Compliments in the novel entitled P.S I Love You

Oleh :
Tina Styanti - C1307511 - Fak. Sastra dan Seni Rupa

ABSTRACT This research was conducted to describe the types of topics of compliment employed by the characters in the novel entitled P.S I Love You, and the politeness strategy applied in the compliment expressions in this novel. I classified the type of topics of compliment based on Wolfson’s classification. Further, Geoffrey Leech’s Politeness Principles were used as the framework in analyzing the politeness strategy. To achieve the goal, I applied library research in the form of descriptive qualitative research. This research was focused only on the dialogue that contained compliment expressions. From the result of analysis, 4 types of topic of compliments are found in this novel. They are personal appearance, possession, general ability, and specific-act ability. Topic of personal appearance is used in 5 data; topic of possession is used in 6 data. Compliments on general ability are found in 8 data and topic of specific act ability is used in 3 data. It is found that the characters perform the compliments expression in various ways. From the politeness strategy, there are three politeness principle strategy found in the compliments expression: Tact Maxim, Approbation Maxim and Generosity Maxim. In delivering the compliments, the speakers already obey the maxim. From the data obtained, 20 data obey the approbation maxim, 1 data obeys the tact maxim and 1 data obeys the generosity maxim. Based on the conclusions above, I hope that this research gives a contribution to the students in studying the speech act of compliments, especially the employment of politeness strategy in the compliments. There are still many cases on the study of compliments. I suggest to other researchers who are interested in compliments speech act to conduct a further research. They can focus on the employment of other maxims in compliments, for example they can limit their research about compliments which only apply agreement and sympathy maxim. Besides, they can analyze compliments from different point of view depicted in other novels or from other data source such as movie or drama..