An Analysis of Speech Act Based on the Recorded Conversation

Transcription of the Black Box before the Air Plane Crashes

Pardede, Ayu.
gdreamer71@yahoo.com

Abstract

The aim of this research is to analyze and find out the categories and the dominant category of
speech act on recorded conversation transcription of the black box before the air plane
crashed.Speech act is an utterance that has performative function in language and communication.
According to Searle, there are five categories of speech acts, they are; representatives, directives,
commisives, expressives and declarations. In this research, the writer analyzed speech acts on the
recorded conversation transcription of Garuda Indonesia Flight 152, Alaska Airlines Flight 261,
American Airlines 587 and Air France 447. In analyzing the data, the writer usedmixed method
which represents both quantitative and qualitative information. After doing the analysis, the writer
found that there are 94 representatives, 88 directives, 10 commisives, 35 expressives and 2
declarations speect acts with the percentage of the data is 41.05 % representatives, 38.43 %
directives, 4.37 % directives, 15.28 % expressives and 0.87 % declarations. She also found that
representatives is the dominant category of speech act found in recorded conversation transcription
of the black boxes before the air plane crashed. By finishing this research, the writer suggests all
the people who work in ACT, captains, pilots, copilots, flight attendants, all the readers and the
next researchers to be more motivated in learning speech act because it is very useful for people to
be more understandable in doing communication.

Keywords : speech act, representatives, directives, commisives, expressives

1.The Background of The Study

Linguistics is the study of language. Language is fundamentally an instrument in human

communication. People use it for many purposes. They tell others what they know or they
think they know, they express their feelings, ask questions, make requests, protest,
criticize, insult, apologize, promise, thank, say hello and goodbye. It is the medium
through which the manners, morals, and mythology of a society are passed on to the next
generation. Indeed, it is a basic ingredient in virtually every social function. As the main
vehicle of human communication, language is indispensible. Recently, there are many
people who are interested in studying linguistics and it produced many branches of
linguistics, such as: sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, semantics, semiotics, socio-
pragmatics and so on. Those branches of linguistics are studied language from different
point of views.

Pragmatics is another branch of linguistics. It is concerned with the study of

meaning as communicated by a speaker (or writer) and interpreted by a listener (or reader).
It necessarily involves the interpretation of what people mean in a particular context and
how the context influences what is said. In pragmatics, context is very important to be
considered and understood. Different pieces of language can have different meanings in
different situations or contexts. So, when someone says an utterance, it would be better to

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see and understand the context first before say or do something to him. Shortly, pragmatics
studies the utterances meaning and how people can understand one another based on the
context or situation.
Speech act is a topic that can be discussed in pragmatics. It is the basic or
minimal unit of linguistics communication. It is an utterance that has performative function
in language and communication. It can be performed when we offer an apology, request,
complaint, invitation, compliment or refusal. In speech act, while speaking, the speakers do
not only say something but also do something. Then they expect the listeners to recognize
the functions of the sentences they speak and to act accordingly. In this case, the listeners
figure out what a sentence was meant to express and carry forward the purposes of the
speaker. Whenever the speakers ask a question, for example, they expect their listeners to
realize that it is a request for information. If the listeners fail to appreciate this intention,
they are judged as having ‘misunderstood’.
In recent years, people are surprised by the news about air crashes. Air crash on
an aircraft may happen due to several factors. But, whatever occurs and however the
situation is, the person who works in ATC (Air Traffic Control) should be able to
communicate well with the crew of the plane. They should be able to build a good
conversation and understand the utterances they said so that they can overcome all the
problems. But sometimes mistakes happen. They may misunderstand and the
misunderstanding can result undesirable thing namely, air crash. Seeing and hearing the
news about the air crash, the writer become interested to know the recorded conversation
transcription of the black boxes before the air crash occurred. She wants to analyze the
types of speech act which may arise in the recorded conversation transcription due to find
out if there is a misunderstanding in the conversation. According to Searle (in Mey,
2001:120), there are five categories of speech act:
1. Representatives (or assertives)
2. Directives
3. Commisives
4. Expressives
5. Declarations
Based on the explanation above, the writer will conduct a research titled “An
Analysis of Speech Act Based on the Recorded Conversation Transcription ofthe
Black Box before the Air Plane Crashes.”

The objective of the study are to find out the categories of speech act on recorded
conversation transcription of the black box before the air plane crashed and to find out the
dominant category of speech act on recorded conversation transcription of the black box
before the air plane crashed

After accomplishing this research, the writer expects that this research will bring benefits
practically and theoretically.

Practically : to enlarge the writer’s knowledge about linguistics especially about

pragmatics and improve her ability in understanding speech act, to improve the
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knowledge of those who work in ATC or air plane and give them more information about
pragmatics especially about speech act.

Theoretically : the result of this research can be used by the lecturers as the additional
materials that they can give to the students when they discuss the same material., the
result of this research can be used by the next researchers as the additional reference or
information tof data to conduct the further study.

Linguistics

People use language in their daily life in order t o be able to communicate with
others. It is used to express their inner thoughts and emotions, ask for favor and
make promises. Besides, it is also used to fulfill their wants and needs, as well as
to establish rules and maintain their cultures.

In the opinion of Chomsky (Wardhaugh, 2006:2-3), linguistic theory is

concerned primarily with an ideal speaker–listener, in a completely homogeneous
speech-community, who knows its language perfectly and is unaffected by such
grammatically irrelevant conditions as memory limitations, distractions, shifts of
attention and interest, and errors (random or characteristic) in applying his
knowledge of the language in actual performance.

According to Holmes (2001:3), languages provide a variety of ways of

saying the same thing – addressing and greeting others, describing things, paying
compliments. It can convey objective information of a referential kind; and it can
also express how someone is feeling.

Based on the opinions explained by the experts above, the writer

concludes that linguistics is the study of human language that can be used by
someone to interact to other people in order to build a good communication.

Pragmatics

Communication in society happens by means of language. However, the users of

language, as social beings, communicate and use language on society’s premises;
society controls their access to the linguistic and communicative means.
Pragmatics, as the study of the way humans use their language in communication,
bases itself on a study of premises and determines how they affect and effectualize
human language use.

Mey (2001:6) stated that pragmatics studies the use of language in human
communication as determined by the conditions of society. Therefore, a pragmatic
perspective will focus on the societal factors that make a certain language use and
make the language to be more or less acceptable.
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Yule (1996:3) argued that there are four areas that pragmatics is concerned
with. First, Pragmatics is the study of speaker meaning. In this case, pragmatics
tends to analyze what people mean by their utterances. Second, pragmatics is the
study of contextual meaning. In this case, pragmatics involves the interpretations
of what people mean in a particular context and how the context influences what
is said. It requires a consideration of how speakers organize what they want to say
in accordance with who they’re talking to, where, when and under what
circumstances. Third, pragmatics is the study of how more gets communicated
than is said. We might say that this type of study is the investigation of invisible
meaning. It explores how listeners can make inferences about what is said in order
to arrive at an interpretation of the speaker’s intended meaning. Fourth,
pragmatics is the study of the expression of relative distance.

Kreidler (1998:19) also stated his explanation about pragmatics.

According to him, the chief focus of pragmatics is a person’s ability to derive
meanings from specific kinds os speech situations – to recognize what the speaker
is referring to, to relate new information to what has gone before, to interpret what
is said from background knowledge about the speaker and the topic of discourse,
and to infer or ‘fill in’ information that the speaker takes for granted and doesn’t
bother to say.

After seeing and understanding the explanation of linguists about

pragmatics, the writer argues that whenever someone (speaker) says or utters
something, it means that his utterance means something that must be understood
and interpreted by another (hearer).

The Definitions of Speech Act

People do not just produce utterances with no purpose. They form an utterance
with some kind of function in mind. They expect that the hearer will be able to
understand them and act something for them, so that the communication between
them can be successful.

Searle in Mey (2001:93) stated that speech act is the basic or minimal units
of linguistic communication. As the unit of linguistic communication, it is not as
has generally been supposed, the symbol, word or sentence, but rather the
production of the symbol or word or sentence in the performance of thespeech act.

According to Yule (1996:47), speech act is actions that can be performed

via utterances and commonly given more specific labels, such as apology,
complaint, compliment, invitation, promise, or request. In this case, in attempting
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to express themselves, people do not only produce utterances containing

grammatical structures and words, but they also perform actions via those
utterances.

Mey (2001:95) explained that speech acts are verbal actions happening in
the world. In uttering a speech act, speaker do something with their words. They
perform an activity that brings about a change in existing state of affairs (hence
the label, ‘performative utterances’, that originally was attached to speech act).
Mey also stated that the language people use, and in particular the speech acts
they utter, are entirely dependent on the context of the situation which such acts
are produced.

Based on the experts’ opinion above, the writer concludes that a speech act
is not only talking about the utterance but also talking about the action. It is an
utterance uttered by the speaker that can cause the hearer doing an action.

.Searle’s Classification of Speech Act

In speech act, there are definite differences between telling something to someone,
asking someone to do something, expressing something or committing. In order to
be able to understand the differences, it is needed to distinguish speech act into
some categories. According to Searle in Mey (2001:120), there are five categories
of speech Act.

a. Representatives

In uttering a representative, a speaker conveys his belief that some

proposition is true.

