THE ROLE OF CONTEXT AND TYPE OF SENTENCE IN

DETERMINING A KIND OF SPEECH ACT ON THE BOOK

ENTITLED 12 RULES FOR LIFE

A THESIS PROPOSAL

Submitted to the English Literature Study Program of

Universitas Kebangsaan Republik Indonesia for
the Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement of the S1 Degree

REZA PARAMARTA
20191410002

ENGLISH LITERATURE PROGRAM STUDY

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND LITERATURE
UNIVERSITY OF KEBANGSAAN REPUBLIK INDONESIA
2023

i
 APPROVAL SHEET

Title : The Role Of Context And Type of Sentence In Determining A kind of Speech
Act on The Book Entitled 12 Rules for Life
Name : Reza Paramarta
NPM : 20191410002

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Submitted to the English Literature Study Program of Universitas Kebangsaan for the
Partial fulfillment of the Requirements of the S1 Degree

Bandung, 14th of February 2023

Supervisor Head of English Literature

Study Program

Dr. Heni Haryani, S. Pd., M. Hum. Satria Radianto, S.Hum., M.Hum.

11309056 11303005

Dean of Faculty of Social

Science and Literature

Thomson R. Lingga, S.S., S.Sas., M.Hum

11504024

ii
 PREFACE

First of all, the writer would like to thank Allah SWT, Who has given blessing,
mercies, and because of Allah’s will the writer can finish his research study. Secondly,
Sholawat and Greetings are also delivered to Prophet Muhammad SAW and who has
brought Islam as the Rahmatan Lil ‘Alamin.

The writing of this thesis is intended to fulfill the requirement for achieving a degree of
the Literature Degree in English Literature Department, Faculty of Social and Literature,
Universitas Kebangsaan Republik Indonesia.

In preparing this proposal, the writer is fully aware that this proposal is far from perfect
because of the limited experience and knowledge of the writer. Therefore, the writer hopes
for criticism and suggestions from all parties for the creation of even better proposals for the
future.

Bandung, 15th of March 2023

Writer

iii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, the writer would like to thank Allah SWT, who has given blessing, mercies,
and because of Allah’s will the writer can finish this research study. Secondly, Shalawat
and Greetings are also delivered to Prophet Muhammad SAW and who has brought Islam
as the Rahmatan Lil ‘Alamin.

This research study is dedicated to the late writer's father Wahyu Suhandinata that I
truly love and respect, thanks for all the love, prayer, and support that you gave to me in
your unique way when you were alive and also to my mother Rita Hertati who has brought
me into the world. Then, to those who have witnessed all my struggles in completing this
undergraduate level education my sister Zaitun Paramita, my brother in law Agus Mulyana,
my niece Faranisa Adelia Larina, and especially to Hanifah Nur Azizah, who have always
been the reason for me to finish this study, your marvelous love and unstoppable support
mean a lot to me, thank you so much.

My gratitude goes to my Supervisor, Mrs. Dr. Heni Haryani, S. Pd. M. Hum. for being
critical as well as patient to guide and teach me, during the guidance period. My gratitude
also goes to all the lecturers of English Literature Mr. Gilang Bintang, S.S., M.I.Kom, Mrs.
Dr. Mutiara Indah Nirmala Dewi, S.S., M.Hum, Mrs. Nanan Kandagasari, S.S.,
M.Hum,Mrs. Sri Handayani, S.pd., M.Hum, Mr. Satria Radityanto, S.Hum., M.Hum, Mr.
Thomson Radesman Lingga, S.S., M.Hum. for being so kind, patient, and generous in
leading, guiding, and shaping me not merely to the world of linguistics and literature, but
also to be a better person.

Lastly, thanks to all my beloved mates in the English Literature Department 2019 for
every kindness, support, and experiences. May Allah SWT bless all those people I love and
respect.

