ILLOCUTIONARY ACTS EXPRESSED THROUGH

SIGN LANGUAGE IN “SILENCE MOVIE”

THESIS

By:
Ana Laili Rahmah
05320082

ENGLISH LETTERS AND LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND CULTURE
THE STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MAULANA MALIK
IBRAHIM OF MALANG
2009
 ILLOCUTIONARY ACTS EXPRESSED THROUGH
SIGN LANGUAGE IN “SILENCE MOVIE”

THESIS

Presented to:
The State Islamic University Maulana Malik Ibrahim of Malang
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra (S.S)

By:
Ana Laili Rahmah
05320082

Advisor:
H. Djoko Susanto, M.Ed., Ph.D

ENGLISH LETTERS AND LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND CULTURE
THE STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MAULANA MALIK
IBRAHIM OF MALANG
2009
 CERTIFICATE OF THESIS AUTHORSHIP

Hereby, I declare that the thesis I wrote to fulfill the requirement for

Sarjana Sastra (S.S) entitled “Illocutionary Acts Expressed through Sign

Language in “Silence Movie” is truly my original work. It does not incorporate

any materials previously written or published by another person, except those

indicated in quotations and bibliography. Due to the fact, I am the only person

who is responsible for the thesis if there is any objection or claim from others.

Malang, 3 August 2009

Ana Laili Rahmah

05320082
 APPROVAL SHEET

This is certify that Ana Laili Rahmah’s thesis entitled Illocutionary Acts

expressed through Sign Language in “Silence Movie” has been approved by the

thesis advisor for further approval by the Board of Examiners.

Malang, 14 August 2009

Approved by Acknowledged by
the Advisor the Head of
English Letters and Language Department

H. Djoko Susanto, M.Ed., Ph.D Galuh Nur Rohmah, M. Pd., M.Ed

NIP. 19670529 200003 1 001 NIP. 150 289 814

The Dean of
the Faculty of Humanities and Culture

Drs. H. Chamzawi, M.HI

NIP. 150 218 296
 LEGITIMATION SHEET

This is to certify that the Sarjana’s thesis of Illocutionary Acts expressed through

Sign Language in “Silence Movie” by Ana Laili Rahmah has been approved by

the Board of Examiners for the degree of Sarjana Sastra (S.S) in English Letters

and Language Department, Faculty of Humanities and Culture at The State

Islamic University Maulana Malik Ibrahim of Malang.

The Board of Examiners Signatures

1. Rohmani Nur Indah, M. Pd (Main Examiner)

NIP. 150 327 258

2. Galuh Nur Rohmah, M. Pd., M. Ed (Chair)

NIP. 150 289 814

3. H. Djoko Susanto, M.Ed., Ph. D (Advisor)

NIP. 19670529 200003 1 001

Malang, 31 August 2009

Approved by
the Dean of Faculty of Humanities and Culture

Drs. H. Chamzawi, M.HI

NIP. 150 218 296
 MOTTO:

"Have as your goal to do your best and to make a difference. We are in the

world to make a difference, and everything we do changes the world."

 DEDICATION

This thesis is dedicated to:

Father, Mother, Sisters and Brother

And all my beloved big families…

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Firstly, all praise be to Allah, Lord of the world, king of the king, the

merciful and the beneficent who has given me a drop of knowledge with a million

powers and patience. Peace and Salutation may always be granted to our noble

Prophet Muhammad SAW, through his endless mediation that I am recognized as

a true Moslem.

Alhamdulillahirobbil’alamin, because of that divine gift of bestowed from

Allah, I am finally able to finish this thesis entitled Illocutionary Acts expressed

through Sign Language in “Silence Movie”as the requirement for the degree of S1

in English Letters and Language Department, Faculty of Humanities and Culture

at the State Islamic University of Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang.

In Addition, along in process of finishing this thesis I would like to

dedicate my best thanks to:

1. H. Djoko Susanto, M.Ed., Ph.D as my advisor who has guidden me and spent

a lot of time and thought on checking my thesis.

2. My lovely father, mother, sisters, brother and all my big family, thanks for

prays, loves, supports, understandings and affections.

3. My dearest friend of Pak Joko’s thesis advisor; Duroh, Yuyun, Sapta, Hilya,

Istik, Ruli, and mbak Umi. We are the one!

4. All my friends in Jhepret Cub photography, I miss you all!

5. All my friends in Flit Flat Girls 58, I’ll miss our togetherness.
7. My best friends; Anto, Sida, Nora, Fito, Airin, Mas Habib, Irma and everyone

who have supported me to finish this thesis. Thank you very much guys!

Last but not least, I invite the reader’s suggestions and critics responding to

the presence of my thesis. Hopefully, this research will give many advantages

to all of people who much concern in English Language.

Alhamdulillahirobbil’Alamin….
 TABLE OF CONTENT

TITLE SHEET...................................................................................................... i

CERTIFICATE OF THESIS AUTHORSHIP ...................................................... ii

APPROVAL SHEET ..........................................................................................iii

LEGITIMATION SHEET .................................................................................. iv

MOTTO .............................................................................................................. v

DEDICATION ................................................................................................... vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................. vii

TABLE OF CONTENT ...................................................................................... ix

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... xii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study ............................................................................... 1

1.2 Research Problems ........................................................................................ 5

1.3 Objectives of the Study ................................................................................. 5

1.4 Significance of the Study .............................................................................. 5

1.5 Scope and Limitation of the Study................................................................. 6

1.6 Definition of Key Terms ............................................................................... 6

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Pragmatics ..................................................................................................... 7

2.2 Speech Acts Theories ..................................................................................... 8

2.3 Types of Speech Acts ................................................................................... 10

2.3.1 Locutionary Acts ................................................................................ 10

2.3.2 Perlocutionary Acts ............................................................................ 10

2.3.3 Illocutionary Acts ............................................................................... 10

2.4 Types of Illocutionary Acts .......................................................................... 12

2.5 Functions of Illocutionary Acts .................................................................... 15

2.6 Sign Language ............................................................................................. 16

2.6.1 Linguistics of Sign.............................................................................. 16

2.7 Synopsis of “Silence Movie” ........................................................................ 17

2.8 Previous Studies........................................................................................... 19

CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHOD

3.1. Research Design ......................................................................................... 22

3.2. Research Subject ......................................................................................... 22

3.3. Data Sources ............................................................................................... 22

3.4. Research Instrument .................................................................................... 23

3.5. Data Collection ........................................................................................... 23

3.6. Data Analysis .............................................................................................. 23

CHAPTER IV: FINDING AND DISCUSSION

4.1. Data Presentation ........................................................................................ 25

4.2. Data Analysis .............................................................................................. 26

4.3. Discussion................................................................................................... 45
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

5.1. Conclusion .................................................................................................. 48

5.2. Suggestion .................................................................................................. 49

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX

CURRICULUM VITAE
 ABSTRACT

Rahmah, A. L. 2009. Illocutionary Acts expressed through sign language

in”Silence movie”. Thesis. English Letters and Language
Department. Faculty of Humanities and Culture. The State
Islamic University of Malang.
The Advisor : Drs. H. Djoko Susanto, M.Ed., Ph.D.
Keywords : Illocutionary Acts, Sign Language, “Silence movie.”

Illocutionary act is the act of saying, which is committed with the intends
of speaker by uttering a sentence such as asking, stating, questioning, promising,
ordering, apologizing, threatening, and requesting. The writer analyzes
illocutionary acts in sign language used in “Silence Movie”. This study is
important because none of the earlier illocutionary studies focused their research
on sign language.
This study investigates types and the functions of illocutionary act used in
first and second episode of “Silence Movie” which is expressed through sign
language.
The descriptive qualitative method is used to analyze the data in this study.
The data are presented descriptively because it describes and explains
illocutionary acts used by the main character in “Silence movie” such as describes
the types and the functions of the illocutionary acts found in sign language.
The findings show that there are five types of illocutionary acts found in
this study: assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative. The type
of illocutionary acts found most in this movie is directive. This study also found
four functions of illocutionary acts such as competitive, convivial, collaborative,
and conflictive. The function of illocutionary acts found most in this category is
competitive.
It is hoped that this research contributes important information for the next
researcher who is interested in doing the same kind of study. However, it is
suggested for further researchers to use another theory of illocutionary acts, so
that different results might be found.
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the background of the study, the statement of the

problem, objectives of the study, scope and limitation of the study, significance of

the study, the definition of key terms and research method.

