SPEECH ACT IN FILM ”TINKER BELL AND THE LOST TREASURE”

By :

Ni Komang Desy Ratna Sarry

0901305009

English Department Faculty of Letter, Udayana University

Abstrak

Karya ilmiah ini menganalisis tentang komponen dari tindak tutur (lokusi, illokusi dan perlokusi). Karya ilmiah ini ditulis berdasarkan teks percakapan pada film “Tinker Bell and The Lost Treasure”. Metode pengumpulan data menggunakan data pada perpustakaan, membaca sumber data, mencatat data yang terkait dan menggelompokkan data tersebut berdasarkan kriteria dari komponen tindak tutur. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa tindak tutur tidak terlepas dari lokusi, illokusi dan perlokusi. Ketiga komponen tersebut tidak dapat berdiri sendiri karena saat pembicara menyampaikan sesuatu, akan tercipta tindakan dari pendengar sebagai respon timbal balik. Tindak tutur yang dimaksud merupakan pemahaman dan pengertian pada konteks situasi.

Kata kunci : speech act, context situation, conversation.

  • 1.    Background of the study

It is interesting to choose speech act topic for the study because it is inseparable with the life as human being. Furthermore, a film is also taking an important part in human communication nowadays. It is because film is an art work as well as a media that is really easy for the people to obtain particular message conveyed by the film. For instance, stories or messages in the film somehow connect easily to people’s life.

It is determined that dialogues in the film “Tinker Bell and The Lost Treasure” are being analyzed for this study. This animated film is produced in 2009 by Disney Toon Studies. Its story is interesting and it also allows the children viewers particularly to open up their imagination and learn important moral value from it. The dialogues are rich of speech act which suitable to be analyzed further in this study.

  • 2.    Problems of the study

Based on the background of study presented above and the film script, the problem raised in this study can be formulated as what is the locutionary and illocutionary act of the speaker to hearer found in the film entitled “Tinker Bell and The Lost Treasure”?

  • 3.    Aims of Study

This research will give the benefits to the readers who are interested in this field to obtain deeper understanding in speech act which expressed through film language. Finally, the findings of this study will become useful reference for further researchers in doing the same kind of study. The aim of study to describe the locutionary and illocutionary act of from the speaker to hearer which are found in the film “Tinker Bell and The Lost Treasure”.

  • 4.    Research Method

This research focuses on component of speech act found in the film “Tinker Bell and The Lost Treasure” and will be done based on the library research. It will be relevant if the data is taken from the written text, in this case from the script of “Tinker Bell and The Lost Treasure” film. Method and technique of collecting data based on library research and combined with online research method. The data was collected by reading the data source. While reading, the data was directly noted down. Then classification based on the criteria of the speech acts types. Method and technique of analyzing data using descriptive method. It is started by watching the film and then found in the form of utterances were already classified into the types of speech acts, were being analyzed using the speech act theories.

  • 5.    Analysis of speech act

Speech act can be divided into three components based from Austin (cited in Searle, 1969, 23-25) :

  • 5.1    Locutionary Act

Fairy Mary : “Next. Firework. Is it ready yet?”

Clank            : “Yes.”

To get the right interpretation of an utterance, it is important to know the context of situation of the utterance. Therefore, the utterance will be analyzed based on Hymes theory (1972) as follows:

  • a)    Setting and scene

Based on the data above, this utterance is taking place at Pixie dust office. If we look at the level of formality, the scene of this utterance is in the level of seriousness. It is because the speaker wants to borrow some stuff and asks the serious question to the hearer, the fairy boss.

  • b)    Participants

The participants involved in the utterance are Terence as the speaker, and Fairy Gary as the hearer. Terence, the speaker, is a very talented fairy who works at the Pixie dust office. Meanwhile, Fairy Gary, the hearer, is his boss at the office.

  • c)    Ends

In the conversation, it is shown that Terence utters his intention to borrow stuffs from Fairy Gary. The speaker’s utterance, in this case Terence, is being understood by the hearer, Fairy Gary. As the result of Terence utterance is that Fairy Gary permits him to borrow the stuff.

  • d)    Act of Sequence

It can be shown by the conversation above that Terence start to ask the question to obtain permission from his boss politely, by saying “Is it okay if I take this?” By understanding the question from Terence, Fairy Gary gives the permission by answering, “Sure.”