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 Bandung, 15th of March 2023

Writer

MOTIVATION

ALLAH WILL NOT CHANGE THE CONDITION OF A PEOPLE UNTIL THEY

CHANGE WHAT IS IN THEMSELVES
QUR’AN SURAH AR-RA’D 11-12

HE WHO HAS A WHY TO LIVE CAN BEAR ALMOST ANY HOW

Friedrich Nietzsche

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

APPROVAL SHEET...................................................................................................................................ii
PREFACE................................................................................................................................................iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...........................................................................................................................iv
MOTIVATION.........................................................................................................................................v
TABLE OF CONTENT..............................................................................................................................vi
LIST OF TABLE......................................................................................................................................vii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background................................................................................................................................1
1.2 Formulation of Problems..........................................................................................................3
1.3 Research Questions....................................................................................................................3
1.4 Research Objectives...................................................................................................................4
1.5 Scope limitations........................................................................................................................4
1.6 Significances of the study..........................................................................................................4
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS.............................................................................................2
2.1 Pragmatics..................................................................................................................................2
2.1.1 Context and Co-text..............................................................................................................2
2.1.2 Speech Acts..........................................................................................................................5
2.2 Sentence...................................................................................................................................12
2.2.1 Form and function of Sentence...........................................................................................12
2.3 Nature of Text..........................................................................................................................13
2.3.1 Text Interpretation..............................................................................................................13
2.4 Relevance Theory for interpretations....................................................................................14
2.5 Mental Health..........................................................................................................................15
2.6 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos................................................................................15
CHAPTER III..........................................................................................................................................17
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.................................................................................................................17
3.1 Design of the Research...........................................................................................................17
3.2 Data Source.............................................................................................................................17
3.3 Technique of Data Collection.................................................................................................17
3.4 Technique of Data Analysis....................................................................................................18
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS EXAMPLE.........................................................................................................19

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 4.1 Findings....................................................................................................................................19
4.2 Discussion.................................................................................................................................19
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................23
THESIS PROPOSAL REVISION GRADUATE PROGRAM...........................................................................26

LIST OF TABLE

Table 1 Table of Propositional contents (Yule; 1999, p.55)................................................................12

vii
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Language that used as a tool for communicative purposes have several functions, which
are (1) a means of integration and adaptation, (2) a means of understanding oneself, (3) self-
expression, (4) understanding other people, (5) social control, (6) observing the surrounding
environment, (7) thinking logically, (8) building intelligence, (9) building character, (10)
developing multiple intelligences, (11) developing professions, and (12) creating new
creativity (Widjono, 2007, p.15-23).

All of these functions of language could be formed in spoken or written, in order to

influence the interlocutor, hearer or reader. The achievement of the functions of the language
in an oral or written communication requires the participant’s ability to interpret utterances or
sentences. In linguistics, study that interpreting the meaning of language in use is pragmatics.

In Yule's (1996, p.3) definition, pragmatics is the study of meaning as communicated by

speakers and interpreted by listeners (or readers). In other words, pragmatics is the study of
speaker meaning.

The study of pragmatics can be considered a study of contextual meaning, which

describes the necessity of interpreting what people mean in a specific context and how the
context affects what they say (Paltridge, 2012, p.2). This approach also necessarily explores
how listeners can make inferences about what is said, in order to arrive at an interpretation of
the speaker’s intended meaning.

For example in literal uses of sentences, the idea conveyed is not the same as the
meanings of the words. Therefore, to arrive at a better understanding towards a text, reader
must be tied to its context, to interpret the intention which is contained in a text (Halliday,
1989, p.5).

However, the ultimate intent or idea is hidden behind the literal meaning of what is said
(Grundy, 2008, p.4). Hence, its interpretation has to be bound in the context of the situation.

According to Malinowski cited in Halliday (1989, p.6) context of situation is the

environment of the text. It means that the term refers to the total environment, verbal
environment, that also includes the situation in which text was uttered, such as knowledge,
experience, and culture (Malinowski, 1935, p.58). In other words, context of situation is
everything that causes an event.
In line with this, according to Sperber and Wilson cited in Blackmore (1992, p.15-22) in
certain levels of process interpretation, if reader aware to those aspects of context, it could be
regarded as a success based on the author's assumption.
 In other words, writer believes that the reader already knows and understands the
meaning through fleshing out a linguistically encoded semantic interpretation in dynamic
context, in order to draw interpretations which relevant or applicable to the reader.
According to Widdowson (2004, p.8) text interpretation process which is bounded to its
context, called as discourse realization. In pragmatics, discourse realization means a
pragmatic process of meaning negotiation towards text as its product. In other words, the text
is only a means that embodies the contents of a meaning contained in a text. And to capture
that meaning, it can be done through the realm of speech acts which are related to three forms
of its type.

