PERLOCUTIONARY ACTS APPROACH IN THE CONVERSATION

BETWEEN CHARACTERS IN “LIFE IS STRANGE” GAME

(A Thesis Proposal)

By
Syavira Annisa
15111507

FACULTY OF ARTS AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITAS TEKNOKRAT INDONESIA
BANDAR LAMPUNG
2018
 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1.Background of the Study

Communication usually use in every conversation betwen people to another people,

While conversation between Max and another characters as seen in every episode of

“Life is Strange” game can called as communication between two or more characters.

Therefore Life is Strange is a game which is a kind of Interactive Story, this game is

more towards the story that we as a player can choose how the story goes. Life is

Strange tells a story with a background of high school life in the United States, and the

protagonist character in this game has a supernatural element power. Max is an 18

years old girl who likes on photography, she comes back to her hometown called

Arcadia Bau to study there. She is the major character who have the supernatural

power the power is she can rewind the time.

This game consist of 5 episode, and in every episode there are stories that is

interconnected with each other, each action that is choose has different consequences,

and each path that we choose will not be the same as the other. With this story in this

game, the writer want to analyze in only episode 2, because in episode 2 there are a lot

of conversation between Max with another characters that can be analyze as the

purpose of this paper. Why the writer using game as the research, because this game

consist of story that interpret by some characters, so the writer can see the

Perlocutionary acts approach by the listener. The utter by the speaker will speak some
words and that speak has the consequences, so it makes listener doing such action after

listen some words from speaker. Using Perlocutionary Acts as the method to analyze

every conversation that Max speak with. Perlocutionary Acts is a part of Speech Acts

that is elaborated.

According to Austin (1962), Speech acts can be describe If we want to say something

it means is to do something. In other words, saying is an act to utterance. The theory

of Speech Acts starts with the assumption that the minimal unit of human

communication is not a sentence or other expression, but rather the performance of

certain kinds of acts, such as making statements, asking questions, giving orders,

describing, explaining, apologizing, thanking, congratulating, etc.

Characteristically, a speaker performs one or more of these acts by uttering a sentence,

or sentences. But the act itself is not to confusing with a sentence or other expression

uttered in its performance. Speech Acts has 3 types, the types are Illocutionary,

Locutionary, Perlocutionary acts and the writer choosing Perlocutionary to analyze

the conversation between main characters as seen in episode 2 of Life is Strange game.

Perlocutionary acts itself have to do with those effects which our utterances have on

hearers which go beyond the hearer’s understanding of the utterance. Such as

convincing, persuading, annoying, ammusing, and frightening are all cases of

Perlocutionary acts. And with those statement of Perlocutionary acts, the writer can

analyze to know what are the ussual words or sentences use by the speaker as seen in

episode 2 of Life is Strange game.

1.2. Formulation of the Problem

1. What is the most dominant perlocutionary act used by the characters?

1.3. Objective of the Study

The aims of this research are:

1. Identifying the most dominant perlocutionary act produced by the characters.

1.4. Uses of the Study

1.4.1. Theoritical Use

The research is to enrich the knowledge of the reader in this paper and the player

about perlocutionary acts and language use to speak in the conversation means to

get the reaction, as well as the impact after perlocutionary acts approach in the

conversation. After reading this paper, it will also become one of references to

student who wants to conduct reaserch on perlocutionary acts.

1.4.2. Practical Use

The research is to provides an in-depth knowledge of the perlocutionary that will

be used when the reader uses it and can know what impact that they receive if they

use those words, so the results of this paper are useful for the reader to understand
 and distinguish wether the word they use is acceptable to others or only to deliver

their thought.

1.5. Scope of the Study

In this paper the writer only discusses perlocutionary acts in the conversation

between characters in episode two of life is strange game using John Austin’s theory

by using pragmatic approach.

 CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW

In conducting meeting, the researcher needed the previous study to guide the research

to determine which approach and theories that relevant and applicable to be applied in

this study, that is related to speech acts which is perlocutionary acts or speech act.

1.1. Previous studies

Studies on speech acts have been done for several researcher. The studies focus on

the perlocutionary and the perlocutionary affect in the hearer. The results of the

studies are listed in the table below:

