Politeness Principles in 'Donald Trumps Election Victory Speech'
on
p-ISSN: 2528-5076, e-ISSN: 2302-920X
Jurnal Humanis, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya Unud
Vol 23.2 Mei 2019: 95-100
DOI: 10.24843/JH.2019.v23.i02.p03
Politeness Principles in “Donald Trump’s Election Victory Speech
Putu Eka Giri Mariani*, Made Budiarsa, Ni Made Ayu Widiastuti English Department, Faculty of Arts, Udayana University [[email protected]]
*Corresponding Author
Abstract
This paper entitled “Politeness Principles in Donald Trump’s Election Victory Speech: A Pragmatic Study” discusses the maxims of politeness principles, illocutionary acts and the illocutionary functions found in the victory speech of Donald Trump on November 7th, 2016. The purpose of this study is to define how far the maxims of politeness principles, the illocutionary acts and the illocutionary functions affect Donald Trump’s speech. This research was conducted using qualitative descriptive design. It was concerned with the explanation of utterance produced by Donald Trump in which politeness principles, illocutionary acts, and illocutionary functions occur. The primary source was the transcript of the speech retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com. In directing the study, the researcher; identified the data and then categorized them, clarified the categorized data, analysed the classified data, interpreted the data, reported the discovery and presented the data in the discussion. The analysis started with what types of politeness principles employed by Donald Trump, illocutionary acts, the illocutionary functions and ended with the discussion about the most dominant maxim used by Donald Trump. The conclusions presented that there were 21 utterances which contained 6 forms of politeness principles. Trump tended to use the expressions of tact maxim (6 utterances), generosity (4 utterances), approbation (5 utterances), modesty (3 utterances), agreement (1 utterance), and sympathy (2 utterances). The types of illocutionary acts; assertive in 4 utterances, directive in 5 utterances, commissive in 5 utterances, expressive in 7 utterances, and declaration in none. Illocutionary functions found were as follows; competitive function in 4 utterances, convivial function in 13 utterances, collaborative functions in 4 utterances, and conflictive function in none. The furthermost leading maxim from politeness principles was tact maxim which means that Trump tried to maximize the benefit of other and minimize the cost to other.
Keyword: politeness principles, maxims of politeness, election victory speech
Abstrak
Judul dari penelitian ini adalah Prinsip Kesopanan dalam Pidato Kemenangan Pemilu Donald Trump: Studi Pragmatis membahas prinsip-prinsip kesopanan, tindakan ilokusi dan fungsi ilokusi. Hal ini ditemukan dalam pidato kemenangan Donald Trump pada 7 November 2016. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menentukan sejauh mana prinsip-prinsip kesopanan, tindakan ilokusi dan fungsi ilokusi mempengaruhi pidato Donald Trump.Penelitian ini menggunakan desain deskriptif kualitatif. Itu berkaitan dengan deskripsi data dalam bentuk ujaran oleh Donald Trump di mana prinsip kesopanan, tindakan ilokusi, dan fungsi ilokusi ada. Sumber utama adalah transkrip pidato yang diambil dari https://www.nytimes.com. Dalam
melakukan penelitian ini, peneliti, (1) mengidentifikasi data dan kemudian mengkategorikannya, (2) mengklarifikasi data yang dikategorikan, (3) menganalisis data yang diklasifikasikan, (4) menafsirkan data, (5) melaporkan temuan dan ( 6) mempresentasikan data dalam diskusi. Analisis dimulai dengan jenis prinsip kesopanan yang digunakan oleh Donald Trump, tindakan ilokusi, fungsi ilokusi dan berakhir dengan membahas tentang maksim yang paling dominan digunakan oleh Trump. Untuk mencapai kepercayaan data, lembar data berulang kali diperiksa oleh peneliti dan beberapa rekan. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa ada 21 ucapan yang berisi 6 jenis prinsip kesopanan. Trump cenderung menggunakan maksim kebijaksanaan (6 ucapan), kedermawanan (4 ucapan), pujian (5 ucapan), kerendahan hati (3 ucapan), kesepakatan (1 ucapan), dan simpati (2 ucapan). Jenis-jenis tindakan ilokusi; asertif 4 ucapan, direktif 5, komisif 5, ekspresif 7, dan deklarasi 0. Fungsi ilokusi; berdaya saing 4 ucapan, ramah 13, kolaboratif 4, dan konflik 0. Jenis prinsip prinsip kesopanan yang paling dominan adalah maksim kebijaksanaan yang berarti bahwa Trump mencoba untuk memaksimalkan keuntungan orang lain dan meminimalkan kerugian yang lain.