  • 5.2    Illocutionary Act

As supporting theory Bach and Harnish (1979), there are four main kinds of illocutionary acts such as constantives, directives, comissives and acknowledgements. The detail analysis would be presented below:

  • 5.2.1    Constantives

It expresses the speaker’s belief and his attention or desire that the listeners have a form a like belief.

Tinker Bell   : “My scepter..”

Terence      : “Tink, I’m so sorry, I…”

Tinker Bell   : “Out, Terence. Just go.”

Terence      : “What?”

Tinker Bell : “You brought this stupid thing here. You broke the scepter.”

Analysis of context situation for the dialogue above would be as follows:

  • a)    Setting and scene

The conversation takes place inside Tinker Bell’s house. Tinker Bell as the speaker is busy with the scepter when Terence comes bringing the sharp thingy in his hand to be shown to Tinker Bell. Analyzing the level of formality in this utterance, it is found that this is in the level of seriousness. As the hearer, Terence really wants to show the sharp thingy that he has found to Tinker Bell.

  • b)    Participants

There are two participants being involved in this dialogue. They are Tinker Bell as the speaker, and Terence as the hearer. Tinker Bell has an important job for this autumn. It is to make a scepter. She, then, becomes so emotional because she finds it very stressful. Terence, the listener, is a friend of her that is very determined to help her finishing the job before the autumn.

  • c)    Ends

In this dialogue, the speaker, Tinker Bell, wants Terence as the hearer to find the sharp thingy in order to help her finishing the job. But when Terence has successfully found the sharp thingy, Tinker Bell rejects it, and also makes a reason for Terence to leave her.

  • d)    Act of Sequence

The act of sequence in the dialogue above can be seen from the question uttered by Tinker Bell as the speaker, “What is it?” The question is showing that Tinker Bell asks about the thing which brought by Terence. According to Terence, it is the right sharp thingy that Tinker Bell has been requested. But it is rejected by Tinker Bell.

  • 5.2.2    Directives

Directives illocutionary acts seem to be a request, command or advice.

Fairy Mary : “Fawn, show me how that 21 butterfly salute is coming along.”

Fawn : “All right, fellas, when I blow the whistle, you guys, go.”

The context of situation analysis for the dialogue above, based on the theory of Hymes (1972) would be as below:

  • a)    Setting and scene

The place where dialogue between Silvermist and Terence in the film above is at the river bank of Pixie Hollow. Silvermist is passing across the river bank when she saw Terence there frowning and mad. The level of formality for this dialogue is in the level of seriousness. It can be shown by Silvermist’s utterance that she is intended to give Terence advice by saying, “Just give her a chance to cool off.” It should help Terence to cope with the dispute between him and Tinker Bell.

  • b)    Participants

The dialogue above is involving Silvermist as the speaker, and Terence as the hearer. Silvermist, the water fairy, is a friend of Tinker Bell. Hence, she knows how to deal with Tinker Bell when she gets mad. Terence, the hearer, is the dust-keeper fairy from Pixie Hollow, who helps Tinker Bell to do her job making scepter for the autumn. Terence is blamed by Tinker Bell for the scepter has broken apart.

  • c)    Ends

The speaker in the dialogue, Silvermist, understands that Tinker Bell is so mad at the hearer, Terence, after listening what has happened to Tinker Bell as told by Terence. Therefore, Silvermist utters, “Just give her a chance to cool off.”, so that Terence will give Tinker Bell some times for herself to think clearly about what is really going on between them.

  • d)    Act of Sequence

The speaker, Silvermist, asks to the hearer, Terence, about Tinker Bell who gets mad at him. Terence answers that Tinker Bell is surely mad. Then, Silvermist, suggests him an advice to give Tinker Bell some times to think clearly, and calming down.

  • 5.2.3    Commisives

Commisives illocutionary act is express speaker intention and belief that his utterance obligates him to do something (perhaps under certain conditions).

Tinker Bell : “Fairy Mary, is this true?”

Fairy Mary : “Every word.”

Analysis for the context of situation of the dialogue between Tinker Bell and Fairy Mary above would be as below:

  • a)    Setting and scene

The place where this dialogue happens is at the fairy theatre of Pixie Hollow. Fairy Mary takes Tinker Bell to the fairy theatre because she sees Tinker Bell look exhausted. In the theatre, they listen to the narrator telling story about the magic mirror. The level of formality of this dialogue is at the level of seriousness. Tinker Bell asks Fairy Mary if the whole story told by the Narrator is true. She wants to know if the story is trustworthy. Fairy Mary then answers it seriously by uttering, “Every word”, which convinces her that the Narrator is telling the truth.

