in delivering
to express themselves, they do not merely
messages. People socialize to each other in
produce utterances which contain
their life by conducting communication
grammatical structures and words. Besides,
through language. Language can be studied
people also perform actions via their
by employing many approaches. One of
utterances which are generally called speech
many approaches that can be employed to

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act. According to Austin (1962: 98), there employs various types of speech act,
are three types of speech act in producing an particularly illocutionary act. Hence, this
utterance. They are locutionary act, study analyzes the illocutionary act
illocutionary act, and perlocutionary act. performed by the main characters in The
The most important study from the three Back-up Plan movie to explore the types and
kinds of speech act is the study of the functions of illocutionary act used by the
illocutionary act (Cutting, 2002: 16). It main characters in the movie.
becomes the basic analysis in pragmatic This research has two objectives: (1) to
comprehension. The phenomena of identify the types of illocutionary act
illocutionary act cannot only be seen in real performed by the main characters in The
life but it can also be found in a movie. The Back-up Plan movie, and (2) to describe the
characters in a movie use language by functions of illocutionary act performed by
performing speech act, particularly the main characters in The Back-up Plan
illocutionary act, in their dialogues. In a movie. In analyzing the types of
movie, language represents the ways people illocutionary act, the researcher employed
actually talk. In this respect, the researcher the theory of illocutionary act proposed by
used a movie entitled The Back-up Plan as Searle (1969). He divides the types of
the object of the study to explore the usage illocutionary act into five: declarative,
of illocutionary act. representative, directive, expressive, and
There are several factors why this commissive. Meanwhile, in analyzing the
movie is selected as the object of this functions of illocutionary act, the researcher
research. First, the researcher is interested in applied the theory of illocutionary function
the way the two main characters engaged in proposed by Leech (1983). He divides
a relationship even though they are often illocutionary function into four types:
involved in a conflict. The problems faced collaborative, competitive, convivial, and
by the main characters appear within their conflictive.
utterances. Second, the conversations of the This research is significant since it will
two main characters which mainly discuss enrich the readers’ knowledge about how
how they overcome the problems in their illocutionary act is used in daily
relationship are interesting to be observed. conversation. Moreover, it also helps the
The language of the main characters
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readers to be more aware in using language of the movie, it was then re-watched to find
to deliver their ideas to other people. the utterances containing illocutionary act
performed by the two main characters. After
RESEARCH METHODS
that, the researcher searched for the script of
In this research, descriptive qualitative
the movie from the internet and checked the
research was applied. According to Bogdan
accuracy of the script with the dialogues in
and Taylor (1975: 4), the examples of
the movie. Next, the researcher took notes of
descriptive data are human being’s written
the main characters’ utterances which were
or spoken words and their observable
in accordance with the objectives of the
behaviors. The use of qualitative approach
study. Categorizing the raw data into the
was aimed to describe the types and the
data sheet was the final step of the data
functions of illocutionary act performed by
collecting techniques. To achieve
the main characters in The Back-up Plan
trustworthiness, the researcher discussed her
movie.
data and findings with her two supervisors
The data of this were taken in the form
and also asked three linguistics students to
of utterances spoken by the two main
check her data findings.
characters in the movie while the contexts
were dialogues. The source of this study was
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
a movie entitled The Back-up Plan. The
Findings
primary instrument of this research was the
There are 277 data of illocutionary act
researcher herself since the study employed
found in this research. In relation to the first
a descriptive qualitative research.
objective, this research reveals four types of
Furthermore, the secondary instrument of
illocutionary act are performed in the movie:
this research was the data sheet which was
representative, directive, expressive, and
used to collect the data of illocutionary act
commissive. The most often occurring type
from the sources. The researcher took some
is representative with 158 occurrences. In
steps during the data collection: watching
the second rank is directive act with 84
the movie, finding its transcript, making the
occurrences. Expressive act is in the third
data sheet, and categorizing the raw data
rank 23 occurrences. Meanwhile, the least
into the sheet. The first step was watching
occurring type is commissive act with only
the movie to understand its plot and story
12 occurrences. Based on the findings,
After the researcher understood the content

