Hasana, Miftachul (2009) The hedges used by the main characters in Armageddon / Miftachul Hasana. Diploma thesis, Universitas Negeri Malang.
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Communication is an important way in delivering the messages. It is advisable that speakers are careful in using conversational strategies in order to avoid misunderstanding. Besides the misunderstanding that arises it is also important to note that each culture has their own social value of politeness in communication. In order to make sense of what we communicate we have to look at various factors that related to social distance and closeness. Those factors also involve the relative status of participants based on social value like age and power. The great deal of what we communicate is determined by our social relationship (Yule 1996 59). Thus in order to maintain the communication the speakers are expected to consider the important of acceptable communication strategies. On the other hand it is not possible for listeners to understand the utterances of the speakers fully without knowing the context. Yule (1996 35) states that in having a conversation sometimes people do not normally assume to try to confuse trick or withhold relevant information from each other. In other words we assume that people are normally going to provide an appropriate amount of information. However in everyday life sometimes people say something that is threat to another person expectation regarding self image (Iragiliati 2008 24). As the consequence they use negative politeness strategy to lessen the possible threat. They do not really give the information as required. They feel that it is dangerous to have cooperation with the listeners. The reason is that even though they are aware of the cooperative principle itself they use hedges as a means of avoiding the danger. Hedges are one of the ways to soften the impact of sentence. It means that it will deal with some maxims of cooperative principle that are used to make the conversational contribution as required. Collins (1987) in Markkanen and Schroder (1997) mentioned that if people hedge against something unpleasant or unwanted things that might affect them they do something that will protect them from it. Collins also argued that if people hedge a problem or question they avoid answering the question in a particular action or decision. Thus hedges will be a way to soften the impact of their utterances to the listener and lessen the possibility of misunderstanding between the speakers. In addition Fairclough (1992 160) from his research on British and American conversation argues that rather than straightforwardly show certainty doubt and attitudes hedging the sentence will be good intersection for signification of reality and the enactment of social relations. He suggested that hedges will represent interlocutors relationship such as solidarity affinity and other power relationships (Precht 2003 240). In having conversation there is also gender bound that influence the use of language. Nemati and Beyer (2007 187) stated that there was a comparison study between female cooperativeness and male competitiveness in linguistic behavior that was observed by Grey (1998). Climate (1997) quoted by Nemati and Beyer (2007 187) believed that females generally use speech to develop and maintain relationships and also to achieve intimacy. They adopted Tannen s statement (1990) who argued that women speak and hear a language of connection and intimacy while men speak and hear a language of status and independence. This present research tries to analyze the use of hedges from another side. Besides exploring how actually hedges are used in the real life this research also focuses on the art which takes the form of movie. Since the previous researcher do not explore deeper about the aspects which impose the use of hedges the present researcher endeavors to reveal the appearance of certain hedges. According to Precht (2003 241) that hedges are interpreted as terms of the relationship between the speakers the relative status of speakers and the presentation of self the researcher assumes that there must be reasons why people decide to hedge their sentences. In addition this present research will also discuss cooperative principle in which she will deliver the finding to the conclusion of the reason why some certain hedges frequently used. In revealing the reasons why certain hedges are used the researcher needs to know about the situation when the hedges appear. In applied arts movie is one media that most people like. It will be a good means to represent the real life condition about how people talk to each other and to recover what aspects impose in that sentence. Improvisation in a movie will be able to give a clear description the way hedges are used because it will show the context of the situation where the conversation takes place. That is the reason why the researcher uses the movie in order to reveal the aspects that impose the use of hedges. In this study the researcher chooses Armageddon as the subject of the study because it received the Saturn Awards for Best Directory and Best Science Fiction Film. According to Gibson in his article the criteria for good science fiction movie are Volume and Balance openended complexity time-referencing and development. In Wikipedia it is stated that this movie was also nominated in seven categories for the 1998 Golden Raspberry Awards. Armageddon was nominated for four Academy Awards (Best Sound Best Special Effects Best Effects Editing and Best Original Song). On the other hand Armageddon also received critical disdain for some scientific inaccuracies in