According to Searle in Yule (1996, p.84) speech acts were divided into three types of
locutionary as a reference, illocutionary as a force, and perlocutionary as an effect.

A pragmatic study on speech acts towards a text was conducted by Austin in his book
"How to do things with words" (1962, p.12), and Searle's contribution to his notion about
Speech acts classification (1969, p.12-29), also Leech and Levinson in his writing entitled
Pragmatic Principles and Pragmatics in 1983.

Speech acts is a part of pragmatics that study either utterance or sentence which is being
performed from what is said (Yule, 1996, p.3) and one of those speech acts is called
illocutionary.

Illocutionary has several forms and its function, one of them is an imperative sentence as
a function for command (Yule, 1996, p.96). A kind of text which usually contains illocution
is often found in a text such as cooking guides, how to write scientific papers, and nowadays
is often found in books with themes of self-improvement for building character.

In 2020, according to Publisher weekly motivational and inspiration books, self-

improvement book category is the most popular subject. Accounted for sales of 4.3 million
units in 2019, rising from 1.4 million units in 2013. Last year in particular, sales book like
Girl, stop apologizing by Rachel Hollis, and The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck, by Mark
Manson, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson, propelled growth in this
subject area.
In the sense of the language in used for self-development, which might shift someone’s
attitude through inferences to act, text being a tool and serves as a means for self-
introspection. It helps humans in self-development efforts (Widjono, 2007, p.15).

Therefore, this is what underlies research on a topic of text that contains self-
improvement, which study from a pragmatic point of view is important to study.

Many researchers were studying the relation between speech acts in either utterances or a
text. For example the result of research conducted by Agus Hidayat in Speech Acts: Force
Behind Words (2016) shows how the speech act process occurs so that the speaker can
uncover the implicated meaning intended by the speaker in the utterance of character Woody
in film Toy Story 3.

Then, research by Sukarno (2018) about Politeness Strategies, Linguistic Markers And
Social Contexts In Delivering Requests In Javanese, also research which conducted by

2
Pranowo (2020) about The role of contexts in interpreting pragmatic meanings. and research
by Muhammad Azizul Hakim and Haris Dibdyaningsih (2019) analyzing the speech acts of
an English teacher in motivating students.

The ideas from Austin (1962, p.101) and Searle (1969, p.12-29) which regards to speech
acts taxonomy as a central aspect that is in the pragmatic realm, then Halliday and Hasan
(1989, p.24) which their notion about context of situation as an indication that the nature of
language is not only arbitrary and dynamic (Saussure, 2002, p.25-27), even in certain
cultures, language is believed to have strength to be able to cure diseases that lead to death
(Jendra, 2010, p.74).

As regards what Austin said in Blackmore (1992, p.48) “In order to arrive into better
understanding of language, we must not merely view language as a vehicle of thought, but
also as a vehicle of social action.” Therefore, this argument is being a bridge as what
Widjono (2007, p.15-23) said about one of kind function of language which its feature as a
means to build character.
In this case, language could be act as a curation tool for human mental health, in the form
of motivation as the results of its interpretation through the medium of literary texts
(Heidegger, 1971, p.188-191) and simultaneously its interpretation could be regarded as a
model of self-introspection (Widjono, 2007, p.15-24). Text with themes of self-improvement
type are very important to study from a pragmatics perspective.
1.2 Formulation of Problems

This research study about linguistic markers that lead to a kind of speech act and feature
of its types also the context which have to be found at each rule in the book 12 Rules for Life
by Jordan Peterson.

The reason the researcher chose this book as the object of research was because of his
style of writing.

The researcher will evaluate the kind of linguistic marker, speech act, context and make
some interpretation based on its text in the book entitled 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to
Chaos by Jordan Peterson.

1.3 Research Questions

1. What are the linguistic markers found on the rule titles of the book entitled 12
Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson that can direct to a particular speech act?

2. What interpretations of the researcher based on linguistic marker, speech act, and
its context in the rule's titles of 12 Rules for life by Jordan Peterson?

