The analysis of compliment expression In the film entitled white chicks (a socio-pragmatics study)

Oleh :
Sapto Kuncoro - C1305536 - Fak. Sastra dan Seni Rupa

ABSTRACT This research focuses on the compliments used by the characters in the film entitled white chicks. This research was conducted to describe the types of topics of compliment employed by the characters in the film entitled white chicks, the functions of each type of topics of compliment, and also the compliment responses expressed by the addressees in the film. This research is a descriptive qualitative research. This research uses a socio-pragmatics approach. The technique of sampling used is total sampling. All conversations containing compliments and compliment responses were taken as data. Based on the data analysis, the researcher draws conclusions as follows: There are four types of topics of compliment employed by the characters in the film entitled white chicks, namely, personal appearance, possession, general ability, and specific-act ability. Following Wolfson’s classification of compliment functions, there are six functions of compliment proposed by Wolfson found in this research, namely to affirm solidarity, to create or maintain rapport, to express admiration or approval, to encourage, to express positive evaluation, to strengthen or to replace other speech act formulas. Most of the addressees in the film entitled white chicks respond to the compliments by employing appreciation token. The appreciation token includes verbal and nonverbal acceptance. In verbal acceptance, the addressees deliver the word thanks to respond to the speaker’s compliment. Meanwhile, the addressees respond to the compliment by smiling in the non-verbal acceptance. Other compliment responses used by the addressees are comment acceptance, praise upgrade, down grade, reassignment, question and no acknowledgement. In the comment acceptance, the addressees accept the compliment and offer a relevant comment on the compliment. In the Praise upgrade, the addressee accepts and asserts insufficiently of the compliment’s force. Meanwhile, in down grade, the addressee disagrees to the speaker’s compliment because the object of compliment is not worth. In response of question, the addressee questions the sincerity or the appropriateness of the speaker’s compliment. Finally, in No acknowledgement, the addressees give no indication of having heard the compliment, shift the topic, and even give no response. Based on the conclusions above, the researcher hopes that this research gives a contribution to the students in studying the speech act of compliments. There are still many cases on the study of compliments. It is suggested to other researchers who are interested in Socio-Pragmatics study to conduct a further research on compliments structure and its vocabulary.