For instance, when someone assertsJohn owns a car, he conveys his belief that
John owns a car.

The other examples:

1. Chomsky is a linguist.
The speaker conveys his belief that Chomsky is a linguist and he
expects the listeners accept his belief.
2. Chomsky didn’t write about peanuts.
The speaker conveys his belief that Chomsky didn’t write about
peanuts and he expects the listeners accept his belief.
3. It was a warm sunny day.
The speaker conveys his belief that it was a warm sunny day and he
expects the listeners to accept his belief.
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b. Directives

By uttering a directive, a speaker attempts to get the speaker to do

something. By ordering, commanding, requesting, begging, or pleading,
the speaker is trying to get the listener to carry out some action.

Example: When a speaker ask “Does John own a car?”, it means that he is
trying to get the listener to give or provide information.

The other examples:

1. Could you lend me some money, please?

The speaker asks the listener to lend him some money.
2. Give me a cup of tea!
The speaker directly asks the listener to give him a cup of tea.
3. Don’t touch my hand!
The speaker directly asks the listener to not touch his hand.

c. Commissives

By uttering a commissive, the speaker is committing himself to some

future course of action. He express the speaker intends. They are promises,
threats, refusals, and pledges. This kind of speech act can be performed by
the speaker alone or by the speaker as the member of group.

Examples:

1. I’ll be back.
The speaker commits himself that he will be back.
2. I’m going to get it right next time.
The speaker commits himself that he’s going to get something in the
next time.
3. We will not do that.
The speaker commits himself that he will not do something.

d. Expressives

Expressives are those kinds of speech act that state what the speaker feels.
If the speaker wishes to express his “psychological state” about something,
he utters an expressive. When he apologizes, thanks, congratulates,
welcomes, or deplores, he is expressing how good or bad he feels about
some events and is therefore uttering an expressive.
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Examples:

1. I’m really sorry!

The speaker expresses an apology.
2. Great!
The speaker expresses a compliment.
3. Congratulations!
The speaker congratulates.
4. Thank you!
The speaker expresses thanking.
5. Good luck!
The speaker expresses his expectation.
6. Well done!
The speaker expresses a compliment.
7. Oh, yes, great, mmmm, ssahh!

e. Declarations

Declarations are those kinds of speech acts that change the world via their
utterance. When the speaker utters a declaration, his words bring about a
new state of affairs. In this case,the speaker has a special institutional role
in a specific context, in order to perform a declaration appropriately.

Examples:

1. Priest: I now pronounce you husband and wife.

In this case, the priest changes the status of a man and a woman to be
a husband and a wife.
2. Referee: You’re out!
In this case, the referee decides the player to go out of the game.

Each of these categories requires something different of the listeners.

Representatives require them to take note of the speaker’s belief. Directives
require them to determine some course of action and carry it out. Commissives,
expressive and declarations require them to take note of new information: namely,
the speaker’s intended course of action, his feeling about some fact, or the change
in formal status of some object.

The table below will give the brief explanation about the relationship
between speech act types and language functions.
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Table 2.1. Searle’s five general function of speech acts (Yule, 1996:55)

Speech act type Direction of fit S = Speaker, X = Situation

Representatives Make words fit the world S believes X
Directives Make the world fit words S wants X
Commisisives Make the world fit words S intends X
Expressives Make words fit the world S feels X
Declarations Words change the world S causes X

Austin’s Classification of Speech Act

Speech acts differ in their purposes. Whenever one person speaks to another, the
speaker has some purposes or intention in producing an utterance and the hearer
interprets the utterance. The speaker wants to be understood and the hearer wants
to understand. In this case, the hearer must be able to get and analyze the
speaker’s intention, so that the communication between them runs well. Austin in
Peccei (1999:44) pointed out that in analyzing s speech act, human need to make a
distinction between locution, illocution and perlocution act.

1. Locution

The locution is the actual form of words used by the speaker and their
semantic meaning.

Example: Mike uttered the words ‘Give me some cash’ to Annie.

‘Give me some cash’ can be semantically paraphrased as ‘Hand some

money over to me’, with me referring to Mike.

2. Illocution

The illocution is what the speaker doing by uttering those words:

commanding, offering, promising, threatening, thanking, etc.

Example: When Mike uttered the words ‘Give me some cash’ to Annie, it
means that Mike performed the act of requesting Annie to give him some
cash.

3. Perlocution
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The perlocution is the result of the locution. It may or may not be the what
the speaker wants to happen but it is nevertheless caused by the locution
and defined by the hearer’s reaction.

Example: When Mike uttered the words ‘Give me some cash’ to Annie,
the results can be:

1. Annie refused to give him some money.

2. Annie was offended.
3. Annie gave him some money, etc.

Austin made an interesting observation. Some utterances not only perform

a speech act over and above simple assertion, they also simultaneously describe
the speech act itself. He called these performative utterances. They contrast with
other utterances which may be performing the same act but do not contain a
performative verb that explicitly describes the intended speech act. Rather, the
hearer is left to infer the speaker’s intention. Austin called these constative
utterances (Peccei, 1999:45).

Examples:

Table. 2.2. Performative and Constative utterances.

Performative Constative
I promise I’ll be there I’ll be there
I admit I was foolish I was foolish
I apologize I’m sorry
I thank you I’m very grateful
I order you to sit down You must sit down

Direct and Indirect Speech Act

Although in English the standard way to command someone to dosomething is to

use imperative form, that isn’t the only way. It can only be done indirectly with
declarative constructions, interrogative constructions and other special devices.
According to Peccei (1999:56), speech acts can be also classified as direct and
indirect.

1. Direct speech act

In a direct speech act there is a direct relationship between its linguistic
structure and the work it is doing.

Example:
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a. Open the door.

b. Give me a cup of coffee

2. Indirect speech act

In indirect speech act, the speech act is performed indirectly through the
performance of another speech act.
Example:
a. Can you open the door?
b. Would you mind opening the door?
c. Why not open the door?
d. I would like to have a cup of coffee
e. It would be nice if I can drink a cup of coffee

One of the most common types of indirect speech act in English is the
form of an interrogative, but is not typically used to ask a question (we don’t
expect only an answer, we expect an action).

Of the various types of speech act given by the linguistics above, the
writer decides to analyze the types of speech act given by Searle in her research.

The Black Box

When the air crash occurs, in addition to looking for the crash site, rescue and
evacuate victims, people are also busy looking for the black box. The basic idea of
creating black box is to get the information that describes all the activities on the
plane during the flight. The information can be used to know everything like the
cause of an air crash.

Initially, the recording device on the aircraft was created by Wright

Brothers in 1900s. Furthermore, 50 years later, Dr. David Warren, an Australian,
created the first black box. In its development, black box consists of two main
parts, namely FDR (Flight Data Recorder) and CVR (Cockpit Voice Recorder).
Each can record up to 700 parameters such as the flying time, air pressures,
altitude, wind speed, horizontal balance, and compass direction. It can also record
up to 25 hours last conversation of pilot. This tool is equipped with ULB
(Underwater Locator Beacon), which can emit signal like ultrasonic sound and
will work for 30 days after the air crash occurs. Originally, black box is orange,
not black.

Garuda Indonesia Flight 152

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Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 was a scheduled domestic Indonesian passenger

flight from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta to Polonia
International in Medan, North Sumatera, flown using Airbus A300B4 registered
PK-GAI and operated by state-owned flag carrier Garuda Indonesia. The air plane
was piloted by HanceRahmowiyogowhich crashed a mountain on September 26,
1997. All 234 passengers and crew were killed in the disaster.

Table 2.3. Accident Summary of Garuda Indonesia Flight 152

Accident Summary
Date September 26, 1997
Summary Controlled flight into terrain
Site Near PancurBatu, Deli Serdang, North Sumatera, Indonesia.
Passenger 222
Crew 12
Fatalities 234 (all)
Survivors 0
Aircraft type Airbus A300B4-220
Operator Garuda Indonesia
Registration PK-GAI
Flight origin Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta, Indonesia
Destination Polonia International Airport, Medan, North Sumatera.
Indonesia

Alaska Airlines Flight 261

Alaska Airlines Flight 261 was a scheduled international passenger flight on

January 31, 2000 from Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto
Vallarta, Mexico, to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle, Washington,
with an intermediate stop at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco,
California. The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, crashed into the Pacific
Ocean about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) north of Anacapa Island, California after suffering
a catastrophic loss of pitch control. The two pilots, three cabin crewmembers, and
83 passengers on board were killed.

Table 2.4. Accident Summary of Alaska Airlines Flight 261

Accident summary
Date January 31, 2000
Summary Jackscrew failure, improper maintenance
Site Pacific Oceannear Anacapa Island, California
Passenger 83
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Crew 5
Fatalities 88 (all)
Survivors 0
Aircraft type McDonnell Douglas MD-83
Operator Alaska Airlines
Registration N963AS
Flight origin Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz Int'l Airport
Destination Seattle-Tacoma Int'l Airport

American Airlines 587

American Airlines Flight 587 was aregularly scheduled passenger flight from
John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City to Santo Domingo’s Las
Americas International Airport in the Dominican Republic on November 12,
2001. All 260 people on board the flight were killed.