1.1 Background of the Study

Illocutionary acts are utterances which are performed with the intention of

producing a further effect. According to Renkema (1993: 22), illocutionary acts

are the acts which are committed by producing an utterance; by uttering a

promise, a promise is made; by uttering a threat, a threat is made. For example, in

saying, "I will try my best to be at home for dinner", the speaker performs the

speech act of promising to be at home in time.

According to Austin’s preliminary informal description, the idea of

“illocutionary acts” can be captured by emphasizing that “in saying something, we

do something”. For example, “I sentence you to ten years imprisonment”. This

sentence is become an action because the speakers say a word to decide the

punishment to the prisoner. Then, it can be concluded that sometimes someone

uses word not only to say things but also he/she uses it to do things. It means that

when someone says something, it has some action behind it.

Illocutionary acts can be expressed through oral or written language, or in

other words, performing illocutionary acts can be done by uttering or inscribing to

express meanings. Illocutionary acts can also be expressed through sign language,
which is expressed by the people who have speech and hearing impairment. Most

humans acquiring language utilize speech sounds, made up of an utterance act and

illocutionary act, to express meanings, but such sounds are not necessary, which is

evident by the deaf’s ability to communicate through sign language (Fromkin et

al., 1997). It means that sign language also can be used as one of the ways to

express an illocutionary acts.

Sign language is a language produced by giving mark or symbol to

represent something. Sign language, according to Searle (1975), is one of the

expressions of speech acts. This kind of language is used by the people who have

hearing or speech impairment as stated by Neisser (1983), the deaf perceive the

world through skilled and practiced eyes; language is at their fingertips.

In linguistic terms, sign languages are as rich and complex as any oral

language, despite the common misconception that they are not "real languages".

Sign languages are just the same with oral or spoken language but have different

production and grammars. When the deaf or dumb people produce an utterance or

perform acts such as requesting, advising, apologizing, thanking, or apologizing,

which is known as illocutionary act, they have their own style to perform it.

In this research, the writer really wants to know about the illocutionary

acts that may be performed by using sign language. Sign language is chosen since

it is also a kind of language but produced by giving mark or symbol to represent

something. It is also a kind of language which is seldom to be observed. So, that is

why the writer is interested in observing sign language rather than spoken

language or written texts.

 The writer chose Silence movie as source data. Silence movie is

interesting movie to be observed because of some reasons. First, it is one of the

popular Taiwanese movies in 2007. Second, this movie deals with the study about

sign language. Third, this movie has many illocutionary acts in the conversation

which is expressed through sign language. Fourth, the language used in this movie

has special uniqueness; it is because the language used is sign language, and sign

language is languages with their own grammars. They do not share the same

grammatical structures with spoken languages in a given country.

Several studies on illocutionary acts have been done previously. For

example, Aini (2007) looks at “Sign Language of Hellen Keller in Miracle

Worker Movie”. Aini investigates the way Hellen Keller used sign language

through language acquisition theory. The researcher finds out some difficulties on

spelling verbs for the deaf-blind person.

Handayani (2004) investigates illocutionary acts used by transsexual

people in Malang. She found four kinds of speech acts: assertive act, directive act,

commissive act and expressive act. The most assertive act performed in this

finding is complaining act.

Chamimah (2006) examined illocutionary acts used by mentally retarded

students in Yayasan Darul Ulum Jombang. She finds the form of directive act,

commissive act and representative act. The representative mostly performed is

assertive. This illocutionary act analysis is fulfilled by the felicity condition

namely preparatory condition, sincerity condition, prepositional condition and

essential condition.
 Zen (2007) with her research “Discourse Analysis of Bush’s Speeches on

Democracy Issue through Illocutionary Acts Theory” finds four kinds of speech

acts: assertive/representative, commissive, expressive, and declarative used by

Bush. The speaker delivered messages through his speech explicitly.

Indriawati (2008) investigated Illocutionary Acts used by Indonesia This

Morning presenters on Metro TV finds four types of illocutionary acts:

representative, directive, commissive, and expressive used by the presenters of

Indonesia This Morning. The presenters do not use the declarative acts. She also

finds that the presenters also used four functions of illocutionary acts based on the

social purposes: competitive, convivial, collaborative and conflictive. The most

frequent functions of illocutionary acts were used by Indonesia This Morning

presenters on Metro TV are collaborative.

Other conducted by Wildan (2008) who researches “A Study on

Illocutionary Acts used by The Main Characters in The Boor” and finds the the

main characters in “The Boor” used directives, assertive, commissive, expressive

and declarative.

This research investigates illocutionary acts on sign language used by the

main character in “Silence movie”. To analyze the data, illocutionary acts theory

proposed by Searle: assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declaratives

is used. The main difference of this study from previous ones lies on the different

objects that the researchers investigated and its focus of study: sign language.
1.2 Research Problems

Based on the background of the study above, this research is conducted to

answer the following questions:

1. What types of illocutionary acts are found in sign language used in Silence

movie?

2. What functions of illocutionary acts in sign language are used in Silence

movie?

1.3 Objectives of the Study

In line with the problems stated above, the objectives of the study are

formulated as follows:

1. To explain the types of illocutionary acts found in sign language used in

Silence movie.

2. To explain the functions of illocutionary acts in sign language used in

Silence movie.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The results of this research will be useful for the following group of

people. For teachers, it can be used as additional materials in teaching speech acts

in general and illocutionary acts in particular, especially for those who want know

more some examples of the use of sign language. Beside that, this research will

give the benefits to the readers who are interested in this field to obtain deeper
understanding in speech act: illocutionary acts expressed through sign language.

Finally, the findings of this study will become useful reference for further

researchers in doing the same kind of study.

1.5 Scope and Limitation of the Study

This research focuses on illocutionary acts found in sign language used by

Zhao shen-shen: the main character in the Silence movie in scope of pragmatics.

Searle’s theory is used to analyze the data. The result of this study will be limited

on time taken for analysis and the writer’s knowledge on individual’s character.

Therefore, the result of analysis will be dependent on such situations.

1.6 Definition of Key Terms:

1. Sign Language: a language which uses manual communication, body

language and lip patterns instead of sound to convey meaning.

2. Speech Acts: the actions performed via utterance (Yule 1985 : 47)

3. Illocutionary Acts: acts performed in saying something. Austin in Leech

(1991:199).
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Pragmatics

Pragmatics deals with utterances, by which we will mean specific events,

the intentional acts of speakers at times and places, typically involving language.

Logic and semantics traditionally deal with properties of types of expressions, and

not with properties that differ from token to token, or use to use, or, as we shall

say, from utterance to utterance, and vary with the particular properties that

differentiate them. Pragmatics is sometimes characterized as dealing with the

effect of context. This is equivalent to saying it deals with utterances, if one

collectively refers to all the facts that can vary from utterance to utterance as

‘context.’ One must be careful, however, for the term is often used with more

limited meanings.

Different theorists have focused on different properties of utterances. To

discuss them it will be helpful to make a distinction between ‘near side

pragmatics’ and ‘far side pragmatics’. The picture is this. The utterances

philosophers usually take as paradigmatic are assertive uses of declarative

sentences, where the speaker says something. Near-side pragmatics is concerned

with the nature of certain facts that are relevant to determining what is said. Far-

side pragmatics is focused on what happens beyond saying: what speech acts are

performed in or by saying what is said, or what implicatures are generated by

saying what is said.

 The facts with which pragmatics deals are of various sorts, including:

• Facts about the objective facts of the utterance, including: who the speaker

is, when the utterance occurred, and where.

• Facts about the speaker’s intentions. On the near side, what language the

speaker intends to be using, whom he intends to refer to with various

shared names, whether a pronoun is used demonstratively or anaphoric

ally, and the like. On the far side, what he intends to achieve by saying

what he does.

• Facts about beliefs of the speaker and those to whom he speaks, and the

conversation they are engaged in; what beliefs do they share; what is the

focus of the conversation, what are they talking about, etc.

• Facts about relevant social institutions, such as promising, marriage

ceremonies, courtroom procedures, and the like, which affect what a

person accomplishes in or by saying what he does.

Pragmatics in this study is included into facts about speaker’s intention in

uttering a speech act. Speech act is an actions performed via utterances. There

will be theories which will be discussed about it.

2.2 Speech Acts Theories

The British philosopher John Langshaw Austin (1960: 4) was intrigued by

the way that we can use words to do different things. Whether one asserts or

merely suggests, promises or merely indicates an intention, persuades or merely

argues, depends not only on the literal meaning of one’s word, but what one
intends to do with them, and the institutional and social setting in which the

linguistic activity occurs. Austin especially emphasized the importance of social

fact and convention in doing things with words, in particular with respect to the

class of speech act known as illocutionary acts.

