ABSTRACS 2007. This research was conducted to describe the kinds of hedging devices of woman speech in the novel of step-chain teen lit series entitled ‘Healing the pain’, to identify the strategy of the main character in applying the hedging devices in the novel of step-chain teen lit series and to find out the reason why the main character applies the hedging devices in the novel of step-chain teen lit series. This research uses sociopragmatics approach, it is a descriptive study and it employs a total sampling as the sampling technique. The researcher employed novel of step-chain teen lit series entitled ‘Healing the Pain’ as the source of data. The data of this research are dialogues containing hedging devices of woman speech used by Ashley as the main character in the novel of step-chain teen lit series entitled ‘Healing the Pain’. They are classified by Robin Lakoff’s classification of the hedging devices. The result of this research can be seen as follows: First, there are five types of hedging devices in the novel of step-chain teen lit series namely Lexical Hedges, Tag Questions, Question Intonations, Superpolite Forms, Euphemisms. Second, most of the hedging devices are influenced by these factors: (1) Ashley considers the status of her interlocutor and the context of situation, (2) the strategy of applying the hedging devices has to be matched with the body language, even tough it can not be seen straightly but the description in the end of each dialogue show how Ashley’s utterances match with her body language. Third, the main character applies each type of the hedging devices because she has some reasons, the reason can be seen as follows: • Lexical Hedge a. Well: the character has the reason to give information although she is less sure about it, to convince the speaker herself, to show uncertainty and to open the conversation in order to get the truth information about uncertain matter. b. Oh: the character has the reason to stop the conversation and to make correction about the speaker’s uncertain opinion. c. You know: the character has the reason to convince another person about the speaker’s opinion even though she is quite sure another person will agree with her, as a small talk in the beginning of the conversation in order to convince the speaker herself. d. I think: the character has the reason to express the speaker’s opinion and to show uncertainty. • Tag Question is employed to soften negative comments and to show uncertainty. • Question Intonation is used to declare something in which the speaker quite sure, to express uncertainty and to show an excitement feeling of something. • Superpolite Form is applied to show solidarity. • Euphemism is said to hide the taboo and to soften negative expression. Based on the conclusion above, it is expected that this research will be useful for future researchers who are interested in studying more about women speech, especially about the hedging devices of teenage speech since the number of study about teenage speech is still limited, they can analyze it from different point of view and other data sources such as comics or film.