Kata Kunci: kesopanan, prinsip kesopanan, pidato kemenangan pada pemilu.
Talking about politeness, Leech (1983:132) states that politeness principle basically pays awareness to the six maxims of the politeness; tact maxim, generosity maxim, approbation maxim, modesty maxim, agreement maxim, and sympathy maxim.
Based on the occurrences above, this study is concerned with the analysis of the politeness principles, illocutionary acts and illocutionary functions that would be found in election victory speech spoken by Donald Trump. This victory speech contains politeness principles. Hence, the topic is interesting to be the topic of writing because so far this writing has not been done yet by any previous writers; therefore, this writing will be written to give an understanding to the language users or people when conducting certain speech which must consider other feelings without hurting one another
Derived from the background stated, the research problems can be stated as follows: a. What types of politeness principle used in the expression of Donald Trump’s speech?
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b. What kinds of illocutionary acts and illocutionary functions are employed in the utterance of Donald Trump’s election victory speech?
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c. What is the most politeness principle used in the utterance of Donald Trump’s speech?
Based upon the issues mentioned above, the aims of the study can be stated as follows:
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a. To categorize the types of politeness principles used in the utterance of Donald Trump’s victory speech.
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b. To classify and analyze what kinds of illocutionary acts and illocutionary functions employed in the utterance of Donald Trump’s speech.
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c. To find out the most dominant politeness principles used in the utterance of Donald Trump’s victory speech.
The study method consists of data source, method and technique of collecting data, method and technique of analyzing the data, and method and technique of presenting analysis.
The sources of this study are spoken and written data. The spoken data were taken from the video “Donald Trump’s election victory speech” on YouTube used to figure out the action and to understand the expression used by the characters and how they respond each other. The written data
were taken from the transcript of the utterances used by Donald Trump in election victory speech on World’s News Leader CNN website.
The scheme used in collecting the data is qualitative method. The data were collected by conducting direct observation to the speech. First, watching and understanding the content of the speech of Donald Trump’s election victory speech carefully. Second, reading the transcript in order to find the politeness maxims. Thirdly, taking note and underlining the utterance which contains Leech’s Politeness principles.
The composed data were examined by qualitative and descriptive way through the following steps: they are: First, the data were classified based on the same category of politeness principles derived from the theory proposed by Geoffrey Leech (1983). Second, the data were analysed to find out the employment of illocutionary acts in addition to illocutionary functions based on the theory proposed by Searle’s (1979). Then, clarifying the furthermost dominant maxim used by Donald Trump in his victory speech.
Data 1
“Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.”
This present study assumes that the first sentence has meaning that Trump tried to unite all American citizens by saying “it is time for us to come together as one united people”. Moreover, Trump’s sentence aimed to encourage the American people to build the American Dream.
The expression “to bind the wounds of division” implied that to all American citizens, whether from Republicans, Democrats and independents people to make America great again. While the second sentence implied that it contains Republicans and Democrats as well as independents from this country to unite as one unified community. It stands to reason that in the United States, there have usually been two main political parties; the Democrats and the Republicans. In spite of the fact that Independents is a nonpartisan politician not affiliated with any politician party, a free thinker, free of a party platform. Therefore, he could say “to bind the wound of division” on his victory speech. In addition, the sentence an “I say” state that Trumps is already showing his presidential authority, even though it was his very first victory speech. This second sentence, neutrally saying, if the researcher would skin the essence of what Trump wanted to express here, it comes out that Trump is complaining the previous presidential system of the USA. His statement depicts that the earlier president of the USA did not do a lot for the country. Moreover, the present study proposes that in order to unite the states and the people, Trump should have expressed his victory by using more calming and uniting words. It is totally fine expressing your victory in your very first speech with full authority. However, Trump as the new president of a super power country in the world is supposed to be careful with what he is saying and expressing to public. Furthermore, the two sentences above are related to each other in view of the fact that the first and second sentences argue the same thing. Therefore, both sentences are interrelated.