Austin began by distinguishing between what he called ‘constatives’ and

‘performatives’. A constative is simply saying something true or false. A

performative is doing something by speaking; paradigmatically, one can get

married by saying “I do” (Austin, 1961: 5). Constatives are true or false,

depending on their correspondence (or not) with the facts; performatives are

actions and, as such, are not true or false, but ‘felicitous’ or ‘infelicitous’,

depending on whether or not they successfully perform the action in question.

Austin’s student, John R. Searle (1969) developed speech act theory as a

theory of the constitutive rules for performing illocutionary acts, i.e., the rules that

tell what performing (successfully) an illocutionary act (with certain illocutionary

force and certain propositional content) consist in. The rules are classified as

propositional content rules, which put conditions on the propositional content of

some illocutionary acts; preparatory rules, which tell what the speaker will imply

in the performance of the illocutionary acts; sincerity rules, that tell what

psychological state the speaker expresses to be in; and essential rules, which tell

us what the action consists in essentially.

2.3 Types of Speech Acts

Austin suggests that when people are saying something they perform three

kinds of acts which are locutionary, illocutionary and perlocutionary act

(Levinson 1983: 236)

2.3.1 Locutionary Act

Locutionary act is semantic or literal meaning of a sentence. Austin said

that the interpretation of locutionary act is concerned with meaning. In other

words, a locutionary act is an act of producing a meaningful linguistic

expression. Briefly, locutionary act is the meaning of what a speaker says. For

example: if someone says ‘Switch on the lamp!’ the locutionary act is the

speaker wants someone to switch the lamp on.

2.3.2 Perlocutionary Act

Perlocutionary act is the expected effect on the hearer by uttering the

sentence. In uttering a sentence or an utterance the speaker expects that the

hearer will achieve an effect. For example: If someone says “Where’s your

necklace?” it may causes you touch your neck quickly or you might respond

‘Oh, I put it in the drawer’.

2.3.3 Illocutionary Act

Illocutionary act is the act of saying, which is committed with the

intends of speaker by uttering a sentence such as asking, stating, questioning,

promising, ordering, apologizing, threatening, and requesting. According to

Austin's preliminary informal description, the idea of an "illocutionary act"

 can be captured by emphasizing that "by saying something, we do something",

as when a minister joins two people in marriage saying, "I now pronounce you

husband and wife." (Austin would eventually define the "illocutionary act" in

a more exact manner.)

Illocutionary act is a technical term introduced by John L. Austin in

investigations concerning what he calls 'performative' and 'constative utterances'.

According to Austin's original exposition in How to Do Things With Words, an

illocutionary act is an act (1) for the performance of which I must make it clear to

some other person that the act is performed (Austin speaks of the 'securing of

uptake'), and (2) the performance of which involves the production of what Austin

calls 'conventional consequences' as, e.g., rights, commitments, or obligations. For

example, in order to successfully perform a promise I must make clear to my

audience that the promise occurs, and undertake an obligation to do the promised

thing: hence promising is an illocutionary act in the present sense. However, for

certain reasons, among them insufficient knowledge of Austin's original

exposition, the term illocutionary act is nowadays understood in a number of other

ways. Many define the term with reference to examples, saying such things as that

any speech act like stating, asking, commanding, promising, and so on is an

illocutionary act; they then often fail to give any sense of the expression

illocutionary act capable of making clear what being an illocutionary act

essentially consists in.

It is also often emphasized that Austin introduced the illocutionary act by

means of a contrast with other kinds of acts: the illocutionary act, he says, is an
act performed in saying something, as contrasted with a locutionary act, the act of

saying something, and also contrasted with a perlocutionary act, an act performed

by saying something. But it may be misleading to distinguish between kinds of

acts, for these are not separate categories of speech, but instead describe different

levels on which speech might work. Any one particular speech event may have

any combination of locutionary, illocutionary or perlocutionary effects.

Still another conception of an illocutionary act goes back to Schiffer's

famous book 'Meaning' (1972, 103), in which the illocutionary act is represented

as just the act of meaning something. According to the conception Bach and

Harnish adopt in 'Linguistic Communication and Speech Acts' (1979), an

illocutionary act is an attempt to communicate, which they again analyze as the

expressing of an attitude.

According to Searle (1969), the illocutionary act is an act performed in

saying something. On other words, illocutionary act can be defined as using a

sentence to perform a function. When a speaker says something, he or she may

perform some functions of act through the utterances such as request, complain,

etc.

2.4 Types of Illocutionary Acts

Austin tentatively proposed grouping his illocutionary acts into five major

classes:
 • Verdictives : Typified by giving of a verdict by jury, arbitraror or

umpire. For example; acquit, grade, estimate, and diagnose.

• Exercitives: The exercising of powers rights or influenced. For

example; appoint, order, advise, and wary.

• Commissives : Include declarations or announcement of intention. For

example; promise, guarantee, bet, and oppose.

• Behabitives : Concern with attitudes and social behavior. For example;

apologize, criticize, bless, and challenge.

• Expositives : Clarify how utterance fit into ongoing discourse or how

they are being used. For example; argue, postulate, affirm, and

concede.

According to Clark (1977 : 88) Searle categorized illocutionary acts into

five types, that is Assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, declarative.

• Assertive : Speech act which describes states or events in the world. In

uttering assertive, the speaker conveys his belief that some proposition is

true. So it can be judged for truth-value. It can be uttered in a form of

claim, report, statement, conveys and description. For example, when

someone reports ‘Honda is Japan’s automotive product’, he conveys his

belief that the proposition Honda is Japan’s product is true and describes

Honda is Japan’s product as a states or events in the world

• Directive : Speech acts that are to cause the hearer to take a particular

action. By ordering, advising, requesting, commanding, begging,

 challenging, or pleading, the speaker is trying to get the listener to carry

out some action. Ex: “Could you give me money please?”

• Commisive : Speech acts that commit a speaker or to some future

action. By uttering a commisive, the speaker shows commitments of

himself to do some future course of action. Commisive can be uttered

in the form of promise, guarantees, contracts, threat, and other types of

commitments for example ‘If you don’t stop talking, I will shut your

mouth’. The speaker is commiting himself to shut the hearer mouth if

he (the hearer) does not stop talking”.

• Expressive: Speech acts that expresses on the speaker’s attitude and

emotions towards the preposition. E.g. Congratulation, excuses, and

thanks. For example, when someone uttered an utterance such as

‘Happy anniversary, mom’ the speaker wants to express his / her

feeling of her mother’s anniversary

• Declaratives: Speech acts that change the reality in accord with the

preposition of the declaration. E.g. Baptism, pronouncing someone

guilty or pronouncing someone husband and wife. For example, when

someone says ‘You’re fired’ he is declaring someone’s job to be

terminated.

Here, Searle’s theory is chosen because it is more critical and practical

than Austin’s theory. In Austin’s theory, there is no clear consistent principle or

set of principle on the basis of which the taxonomy is constructed. And therefore,

a very large number of verbs find themselves smack in the middle of two
categories. For example, describe as both verdictives and expositives. So, here

Searle developed Austin’s theory and improved it.

2.5 The Function of Illocutionary Acts

In speech acts investigation, the illocutionary act is the main focus of the

discussion because illocutionary act is the intended meaning of utterance.

Therefore, the illocutionary act always has function of speech acts. Leech (1991:

104) states that at most general level; illocutionary functions may be classified

into the following four functions as follow:

Competitive: This illocutionary act aims to the social goal. For instance:

ordering, asking, and demanding. In this function, the negative politeness

is used to reduce the unpleasant way between what the speakers want to

the politeness should say.

Convivial: This illocutionary act aims incompliant with the social

purposes, such as offering, inviting, greeting, thanking, and congratulating.

In this context, the politeness is utilized positively to make a pleasure

relationship to the society.

Collaborative: This illocutionary act aims at ignoring the social purposes,

such as asserting, reporting, and instructing. This function does not contain

politeness.

Conflictive: This illocutionary act aims against the social purposes, for

instance threatening, accusing, refusing, and reprimanding. It against

 politeness that is not at all since it is purposed the anger except in the irony

sentence.

We can conclude that assertives belong to collaborative category, directives

belong to the competitive category, commissives tend to be convivial or

competitive, and expressives also tend to be convivial. All of them depend on the

context.

2.6 Sign Language

Sign language (also signed language) is a language which uses manual

communication, body language and lip patterns instead of sound to convey

meaning simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the

hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to express fluidly a speaker's

thoughts. Sign languages commonly develop in deaf communities, which can

include interpreters and friends and families of deaf people as well as people who

are deaf or hard of hearing themselves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign

Language)

2.6.1 Linguistics of Sign

In linguistic terms, sign languages are as rich and complex as any oral

language, despite the common misconception that they are not "real languages".