Table 2.5. Accident Summary of American Airlines 587

Accident summary
Date November, 12, 2001
Summary Tail structure failure due to co-pilot error while
encountering wake turbulence, incorrect pilot training
Site Queens, New York City, New York, United States
Passengers 251
Crew 9
Injuries(non-fatal) 1 (on the ground)
Fatalities 265 (including 5 on the ground)
Survivors 0
Aircraft type Airbus A300B4-605R
Operator American airlines
Registration N14053
Flight origin John F. Kennedy International airport, New York City,
United States
Destination Las Americas International Airport, Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic

Air France 447

Air France 447 (AF447/AFR447) was a scheduled passenger flight from Rio De
Janeiro, Brazil to Paris, France, which crashed on 1 June 2009. All 228
passengers, crew and cabin crew were killed.
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Table 2.6. Accident Summary of Air France 447

Accident summary
Date 1 June 2009
Summary Entered high altitude stall, impacted ocean
Site Atlantic Ocean, near Waypoint TASIL
Passengers 216
Crew 12
Fatalities 228 (all)
Survivors 0
Aircraft type Airbus A330-203
Operator Air France
Registration F-GZCP
Flight origin Rio de Janeiro-Galeao Airport
Destination Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport

Previous Studies

In the previous study, many researchers arranged their graduating paper on speech
act analysis.
The first research is “Analysis of Speech Acts in “Princess Protection
Program” Movie”. It is conducted bythe student of Salatiga University, Reni
Indriyani in 2012. After analyzing speech act types and Searle’s categories of
illocutionary act in “Princess Protection Program “movie, she found that there are
411 direct speech acts, 31 indirect speech acts, 284 literal speech acts, 26 non
literal speech acts, 41 direct- literal speech acts, 10 direct- non literal speech acts,
14 indirect- literal speech acts and 4 indirect- non literal speech acts.
The second research is “Speech Act Analysis on Opera Van Java (OVJ)
Dialogue in Episode “ BIMA KAWIN. It is conducted by the student of
SalatigaUniversity,EkaAnisawati in 2012. After analyzing the conversation,
researcher found all types of speech act introduced by Austin consisting of
locutionary act, illocutionary act, and perlocutionary act. in episode “BIMA
KAWIN”, there are 22 forms of locutionary and perlocutionary act, whereas the
illocutionary act is 21 varieties. By Searle consisting of representative speech act,
directive speech act, expressive speech act, commissive speech act, declarative
speech act. the researcher found 13 representative act. In expressive and directive
are 16 varieties, finding twelve forms of comissive, the smallest sum is ten forms
in declarative. By parker consisting of direct speech act, indirect speech act, literal
speech act, non-literal speech act, direct literal speech act, direct non-literal
speech act, indirect literal speech act, and indirect non-literal speech act.
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The third research is “Analysis of Javanese Speech Acts on ‟Peronika‟‟

Movie (A Socio-Pragmatics Approach). It is conducted bythe student of Salatiga
University, Mei Susiana in 2012. After analyzing speech act types and Searle‟s
categories of illocutionary act in “Peronika“movie, she found that there are 90
direct speech acts, 9 indirect speech acts because in conversation movie is always
used direct speech act, so that on “Peronika” movie most the utterance in form
direct speech acts more than indirect speech act. And 76 literal speech acts in
conversation most the utterance in form literal speech act more than non literal
speech acts just 23 because in conversation used informal language included
direct speech acts and literal speech acts. On the other hand, 70 direct-literal
speech acts, 20 direct- non literal speech acts and 2 indirect- non literal speech
acts.
This study will be different from the studies above. In this study the writer
will focus on Searle’s categories of speech act. They are; representatives (or
assertives), directives, commisives, expressives and declarations. The data will be
taken from recorded conversation transcription of the black box before the air
plane crashes.

Conceptual Framework

Pragmatics

Deixis Maxim/ Speech Act Presupposition

Politeness
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Entailment Implicature

Categories of Speech Act by Searle

(Mey, 2001:120)
- Representatives (or assertives)
- Directives
- Commisives
- Expressives
- Declarations

Recorded Conversation Transcription

- Garuda Indonesia Flight 152

- Alaska Airlines Flight 261
- American Airlines 587
- Air France 447
-
Result

Representatives
(Assertives) Directives Commisives Expressives Declarations

Pragmatics concentrates on those aspects of meaning that cannot be

predicted by linguistic knowledge alone and takes into account knowledge about
the physical and social world. The focus of its analysis is on the meaning of
speakers’ utterances rather than on the meaning of words or sentences. As a study
of meaning, it has six domains of study, namely: Deixis, Maxim, Presupposition,
Speech Act, Implicature and Entailment.
In this study, the writer focuses to discuss speech act and the categories of
speech act according to Searle. According to Searle, the categories of speech act
are Representatives, Directives, Commisives, Expressives and Declarations. The
writer chooses to discuss speech act because she is interested to know the intended
 16

meaning of the utterances uttered by people in their conversation in order to build

a good communication with their hearers.

3. Research Method

This is a Descriptive qualitatative research . The data of this research taken from the
recorded conversation transcription of the black boxes before the air plane crashed. The
total data is taken from four conversations. They are recorded conversation transcription
of Air France 447, Garuda Indonesia Flight 152, American Airlines 587 andAlaska
Airlines Flight 261. The writer got 32 data from recorded conversation transcription of
Garuda Indonesia Flight 152, 111 data from recorded conversation transcription of
Alaska Airlines Flight 261, 38 data from recorded conversation transcription of American
Airlines 587 and 48 data from recorded conversation transcription of Air France 447. The
total data is 229 data. They can be seen on table 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4 below.

Table 1 The data from recorded conversation transcription of Air France 447 (Plane A)

No Data

A.1 The inter-tropical convergence... look, we're in it, between 'Salpu' and 'Tasil.' And
then, look, we're right in it...
A.2 Yes
A.3 Let's call them in the back, to let them know...
A.4 Yes
A.5 Listen, in 2 minutes, we're going to be getting into an area where things are going
to be moving around a little bit more than now. You'll want to take care.
A.6 Okay, we should sit down then?
A.7 Well, I think that's not a bad idea.
A.8 Give your friends a heads-up.
A.9 Yeah
A.10 Okay, I’ll tell the others in the back.
A.11 Thanks a lot.
A.12 I’ll call you back as soon as we’re out of it.
A.13 Let's go for the anti-icing system. It's better than nothing.
A.14 We seem to be at the end of the cloud layer, it might be okay.
A.15 You can possibly pull it a little to the left.
A.16 I have the controls.
A.17 What’sthis?
A.18 There's no good... there's no good speed indication.
A.19 We've lost the, the, the speeds, then?
A.20 Pay attention to your speed. Pay attention to your speed.
A.21 Okay, okay, I'm descending.
A.22 Stabilize.
A.23 Yeah
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A.24 Descend... It says we're going up... It says we're going up, so descend.
A.25 Descend!
A.26 Here we go, we're descending.
A.27 Gently!
A.28 We're... yeah, we're in a climb.
A.29 Damn it
A.30 Where is he?
A.31 Damn it!
A.32 I'm in TOGA, huh?
A.33 Damn it.
A.34 Is he coming or not?
A.35 We still have the engines! What the hell is happening? I don't understand what's
happening.
A.36 Damn it
A.37 I don't have control of the plane, I don't have control of the plane at all!
A.38 What the hell are you doing?
A.39 We've lost control of the plane!
A.40 We've totally lost control of the plane. We don't understand at all... We've tried
everything.
A.41 What do you think? What do you think? What should we do?
A.42 Climb... climb... climb... climb...
A.43 But I've had the stick back the whole time!
A.44 No, no, no... Don't climb... no, no.
A.45 Descend, then... Give me the controls... Give me the controls!
A.46 Damn it.
A.47 We're going to crash... This can't be happening!
A.48 But what’s happening?

Table 2 The data from recorded conversation transcription of Garuda Indonesia 152
(Plane B)

No Data
B.1 Medan Approach, GIA152 passing 150.
B.2 GIA 152 radar contact 43 miles. Descent to 3000ft for Runway 05, reduce speed
to 220.
B.3 Descend 3000 for Runway 05. Reduce speed to 220 kts., GIA 152.
B.4 Approach, GIA 152, request reason to reduce speed above 10000 to 220kts.
B.5 OK Sir, your traffic departure sir, now start engine, release traffic departure at or
before 27.
B.6 152 like to maintain 210 kts... 250kts, and below 10000.
 18

B.7 OK, it's approved.