In Searle’s category, the expression “have to get together” is also categorized as directive. The sentence expresses a command since Trump ordered all American people to
unite is a kind of directive. In addition, the sentence “Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together.” also has competitive function
Data 2
“That is now what I want to do for our country. Tremendous potential. I’ve gotten to know our country so well — tremendous potential. It’s going to be a beautiful thing. Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.”
This present study states that the first sentence has meaning that President Donald Trump knew what he is going to do in the future such as; drop-off an illegal immigration. Consequences, the quantity of illegal’s overpass into the United States has fallen 72%. The less illegal immigrants in America, the better and Trump’s off to a nice start. By saying “Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer” he delivers for the forgotten Americans. In this case, Trump makes the benefit from those away people by the Obama economy. He manufacturing job grew at the firmest rate for Americans without a high school diploma extended the bottom point ever recorded.
From the data above, these sentences can be classified as generosity maxim because in his sentence “I want to do for our country” Trump implied the advantage to other and minimizing cost to other. It shows us clearly that this sentence belongs to the generosity maxim, since this maxim focuses on self-centered. Leech (1983:133) stated that generosity maxim emphases more on the speaker/sender.
In this case, Trump’s sentence offered an opportunity for American citizens. Offered itself is the future action and belongs
to commissive. Furthermore, his sentence also contains convivial function since this sentence aims in compliance with social purposes like offering. His sentence involves the function because Trump offered an opportunity his citizens. Then, offering is a kind of convivial.
Data 3
“Thank you. Thank you very much, everyone. Sorry to keep you waiting; complicated business; complicated. Thank you very much.”
The utterance above belongs to the approbation maxim because he used thanking sentence that maximizes praise of other or minimizes detract of other. He was very happy of being elected as the 45th President of America. His sentence contained admiration which directed that he was very content and feel relief in his speech. This sentence can build a good relationship between Trump and the audience. Then, the word “very” provides an increase of politeness to show his polite sentence to the hearer. Therefore, his sentence is classified as a polite sentence.
According to Searle, it is expressive. It means that Trump’s sentence expressed the praise to his supporters and his family for being along with him before and after the campaign. In addition, Trump’s sentence also contains convivial function. It means thanking to the effort or the success of his supporters. Thanking is one of the courteous forms in sentences.
Data 4
“Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.”
This present study proposed that the sentence above implies that Presidentelect Donald Trump approval of or admiration for the work that Hillary
Clinton does for their country, America especially when it continues for a long time. The utterance above employs modesty maxim. It can be found in the word "owe." It means that Trump acknowledged Hillary actions at that time. Furthermore, he also maximizes the dispraise of him. Thus, other people will praise his own confession. Trump praised Hillary through the sentence “Hillary has worked … period of time,” and he also thanking to her by sentences “we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.”
Expressive category is included in his sentence because he expressed his feeling about what Hillary had done. It means that he admitted her actions. However, his sentence also has convivial function. In this case, Trump gave his statement about the thing happening at the time.
Data 5
“As I’ve said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign, but rather an incredible and great movement made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their families”
Trump employed the agreement maxim in his sentence. It can be seen in the sentence “As I’ve said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign, but …families” which maximizes agreement or minimizes disagreement between self and other. Trump gives protest to what people’s opinion because most of American people think that Trump aspires to be a president and to some people which states that his doing a sequences of planned activities that are proposed to achieve particular social, commercial or party-political aim. Trump’s sentence mitigates the disagreement by asserting regret to the audience. He also provides the clarification on such information. Nevertheless, Trump stays to agree with his party although he states partial
agreement. Thus, his sentence called polite sentence.