Professional linguists have studied many sign languages and found them to have

every linguistic component required to be classed as true languages.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign Language)
 Sign languages are not pantomime, in other words, signs are conventional,

often arbitrary and do not necessarily have a visual relationship to their referent,

much as most spoken language is not onomatopoeic. While iconicity is more

systematic and wide-spread in sign languages than in spoken ones, the difference

is not categorical (Trevor, 1989). Nor are they a visual rendition of an oral

language. They have complex grammars of their own, and can be used to discuss

any topic, from the simple and concrete to the lofty and abstract

Sign languages like oral languages, organize elementary, meaningless

units (phonemes; once called cheremes in the case of sign languages) into

meaningful semantic units. The elements of a sign are Hand shape (or Hand

form), Orientation (or Palm Orientation), Location (or Place of Articulation),

Movement, and Non-manual markers (or Facial Expression), summarized in the

acronym HOLME. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign Language)

2.7 Synopsis of Silence movie

The story begins during the year when Wei Yi is 15 years old. Due to an

accident, Qi Wei Yi, who has everything in this world, was sent to the only

hospital in a village. During the boring recovery, Wei Yi accidentally discovers an

underground air raid shelter in the old hospital. Through a secret passageway

within the air raid shelter, he meets a Korean girl, two years younger than him,

Zhao Shen Shen, who lost her voice due to an accident.

 A pure love develops from this meeting. However, due to a succession of

mistakes and misunderstandings, Shen Shen and Wei Yi lost contact with each

other.

Nine years later, Wei Yi is occupied with many business affairs. He bears

his parents' expectations of him succeeding them. He doesn't have a life full of

perils, making him confident as well as dazzling. One day Wei Yi mercilessly

fired a worker. To his surprise, the next day a mute girl and a hoodlum guy came

to ask for justice. Wei Yi never thought that the mute girl was the Zhao Shen Shen

from 9 years ago.

Because of Shen Shen's righteousness, this mute girl left Wei Yi a deep

and favorable impression. Because of fate, the two keep on bumping into each

other. Even though they get mad over little things every time, but seeing the way

Shen Shen does sign language Wei Yi felt like he was brimming with magnificent

vitality. Argue for the sake of arguing with Wei Yi has become apart of Shen

Shen's silent life.

At this time, a “misfortune" suddenly befallen him. His doctor verified that he had

liver cancer and only had 1 more year to live. All of a sudden Wei Yi recalled a

promise. The time capsule he and Shen Shen buried 9 years ago that said

childhood memories would unlock 10 years later...

Wei Yi dismisses his engagement with his fiancée and goes to the place

the2 agreed to meet at. As death drew near, fate arranges for Wei Yi and Zhao

Shen Shen to meet again! Zhao Shen Shen was actually that mute girl.
 With his life about to end, Wei Yi decides to hide his identity and slowly

changes because of Shen Shen, living the last 365 days of his life nicely. But Wei

Yi's father Zhen Yang is furious that his son has changed because of an out-of-

the-blue mute girl and decides to resolve this impediment personally. To protect

Shen Shen, Wei Yi agrees to return to Taiwan to get treated. The day Wei Yi

leaves Dalian Shen Shen accidentally finds out that Wei Yi was her love many

years ago. She also find out that Wei Yi only had 1 more year to live! The love

deeply suppressed within her heart was completely dispersed at this moment.

Shen Shen chases after Wei Yi's car, crying all the way and trying to call out to

Wei Yi...Shen Shen's voice is finally back after 9 years!

2.8 Previous Studies

Several studies on illocutionary acts have been done previously. For

example, Aini (2007) looks at “Sign Language of Hellen Keller in Miracle

Worker Movie”. Aini investigates the way Hellen Keller used sign language

through language acquisition theory. The researcher finds out some difficulties on

spelling verbs for the deaf-blind person. The way Hellen Keller, as the main

character in the “Miracle Worker” movie, acquired her language as follow is by

hands-on signing and using sign language. So, the similarity between this research

and Aini’s research lies on the same discussion about sign language. And the

difference lies on the object and the theory used. This research used Searle’s

theory of illocutionary acts and Aini’s research used language acquisition theory.
 Handayani (2004) investigates illocutionary acts used by transsexual

people in Malang. She found four kinds of speech acts: assertive act, directive act,

commissive act and expressive act. The most assertive act performed in this

finding is complaining act. Chamimah (2006) examined illocutionary acts used by

mentally retarded students in Yayasan Darul Ulum Jombang. She finds the form

of directive act, commissive act and representative act. The representative mostly

performed is assertive. This illocutionary act analysis is fulfilled by the felicity

condition namely preparatory condition, sincerity condition, prepositional

condition and essential condition. And Zen (2007) with her research “Discourse

Analysis of Bush’s Speeches on Democracy Issue through Illocutionary Acts

Theory” finds four kinds of speech acts: assertive/representative, commissive,

expressive, and declarative used by Bush. The speaker delivered messages

through his speech explicitly. The difference between their research and mine lies

on the objects and findings in which this research found the five types of

illocutionary acts in “Silence movie”; assertive, directive commissive, expressive

and declarative. Directive is mostly performed in the form of commanding. And

this research also discusses about the functions of illocutionary acts while they

didn’t.

Indriawati (2008) investigated Illocutionary Acts used by Indonesia This

Morning presenters on Metro TV finds four types of illocutionary acts:

representative, directive, commissive, and expressive used by the presenters of

Indonesia This Morning. The presenters do not use the declarative acts. She also

finds that the presenters also used four functions of illocutionary acts based on the
social purposes: competitive, convivial, collaborative and conflictive. The most

frequent functions of illocutionary acts were used by Indonesia This Morning

presenters on Metro TV are collaborative. Then, the difference lies on the types,

which found five types of illocutionary acts in “Silence Movie”, and the most

frequent functions of illocutionary acts used in “Silence movie” is competitive.

Other conducted by Wildan (2008) who researches “A Study on

Illocutionary Acts used by The Main Characters in The Boor” and finds the the

main characters in “The Boor” used directives, assertive, commissive, expressive

and declarative. Wildan didn’t discuss about the functions of illocutionary acts as

the writer does in this research.

This research investigates illocutionary acts on sign language used by the

main character in “Silence movie”. To analyze the data, illocutionary acts theory

proposed by Searle: assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declaratives

is used. The main difference of this study from previous ones lies on the different

objects that the researchers investigated and its focus of study: sign language.
 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD

This chapter presents the method of the research. They are research design,

data sources, data collection, data analysis, research instrument.

3.1 Research Design

This research utilizes a qualitative method to analyze the data. It is so

because the data analysis does not use statistical procedure (Moleong, 1990). The

descriptive approach is implemented because the data analysis is presented

descriptively, i.e. the types and the functions of the illocutionary acts found in

sign language. The data were analyzed by applying the theory of Searle in order to

prove whether the theory works on the object or not.

3.2 Research Subject

This study concerns with the illocutionary acts used by the main characters

in the “Silence movie”. Some reasons why “Silence movie” is taken as the subject

are; firstly, there are utterances which consist of illocutionary acts found in this

movie. Secondly, the language used by the main character is sign language.

3.3 Data Sources

The data of this study were taken from the using of sign language used by

the main character in Silence movie and several websites related to the object of

the study. The data are obtained from utterances which are expressed by using
sign language produced by the main character in the first and the second episode

of “Silence movie”.

3.4 Research Instrument

Research instrument is important to obtain the data of the study. The

writer is the main instrument of this study because she spends a lot of time for

watching and trying to understand sign languages of Silence movie. When the

writer was watching the movie, she also was taking notes the use of sign language

and all utterances in the movie.

3.5 Data Collection

The data are collected through four steps: First, watching the Silence

movie from the first episode until the last episode to know which episode needed

to be analyzed. Second, selecting two episodes, 1st and 2nd episode, in which the

illocutionary acts are used dominantly in sign language. Third, taking notes the

using of sign language which is available in the subtitle of the movie to make the

writer easier in analyzing the illocutionary acts in it.

3.6 Data Analysis

In analyzing the sign language produced by the main character in Silence

movie, some steps are taken: the first step is analyzing the illocutionary acts used

in every utterance which is expressed through sign languages. In this step, the

writer classified the illocutionary acts in sign language into five categories such as
assertive, directive, commissive, expressive and declarative. The second step is

analyzing the functions of illocutionary acts in those utterances. In this step, the

writer also classified the illocutionary acts functions in those utterances into four

categories such as competitive, convivial, collaborative, and conflictive. And

when the answers of research problems are found, the last step to do is making a

conclusion based on the result of the analysis.

