A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF REQUESTS EXPRESSED BY THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN NANCY MEYERS’S THE INTERN MOVIE

Abstract

Abstract

This research examines speech act of requests aspects presented in The Intern movie using pragmatic approach. The objectives of this research are to find out the types of requests used by the main characters, to examine the strategies of requests used by the main characters, and to explain the purposes of requests expressed by the main characters in The Intern movie. This research employed descriptive qualitative method and was supported by quantitative method in presenting the occurrence of the data in frequency. The data were utterances, in the form of sentences, clauses or words spoken by the main characters in The Intern movie, while the contexts of the data were dialogues. The results of this research are described as follows. First, there are four types of requests occur by the main characters; unconventionally indirect request, conventionally indirect request (hearer based), conventionally indirect request (speaker based), and direct request. Second, there are seven strategies of requests which expressed by the main characters; hints, questioning hearer’s ability/willingness, suggestory formulae, statements of speaker’s wishes/desires, statements of speaker’s needs/demands, statement of obligation/necessity, and imperatives. Third, there are four purposes of request which applied by the main characters; request for goods, request for the initiation of action, request for the cessation of action, and request for joint activity.

Keywords: request, types, strategies, purposes, The Intern movie