Table 2.1 Previous Studies

No. STUDY OBJECTIVE METHOD RESULT

1. Tedjasukmana, The study Qualitative Billy and Nick use the
Mardijono (2015, revealed that the same types of
Indonesia) perlocutionary act illocutionary act in
“The Illocutionary and produced by the answering the questions.
Perlocutionary Acts other main They are Assertive,
Produced by The Main characters to Commissive, Directive,
Characters of “The decide Billy and and Expressive. It is
Internship” Movie.” Nick’s illocution because when both of
is preferred and them are answering the
dispreferred questions, the answers are
social acts. the continuous answers. It
means that their answers
are related to each other.
2. Suhair Safwat To investigates Qualitative From the 2 speakers of
Mohammed Hashim the role of Kerry and Bush is studied
(2015, Iraq) language in the through by two selected
“Speech Acts in communication speeaches in order to gain
Political Speeches” by examining their thoghts. From
selected political Kerry’s speech that he
speeches of John used sentences that are
Kerry in commisive. While Bush’s
Presidential speech used language to
Campaign in 2004 state, maintain, inform,
and George Bush and announced by
Inaugural address asserting his authority.
in 2001
3. Nadaek, Sunggingwati, To finding the Qualitative All of the classifications
Valiantien (2016, types of of illocutionary act were
Indonesia) illocutionary act, found in Judy Hopps’
“An Analysis of the context of utterance, the context of
Illucotionary Act and illocutionary act illocutionary act
Perlocutionary Act of and whether happened when Judy
Judy Hoops’ Utterances Judy Hopps’ talked with other
in Zootopia Movie” utterances characters and
affected the perlocutionary act have
hearers unsuccessful and
performing the successful perlocutionary
perlocutionary act act affected Judy Hopps’
in Zootopia hearers performing the
movie. perlocutionary acts from
Zootopia movie.

The first previous study comes from Tedjasukmana, Mardijono entitled “The

Illocutionary and Perlocutionary Acts Produced by The Main Characters of “The

Internship” Movie.”. This thesis deals with the theory of speech act by Searle &
Vanderveken’s (2009) theory to analysis his data. The study focuses on the types of

illocutionary act produced by Billy and Nick as the main characters are Assertive,

Directive, Commissive, and Expressive. The study revealed that the perlocutionary act

produced by the other main characters to decide Billy and Nick’s illocution is preferred

and dispreferred social acts.

The second previous study comes from Suhair Safwat Mohammed Hashim he is from

University of Sulaimani Iraq, his research entitled “Speech Acts in Political

Speeches”. This study focused on twenty sentences of two speakers by John Kerry in

presidential campaign in 2004 and George Bush inaugural address in 2001. The

researcher focused on the pragmatic function of locution, illocutionary, and

perlocutionary acts of the speeches. Using the theory of J.L Austin (1962) by using

qualitative method.

The last previous study comes from Nadaek, Sunggingwati, Valiantien entitled “An

Analysis of Illucotionary Act and Perlocutionary Act of Judy Hoops’ Utterances in

Zootopia Movie”. The study focuses on the context of illocutionary act and wheter

Judy Hopps’ utterances affected the hearers performing the perlocutionary act in

Zootopia movie. The researcher analyzes the illocutionary and perlocutionary acts by

using George Yule (1996) and Dell Hymes (1978) theories.

By seeing those previous studies, the writer can understand more about theory of

speech act especially perlocutionary act. And those previous studies really give big

contribution to this research.

Based on the previous studies above, it can be seen that this research has many

similarity with those previous studies in the term of the topic analysis. However, this

research is different in the data and the object which it deals with classification of

perlocutionary acts and which the dominant perlocutionary act found in every

conversation between characters in the Life is strange game.

2.2 Pragmatics Approach

Pragmatics is the study about speaker meaning. According to Levinson (1983),

pragmatic is a study of a relation between language and context that is

grammaticalized or encoded in structure of meaning. Yule (1996), states that

pragmatics is concerned with the study of meaning as communicated by a speaker (or

writer) interpreted by a listener (or reader). From those definitions, the writer can

conclude that pragmatic is a study about speaker’s intention, what speaker aim to, and

concerned with the study of meaning communicated by a speaker and interpreted by a

listener.

2.3 Speech Act

The speech act is a theory that is starts with the presumption of the minimal unit of

human communication is not a sentence or another expression, but somewhat the

performance of some kinds of acts, such as asking question, making statements, giving

orders, explaining, describing, thanking, congratulating, apologizing, etc.

Characteristically, a speaker offered one or more of the acts by uttering a sentence or

sentences, but the act itself is not to be confused with those sentences or other

expression uttered in its performance.

According to J.L. Austin (1962) speech acts defined as the actions performed in saying

something. J.L. Austin’s speech act theory is used to describe a communicaton acts. It

consist each speech act there are levels of performing the acts, those are locutionary

act it refers the meaning of the utterances it is an act of saying something, illocutionary

act it is an act of what we does in uttering something it is the intention to interact,

perlocutionary act that produce an effect achieved in an adderesse by a speaker’s

utterance.

2.3.1 Perlocutionary Act

According to Austin (1979) he state that saying something will often, or even

normally, produce certain consequential effects upon the feelings, thoughts or actions

of the audience, or of the speaker, or of other persons, and it may be done with the

design, intention, and purpose of producing them, and we may say for thinking of this,

that the speaker have to performed an act to the performance of perlocutionary act.

We call perlocutionary acts relates to the hearer’s of understanding the illocutionary

act performed by the speaker, we can assume that hearer intention atrributes to the

speaker and then interprets messages is the basis of understanding.