 CHAPTER IV

FINDING AND DISCUSSIONS

This chapter discusses the results of the data analysis that cover

illocutionary acts used by the main characters in "Silence movie". Firstly the

writer analyzes the data by using Searle’s illocutionary act classification

(assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative). Secondly, the

writer analyzes the functions of illocutionary acts (competitive, convivial,

collaborative, and conflictive). All utterances which will be analyzed below are

produced by using sign language used by the main character in “Silence Movie”.

There are 11 data in this analysis which is taken from 2 disks of “Silence Movie”.

Each disk has 7 parts; the data 1 is taken from the first part of the first disk or

episode, the data 2 is taken from the second part, and so on. Actually there are

many illocutionary acts found in each parts of the episode, but not all the data will

be analyzed in order to avoid repetition which will make the readers bored to read

this research.

4.1 DATA PRESENTATION

DATA 1
No. Utterances
1.1 “Come over here.”

1.2 “You’re going to be late for work! Hurry and go!”

1.3 “Remember it next time”.

1.4 “You’re wasting money again”.

4.2. DATA ANALYSIS

Analysis of data 1

1.1 “Come over here. “

In the morning, Shen-shen saw Zuo Jun went out from the house and seemed

to go somewhere whereas they had to go to sell the food. She called him by

saying ‘come over here’. The word ‘come over here’ is included into directive

because the utterance causes the hearer to take a particular action. In this

context, Shen-shen wanted Zuo Jun to do something for her. Therefore, this

utterance is classified as commanding. The function of this illocutionary acts

is competitive function because the illocutionary goal competes with the social

goal. Shen-shen wanted another person to do something without having

platitude.

1.2 “You’re going to be late for work! Hurry and go!”

Shen-shen took Uncle Zuo to his office to work. He advised Shen-shen many

things before he left, but Shen-shen commanded him to go to his office

quickly because he will be late if he still talked too much to her. The word

‘Hurry and go!’ is included into directive because it is a kind of commanding.

That utterance causes the hearer to take a particular action. Here, Uncle Zuo

did what Shen-shen wanted. This illocutionary act has competitive function

because the illocutionary goal competes with the social goal. The speaker

wanted the hearer to do something as what she said.

1.3 “Remember it next time”.

After transmitting Uncle Zuo to his office, Shen-shen saw Uncle Zuo’s official

card left in the car. She brought it back to Uncle Zuo’s office and gave it to

him. Shen-shen advised him not to forget anymore. This utterance is included

into directive because it causes the hearer to take some particular action. It is

classified into advising because in this context, Shen-shen said something to

make sure that his uncle will not do the same thing as like just he did. This

illocutionary act has competitive function because the illocutionary goal

competes with the social goal. Shen-shen wanted Uncle Zuo to do something

as what she just said.

1.4 “You’re wasting money again”.

In this utterance, Shen-shen expressed her unhappiness. It can be seen from

the sentence “You’re wasting money again”. This can be included into

assertive because it says about something true. This expression shows

complaining about what Zuo Jun did. So, in this case Shen-shen’s utterance is

classified as complaining, means saying that she was unhappy, or not satisfied

about somebody or something. This utterance has collaborative function

because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the social purposes. In this

context, the speaker doesn’t want another person do something that he/she

thinks that it’s not true.

DATA 2
No. Utterances
2.1 “Thank you”

2.2 “Sorry”.

2.3 “Sorry for the wait”.

2.4 “Where is your General Manager?”

2.5 “Tell him!”

2.6 “What right do you have for refusing to listen to one’s explanation”

2.7 “I don’t want to see a doctor.”

2.8 “I will take care of you forever.”

Analysis of data 2

2.1 “Thank you”

Thank you is uttered by Shen-shen when Zuo Jun

bought her a new hand phone although at first time Shen-shen felt a bit

annoyed to him because he just wasting money for buying it. This

illocutionary act is included into expressive because it conveys about

someone’s thought and feeling. It has convivial function because its aim

incompliant with the social purposes. In this context, Shen-shen says thanks to

the man to make a pleasure relationship.

2.2 “Sorry”.

When Shen-shen and Zuo Jun was selling the food, there was a buyer who

was waiting for the food they sold. The buyer of the food wanted Shen-shen to

serve the food quickly because at that time Shen-shen was busy talking with
 Zuo Jun about the Uncle Zuo’s expeltion. Shen-shen said sorry to the buyer.

‘Sorry’ is a kind of expressive because it conveys or expresses the speaker’s

thought and feeling. This utterance is classified as apologizing. This

illocutionary act has convivial function because its aim incompliant with the

social purposes. Shen-shen said sorry to the buyer to make a pleasure

relationship.

2.3 “Sorry for the wait”.

Still related to the previous utterance, Shen-shen asked sorry to the buyer once

more because she had made her to wait the food for a long time. This

utterance is expressive illocutionary acts because it conveys or expresses the

speaker’s thought and feeling. This is also classified as apologizing because in

this context, Shen-shen apologized to the buyer for the long wait. This

illocutionary act has convivial function because its aim incompliant with the

social purposes. Shen-shen said sorry to the buyer to make a pleasure

relationship.

2.4 “Where is your General Manager?”

This utterance is directive illocutionary acts because it causes the hearer to

take a particular action. Shen-shen was saying something to the security in the

form of question to get information about where the General Manager was.

Therefore, this utterance is classified as asking. This illocutionary act has

competitive function because the illocutionary goal competes with the social

goal. Shen-shen wanted the security did something to her by asking him a
 question wishing that the security wanted to tell her to find the General

Manager of that company.

2.5 “Tell him!”

This utterance is directive illocutionary acts because it causes the hearer to

take a particular action. Shen-shen wanted Zuo Jun to tell the security that she

wanted to know where the General Manager was, because it seemed that the

security didn’t understand her sign language. This utterance is classified as

commanding because Shen-shen wanted Zuo Jun did something for her. This

illocutionary act has competitive function because the illocutionary goal

competes with the social goal.

2.6 “What right do you have for refusing to listen to one’s explanation”

At the company, Shen-shen complained angrily to Mr. CEO about what Mr.

CEO did. It can be seen from her utterance “What right do you have for

refusing to listen to one’s explanation”. She did not agree with Mr. CEO who

has fired his uncle without listening to his reason. Based on the context, Shen-

shen’s utterance is classified as complaining, means unhappy or not satisfied

about something or somebody. This utterance has collaborative function

because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the social purposes. In this

context, the speaker doesn’t want another person do something that he/she

thinks that it’s not true.

2.7 “I don’t want to see a doctor.”

Uncle Zuo gave suggestion to Shen-shen to see the doctor in China to cure her

voice. But Shen-shen didn’t want to go to the doctor because she felt that
 being unable to speak is very good. This sentence is included into declarative

because Shen-shen refused Uncle Zuo’s suggestion to cure her voice. So, this

sentence is classified as dismissing. This utterance has conflictive function

because this illocutionary act aims against the social purposes. In this context,

Shen-shen refused Uncle Zuo’s offering to cure her voice but actually she

wanted to be able to speak again. She did it because she didn’t want her uncle

spent his money for her.

2.8 “I will take care of you forever.”

Shen-shen makes a promise to Uncle Zuo that she will take care of him

forever. The illocutionary act of her utterance is commissive illocutionary acts

because it commits a speaker to some future action. This utterance is classified

as promising. It means that Shen-shen will do something or that something

will happen. This utterance has convivial function because it aims incompliant

with the social purposes. Shen-shen promised to her uncle to make a pleasure

relationship.

DATA 3
No. Utterances
3.1 “I guarantee you that it won’t go to waste!”

3.2 “Uncle Zuo always punched in and out on time.”

3.3 “You’re the one who’s wrong.”

3.4 “Let me out of the car!”

Analysis of data 3

3.1 “I guarantee you that it won’t go to waste! “

Zuo Jun said that there were still lots of noodles left and not sold. Shen-shen

has an idea to solve that, and she promises him that the noodles will not go to

waste. This utterance is included into commissive illocutionary acts because it

commits a speaker to some future action. This utterance is classified as

promising. This utterance has convivial function because it aims incompliant

with the social purposes. Shen-shen promised to Zuo Jun about her idea to

make a pleasure relationship.

3.2 “Uncle Zuo always punched in and out on time.”

This utterance is assertive because it commits the speaker to the truth of the

expressed proposition. Shen-shen intended to give information to Mr. CEO

that Uncle Zuo was always working on time. Beside that, she wanted him to

know that what he was doing such as firing his uncle was not true. Therefore,

this sentence is classified as reporting. This utterance has collaborative

function because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the social purposes.