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declarative act is not performed by the main The above dialogue happened when Zoe
characters in the movie. and Stan were reuniting after the split
Furthermore, in relation to the second because of the pregnancy news. Stan was
objective, this research reveals three telling Zoe how he did not want the
functions of illocutionary act are performed pregnancy to break them apart. Zoe then
in the movie: collaborative, competitive, and responded his utterance by informing him
convivial. The dominant function of that she had something to tell him. In
illocutionary act found in the movie is relation to the context, Zoe’s utterance as
collaborative with 158 occurrences, shown in the bold expression is identified as
followed by competitive with 84 representative act in the form of informing.
occurrences. The function with the smallest Her utterance is a statement which contains
occurrences is convivial with 35 occurrences. particular information. Informing belongs to
Conflictive function is not performed by the collaborative function. Since Zoe’s utterance
main characters in the movie. ignores Stan’s previous explanation, it
Discussion belongs to collaborative function. Another
In this research, there are four types and example can be seen in the following datum.
three functions of illocutionary act Stan : That’s nice. I hope it continues.
performed by the main characters in the Zoe : Thanks. Well, have a nice life.
movie. A more detailed explanation about Try not to steal anymore cabs.
the types and functions of illocutionary act Stan : You do the same.
performed by the main characters in the (IA/S-4/P10/D-8d/Di/CP)
movie can be seen in the example below.
Stan : I love you. I’ve been waiting my The above dialogue occurred at a
whole life for you. And I can’t subway station after the cab argument.
let one little baby get in the way When Zoe and Stan were about to go
of that. I just… can’t. separately, Stan advised Zoe to not steal
Zoe : There’s something I need to anymore cabs. In relation to this context,
tell you. since Stan’s utterance is an imperative
Stan : Okay. sentence which contains advice, it is
(IA/S-23/P70/D-55e/Re/CB) identified as directive act in the form of
advising. Stan’s utterance employs
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competitive function since it deals with what convivial since it shows her gratitude
the speaker wants to achieve. By advising towards Stan’s wish.
her, Stan wants Zoe to not steal other An example of commissive act which
person’s cab like what she did to him. employs convivial function is presented
The next example shows expressive act below.
which employs convivial function Stan : Can I just give you my card?
performed by the main characters in the Here, take my card. I’m not a
movie. freak, really. I sell cheese.
Stan : So, why are you in such a good Zoe : Cheese?
mood anyway? Stan : Yeah. My family has a goat
Zoe : Not that it’s any of your business, farm. We make cheese. You like
but…good things are happening cheese?
to me. (IA/S-5/P14/D-13b/Co/CV)
Stan : That’s good. I hope it continues.
Zoe : Thanks. Well, have a nice life. The above dialogue occurred when Stan
Try not to steal anymore cabs. was at Zoe’s pet store. Stan was telling her
(IA/S-4/P10/D-8b/Ex/CV) that he was not a stalker. He then offered her
to take his name card. In relation with the
The above dialogue happened at a context, since Stan’s utterance is an
subway station. Stan wished Zoe that the imperative sentence which contains an offer,
good things happening to her would it is then identified as commissive act in the
continue. Zoe then responded his wish by form of offering. Offering employs
thanking him. With regard to this context, convivial function since it matches with the
since Zoe’s utterance is a statement which social goal. By offering Zoe to take his name
contains a thanking expression, it is card, Stan is politely proving to her that he is
identified as expressive act in the form of not a stalker.
thanking. Thanking employs convivial Based on the analysis, representative act
function since it coincides with the social becomes the most frequent type which is
goal. ‘Thank’ is intended to show politeness employed by the main characters in the
and gratitude towards someone’s good deed. movie. This finding indicates that the two
Therefore, the function of Zoe’s utterance is main characters have many things to inform

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about each other since they are a new couple employed by the main characters in the
who are in the steps of knowing each other movie.
better. By employing representative act, The four types of illocutionary act
their beliefs, ideas, and messages are found in the movie are representative,
conveyed to each other. On the other hand, directive, expressive, and commissive. Of
declarative act is not found performed by the the four types, representative act ranks first.
main characters in the movie since it needs This means that the main characters want to
particular authority and circumstances. As convey their beliefs to each other. Therefore,
the two main characters are common people they perform representative act to deliver
with no certain authority, they do not their messages. Furthermore, questioning
perform any declaration in their utterances. and informing are the most dominant forces
On the other hand, collaborative employed by the main characters. This
function becomes the most dominant implies that as a new couple, they have
function performed by the main characters many things to ask and inform each other.
in the movie. They choose to perform Therefore, the two illocutionary forces are
illocutionary act with collaborative function dominantly employed by the main characters
to tell the truth of their feelings to each other. in the movie. On the other hand, declarative
In contrast to collaborative, conflictive act is not employed by the main characters
function is not found performed by the main since to performing a felicitous declaration
characters since it is intended to offend or needs particular circumstances and
hurt the feeling of the hearer. The main authorities. In the movie, the two main
characters are a couple who are in love and characters are described as common people
they want to give good impression to each who do not have any authority in particular
other. Therefore, they do not employ position. Therefore, they do not use
conflictive function in their utterance as it declarative act in their utterances.
can create conflict in their relationship. From the functions of illocutionary act,
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS three functions are performed by the main
Conclusion characters in the movie. They are
In reference to the findings and the competitive function, collaborative function,
discussion, this research reveals four types and convivial function. Of the three
and three functions of illocutionary act functions, collaborative function is the most
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dominant type performed by the main illocutionary act. It only focuses on the types
characters. Since collaborative function is and functions of illocutionary act. Other
intended to ignore the social goal, it is used researchers may conduct research on
by the main characters in the movie to tell observing illocutionary act from different
the truth of their feelings to each other. perspectives.
Meanwhile, conflictive function is not
performed by the main characters in the REFERENCES
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who love each other and they want to leave a
good impression to each other. Bogdan, R. and Biklen, S. K. (1982).
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