  • b)    Participants

This dialogue that is taken place at the theatre at Pixie Hollow involves Tinker Bell as the speaker, and Fairy Mary as the hearer. Tinker Bell is really stressed out because of the broken scepter. Then Fairy Mary takes her to the theatre to have a bit of entertainment.

  • c)    Ends

When Tinker Bell as the speaker asks Fairy Mary about the truth behind the narrator’s story at the theatre by saying, “Fairy Mary, is this true?”, Fairy Mary as the hearer convinces Tinker Bell by answering, “Every word”, which means the story is all true.

  • d)    Act of Sequence

Tinker Bell is going to the theatre with Fairy Mary to listen to the story told by the narrator. The narrator tells about the magic mirror. It makes Tinker Bell amazed, yet she still needs to be convinced about the truth of that story. Thus, she asks Fairy Mary. Fairy Mary answers “Every word” which makes Tinker Bell believes.

  • 5.2.3 Acknowledgement

Acknowledgements illocutionary act expresses the feeling regarded by the speaker to the hearer, or just making a statement from the speaker to hearer.

Terence : “I’m impressed. Usually when one of your inventions doesn’t work out, you overreact, but I must say, you’re handling this one pretty well.”

Tinker Bell   : “I drove into tree?”

Terence      : “Nevermind”

The context of situation analysis for the dialogue above based on Hymes theory would be described below:

  • a)    Setting and scene

Tinker Bell and Terence are making conversation at the river bank of Pixie Hollow after Tinker Bell crashes the boat that she made. As a matter of fact, the boat is created in order to help Terence in doing his job delivering the pixie dust to each fairy in Pixie Hollow, so that he could work speedier and easier. But then when she takes the boat on trial, she accidentally drives the boat towards a tree, and crashed. The formality level of the utterance analyzed above is in the level of seriousness. It is because the utterance above is showing regard so that Tinker Bell would not be disappointed that the boat is not successful.

  • b)    Participant

There is Terence as the speaker and Tinker Bell as the hearer involved in this dialogue. Terence is a friend of Tinker Bell, he has a duty of delivering pixie dust to each fairy at Pixie Hollow. Thus, Tinker Bell is making a boat for him so that he could do his duty easier and of course faster. Tinker Bell is a smart fairy, but very impatient. Usually, Tinker Bell is getting furious because her inventions fail.

  • c)    Ends

As Terence knows that Tinker Bell is usually an impatient one, he got surprised when Tinker Bell could handle it calm when her boat crashes into a tree and broken. As Tinker Bell utters, “I drove it into a tree?”, it shows that the speaker has regarded the hearer, Tinker Bell, so that she could still be proud of herself although the boat is crashed into the tree on its trial running. Then the

speaker says, “Nevermind.”. It is still intended to keep Tinker Bell remains calm, as well as give appreciation.

  • d)    Act of Sequences

The act of sequence of this dialogue is shown by the regard from the speaker, Terence, to the hearer, Tinker Bell by uttering “I’m impressed. Usually when one of your inventions doesn’t work, you overact, but I must say, you’re handling this one pretty well”. Listening to that utterance, Tinker Bell is feeling relieved and still can be proud of herself, although this time her invention does not succeed.

6. Conclusion

In this study, the speaker used locutionary acts in the type of declarative sentence. Meanwhile, illocutionary acts in this study can be classifieds into four forms: (a) constantives such as conveying speaker’s belief, (b) directives in form of advice and command, (c) commisives in form of prediction and promise, and (d) acknowledgement in form of expressing regard and conveying statement. To get a right and good interpretation of an utterance, especially in the film dialogue, the interpretation really depends on the knowledge of the listeners. Moreover, there is the theory proposed by Hymes (1972) as to how to know the context of situation in understanding the meaning of utterance in terms of speech acts. In this study, the factors used to know the context of situation include setting and scene, participants, ends and act of sequence.

Bibliography

Bach, Kent and Robert M. Harnish. 1979. Linguistic Communication and Speech Acts. Massachussetts: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press.

Hymes, D. 1964. Toward Etnographies of Communication: The Analysis of Communicative Events.

Searle, J.R. 1969. An Essay in The Philosophy of Language. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.