B.8 MNA 241 passing 10000.
B.9 MNA 241, your position now 11 miles on W-11. Contact 1212.
B.10 Happy landing!
B.11 Thank you
B.12 GIA 152, maintain 3000ft for a while. Maintain heading Medan VOR. Traffic now
still taxi Runway 23.
B.13 Maintain 3000
B.14 Merpati 152, you turn left heading 240 vectoring for intercept ILS Runway 05
from right side. Traffic now rolling.
B.15 GIA 152, do you read?
B.16 GIA 152, say again?
B.17 Turn left heading a ...... 240, 235. Now vectoring for intercept ILS Runway 05.
B.18 Roger, heading 235. GIA 152.
B.19 GIA 152 heading 235. Confirm we cleared from a .....mountainous area?
B.20 Affirm sir! Continue turn left on heading 215.
B.21 On heading 215, GIA.
B.22 Good afternoon, approach. BOU 683 departed left turn
B.23 BOU 683 continue turn left on heading 120 initial 2000ft.
B.24 GIA 152, turn right heading 046, report established on localizer.
B.25 Turn right heading 040, GIA 152, check established.
B.26 Turning right sir.
B.27 152, confirm you're making turning left now?
B.28 We are turning right now.
B.29 152 OK, you continue turning left now.
B.30 A ...... confirm turning left? We are starting turning right now.
B.31 GIA 152 continue turn right heading 015.
B.32 Aaaaaa.

Table 3 The data from recorded conversation transcription of American Airlines 587
(Plane C)

No Data
C.1 American five eight seven heavy, wind three zero zero at niner, runway three one
left, cleared for takeoff.
C.2 Cleared for takeoff, American ah, five eight seven heavy.
C.3 You happy with that distance?
C.4 Aah
C.5 We'll be all right once we get rollin'
C.6 He's supposed to be five miles by the time we're airborne, that's the idea.
C.7 So you’re happy.
C.8 Lights?
 19

C.9 Yeah
C.10 Lights are on.
C.11 Takeoff check's complete, I'm on the roll.
C.12 Thank you, Sir.
C.13 Positive rate, gear up please.
C.14 American five eight seven heavy, turn left. Fly the Bridge Climb. Contact New
York departure.
C.15 American five eighty seven heavy, so long.
C.16 Gear's up.
C.17 Check speed, level change.
C.18 Flaps up.
C.19 Climb power.
C.20 Ah New York, American five eighty seven heavy, thirteen hundred feet, we're
climbing to five thousand.
C.21 American five eight seven heavy, New York departure. Radar contact. Climb
maintain one three thousand.
C.22 One three thousand feet, American five eighty seven heavy.
C.23 One three I see, slats retract.
C.24 Slats
C.25 Clean machine
C.26 American five eighty seven heavy, turn left, proceed direct WAVEY.
C.27 Uh
C.28 We'll turn direct WAVEY, American five eighty seven heavy.
C.29 Left turn direct WAVEY….
C.30 Little wake turbulence, huh?
C.31 ….yeah.
C.32 Thank you
C.33 You all right?
C.34 Yea, I'm fine.
C.35 Hang onto it. hang onto it.
C.36 Let's go for power please.
C.37 What the hell are we into *. We're stuck in it.
C.38 Get out of it, get out of it.

Table 4 The data from recorded conversation transcription of Alaska Airlines 261 (Plane
D)

No Data

D.1 Yea
D.2 We tried everything together.
D.3 We've run just about everything if you've got any hidden circuit breakers we'd
love to know about 'em.
 20

D.4 It appears to be jammed, the whole thing, it spikes out when we use the primary,
we get AC load that tells me the motor's tryin' to run but the brake won't move it,
when we use the alternate, nothing happens.
D.5 You say you get a spike on the meter up there in the cockpit when you uh try to
move it with the primary right?
D.6 I'm gonna click it off
D.7 You got it?
D.8 When we do the primary trim, but there's no appreciable uh change in the uh
electrical uh when we do the alternate.
D.9 Let's do that.
D.10 This'll click it off.
D.11 You got it?
D.12 It got worse.
D.13 You're stalled.
D.14 No no you gotta release it yagotta release it.
D.15 Help me back help me back.
D.16 Center Alaska two sixty one we are uh in a dive here.
D.17 and I've lost control, vertical pitch.
D.18 Alaska two sixty one uh say again sir.
D.19 Yea
D.20 We're out of twenty six thousand feet, we are in a vertical dive...not a dive yet...
but uh we've lost vertical control of our airplane.
D.21 Just help me.
D.22 We're at twenty three seven, request uh...
D.23 Yea
D.24 We got it back under control here.
D.25 No we don't!
D.26 Alaska two sixty one uh say the altitude you'd like to uh remain at
D.27 Let's take the speed brakes off.
D.28 Alaska two sixty one say your condition
D.29 Two sixty on, we're at twenty four thousand feet, kinda stabilized.
D.30 Ok it really wants to pitch down.
D.31 We're slowin' here and uh, we're gonna uh do a little troubleshooting
D.32 Can you gimme a block between un, twenty and twenty five?
D.33 Alaska two sixty one maintain block altitude flight level two zero zero through
flight level two five zero
D.34 Alaska two sixty one we'll take that block we'll be monitoring the frequency.
D.35 Whatever we did is no good, don't do that again.
D.36 No it went down it went to full nose down.
D.37 Un it’s a lot worse that it was?
D.38 Yea yea
D.39 We're in much worse shape now.
 21

D.40 I think it's at the stop, full stop...and I'm thinking...can it go any worse...but it
probably can...but when we slowed down
D.41 let's slow it let's get down to two hundred knots and see what happens.
D.42 We did both the pickle switch and the suitcase handles and it ran away full nose
trim down.
D.43 And now we're in a pinch so we're holding uh we're worse than we were.
D.44 I went tab down... right, and it should have come back instead it went the other
way.
D.45 You wanna try it or not?
D.46 Uhh no
D.47 I don't know.
D.48 Alaska two sixty one uh let me know if you need anything.
D.49 We're still working at it.
D.50 Alaska two sixty one contact LA center one two six point five two they're aware
of your uh situation.
D.51 Alaska two sixty one say again the frequency one two zero five two.
D.52 Uh
D.53 Thank you
D.54 LA Alaska two sixty one uh we're with you at twenty two five we have a jammed
stabilizer and ah we're maintaining altitude with difficulty uh but uh we can
maintain altitude we think and our intention is to land at Los Angeles.
D.55 Alaska two sixty one Alaska Center roger uh you're cleared to Los Angeles
Airport via present position uh direct Santa Monica direct Los Angeles and uh
you want lower now
D.56 What do you wanna do sir?
D.57 Center Alaska two sixty one I need to uh get down about ten change my
configuration make sure I can control the jet and I'd like to do that out there over
the bay if I may.
D.58 Ok Alaska two sixty one roger that stand by there.
D.59 That’s fine
D.60 go ahead green light
D.61 Hey Alaska two sixty one wants to go into LA.
D.62 He wants to get down to around ten thousand feet but he wants to do it out there
over the bay.
D.63 I'm gonna send him out on like a two eighty heading right now and then uh.
D.64 Ok put him on a...
D.65 He's at two two five right now.
D.66 Uhhh Ok that's fine.
D.67 Altitude altitude.
D.68 Put him on a two eighty heading take him down to one seven thousand radar
contact.
D.69 He're we go
D.70 Alaska two sixty one uh fly heading of two eight zero and descend and maintain
 22

one seven thousand.

D.71 Two eight zero and one seven seventeen thousand Alaska two sixty one and we
generally need a block altitude.
D.72 Ok uh just um
D.73 I'll tell you what uh do that for now sir
D.74 Contact LA Center on three five point five they'll have further uh instructions for
you sir.
D.75 OK thirty five five say the altimeter setting.
D.76 The LA altimeter is three zero one eight.
D.77 Thank you
D.78 Thank you
D.79 I need everything picked up... everything strapped down.
D.80 I'm gonna unload the airplane and see if we can ....we can regain control of it that
way.
D.81 Ok we had like a big bank back there.
D.82 Yea
D.83 I heard it
D.84 Make sure the passengers are strapped in now.
D.85 Cause I'm gonna I'm going to release the back pressure and see if I can get it...
back.
D.86 Gimme slats extend.
D.87 I'm test flying now.
D.88 Flaps 11 degrees.
D.89 It's pretty stable right now...see but we got to get down to a hundred an eighty.
D.90 Ok... bring the flaps and slats back up for me.
D.91 What I wanna do...is get the nose up...and then let the nose fall through and see if
we can stab it when it's unloaded.
D.92 You mean use this again?
D.93 It's on the stop now, its on the stop.
D.94 The trim might be, and then it might be uh, if something's popped back there...it
might be mechanical damage too.
D.95 I think if it's controllable, we oughta just try to land it.
D.96 You think so?
D.97 Ok lets head for LA.
D.98 You feel that?
D.99 Yea
D.100 Ok gimme sl....
D.101 Push and roll, push and roll.
D.102 Ok, we are inverted...and now we gotta get it.
D.103 Push push push...push the blue side up.
D.104 Ok now lets kick rudder...left rudder left rudder.
D.105 I can't reach it.
 23

D.106 Ok right rudder...right rudder.

D.107 Gotta get it over again...at least upside down we're flying.
D.108 Speedbrakes.
D.109 Got it
D.110 Ah
D.111 Here we go.

4. Data Analysis

In this research, the writer analyzes Searle’s classification of speech act, they are:
representatives (or assertives), directives, commisives, expressives and declarations.