In this context, the speaker just reporting about something that the hearer need

to know.

3.3 “You’re the one who’s wrong.”

This utterance is included into expressive because it expresses the speaker’s

attitude and emotions towards the preposition. This utterance is classified as

blaming because Shen-shen expressed her anger to Mr. CEO who was being

unreasonable firing her uncle from his work. This utterance has conflictive
 function because this illocutionary act aims against the social purposes. In this

context, Shen-shen was very angry to Mr. CEO because of his attitude.

3.4 “Let me out of the car!”

This utterance is included into directive illocutionary acts because it is a kind

of requesting. Shen-shen asked Mr. CEO to let her out of the car because the

car is locked by him and she can not go out from it. She was afraid that he will

take revenge on her. This illocutionary act has competitive function because

the illocutionary goal competes with the social goal. The purpose of the

speaker is clear because she wanted another person to do something.

DATA 4
No. Utterances
4.1 “I got left by myself on Yang Ming Mountain! I almost got scared to

death, yet you’re scolding me?!”

4.2 “No, I’ll definitely get it back tomorrow.”

Analysis of data 4

4.1 “I got left by myself on Yang Ming Mountain! I almost got scared to death,

yet you’re scolding me?!”

This utterance is assertive illocutionary acts because it commits about the

truth. Shen-shen told Zuo Jun about her condition that Mr. CEO left her alone

on Yang Ming Mountain. It is included into complaining because in this case

Shen-shen was scolded by Zuo Jun without knowing the reason. She wanted

Zuo Jun know about what had happened to her. This utterance has

collaborative function because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the social
 purposes. In this context, the speaker doesn’t want another person do

something that he/she thinks that it’s not true.

4.2 “No, I’ll definitely get it back tomorrow.”

This utterance is commissive illocutionary acts because it comiits a speaker to

some future action. Shen-shen made a promise to Zuo Jun that she will get her

hand phone back from Mr. CEO in the following day because Zuo Jun

intended to buy another new hand phone for Shen-shen. But Shen-shen

refused it. Therefore, this sentence is classified as promising. This

illocutionary act has competitive function because its aims to achieve the

social goal. Shen-shen has a clear purpose; she promised Zuo Jun that her

hand phone will back.

DATA 5
No. Utterances
5.1 “You’re going too far!”

5.2 “I really wasn’t going to steal the car.”

5.3 “My phone is missing, it’s in the car.”

Analysis of data 5

5.1 “You’re going too far!”

Shen-shen was annoyed with Mr. CEO’s driver who accused her as a thief

who wants to steal Mr. CEO’s car. The driver also said to police officer not to

believe her because there are many people who use their weakness as tricks to

commit crimes. Based on the context, Shen-shen’s utterance is classified as

complaining, means unhappy or not satisfied about something or somebody.

This utterance has collaborative function because this illocutionary act aims at
 ignoring the social purposes. In this context, Shen-shen didn’t want the driver

said something that she thought that it was not true.

5.2 “I really wasn’t going to steal the car.”

This utterance is included into assertive because it requires the listeners to take

a note of the speaker's believe. Mr. Ceo’s driver accused Shen-shen want to

steal his boss’ car. Shen-shen denied that she did it. She convinced the police

officer that she wasn’t going to steal the car. This utterance is classified as

denying because she was saying that something was not true. This utterance

has collaborative function because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the

social purposes.

5.3 “My phone is missing, it’s in the car.”

This utterance is included into assertive illocutionary acts because it expresses

about the truth. Shen-shen gave information to the police officer that her

mobile is in the Mr. CEO’s car. She intended to take it and not going to steal

the car. This utterance is classified as reporting. This utterance has

collaborative function because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the social

purposes. In this context, Shen-shen just reporting about the fact that the

police officer needs to know.

DATA 6
No. Utterances
6.1. “He’s lying! It was not like that!”

6.2. “Tell the police officer I’m not his girl friend!”

6.3. “What are you doing?”

6.4. “Eat here? You also can enjoy the view.”

Analysis of data 6

6.1 “He’s lying! It was not like that!”

This utterance is assertive because it commits about the truth of the expressed

proposition. Shen-shen told the police officer that what Mr. CEO said was

lying because he said that she was his girlfriend and took their relationship

problems to police station. Shen-shen denied it because it was not true. This

utterance is classified as denying. This utterance has collaborative function

because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the social purposes.

6.2 “Tell the police officer I’m not his girl friend!”

This utterance is included into directive illocutionary acts which cause the

hearer to take a particular action. This utterance is classified as commanding

because in this case Shen-shen wanted Zuo Jun to tell the police officer about

the fact that she was not Mr. CEO’s girlfriend. This illocutionary act has

competitive function because the illocutionary goal competes with the social

goal. In this context, Shen-shen wanted Zuo Jun to explain the fact to the

police officer.

6.3 “What are you doing?”

This utterance is included into Directive illocutionary acts which cause the

hearer to take a particular action. Shen-shen asked Zuo Jun why he didn’t tell

the truth to the police officer that she was not Mr. CEO’s girlfriend. On the

contrary, he was agreed with Mr. CEO’s statement which clearly told a lie.

This utterance is classified as asking because the speaker is saying something

 in the form of question to get information. This illocutionary act has

competitive function because the illocutionary goal competes with the social

goal.

6.4 “Eat here?You also can enjoy the view.”

This utterance is included into commissive illocutionary acts. Shen-shen

offered Xiao Guang and her friend to eat the noodles at place because beside

eat; they can also enjoy the view around them. Shen-shen expressed readiness

to do something for or on behalf someone. This utterance is classified as

offering because it presents something to be accepted or refused. It has

convivial function because this illocutionary act aims incompliant with the

social purposes. Shen-shen offered XiaoGuang to eat at place to make a

pleasure relationship.

DATA 7
No. Utterances
7.1 “Hope you’ll come back next time.”

7.2 “Before you finish eating the noodles, don’t talk to me.”

7.3 “Thank you.”

7.4 “Don’t worry, leave it to me.”

Analysis of data 7

7.1 “Hope you’ll come back next time.”

This utterance is included into Directive illocutionary acts which cause the

hearer to take a particular action. This utterance is classified as requesting

because Shen-shen wanted Xiao Guang and her friend to come again to her

shop next time. This illocutionary act has competitive function because the
 illocutionary goal competes with the social goal. Shen-shen wanted

XiaoGuang to come again later.

7.2 “Before you finish eating the noodles, don’t talk to me.”

This utterance is included into directive illocutionary acts which cause the

hearer to take a particular action. Shen-shen told Zuo Jun not to talk to her

before he finished eating all rest of the noodles. It can be seen from the

sentence ‘don’t talk to me’. Shen-shen said like that because Zuo Jun has done

a mistake to her. And Shen-shen intended to give him punishment by eating

all the rest of noodles. This utterance is classified as commanding. This

illocutionary act has conflictive function because in this context, Shen-shen

was angry to Zuo Jun because he told a lie to the police officer that she was

Mr. CEO’s girl friend.

7.3 “Thank you.”

This utterance is included into expressive illocutionary acts because it

expresses speaker’s attitude and emotions toward the preposition. Shen-shen

said thank you to a man who help her. This utterance is classified as thanking.

This illocutionary act has convivial function because its aim incompliant with

the social purposes. Shen-shen say thanks to the man to make a pleasure

relationship.

7.4 “Don’t worry, leave it to me.”

Dr. Su was in a rush to go to hospital because he hasn’t made a train. But he

met Shen-shen in coincidence. Shen-shen understood that Dr. Sue had to go to

hospital quickly. Then she recommended him not to worry because she will
 take him to the hospital by her car. This utterance is classified as

recommending. This illocutionary act has competitive function because the

illocutionary goal competes with the social goal.

DATA 8
No. Utterances
8.1 “You’re late, hurry.”

8.2 “Congratulations.”

8.3 “He wasted money.”

Analysis of data 8

8.1 “You’re late, hurry.”

This utterance is included into directive illocutionary acts which cause the

hearer to take a particular action. This utterance is classified as commanding

because Shen-shen wanted Mr. CEO to go to his engagement party quickly in

order not late. This illocutionary act has competitive function because the

illocutionary goal competes with the social goal. In this context, Shen-shen

wanted Mr. CEO do something as what she said.

8.2 “Congratulations.”