We can see from this state that Perlocutionary are the effect of the listener after the

speaker utter something that has effect to the listener. Each of illocutionary,
locutionary, and perlocutionary, has their own effect, their connected one to another.

But the perlocutionary only has the effect from the listener and perlocutionary act be

called as an effect of the illocutionary act that can be analyze by the writer.

Perlocutionary acts consist of convincing, persuading, scaring, insulting, gettting the

adresse to do something.
 CHAPTER THREE
METHOD OF RESEARCH

3.1 Research Design

Research design is a guideline or procedure and technique in research study that is

useful as a guide to doing a research. Meleong (2010) says “Qualitative research that

intends to understand the phenomenon of what is experienced by research subjects

such as behavior, perception, motivation, actions, etc., holistically, by means in the

form of words and language, in a special natural context and by utilizing various

natural method”

Qualitative research aims to obtain a complete picture of a thing according to the

human perspective studied. Qualitative research relates to ideas, perceptions, opinions

or beliefs of the person being studied and all can not be measured by numbers. The

qualitative research by using library research method, the researcher used library

research in gathering the data of research to collect data from written source books

that will be useful for this analysis

According to Ary et al (2002) in Introduction to Research in Education states:

Qualitative inquirers to interpret human actions, institutions, events, customs, and the

like, and in so doing construct a “reading” or portrayal, of what is being studied. The

ultimate goal of this kind of inquiry is to portray the complex pattern of what is being

studied in sufficient depth and detail so that someone who has not experienced it can

understand it.
From the quotes above, we can see that the qualitative method suitable with the topic

that writer choose. It same as Perlocutionary acts to interpret human actions, by using

this method, the writer can see and differentiate what action can be as perlocutionary

acts from the characters itself. Ary et al (2002) state: The qualitative inquirer deals

with data that are in the form of words, rather than numbers and statistic.

Based on the study above, the writer collecting data in the form of words, because

words can interpret the action after those words using by the speaker.

3.2 Data & data Source

Data is an important thing for research study. It can be the proof and substantiation for

the researcher to solve the research problem. The data source consist of two kinds,

primary and secondary data.

3.2.1 Primary Data

The primary data for the analysis was taken from game “Life is Strange” in

episode 2. Developed by Dontnod and published by Square Enix for Microsoft

Windows, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. Release date:

January 30, 2015. Consist of 5 episodes, Episode 1 on January 30 2015,

Episode 2 on March 24 2015, Episode 3 on May 19 2015, Episode 4 July 28

2015, Episode 5 October 20, 2015.

 3.2.2 Secondary Data

Secondary data obtained through intermediary media or indirectly in the form

of books, records, existing evidence, or archives both published and not

publicly published. In other words, researchers need to collect data by visiting

the library, study center, archive center or reading many books which could

be supported the study and related to the research and the problem.

Ary et al (2002) state, “A secondary source is a secondhand description

written by someone who may have heard about an event from others, but did

not directly experienced it”

3.3 Data Collecting Technique

Ary et al (2002) in Introduction to research in Education states, “The most common

data collection methods used in qualitative research are observation (participant and

nonparticipant), interviewing, and document analysis”.

In collecting data, the researcher used to discover the description of data from the

primary and secondary data which are relevant with the research.

In collecting data, the following steps are done:

1. Playing the game to gain deeper understanding about the story line of the game

2. Writting notes to gain a clear description about what are the conversation that

give action to the listener or opposite character.

3. Identifying critical analysis by using some references

 4. Selecting and pick up the data that is connected with the problem

5. Finally conducting and analyzing the collected data and writting a conclusion

from the analysis

3.4 Data Analyzing Technique

In analyzing the data, the technique is selecting the hearer’s responds which is contain

Perlocutionary acts, then analyzing to gain Perlocutionary acts, evaluatin and the last

is concluding to got summary from the data used.

 REFERENCES

Ary, Donal et al. 2002. Introduction to Research in Education, 6th ed. Australia:
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Austin, J. L. (1962). How to do things with words (2nd ed.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard
University Press.

Bogdan, Robert C. 1992. Qualitative Research. USA: Allyn and Bacon a Division of
Simon and Schster.

Chreswell, John W. 2011. Research Paper Differences in The Qualitative and

Quantitative. http://www.infoskripsi.com/html, accessed 3 May 2015

Gallaway, C. (1994) Input and Interaction in Language acquisition, Cambridge

University Press.

Grice, H.P. 1989. Studies in the way of words. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University
Press, 1991.

J. R. Searle, F. Kiefer, and M. Bierwisch (eds.), Speech Act Theory and Pragmatics,
vii-xii.

Nadaek, Sunggingwati, Valiantien. (2016). An Analysis of Illucotionary Act and

Perlocutionary Act of Judy Hoops’ Utterances in Zootopia Movie.
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