Representatives

Representatives is the assertion about a state of affairs in the world. It carries the values
‘true’ or ‘false’. In uttering this type of speech act, the speaker conveys his or her belief
about something. In this research, this category of speech act is generally used to inform
the position and the condition of the plane and the weather, to tell that something happens
in the plane and to confirm that the people in the plane have done something. In more
detail, there are some examples of representative in recorded conversations transcription
of the black boxes.

1. Copilot Robert : What's this?

Copilot Bonin : There's no good... there's no good speed indication.
(A.18)

The bold utterance above is a representative because it is an assertion which contains the
statement from Copilot Bonin to Copilot Robert that there was no good speed indication.
By saying that utterance, Copilot Bonin told Copilot Robert about the condition of the
plane.

2. Captain Dubois : What the hell are you doing?

Copilot Bonin : We've lost control of the plane! (A.39)
Copilot Robert :We've totally lost control of the plane. We don't
understand at all... We've tried everything. (A.40)
Copilot Robert :What do you think? What do you think? What should
we do?

In the conversation between Copilot Bonin and Captain Dubois above, Copilot Bonin said
an assertion which contains some statements that they have lost control of the plane. He
said that they have tried to do everything but they have totally lost control of the plane.
He also said that he did not understand anything. So, the bold utterance in the
conversation above is a representative. That statement shows that something happened in
the plane.
 24

3. Medan Approach Control : MNA 241, your position now 11

miles on W-11. Contact 1212.(B.9) Happy
landing.

MNA 241 : Selamatsiang. Terimakasih. (Good

afternoon. Thank you)

In the conversation between Medan Approach Control and Merpati 241 above, the person
who worked in Medan Approach Control uttered a statement to Merpati 241 about its
position. It is a representative because the person who worked in Medan Approach
Control believed in himself about the position MNA 241.

4. Medan Approach Control : 152, confirm you're making turning

left now?
GIA 152 : We are turning right now.(B.28)

The bold utterance said by GIA 152 above is a representative category because it is a
statement given to the person who worked in Medan Approach Control to let him know
that GIA 152 were turning right.

5. TWR : American five eight seven heavy, wind three zero

zero at niner, runway three one left, cleared for take off. (C.1)
RDO-1 : Cleared for takeoff, American ah, five eight seven
heavy.

In the conversation above, TWR told RDO-1 about the weather. It is a representative
because TWR believed that the weather is good enough for plane to takeoff.

6. HOT-2 : Climb power.

RDO-1 : Ah New York, American five eighty seven heavy, thirteen
hundred feet, we'reclimbing to five thousand.(C.20)

In the conversation above, HOT-2 asked RDO-1 to give information about the position of
the plane. Then, RDO-1 gave a statement to RDO-1. That statement is a representative.

7. RT CAPT : Center Alaska two sixty one we are uh in a dive here.

(D.16)
RT CAPT : ... and I've lost control, vertical pitch. (D.17)
LA30 : Alaska two sixty one uh say again sir.
RT CAPT : Yea we're out of twenty six thousand feet, we are in a vertical
dive...not a dive yet... but uh we've lost vertical control of our
airplane. (D.20)

All the bold utterances in the conversation above are the representatives, because those
utterances are the statements said by RT CAPT about the position of the plane and the
problems he faced.
 25

8. CAPT : OK thirty five five say the altimeter setting.

LA25 : The LA altimeter is three zero one eight.(D.76)
RT F/O : Thank you.

The utterance said by LA25 above is a representative because it is an assertion which

contains a statement from LA25 to RT F/O about the LA altimeter.

Directives

As the name says, this speech act embody an effort on the part of the speaker to get the
hearer to do something, to direct him or her towards the goal. This category of speech act
is generally used when the people in the ACT give the directions and ask something to
the captain or copilot. It is also used when the captain give commands to the copilot and
flight attendant. Here are some examples of directives found in recorded conversation
transcription of the black boxes before the air plane crashes.

1. Flight Attendant : Okay, we should sit down then?

Copilot Bonin : Well, I think that's not a bad idea. Give your
friends a heads-up. (A.8)
Flight Attendant : Yeah, okay,I'll tell the others in the back. Thanks a lot.

In the conversation above, Copilot Bonin asks Flight Attendant to tell something to her
friends. Therefore, the bold utterance above is a directive because it is a form of asking.

2. Copilot Robert : We've lost the, the, the speeds, then?

Copilot Robert : Pay attention to your speed. Pay attention to your
speed. (A.20)
Copilot Bonin : Okay, okay, I'm descending.

The bold utterances said by Copilot Robert above is a directive category of speech act,
because in the conversation he commanded Copilot Bonin to pay his attention to his
speed.

3. GIA 152 : Approach, GIA 152, request reason

to reduce speed above 10000 to 220kts.

Medan Approach Control : OK Sir, your traffic departure sir, now start
engine, release traffic departure at or before
27. (B.5)

GIA 152 : 152 like to maintain 210 kts... 250kts, and

below 10000.

In the conversation above, the person who works in Medan Approach Control commands
GIA 152 to do something. So, it is called as a directive because the person who talks to
GIA 152 gives a command.

4. BOU 683 : Good afternoon, approach.

 26

BOU 683 departed left turn.

Medan Approach Control : BOU 683 continue turn left on heading 120
initial 2000ft. (B.23)

When BOU 683 departed, the person who worked in Medan Approach Control gave the
direction. He asked BOU 683 to continue turn left. Therefore, the utterance given by the
person who worked in Medan Approach Control to BOU 683 is a directive.

5. HOT-2 : Positive rate, gear up please. (C.13)

HOT-1 : Gear up.

In the conversation above, HOT-2 asked HOT-1 to do something by saying ‘gear up

please.’ It a directive because it is aform of asking someone to do something.

6. TWR : American five eight seven heavy, turn left. Fly the
Bridge Climb. Contact New York departure. (C.14) Good
morning.

RDO-1 : American five eighty seven heavy, so long.

HOT-1 : Gear's up.

The utterance said by TWR above is a representative, because he commanded RDO-1 to

do some things, like to turn the plane left, fly the bridge climb and contact New York
Departure.

7. CAPT : Help me back help me back. (D.15)

F/O : Ok.

In the conversation above, CAPT asks F/O to help him. It is a directive because he
directly asks F/O to help him.

8. LA30 : Alaska two sixty one say your condition (D.28)

RT CAPT : Two sixty on, we're at twenty four thousand
feet, kinda stabilized.

The bold utterance said by LA30 in the conversation above is a directive, because he
talked to RT CAPT by requesting RT CAPT to say their condition.

Commisives

By uttering a commissive, the speaker is committing himself to some future course of

action. In this research, this category of speech act is generally used when the captain,
copilot and flight attendant tell others that they want to do something. In more detail, here
are some examples of commisives found in recorded conversation transcription of black
box before the air plane crashes.

1. Flight Attendant : Okay, we should sit down then?

 27

Copilot Bonin : Well, I think that's not a bad idea. Give your friends a
heads-up.
Flight Attendant : Yeah, okay, I'll tell the others in the back. (A.10)
Thanks a lot.

In the conversation above, Copilot Bonin asked Flight Attendant to tell something to her
friends. Then, the Flight Attendant said that she would tell them. She committed herself
to do what Copilot Bonin said. Therefore, the bold utterance above is commisive.

2. Copilot Bonin :I'll call you back as soon as we're out of it. (A.12)
Flight Attendant : Okay.

In the conversation between Copilot Bonin and Flight attendant above, Copilot Bonin
committed himself that he will call Flight Attendant as soon as they’re out of the plane.
So, it is called as a commisives.

3. HOT-2 : You happy with that distance?

HOT-1 : Aah, he's.... we'll be all right once we get rollin'. (C.5) He's
supposed to be five miles by the time we're airborne, that's the
idea.

The bold utterance above shows that HOT-1 commits that they will be all right once they
get rolling. So, the bold utterance above is a commisives.

4. DEP : American five eighty seven heavy, turn left, proceed

direct WAVEY.
RDO-1 : Uh, we'll turn direct WAVEY, American five eighty seven
heavy. (C.28)

In the conversation above, the DEP commanded RDO-1 to turn left, proceed direct
WAVEY. Then, RDO-1 said that he would do as the DEP asked. So, the utterance said by
RDO-1 above is a commisive

5. CAPT : I'm gonna click it off you got it? (D.6)

F/O : Ok.

The bold utterance above is a commisive because the CAPT committed himself that he
would click something off.

6. LA30 : Alaska two sixty one maintain block altitude flight

level two zero zero through flight level two five zero
RT CAPT : Alaska two sixty one we'll take that block we'll be
monitoring the frequency. (D.34)

The CAPT tells F/O about something that he will do. So, the bold utterance said by the
CAPT above is a form of commisives.

.
 28

Expressives

Expressives are those kinds of speech act that state what the speaker feels. When he
apologizes, thanks, congratulates, welcomes, or deplores, he is expressing how good or
bad he feels about some events and is therefore uttering an expressive. There are some
examples of expressive in recorded conversation transcription of the black box before the
air plane crashes.