3. What is the type of speech act found on the rule’s titles of 12 Rules for Life by
Jordan Peterson?

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1.4 Research Objectives

The purpose of conducting this research can be formulated as follows:

1. To find out linguistic markers on the rule titles of the book 12 Rules for Life by
Jordan Peterson, which direct to a kind of speech act.

2. To interpret the existing meaning on the rule’s titles of the book entitled 12 Rules
for Life by Jordan Peterson based on linguistic markers, speech actss and its
context.

3. To find out and explain type of speech acts found on the rule titles of the book 12
Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson.

1.5 Scope limitations

This research discusses pragmatics which will focus on linguistic marker, illocutionary
and its context, which are found in the rule’s titles of the book entitled 12 Rules for Life: An
Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson.
1.6 Significances of the study

This research is expected to give valuable contributions theoretically and practically.

Theoretically, this research enriches the study of pragmatics, especially in analyzing text
using illocutionary theory.

Practically, this research can be a reference for students who want to discuss the related
topic of linguistic marker, illocutionary and context.

4
 CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS

From the description of the background and research objectives described above, the
theoretical basis of this research will include pragmatics, speech acts, illocutionary force
indicative device, contexts, text, sentence, text interpretation, reinterpretation rules, relevance
theory, mental health, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson.
2.1 Pragmatics
According to Widdowson (2004, p.12), pragmatics has similarity with discourse analysis
which is a science that examines how language is used for communication purposes based on
contextual meaning that studies the meaning of words and sentences in a text. In other words,
pragmatics is the study of meaning that beyond literal meaning of word in the sentence on its
text.

In line with this, Malinowski cited in Halliday (1987, p.58) said, the parts of a text have a
meaning that can be analyzed through knowledge of the world's physical, psychological, and
socio-psychological factors that influence speech or writing. In other words, Pragmatics is the
study of meaning in relation to the context whose a person is speaking or writing (Paltridge,
2012, p.38).

Hence, pragmatics enables humans to make an inference of utterance or sentences which

are connected on either speech events or context of its sentence, in order to convey function
of the meaning from its text, beyond what is actually occurred (Leech, 1983, p.6).

When a speech event occurs, it is important to consider where and in what situation, we
should interpret to determine what the speaker says and wants. Thus, pragmatics is functional
for its users.

Based on Yule’s description (1996, p.3-4) Pragmatics concerns its attention into four
special divisions, they are; pragmatics is the study of a speaker’s meaning; pragmatics is the
study of contextual meaning; pragmatics is the study of how more gets communicated that is
said, and pragmatics is the study of the expression of relative distance. And all of these
variables could be delivered and recognized through speech acts.

2.1.1 Context and Co-text

According to Stilwell Peccei and Yule cited in Cutting (2002, p.1) in pragmatics contexts
are the parts of meaning that can be explained by knowledge of the physical and social world,
and the socio-psychological factors influencing communication, as well as the knowledge of
the time and place in which the words are uttered or written.

In other words, context is verbal environtment of the text, it focus on the meaning words
in interaction and how interactors communicate more information than the words they use. In
short-term it’s a background landscape that surrounding event of the text.

In line with this, according to Cook cited in Cutting (2002, p.2) In pragmatics, the
function of context is concerns on how language is used to the text as a pieces of spoken or

5
written discourse, which concentrating on how streches of language become meaningful and
unified for their users.

In pragmatics this nature of context called as relevance. So, pragmatics has function for
interpretation matters. Typically, there are three sorts of context to observe here: siuational
context, background knowledge context, and the co-textual context.

2.1.1.1 Situational Context

According to Cutting (2002, p.3) Situational context it refers to what speakers know
about what they can see around them. In other words, the situational context is the immediate
physical co-presence, the situation where the interaction is taking place at the moment of
speaking.

For an illustration, take a look to this tales from the beginning of the twentieth century as
a form of written language, to see how situational context is: The story of Augustus who
would not have any soup ‘a chubby lad who ate and drank as he was told, and never let his
soup grow cold, and one day he screams ‘I won’t have any soup today.’ This is the long
version of this tale:

‘Next day, now look, the picture shows

How lank and lean Augustus grows!
Yet, though he feels so weak and ill,
The naughty fellow cries out still –
‘Not any soup for me, I say:
O take the nasty soup away!
I won’t have any soup today.’