This utterance is included into expressive illocutionary acts because it

expresses speaker’s attitude and emotions toward the preposition. This

utterance is classified as congratulating because in this case Shen-shen

congratulated Qi WeiYi and Xiao Guang at their engagement party. This

illocutionary act has convivial function because its aim incompliant with the
 social purposes. Shen-shen say congratulation to Xiao Guang and Qi WeiYi to

make a pleasure relationship.

8.3 “He wasted money.”

This utterance is included into Directive illocutionary acts which cause the

hearer to take a particular action. This utterance is classified as reporting.

Shen-shen said to Uncle Zuo that Zuo Jun wasted a lot of money for buying

something which is not important such buying a skirt for her. This utterance

has collaborative function because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the

social purposes. In this context, Shen-shen just reporting about the fact that

uncle Zuo needs to know.

DATA 9
No. Utterances
9.1 “We have being doing business here for a month now. “

9.2 “Go away.”

9.3 “You can’t just take it.”

9.4 “No need to be polite, thank you.”

9.5 “His car broke down.”

9.6 “Thank you.”

Analysis of data 9

9.1 “We have being doing business here for a month now. “

This utterance is included into Assertive illocutionary because it commits a

speaker to the truth of the expressed proposition. This utterance is classified as

reporting because here Shen-shen told a man who took her spot that she and

Zuo Jun have being doing business for a month in that spot. This utterance has
 collaborative function because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the social

purposes. In this context, Shen-shen just reporting about the fact that the man

should know.

9.2 “Go away.”

This utterance is included into Directive illocutionary act. Shen-shen

commanded the man to go from their spot. She was annoyed because the man

didn’t want to listen to their explanation. So, this utterance is classified as

commanding. This illocutionary act has competitive function because the

illocutionary goal competes with the social goal. Shen-shen wanted the man

go from their spot as what she said.

9.3 “You can’t just take it.”

Shen-shen was annoyed with the man who took their spot in unpleasant way.

The man didn’t want to give the spot to them because he felt that he found that

spot first and that is his territory no matter how long they applied for the spot.

Based on the context, Shen-shen’s utterance is classified as complaining,

means unhappy or not satisfied about something or somebody. This utterance

has collaborative function because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the

social purposes. In this context, the speaker doesn’t want another person do

something that he/she thinks that it’s not true.

9.4 “No need to be polite, thank you.”

Xiao Guang brought some yummy delicacies for to Shen-shen as her

expressing thanks because she has drove her fiancé to the engagement party

that day. Shen-shen told her that she needs not to do that for replying her
 goodness. This utterance is classified as advice. This illocutionary act has

competitive function because the illocutionary goal competes with the social

goal.

9.5 “His car broke down.”

Shen-shen told Zuo Jun Mr. CEO’s car was broken down because at that time

she was drove pass and saw that his car had broken down. This utterance is

classified as reporting because Shen-shen intended to give the information.

This utterance has collaborative function because this illocutionary act aims at

ignoring the social purposes. In this context, Shen-shen just reporting about

the fact about what had happened to Zuo Jun.

9.6 “Thank you.”

This utterance is included into expressive illocutionary acts because it

expresses speaker’s attitude and emotions toward the preposition. Shen-shen

said thank you to Xiao Guang because she had told the truth that their noodles

were not nice. This utterance is classified as thanking. This illocutionary act

has convivial function because its aim incompliant with the social purposes.

Shen-shen say thanks to Xiao Guang to make a pleasure relationship.

DATA 10
No. Utterances
10.1 “Wait! Tell the truth.”

10.2 “I will try harder, this time I will succeed.”

Analysis of data 10

10.1 “Wait! Tell the truth.”

This utterance is directive illocutionary acts which cause the hearer to take a

particular action. Shen-shen just made a cooking. She wanted Uncle Zuo

tasted and commented about the taste of her cooking. Uncle Zuo said that her

cooking was really nice but Shen-shen wanted him to tell the truth that her

cooking is really nice or not. This utterance is classified as commanding. This

illocutionary act has competitive function because the illocutionary goal

competes with the social goal.

10.2 “I will try harder, this time I will succeed.”

This utterance is included into commissive because it commits a speaker to

some future action. It is classified as promising because Shen-shen promised

to Uncle Zuo and Zuo Jun that he would try harder to make a nice cooking and

she was sure that next time she will succeed. This illocutionary act has

competitive function because its aims to achieve the social goal. Shen-shen

has a clear purpose; she promised Zuo Jun and Uncle Zuo that next time he

will succeed to make a nice cooking.

DATA 11
No. Utterances
11.1 “Just copying down the names of restaurants doesn’t help.”

11.2 “This is the secret to making yummy Roast meat.”

11.3 “I’ll be right back.”

11.4 “Today is Uncle Zuo’s birthday.”

11.5 “How come you are eating so late?”

Analysis of data 11

11.1 “Just copying down the names of restaurants doesn’t help.”

This utterance is directive illocutionary acts which cause the hearer to take a

particular action. Shen-shen told Zuo Jun that copying the names of restaurant

didn’t help them to make a yummy roast meat. This utterance is classified as

advice. This illocutionary act has competitive function because the

illocutionary goal competes with the social goal.

11.2 “This is the secret to making yummy Roast meat.”

Shen-shen and Zuo Jun was thinking hard to find the way to make a yummy

roast meat. Finally, Shen-shen remembered her mom’s said when she was a

kid that to make a tasty roast meat was by hitting the meat with mallet to make

it become tender. Shen-shen suggested Zuo Jun to use the mallet in making a

roast meat. This utterance is classified as suggesting. This utterance has

collaborative function because this illocutionary act aims at ignoring the social

purposes.

11.3 “I’ll be right back.”

Shen-shen and Zuo Jun was thinking about the trick to make people wanted to

buy their food. Finally, Shen-shen found a trick. She directly went to

somewhere and promised Zuo Jun will be back again. This utterance is

classified as promising. Shen-shen promised Zuo Jun that he will be right back

after she found what she wanted.

11.4 “Today is Uncle Zuo’s birthday.”

This utterance is assertive because it commits a speaker to the truth of the

expressed proposition. Zuo Jun found a birthday cake in the refrigerator; he

thought that his dad had already known that they will earn a lot of money that

day and prepared the cake for celebrating it. But Shen-shen said that that day

was Uncle Zuo’s birthday, that’s why there was a birthday cake there. This

utterance has collaborative function because this illocutionary act aims at

ignoring the social purposes.

11.5 “How come you are eating so late?”

Shen-shen asked Mr. CEO why he was eating so late. This sentence is

classified as asking. The speaker is saying something in the form of question

to get information. This illocutionary act has competitive function because the

illocutionary goal competes with the social goal.. Shen-shen wanted to know

something to Mr. CEO by asking him a question.

4.3 DISCUSSION

The illocutionary acts that can be found in this movie are assertive,

directive, commissive, expressive and declarative. The most dominant type of

illocutionary acts which is used by the main character is directive which contains

17 data. The main character use directive illocutionary acts in the form of

commanding which has 8 data in data 1.1, 1.2, 2.7, 6.2, 7.2, 8.2, 9.2, and 10.1, in

the form of advising which has 3 data in data 1.3, 9.5, and 11.1, in the form of

asking which has 3 data in data 2.4, 6.3, and 11.5, in the form of requesting

which has 2 data in data 3.4, and 7.1, and in the form of recommending which
has 1 data in data 7.4. The second dominant type is assertive which has 14 data.

This illocutionary acts are used by the main character in the form of complaining

which has 5 data such as in data 1.4, 2.8, 4.1, 5.1, and 9.3, in the form of

reporting which has 5 data such as in data 3.2, 5.3, 8.3, 9.1, and 9.5, in the form

of stating which has 1 data such as in data 11.4, in the form of denying which has

2 data in data 5.2 and 6.1, and in the form of suggesting which has 1 data in data

11.2. And for the third dominant type is expressive which has 7 data. This

illocutionary acts use by the main character in the form of thanking which has 3

data such as in data 2.1, 7.3, and 9.7, in the form of apologizing which has 2 data

such as in data 2.2, and 2.3, in the form of blaming which has 1 data in data 3.3,

in the form of congratulating which has 1 data in data 8.2. For the fourth

dominant type is commissive which has 6 data. This illocutionary act used by the

main character in the form of promising which has 5 data such as in data 2.8, 3.1,

4.2, 10.2, and 11.3, and in the form of offering which has 1 data in data 6.4. And

the last is declarative which has 1 data in data 2.7 in type of dismissing.

Then, the functions of illocutionary acts that can be found in this movie

are competitive, convivial, collaborative, and conflictive. The most dominant

function of illocutionary acts that found in this movie is competitive which has 15

data. It is found in data 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.4, 2.5, 6.2, 6.3, 7.1, 7.4, 8.1, 9.2, 9.4, 10.1,

11.1, and 11.5. The second dominant function is collaborative which has 14 data,

such as in data 1.4, 2.6, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 8.3, 9.1, 9.3, 9.5, 11.2, and 11.4.