terms of laws of physics. Thus prospective managers of the company that released this movie were asked to find as many inaccuracies in the movie as they can. At least 168 impossible things have been found during the film (http //www.wikipedia.com). For example Shuttles would not and could not be landed on an asteroid even if they could they would not subsequently be able to leave. Besides there will be no sound in the outer space because sound waves need a medium through which to pass in the form of vibrations to be heard. All scientific inaccuracies stated above had led NASA to show the film as part of its management program (Newscientist magazine 1 September 2007). It is possible that those inaccuracies influence the sentences that are used in that movie in order to minimize the critiques. The inaccuracies will create the dangers for the movie director thus it needs the strategies to lessen and avoid the danger by using hedges. What makes hedges special to be discussed in this movie is that the characters come from different social classes and they face something dangerous. Thus the research is also conducted to recognize the way they deliver the messages of trepidation to others. In the real life situation people usually are very careful in delivering the message of danger to others. They will avoid making the situation gets worse by choosing the proper expression how to tell the hearers about the dangers they face. Considering the inaccuracies emerge in that movie there is possibility that people use hedges to answer the questions that arise in the viewer s mind and also from NASA as one of the Space Agency. Thus the researcher decides to analyze the hedges in Armageddon. 1.2 Statement of the Problems The research tries to reveal a. What kinds of hedges are used by the main characters in Armageddon b. What maxims are related with the hedges used by the characters c. What are the aspects that impose the use of certain type of hedges 1.3 Objectives of the Study This research is conducted to describe and explain how the characters hedge their utterances in order to lessen the impact of their sentence in any situation and to know the most frequent hedges used. Related to the general objective above several specific objectives of the study are formulated to describe and explain a. the types of hedges that are used by the characters in Armageddon. b. the maxims related to hedges used. c. the aspects that impose the use of hedges by the characters in Armageddon. 1.4 Significance of The Study The result of this study is aimed to give significance for the students of English Linguistics English teachers and the viewers of the Armageddon. Theoretically the results of this study describe and explain the hedges used by the characters in Armageddon based on politeness strategy in universal theory by Brown and Levinson (2004/1987) and politeness measured along Spencer-Oatey s pragmatic scale (1995). In practice the results of the study are designed for students of Linguistics and English teachers in order to enrich the knowledge of English pragmatics especially about hedges and how it is related to the maxims provide a practical contribution in analyzing the work of art based on Linguistics point of view and provide the students with the competence in using hedges in a proper way. For the viewers of Armageddon in common the findings are expected to give practical improvement in practicing the way to communicate by using hedges in proper way and it will help to understand the relationship of social parameters. 1.5 Limitation of The Study This study deals with socio-pragmatic field since it will cover the social background of the speakers in any conversation and explain it pragmatically. The main characters in the study chosen are Harry S. Stamper Grace S. Stamper Dan Golden and Albert Jack Frost (A.J) since they usually dominate the conversation happened in the movie. Another reason for choosing the characters mentioned above because they are deeply involved in the panic situation. Therefore hedges will help them to communicate more precisely when they are delivering the messages. 1.6 Definition of The Key Term In this research there are some key words in order to get the conclusion from researcher s point of view. Characters are the people in the fiction that are usually similar to the people in the real life (Peck and Coyle 1986). In this study the characters investigated are the main characters who come from different social status. They are Harry A.J Gracie and Dan Golden. Cooperative principle is a set of norm expected in conversation (Grice 1975). In cooperating with the hearers the speaker must be aware with four maxims of this principle. They are maxim of quality maxim of quantity maxim of relevant and maxim of manner. Hedges are a linguistic device used to modify and mitigate a proposition tone down uncertain or potentially risky claims and convey appropriate collegial attitudes to readers (Hyland 2000). Hedging is a linguistic resource that conveys the fundamental characteristics of science of uncertainty doubt and skepticism (Salager-Meyer 2001). It is a cautious note expression about how an utterance is taken.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Diploma) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | ?? ?? |
| Divisions: | Fakultas Sastra (FS) > Departemen Sastra Inggris (ING) > S1 Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris |
| Depositing User: | library UM |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Dec 2009 04:29 |
| Last Modified: | 09 Sep 2009 03:00 |
| URI: | http://repository.um.ac.id/id/eprint/10940 |
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