The sentence “As I’ve said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign” is categorized as assertive. It explains that Trump’s sentence contains a statement. In this case, Trump tied to the truth of the expressed proposition. It means that he states some American’ opinions are not appropriate. In addition, illocutionary function that contains in the sentence is collaborative. This means Trump gives a statement in his sentence. Trump minimizes disagreement to everybody’s opinion. In the meantime, disagreements will harm some American citizens.
Data 6
“Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely.”
This present study assumes that the sentence above implies that President Donald Trump pays compliment to her long effort in government and stresses his expression in a serious tone: “I mean that very sincerely”. The sentence above showed that Trump minimized antipathy and maximized sympathy between himself and his opponent, Hillary Clinton. The sentence was uttered when Clinton got catastrophe. These expressions show the harmony among Trump and Clinton. The utterance is classified as sympathy maxim which has the meaning that he praised Clinton because he felt misfortune of seeing Clinton being defeated. Therefore, the sentence belongs to the maxim of sympathy.
In addition, Trump’s sentence can also be categorized as expressive. In this case, Trump sentence conveys a condolence over Hillary. This can be interpreted as an expression of Trump’s psychological attitude towards Hillary. Furthermore, convivial function can be seen in the sentence. It means that Trump tried to show the comity by commiserating to his friend. He conveyed his respect through the speech. Trump
showed his sympathy to Hillary; he could be called a polite person.
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6. Conclusion
This last chapter arrangement with the results of the discussion and analysis in the foregoing chapter constitutes the conclusion on the employment of the six maxims in Donald Trump’s victory speech. The succeeding are the findings obtained in the conclusion. The data analyzed consists of 21 utterances of all six maxims. Based on the findings and discussion in previous chapter, it presented that there were 21 expressions which contained 6 kinds of politeness principles, types of illocutionary acts, and illocutionary functions.
There are 6 utterances containing tact maxim, 4 utterances containing generosity, 5 utterances containing approbation, 3 utterances containing modesty, 1 utterance containing agreement, and 2 utterances containing sympathy.
There are 4 assertive utterances, 5 directive utterances, 5 commissive utterances, 7 expressive utterances, and 0 declaration utterance as the varieties of illocutionary acts. It means that in Trump’s victory speech does not declare anything since everybody already knew that he is the president of the United Stated. It is impossible that he declare himself as a president. For the reason that, in this speech the one who declare him as a president is Mike Pence his Vice President. Besides, in victory speech most of the speakers talking about thanking others, expressed their feeling about their win and how they will done their vision and mission in the future. Hence, there are 4 competitive utterances, 13 convivial utterances, 4 collaborative utterances, and 0 conflictive utterances as the types of illocutionary functions. It shows that President Trump advised Americans to set aside struggle and help him re-form fabric of the country in his first address to Congress; a moment he expects will turn the page on his administration’s
hectic beginning and bring clarity to his dogma outline.
Furthermore, the furthermost leading maxim of politeness principles that was used by Donald John Trump in his speech was tact maxim. It means Trump seek to maximize the benefit of other and minimize the cost of other. Trump used tact maxim to get deference after others because people frequently would be eager and comfy someone who have the similar indulgent and point of view. Trump used it to show his politeness on the speech. It means that Trump was being tactful in delivering his speech to the hearer. Tact maxim was implemented by directives which are frequently used to show a command either direct or indirect.
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7. Bibliography
Dewi, A. C. (2013). “The Politeness Maxims Used by The Characters in The Twilight Movie” (undergraduate thesis). Denpasar: Udayana University.
Elizabeth, Conny. (2014). “Politeness Principles in Barrack Obama’s Interview” (online International Journal-article). Medan: State
University of Medan.
Hornby, A.S. (2010). Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary.8th Edition. London: Oxford University Press.
Leech, Geoffrey. (1983). Principles of Pragmatics. New York: Longman Group Limited.
Neufeldt, Victoria & Guralnik, David B. (1996). Website’s New World College Dictionary. New York: A Simon & Schuster Macmillan Company.
Searle, John R. (1969). Speech Acts: An Essay In The Philosophy Of Language. New York: Cambridge University Press.
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