ABSTRACT

This research aims at (1) describing the flouting and violating of utterances performed by the characters in the movie 500 Days of Summer, (2) explaining how the flouting and violating of maxims creates humorous situations in the movie. Descriptive-qualitative research was employed in this research. The data collection techniques are in the form of non-participatory observation, because the researcher is only an observer of the dialogue spoken by the characters in the movie. The data were analyzed by employing Spradley analysis which include the domain analysis, taxonomy analysis, componential analysis, and cultural value analysis. The data were classified into flouting and violating maxim quality quantity relevance and manner based on Grice's theory of Cooperative principle.

The results of this research show the findings: (1) the most dominant maxim which is being flouted is maxim of quantity whereas the most dominant maxim which is being violated in this movie is maxim of quality. Additionally, the characters flouted the maxim by employing tautology strategy followed by irrelevance strategy, overstatement strategy, and understatement strategy. (2) It is also found that the flouting maxim occurred mostly in the complication stage in which it is used to construct the story plot. The humorous situation also holds a crucial role in constructing the story plot.