1. Copilot Bonin : Well, I think that's not a bad idea. Give your
friends a heads-up.

Flight Attendant : Yeah, okay, I'll tell the others in the back. Thanks a lot.
(a.11)

The bold utterance said by Flight Attendant above is an expressive, because it is a

statement in a form of thanking.

2. Copilot Robert : Pay attention to your speed. Pay attention to

your speed.
Copilot Bonin : Okay, okay, I'm descending.
opilot Robert : Stabilize.
Copilot Bonin : Yeah.(A.23)

When Copilot Robert said ‘stabilize,’ Copilot Bonin said ‘yeah.’ It is an expressive. It
means that he would stabilize the speed of the plane.

3. Medan Approach Control : MNA 241, your position now 11

miles on W-11. Contact 1212.Happy landing.
MNA 241 : Selamatsiang. Terimakasih.
(Good afternoon. Thank you) (B.11)

The bold utterance above is an utterance in a form of thanking. So, it is an expressive.

4. Medan Approach Control : 152, confirm you're making turning

left now?
GIA 152 : We are turning right now.
Medan Approach Control : 152 OK, you continue turning
left now.
GIA 152 : A ...... confirm turning left? We are
starting turning right now.
Medan Approach Control : OK ...... OK.
Medan Approach Control : GIA 152 continue turn right heading 015.
GIA 152 : Aaaaaa.Allahu-Akbar.(B.32)

In the conversation above, we can see that the person who worked in Medan Approach
Control asked GIA 152 to continue turning left. But GIA 152 continue turning right.
 29

Therefore, something must be happened and made GIA 152 shouted ‘Aaaaaaa.’ The
shout of the GIA 152 in that conversation is a form of an expressive.

5. HOT-1 : Little wake turbulence, huh?

HOT-2 : …yeah. (C.31)

The bold utterance in the conversation between HOT-1 and HOT-2 above is an
expressive category of speech act. It shows that there is a little wake turbulence.

6. HOT-1 : You all right?

HOT-2 : Yea, I'm fine. (C.34)

In the conversation between HOT-1 and HOT-2 above, HOT-2 tells HOT-1 that he is
fine. Therefore, the bold utterance above is an expressives.

7. LA25 : He's at two two five right now.

LA14 : Uhhh Ok that's fine.(D.66)

The bold utterance in the conversation above is an expressive because LA14 shows LA25
that something is fine.

8. LA25 : The LA altimeter is three zero one eight.

RT F/O : Thank you.(D.77)

After getting the LA altimeter from LA25, RT F/O said ‘thank you.’ The word ‘thank
you’ is a form of thanking. So it is an expressive.

Declarations

Declarations are those kinds of speech acts that change the world via their utterance. Here
are some example of speech act found in recorded conversation transcription before the
air plane crashes.

Declaration in recorded conversation transcription of Air France 447

1. Copilot Robert : Descend! (A.25)

Copilot Bonin : Here we go, we're descending.

In the conversation between Copilot Robert and Copilot Bonin above, it can be seen that
Copilot Robert said “Descend!” and Copilot Bonin did as Copilot Robert said. When it
happened, something is changed. Therefore, the bold utterance above is a declaration.

2. Copilot Bonin : Here we go, we're descending.

Copilot Robert : Gently!(A.27)
 30

In the conversation above, it can be seen that when the plane was descending, Copilot
Robert suddenly asked Copilot Bonin to descend the plane gently. The utterance said by
Copilot Robert above must be done by Copilot Bonin quickly. If not, something must be
happened. So, the bold utterance above is a declarations.

Table 5 The categorization of the data of plane A (Air France 447) into Searle’s category
of speech act

No Data Category
A.1 The inter-tropical convergence... look, we're in it, between Directives
'Salpu' and 'Tasil.' And then, look, we're right in it...
A.2 Yes Expressives
A.3 Let's call them in the back, to let them know... Directives
A.4 Yes Expressives
A.5 Listen, in 2 minutes, we're going to be getting into an area Directives
where things are going to be moving around a little bit
more than now. You'll want to take care.
A.6 Okay, we should sit down then? Directives
A.7 Well, I think that's not a bad idea. Representatives
A.8 Give your friends a heads-up. Directives
A.9 Yeah Expressives
A.10 Okay, I’ll tell the others in the back. Commisives
A.11 Thanks a lot. Expressives
A.12 I’ll call you back as soon as we’re out of it. Commisives
A.13 Let's go for the anti-icing system. It's better than nothing. Directives
A.14 We seem to be at the end of the cloud layer, it might be Representatives
okay.
A.15 You can possibly pull it a little to the left. Representatives
A.16 I have the controls. Representatives
A.17 What’sthis? Directives
A.18 There's no good... there's no good speed indication. Representatives
A.19 We've lost the, the, the speeds, then? Directives
A.20 Pay attention to your speed. Pay attention to your speed. Directives
A.21 Okay, okay, I'm descending. Representatives
A.22 Stabilize. Directives
A.23 Yeah Expressives
A.24 Descend... It says we're going up... It says we're going up, Directives
so descend.
A.25 Descend! Declarations
A.26 Here we go, we're descending. Representatives
A.27 Gently! Declarations
 31

A.28 We're... yeah, we're in a climb. Representatives

A.29 Damn it Expressives
A.30 Where is he? Directives
A.31 Damn it! Expressives
A.32 I'm in TOGA, huh? Representatives
A.33 Damn it. Expressives
A.34 Is he coming or not? Directives
A.35 We still have the engines! What the hell is happening? I Representatives
don't understand what's happening.
A.36 Damn it Expressives
A.37 I don't have control of the plane, I don't have control of the Representatives
plane at all!
A.38 What the hell are you doing? Directives
A.39 We've lost control of the plane! Representatives
A.40 We've totally lost control of the plane. We don't Representatives
understand at all... We've tried everything.
A.41 What do you think? What do you think? What should we Directives
do?
A.42 Climb... climb... climb... climb... Directives
A.43 But I've had the stick back the whole time! Representatives
A.44 No, no, no... Don't climb... no, no. Directives
A.45 Descend, then... Give me the controls... Give me the Directives
controls!
A.46 Damn it. Expressives
A.47 We're going to crash... This can't be happening! Representatives
A.48 But what’s happening? Directives

Table 6 The categorization of the data of plane B (Garuda Indonesia 152) into Searle’s
category of speech act

No Data Category
B.1 Medan Approach, GIA152 passing 150. Representatives
B.2 GIA 152 radar contact 43 miles. Descent to 3000ft for Directives
Runway 05, reduce speed to 220.
B.3 Descend 3000 for Runway 05. Reduce speed to 220 kts., Representatives
GIA 152.
B.4 Approach, GIA 152, request reason to reduce speed above Representatives
10000 to 220kts.
B.5 OK Sir, your traffic departure sir, now start engine, release Directives
traffic departure at or before 27.
B.6 152 like to maintain 210 kts... 250kts, and below 10000. Representatives
B.7 OK, it's approved. Representatives
 32

B.8 MNA 241 passing 10000. Representatives

B.9 MNA 241, your position now 11 miles on W-11. Contact Representatives
1212.
B.10 Happy landing! Expressives
B.11 Thank you Expressives
B.12 GIA 152, maintain 3000ft for a while. Maintain heading Directives
Medan VOR. Traffic now still taxi Runway 23.
B.13 Maintain 3000 Representatives
B.14 Merpati 152, you turn left heading 240 vectoring for Directives
intercept ILS Runway 05 from right side. Traffic now
rolling.
B.15 GIA 152, do you read? Directives
B.16 GIA 152, say again? Directives
B.17 Turn left heading a ...... 240, 235. Now vectoring for Directives
intercept ILS Runway 05.
B.18 Roger, heading 235. GIA 152. Representatives
B.19 GIA 152 heading 235. Confirm we cleared from a Representatives
.....mountainous area?
B.20 Affirm sir! Continue turn left on heading 215. Directives
B.21 On heading 215, GIA. Representatives
B.22 Good afternoon, approach. BOU 683 departed left turn Representatives
B.23 BOU 683 continue turn left on heading 120 initial 2000ft. Directives
B.24 GIA 152, turn right heading 046, report established on Directives
localizer.
B.25 Turn right heading 040, GIA 152, check established. Representatives
B.26 Turning right sir. Directives
B.27 152, confirm you're making turning left now? Directives
B.28 We are turning right now. Representatives
B.29 152 OK, you continue turning left now. Directives
B.30 A ...... confirm turning left? We are starting turning right Representatives
now.
B.31 GIA 152 continue turn right heading 015. Directives
B.32 Aaaaaa. Expressives

Table 7 The categorization of the data of plane C (American Airlines 587) into Searle’s
category of speech act

No Data Category
C.1 American five eight seven heavy, wind three zero zero at Representatives
niner, runway three one left, cleared for takeoff.
 33

