A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF SPEECH ACTS IN BULLY CHAPTERS I & II VIDEO GAME

Abstract

This research studies the phenomenon of pragmatics especially speech acts found in Bully video game. The objectives of this research are to find out the types of speech acts based on Searle’s classification and to find out the types of speech acts based on the way they are delivered. The quantitative-qualitative method was used in this research. The method was used to present the finding in percentage or in number of occurrences and to describe the data in the form of utterances.The data were in form of lingual units such as words, phrases, clauses, and sentences. The contexts of the data were the dialogues from the main character. The data were collected by recording the mission scenes. The result of this research shows that four out of five types of speech acts based on Searle’s classification are found in the series. They are representatives, directives, commissives, and expressives. Declaratives are not found in the data since the main character has no authority to perform them. Directives hold the highest frequency. It shows that the main character’s tendency to direct others using language. Meanwhile, the direct and indirect speech acts are found in the data. Direct speech acts are the most frequently type of speech acts which are used by the main character. It implies that the main character does not like being complicated or unclear.

Keywords: pragmatics, speech acts, Searle’s classification, the way speech acts delivered