Needless to say, by the fifth day, he was dead. The poem is meant to be read to a child
who can look at the book in front of them: the words ‘the picture’ refer to the one in the book,
and the name ‘Augustus’ refers to the boy in the picture.

The child who does not look at the picture will not know exactly ‘how lank and lean’ the
boy is. The picture adds a visible situational context.

According to Halliday (1989, p.12) there are three features which represent a conceptual
framework in descriptive terms to interpret the social context of a text, the environment in
which meanings are being exchanged. They are: the field of discourse, the tenor of discourse,
the mode of discourse.

1. The field of discourse refers to what is happening or what is being talked about.
Its involves both the kind of acts being carried out and their goal(s). For example,
when someone acquiring some food-stuffs in exchange for some money. This is
what we refers as ‘buying’ which implies selling (Halliday and Hasan, 1989,
p.55).
2. The tenor of discourse refers to the relation of the agent roles component
(participants who is taking part are involved). Its involves degree of control
(status and roles) and contains dyadic-mutual relation from the social construct
(kind of relation) which express the social structure (social distance) (Halliday
and Hasan, 1989, p.55).

6
 3. The mode of discourse refers to the process sharing which divided into two parts;
passive for event like monologue and active for dialogue form. Process sharing
has degree that related to the channel as modality a type of abstractical thing
(Reccananti, ... , p.) such as phonic (spoken) or graphic (written) as a token of
concerete occurence (Reccananti, ...., p.). They are usually called as medium
which represent product of variation in channel.

2.1.1.2 Background Knowledge Context

The second type of this context is that of assumed background knowledge. This can be
either cultural general knowledge that most people carry with them in their minds, about
areas of life and interpersonal knowledge, specific and possibly private knowledge about the
history of the speaker themselves (Cutting, 2002, p.5).

This type of context related to about a culture when speaker as a member group or as an
individual shared knowledge to the hearer about something. Take a look to this article as an
example of background knowledge context as mutual-shared knowledge:

Rock music was born twins: there were two sibling styles, one derived from country and
western, one from rhythm and blues. These two sources were distinct and separate corners of
the music industry, one white, stemming from Nashville, Tennesse, and Wheeling, West
Virginia, the other black, stemming from Chicago, Memphis, Houston, St.Louis, and Kansas
City. But of course, there was an overlap between the two styles and their locations,
especially both had wide national followings.
(Sawyer, 1992, p.82)

That discourse above represent background knowledge about particular thing, its music
history. The community who could appreciate the meaning of these words would be people
with an interest in North American popular music.

Within that community there will be a smaller group of people who know all about
rhythm and blues, its singers and bands, its history and geography.

Within that community, there will be an even smaller group of people who know every
song that a particular rhythm and blues band has recorded, as well as the life histories of each
of the band members.

These smaller groups may form what swales (1990) calls discourse community.
Therefore, background knowledge context, in this case is a cultural knowledge which a
background landscape of a culture as a bridge for the speaker and hearer, when they shared
mutual common ground knowledge in communicative event.

In other words, it’s a knowledge that involves knowledge about particular thing, in this
case is a culture with completely comprenhension.

There is another background knowledge, it was an interpersonal context. If hearer knows

who is the legendary guitarist in a blues or country, like Jimmy hendrix as well as the speaker
know, then this is the interpersonal knowledge. The hearer may also know previously from
reading magazine or knowing by themselves about Jimmy Hendrix, learn quite enough about
his style of music and so on.

7
 Therefore, shared interpersonal knowledge is knowledge acquired through previous
verbal interactions, or joint activities and experiences, and it includes priveledge personal
knowledge about the interlocutor.

2.1.1.3 Co-textual Context

According to cutting (2002, p.8) co-text is co-textual context, the context of the text
itself. In line with this, according to Yule (1999, p.21) co-text could be regarded as linguistic
part of the text environment used. Furthermore, Yule (1999, p.21) state that our ability to
identify intended references as a context has actually dependent on more than our
undersatnding of the refering expression.