C.2 Cleared for takeoff, American ah, five eight seven heavy. Representatives
C.3 You happy with that distance? Directives
C.4 Aah Expressives
C.5 We'll be all right once we get rollin' Commisives
C.6 He's supposed to be five miles by the time we're airborne, Representatives
that's the idea.
C.7 So you’re happy. Representatives
C.8 Lights? Directives
C.9 Yeah Expressives
C.10 Lights are on. Representatives
C.11 Takeoff check's complete, I'm on the roll. Representatives
C.12 Thank you, Sir. Expressives
C.13 Positive rate, gear up please. Directives
C.14 American five eight seven heavy, turn left. Fly the Bridge Directives
Climb. Contact New York departure.
C.15 American five eighty seven heavy, so long. Representatives
C.16 Gear's up. Representatives
C.17 Check speed, level change. Directives
C.18 Flaps up. Representatives
C.19 Climb power. Representatives
C.20 Ah New York, American five eighty seven heavy, thirteen Representatives
hundred feet, we're climbing to five thousand.
C.21 American five eight seven heavy, New York departure. Representatives
Radar contact. Climb maintain one three thousand.
C.22 One three thousand feet, American five eighty seven Representatives
heavy.
C.23 One three I see, slats retract. Representatives
C.24 Slats Representatives
C.25 Clean machine Directives
C.26 American five eighty seven heavy, turn left, proceed direct Directives
WAVEY.
C.27 Uh Expressives
C.28 We'll turn direct WAVEY, American five eighty seven Commisives
heavy.
C.29 Left turn direct WAVEY…. Directives
C.30 Little wake turbulence, huh? Representatives
C.31 ….yeah. Expressives
C.32 Thank you Expressives
C.33 You all right? Directives
C.34 Yea, I'm fine. Expressives
C.35 Hang onto it. hang onto it. Directives
C.36 Let's go for power please. Directives
 34

C.37 What the hell are we into *. We're stuck in it. Representatives
C.38 Get out of it, get out of it. Directives

Table 8 The categorization of the data of plane D (Alaska Airlines 261) into Searle’s
category of speech act

No Data Category
D.1 Yea Expressives
D.2 We tried everything together. Representatives
D.3 We've run just about everything if you've got any hidden Representatives
circuit breakers we'd love to know about 'em.
D.4 It appears to be jammed, the whole thing, it spikes out Representatives
when we use the primary, we get AC load that tells me
the motor's tryin' to run but the brake won't move it, when
we use the alternate, nothing happens.
D.5 You say you get a spike on the meter up there in the Directives
cockpit when you uh try to move it with the primary
right?
D.6 I'm gonna click it off Commisives
D.7 You got it? Directives
D.8 When we do the primary trim, but there's no appreciable Representatives
uh change in the uh electrical uh when we do the
alternate.
D.9 Let's do that. Directives
D.10 This'll click it off. Representatives
D.11 You got it? Directives
D.12 It got worse. Representatives
D.13 You're stalled. Representatives
D.14 No no you gotta release it yagotta release it. Directives
D.15 Help me back help me back. Directives
D.16 Center Alaska two sixty one we are uh in a dive here. Representatives
D.17 and I've lost control, vertical pitch. Representatives
D.18 Alaska two sixty one uh say again sir. Directives
D.19 Yea Expressives
D.20 We're out of twenty six thousand feet, we are in a vertical Representatives
dive...not a dive yet... but uh we've lost vertical control of
our airplane.
D.21 Just help me. Directives
D.22 We're at twenty three seven, request uh... Representatives
D.23 Yea Expressives
D.24 We got it back under control here. Representatives
D.25 No we don't! Representatives
 35

D.26 Alaska two sixty one uh say the altitude you'd like to uh Directives
remain at
D.27 Let's take the speed brakes off. Directives
D.28 Alaska two sixty one say your condition Directives
D.29 Two sixty on, we're at twenty four thousand feet, kinda Representatives
stabilized.
D.30 Ok it really wants to pitch down. Representatives
D.31 We're slowin' here and uh, we're gonna uh do a little Representatives
troubleshooting
D.32 Can you gimme a block between un, twenty and twenty Directives
five?
D.33 Alaska two sixty one maintain block altitude flight level Directives
two zero zero through flight level two five zero
D.34 Alaska two sixty one we'll take that block we'll be Commisives
monitoring the frequency.
D.35 Whatever we did is no good, don't do that again. Directives
D.36 No it went down it went to full nose down. Representatives
D.37 Un it’s a lot worse that it was? Directives
D.38 Yea yea Expressives
D.39 We're in much worse shape now. Representatives
D.40 I think it's at the stop, full stop...and I'm thinking...can it Representatives
go any worse...but it probably can...but when we slowed
down
D.41 let's slow it let's get down to two hundred knots and see Directives
what happens.
D.42 We did both the pickle switch and the suitcase handles Representatives
and it ran away full nose trim down.
D.43 And now we're in a pinch so we're holding uh we're Representatives
worse than we were.
D.44 I went tab down... right, and it should have come back Representatives
instead it went the other way.
D.45 You wanna try it or not? Directives
D.46 Uhh no Expressives
D.47 I don't know. Representatives
D.48 Alaska two sixty one uh let me know if you need Directives
anything.
D.49 We're still working at it. Representatives
D.50 Alaska two sixty one contact LA center one two six point Directives
five two they're aware of your uh situation.
D.51 Alaska two sixty one say again the frequency one two Directives
zero five two.
D.52 Uh Expressives
D.53 Thank you Expressives
 36

D.54 LA Alaska two sixty one uh we're with you at twenty two Representatives
five we have a jammed stabilizer and ah we're
maintaining altitude with difficulty uh but uh we can
maintain altitude we think and our intention is to land at
Los Angeles.
D.55 Alaska two sixty one Alaska Center roger uh you're Representatives
cleared to Los Angeles Airport via present position uh
direct Santa Monica direct Los Angeles and uh you want
lower now
D.56 What do you wanna do sir? Directives
D.57 Center Alaska two sixty one I need to uh get down about Directives
ten change my configuration make sure I can control the
jet and I'd like to do that out there over the bay if I may.
D.58 Ok Alaska two sixty one roger that stand by there. Representatives
D.59 That’s fine Expressives
D.60 go ahead green light Directives
D.61 Hey Alaska two sixty one wants to go into LA. Representatives
D.62 He wants to get down to around ten thousand feet but he Representatives
wants to do it out there over the bay.
D.63 I'm gonna send him out on like a two eighty heading right Commisives
now and then uh.
D.64 Ok put him on a... Directives
D.65 He's at two two five right now. Representatives
D.66 Uhhh Ok that's fine. Expressives
D.67 Altitude altitude. Directives
D.68 Put him on a two eighty heading take him down to one Directives
seven thousand radar contact.
D.69 He're we go Representatives
D.70 Alaska two sixty one uh fly heading of two eight zero and Directives
descend and maintain one seven thousand.
D.71 Two eight zero and one seven seventeen thousand Alaska Directives
two sixty one and we generally need a block altitude.
D.72 Ok uh just um Expressives
D.73 I'll tell you what uh do that for now sir Commisives
D.74 Contact LA Center on three five point five they'll have Directives
further uh instructions for you sir.
D.75 OK thirty five five say the altimeter setting. Directives
D.76 The LA altimeter is three zero one eight. Representatives
D.77 Thank you Expressives
D.78 Thank you Expressives
D.79 I need everything picked up... everything strapped down. Representatives
D.80 I'm gonna unload the airplane and see if we can ....we can Commisives
regain control of it that way.
 37

D.81 Ok we had like a big bank back there. Representatives

D.82 Yea Expressives
D.83 I heard it Representatives
D.84 Make sure the passengers are strapped in now. Directives
D.85 Cause I'm gonna I'm going to release the back pressure Commisives
and see if I can get it... back.
D.86 Gimme slats extend. Directives
D.87 I'm test flying now. Representatives
D.88 Flaps 11 degrees. Representatives
D.89 It's pretty stable right now...see but we got to get down to Representatives
a hundred an eighty.
D.90 Ok... bring the flaps and slats back up for me. Directives
D.91 What I wanna do...is get the nose up...and then let the Representatives
nose fall through and see if we can stab it when it's
unloaded.
D.92 You mean use this again? Directives
D.93 It's on the stop now, its on the stop. Representatives
D.94 The trim might be, and then it might be uh, if something's Representatives
popped back there...it might be mechanical damage too.
D.95 I think if it's controllable, we oughta just try to land it. Representatives
D.96 You think so? Directives
D.97 Ok lets head for LA. Directives
D.98 You feel that? Directives
D.99 Yea Expressives
D.100 Ok gimme sl.... Directives
D.101 Push and roll, push and roll. Directives
D.102 Ok, we are inverted...and now we gotta get it. Representatives
D.103 Push push push...push the blue side up. Directives
D.104 Ok now lets kick rudder...left rudder left rudder. Directives
D.105 I can't reach it. Representatives
D.106 Ok right rudder...right rudder. Directives
D.107 Gotta get it over again...at least upside down we're flying. Representatives
D.108 Speedbrakes. Directives
D.109 Got it Representatives
D.110 Ah Expressives
D.111 Here we go. Representatives