The third dominant function is convivial which has 7 data such as in data 2.1, 2.2,
2.3, 6.4, 7.3, 8.2, and 9.6. And the last one is conflictive function which has 3 data

in data 2.7, 3.3, and 7.2.

After analyzing 11 data found in this movie, it is concluded that the

majority types of illocutionary acts used by the main character is directive.

Generally, the main character in "Silence movie" often use the utterances that

expressed through sign language which consist of commanding, requesting,

promising, asking, ordering, apologizing, advising, asking, stating,

recommending, offering, thanking, complaining, reporting, denying, and

dismissing. Then, the most function of illocutionary acts found in this movie is

competitive.
 CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

In this chapter, the writer presents conclusion and suggestion after

analyzing the illocutionary acts produced by the main character in "Silence

movie".

5. 1 Conclusion

Illocutionary acts used by using sign language in “Silence movie” from the

first and second episode can be classified into five types and four functions of

illocutionary acts. The writer found all types and functions in this movie.

According to the types of illocutionary acts, the writer found five types of

illocutionary acts. Those types are: assertive, directive, commissive, expressive,

and declarative. In addition, the writer also found four functions of illocutionary

acts. Those are: competitive, convivial, collaborative, and conflictive.

People can do anything through utterances such as request, command,

apologizing, thanking, etc. It is not only performed by using oral or written, but

also can be performed by using sign language. The people who have hearing or

speech impairment, they use sign language in expressing their action. Although

they can not speak, they have their own way to express their act.

The writer gets much knowledge after conducting the research on

illocutionary acts used by the main character in “Silence movie", For example, she

can understand deeply about illocutionary acts based on Searle's theory and found

all of kinds of illocutionary acts namely: assertive, directives, commissives,

expressive and declarative. Beside that, she is also able to understand the function

of illocutionary acts itself and how people express their illocutionary through sign

language. The writer hopes this research would give some advantages for further

researcher who studies the same field.

5.2 Suggestion

The results of this study will be useful for a number of people:

(1) For people who live in signers’ area; it is suggested that they will learn and

understand how the signers expressed their illocutionary acts through sign

language.

(2) For the next researcher who is interested in doing the same kind of study, it

is suggested to use another theory of illocutionary acts or theory of sign

language, so that different result might be found.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wildan, A. F.. Illocutionary Acts used by The Main Characters in The Boor.
Unpublished Thesis. English Department. The State Islamic University of
Malang. 2008.

Indriawati, M. K. Illocutionary Acts used by Indonesia This Morning

presenters on Metro TV. Unpublished Thesis. English Department.
The State Islamic University of Malang. 2008.

Chamimah. Illocutionary Acts used by Mentally Retarded Students in Yayasan

Darul Ulum Jombang. Unpublished Thesis. English Department. The
State Islamic University of Malang. 2006.

Yule, George. The Study of Language. USA: Cambridge University Press, 1985.

Cummings, Louise. Pragmatik. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 2007.

Tsohatzidis, Savas L. Foundations of Speech Act Theory. London and New

York: Routledge,1994.

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2006.

Grundy, Peter. Doing Pragmatics. London: Arnold, 2000.

Brown, Gillian & Yule, George. Discourse Analysis. USA: Cambridge University
Press. 1983.

Cook, Guy. Discourse. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1989.

Chaer, Abdul. Linguistik Umum. Jakarta: PT. Rineka Cipta. 2003.

Wardaugh, Ronald. An Introduction to Linguistics. USA: Basil Blackwell. 1986.

Renkema, Jan. Discourse Studies. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing

Company. 1993.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign Language 02/04/2009 07.23 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_act 02/04/2009 07.29 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_act theory 02/04/2009 07.31 PM

 APPENDIX I

THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACTS

No. Illocutionary acts Assertive Directive Commissive Expressive Declarative

1.1 “Come over here.” 

1.2 “You’re going to be late for


work! Hurry and go!”

1.3 “Remember it next time”. 

1.4 “You’re wasting money 

again”.

2.1 “Thank you” 

2.2 “Sorry”. 

2.3 “Sorry for the wait”. 

2.4 “Where is your General 

Manager?”
2.5 “Tell him!” 

2.6 “What right do you have for 

refusing to listen to one’s

explanation”

2.7 “I don’t want to see a doctor.” 

2.8 “I will take care of you 

forever.”

3.1 “I guarantee you that it won’t 

go to waste!”

3.2 “Uncle Zuo always punched 

in and out on time.”

3.3 “You’re the one who’s 

wrong.”

3.4 “Let me out of the car!” 

4.1 “I got left by myself on Yang 

Ming Mountain! I almost got

scared to death, yet you’re

scolding me?!”

4.2 “No, I’ll definitely get it back 

tomorrow.”

5.1 “You’re going too far!” 

5.2 “I really wasn’t going to steal 

the car.”

5.3 “My phone is missing, it’s in 

the car.”

6.1 “He’s lying! It was not like 

that!”

6.2 “Tell the police officer I’m 

 not his girl friend!”

6.3 “What are you doing?” 

6.4 “Eat here? You also can enjoy 

the view.”

7.1 “Hope you’ll come back next 

time.”

7.2 “Before you finish eating the 

noodles, don’t talk to me.”

7.3 “Thank you.” 

7.4 “Don’t worry, leave it to me.” 

8.1 “You’re late, hurry.” 

8.2 “Congratulations.” 

8.3 “He wasted money.” 

9.1 “We have being doing 

 business here for a month

now. “

9.2 “Go away.” 

9.3 “You can’t just take it.” 

9.4 “No need to be polite, thank 

you.”

9.6 “His car broke down.” 

9.7 “Thank you.” 

10.1 “Wait! Tell the truth.” 

10.2 “I will try harder, this time I 

will succeed.”

11.1 “Just copying down the 

names of restaurants doesn’t

help.”
11.2 “This is the secret to making 

yummy Roast meat.”

11.3 “I’ll be right back.” 

11.4 “Today is Uncle Zuo’s 

birthday.”

11.5 “How come you are eating so 

late?”

Total 14 17 6 7 1

No. Illocutionary acts Competitive Convivial Collaborative Conflictive

1.1 “Come over here.” 

1.2 “You’re going to be late for 

work! Hurry and go!”

1.3 “Remember it next time”. 

1.4 “You’re wasting money again”. 

2.1 “Thank you” 

2.2 “Sorry”. 

2.3 “Sorry for the wait”. 

2.4 “Where is your General 

Manager?”

2.5 “Tell him!” 

2.6 “What right do you have for 

refusing to listen to one’s

explanation”

2.7 “I don’t want to see a doctor.” 

2.8 “I will take care of you forever.”

3.1 “I guarantee you that it won’t go

to waste!”
3.2 “Uncle Zuo always punched in 

and out on time.”

3.3 “You’re the one who’s wrong.” 

3.4 “Let me out of the car!”

4.1 “I got left by myself on Yang 

Ming Mountain! I almost got

scared to death, yet you’re

scolding me?!”

4.2 “No, I’ll definitely get it back

tomorrow.”

5.1 “You’re going too far!” 

5.2 “I really wasn’t going to steal the 

car.”

5.3 “My phone is missing, it’s in the 

 car.”

6.1 “He’s lying! It was not like that!” 

6.2 “Tell the police officer I’m not 

his girl friend!”

6.3 “What are you doing?” 

6.4 “Eat here? You also can enjoy the 

view.”

7.1 “Hope you’ll come back next 

time.”

7.2 “Before you finish eating the 

noodles, don’t talk to me.”

7.3 “Thank you.” 

7.4 “Don’t worry, leave it to me.” 

8.1 “You’re late, hurry.” 

8.2 “Congratulations.” 

8.3 “He wasted money.” 

9.1 “We have being doing business 

here for a month now. “

9.2 “Go away.” 

9.3 “You can’t just take it.” 

9.4 “No need to be polite, thank 

you.”

9.5 “His car broke down.” 

9.6 “Thank you.” 

10.1 “Wait! Tell the truth.” 

10.2 “I will try harder, this time I will

succeed.”

11.1 “Just copying down the names of 

 restaurants doesn’t help.”

11.2 “This is the secret to making 

yummy Roast meat.”

11.3 “I’ll be right back.”

11.4 “Today is Uncle Zuo’s birthday.” 

11.5 “How come you are eating so 

late?”

Total 15 7 14 3