Table 9 The total data

No Plane Category of Speech Act Total

Representatives Directives Commisives Expressives Declarations
 38

1 A 15 19 2 10 2 48

2 B 15 14 - 3 - 32

3 C 17 12 2 7 - 38

4 D 47 43 6 15 - 111

Total 94 88 10 35 2 229

Table 10The percentage of the data

No Plane Category of Speech Act Tota

Representatives Directives Commisives Expressives Declarations l

1 A 31.25 % 39.58 % 4.17 % 20.83 % 4.17 % 100

%
2 B 46.87 % 43.75 % - 9.38 % - 100
%
3 C 44.74 % 31.58 % 5.26 % 18.42 % - 100
%
4 D 42.34 % 38.74 % 5.41 % 13.51 % - 100
%

Table 11The percentage of the total data

No Category of Speech Act Total Percentage

1 Representatives 94 41.05 %

2 Directives 88 38.43 %

3 Commisives 10 4.37 %

4 Expressives 35 15.28 %

5 Declarations 2 0.87 %

Total 229 100 %

Chart 1 The total data on each recorded conversation transcription

 39

50

45

40

35
Representatives
30
Directives
25
Commisives
20 Expressives
15 Declarations

10

0
Plane A Plane B Plane C Plane D

Chart 2 The total and percentage of the data

100
90
80
70
60
50
40 Total
30 Percentage (%)
20
10
0

After analyzing and categorizing the data into Searle’s category of speech act, the
writer found 15 representatives speech acts on recorded conversation transcription of Air
 40

France 447, 15 representatives speech acts on recorded conversation transcription of

Garuda Indonesia 152, 17 representatives speech acts on recorded conversation
transcription of American Airline 587 and 47 representatives speech acts on recorded
conversation transcription of Alaska Airlines 261. She also found 19 directives speech
acts on recorded conversation transcription of Air France 447, 14 directives speech acts
on recorded conversation transcription of Garuda Indonesia 152, 12 directives speech acts
on recorded conversation transcription of American airlines 587 and 43 directives speech
acts on recorded conversation transcription of Alaska Airlines 261. Then, she found 2
commisives speech acts on recorded conversation transcription of Air France 447, 2
commisives speech acts on recorded conversation transcription of American Airlines 587
and 6 commisives speech act on recorded conversation transcription of Alaska Airlines
261. Meanwhile, she did not find commisives speech act on recorded conversation
transcription of Garuda Indonesia 152. She found 10 expressives speech acts on recorded
conversation transcription of Air France 447, 3 expressives speech acts on recorded
conversation transcription of Garuda Indonesia 152, 7 expressives speech acts on
recorded conversation transcription of American Airline 587 and 15 expressives speech
acts on recorded conversation transcription of Alaska Airlines 261. At last, she only
found 2 declarations speech act on recorded conversation transcription of Air France 447
and did not find any declaration speech act on another recorded conversation
transcriptions. So, the writer found 94 representatives, 88 directives, 10 commisives, 35
expressives and 2 declarations speech acts. She also found that representatives is the
dominant category os speech act found in recorded conversation transcription of the black
boxes before the air plane crashed. it can be seen on table 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8 and 4.9.

After doing calculation, the writer got the percentage of the speech acts found on
recorded conversation transcription of the black boxes before the air plane crashed. Based
on the calculation, she got 31.25 % representatives, 39.58 % directives, 4.17 %
commisives, 20.83 %expressives and 4.17 % declarations speech acts on recorded
conversation transcription of Air France 447. She got 46.87 % representatives, 43.75 %
directives and 9.38 % expressives speech acts on recorded conversation transcription of
Garuda Indonesia 152. She got 44.74 % representatives,31.58 % directives, 5.26
%commisives and 18.42 % expressives speech acts on recorded conversation
transcription of American Airline 587. She got 42.34 % representatives, 38.74 %
directives, 5.41 %commisives and 13.51 expressives speech acts on recorded
conversation transcription of Alaska airlines 261. For the total data, she found that
representatives speech act is 41.05 %, directives speech act is 38.43 %, commisives
speech act is 4.37 %, expressives speech act is 15.28 % and declarations speech act is
0.87 %. It can be seen on table 4.10 and 4.11. To be more easily to be understood, it can
be seen on chart 4.1 and 4.2.

5. Research Findings
 41

After analyzing the data, the writer found some findings. First, there are 94
representatives speech acts found in recorded conversation transcription of the black
boxes before the air plane crashed. This category of speech act is generally used to inform
the position and the condition of the plane. Besides, it is also used to confirm that the
people who are in the plane have done something. Second, there are 88 directives speech
acts found in recorded conversation transcription of the black boxes before the air plane
crashed. This speech act is generally used when the people who work in Air Control
Tower give the directions to the captain or copilot. It is also used when the captain give
commands to copilot and flight attendant. Third, there are 10 commisives speech acts
found in recorded conversation transcription of the black boxes before the air plane
crashed. This category of speech act is generally used when the captain, copilot or flight
attendant tell that they want to do something. Fourth, there are 35expressives speech acts
found in recorded conversation transcription of the black boxes before the air plane
crashed. This category of speech is generally used by the people who work in ACT or
plane to express their feeling by laughing and thanking and so on. Fifth, there are only 2
declarations speech acts found in recorded conversation transcription of the black boxes
before the air plane crashed. This category of speech act is used by the copilot to tell
another copilot about something that must be done.

After making calculation, the writer also found that representatives is the most
dominant category of speech act found in recorded conversation transcription of the black
boxes before the air plane crashed.

After analyzing Searle’s category of speech act based on the recorded conversation
transcription of the black box before the air plane crashed, the writer would like to draw
the conclusions as follow:

1. Speech act is not only talking about the utterance but also talking about the
action. It is an utterance uttered by the speaker that can cause the hearer doing an
action.
2. There are five categories of speech act found in recorded conversation
transcription of the black box before the air plane crashed, they are;
representatives, directives, commisives, expressives and declarations.
3. There are 94 representatives speech acts that is 41.05 % found in recorded
conversation transcription of the black boxes before the air plane crashed, which
is generally used to inform the position and the condition of the plane and to
confirm that the people who are in the plane have done something. There are 88
directives speech acts that is 38.43 % found in recorded conversation
transcription of the black boxes before the air plane crashed, which is generally
used when the people who work in Air Control Tower give the directions to the
captain or copilot and when the captain give commands to copilot and flight
attendant. There are 10 commisives speech acts that is 4.37 % found in recorded
conversation transcription of the black boxes before the air plane crashed, which
is generally used when the captain, copilot or flight attendant tell that they want
to do something. There are 35expressives speech acts that is 15.28 % found in
 42

recorded conversation transcription of the black boxes before the air plane
crashed, which is s generally used by the people who work in ACT or plane to
express their feeling by laughing and thanking and so on. There are only
2declarations speech acts that is 0.87 % found in recorded conversation
transcription of the black boxes before the air plane crashed, which is used by the
copilot to tell another copilot about something that must be done.
4. Representatives is the dominant category of speech act found in recorded
conversation transcription of the black boxes before the air plane crashed.

References

Creswell, John W. 2003. Research Design.

Holmes, Janet. 2001. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. England: Pearson

Education Limited

Kreidler, C.W. 1998. Introducing English Semantics. London: Routledge

Leech, Geofrey. 1983. Principles of Pragmatics. New York: Longman

Mey, Jacob L. 2001. Pragmatics: An Introduction. UK: Blackwell Publishing

Peccei, Jean Stilwell. 1999. Pragmatics. China

Yule, George. 1996. Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Wardaugh, Ronald. 2006. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Oxford: Basil

Blackwell

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_93
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda_Iindonesia_Flight_152
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Airlines_Flight_261
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_447
http://blog.arieflatu.net/2010/10/apa-itu-kotak-hitam-black-box-pada-pesawat-
terbang-html/
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=plane+crash
http://www.planecrashinfo.com/lastwords.htm
 43

CURRICULUM VITAE

PERSONAL IDENTITY

• Full name : AyuPardede

• Place/ Date of Birth : LumbanLobu, December 12th 1992
• Gender : Female
• Nationality : Indonesian
• Status : University Student
• Religion : Christian
• Address :Jalan Air Bersih, Gang Tapian Nauli No. 10
Medan

• Phone Number/Email : 081362606065/gdreamer71@yahoo.com

EDUCATION BACKGROUND

• 1999-2005 : SD Negeri 173176 LumbanLobu

• 2005-2006 : SLTP N 2 OnanRunggu
• 2006-2008 : SMP Negeri1 Pakkat
• 2008-2011 : SMA Nommensen Jambi
• 2011-2015 : S-1 Sastra InggrisUniversitas HKBP Nommensen Medan

ACHIEVEMENT

• Juara II pada Lomba DebatBerbahasaInggris di Universitas HKBP Nommensen

Medan tahun 2015
• JuaraHarapan II pada PemilihanMahasiswaBerprestasiTingkatKopertis Wilayah I
Medan-Aceh tahun 2014
 44

• Sebagai peserta dalamkegiatan “Student English Club (SEC) Angkatan III” di

Growth Centre Kopertis Wilayah I Medan tahun 2014
• Sebagaimahasiswipenerimabeasiswaberprestasi di Universitas HKBP
Nommensen Medan tahun 2013