Hence, it has been aided by the linguistic material, or co-text, which accompanying the
referring expression. Take a look to this illustration that respected to what Cutting’s said
about co-text based on Yule description about the role of co-text:

1. Brazil wins the world cup.

On the sentence above, brazil is

2.1.2 Speech Acts

According to Yule (1996, p.47) speech acts is action performed via utterance. In English,
they have specific labels such as apology, complaint, compliment, invitation, promise, or
request. In other words, speech acts is a utterance or sentence which indicates an action with
labels of certain words like the examples above.
For an example, when someone with great deal of power in your oofice, like your office,
like your boss said a utterance:
1. You’re fired!
That utterance, indicates an action of ending your employment.
Another example to describe speech acts based on Yule’s theory (1996, p.47) can be seen
to these sentences below:
2. You’re so delicious.
3. You’re welcome.
4. You’re crazy!
For the examples number (2), that sentence indicates an action as compliment,
acknowledging a thanks for the examples of number (3), and expressing a surprise in number
(4). All of those examples is what Austin (1962, p.12) and Grundy (2008, p.91) said that
saying something means doing something.
Normally, in performed a certain speech act, speaker expected that intention from his or
her communication will be recognized by the hearer. The success process of communication
between speaker and hearer usually helps by circumtances surrounding the utterance. These
circumtances, including other utterances, are called as speech events. In other words, speech
events are situations as a background that a speech event occured.

8
 In many cases, the success of a communicative process is being a nature of involved a
speech event which determines an interpretation from an utterance as performing a particular
speech act. In order, to be understand speech event, look into this illustration which describe
based on Yule’s Theory (1996, p.48):
On wintry day, the speaker reaches for a cup of tea, believing that it has been freshly
made, takes a sip, and the speaker said “This tea is cold!”.
All words on the first line of that example above is a speech event and what speaker said
in the second line is a speech act which indicates a complaint.
Through speech acts, humans can do something by uttering an utterance, and the
language revealed from speakers are the dominant part of performative utterances act.
According to Grundy (2008, p.94), there are three categories or dimensions of speech acts.

2.1.2.1 Speech Acts and Its Dimension

According to Yule (1996, p.48) the action performed by producing an utterance will
consist of three related acts. There is locutionary, illocutionary and perlocutionary.

2.1.2.1.1 Locutionary Acts

A locutionary act is producing a lingusitic expression which has a meaning (Yule, 1996,
48). In other words, locutionary is a literal meaning of words that is uttered. In line with this,
Cutting (2007, p.1-8) states that locutionary is what is said as reference to certain thing or
situation.

For example, take a look to this illustration, let’s say a couple of lovers entered a house
that they are going to buy, there is a dark room and one of them said a utterance like this:

1. It is very dark in this room.

This sentence or utterance refered to the actual condition to the lighting in the room from
the house. Sometimes, a utterance can’t be regarded has meaning if hearer or reader could not
understand what meaning of the utterance.

For example, pay attention to the utterance like this one “Aha mokofa!”, it will has a
meaning if we know what language that the utterance was uttered. In English, that utterance
means “I’ve just made some coffee!”. Hence, when we know the meaing of its utterance then
it was a locutionary act of speech act dimension occurs. Take a look to this another example:

2. The box is heavy.

Imagine someone who is looking at a box containing the vegetables which he bought at
the supermarket. That utterance, is refers to the actual codition of the box, in this weight of
the box.

All those sentences represent the actual condition. Within the first sentence, "very dark"
refers to the lighting in the room, and in the second sentence, the word "heavy" refers to the
weight of the box.

9
2.1.2.1.2 Illocutionary Acts
According to Yule (1996, p.49) Illocutionary acts are form of a sentence or utterance with
some kind of function in mind. Another definition of speech acts are human communication
in the minimal units (Searle, 1985, p.1). Some examples of these are statements, questions,
commands, promises, request and apologies.

In another word, the act of doing something while saying something is another name for
this (Austin, 1962, p.). The illocutionary activity is driven and desired by the speakers and is
the most crucial component of a speech act which also generally known as the illocutionary
force of the utterance.

Illocutionary act is performed via the communicative force of an utterance. We might

utter a sentence like the previous one that said “It is very dark in this room,” to make a
statement, an offer, an explanation, a request, or for some other communicative purpose. In
this case, that utterance shows a illocutionary force as a request for help to switch the light
on.

2.1.2.1.3 Perlocutionary Acts

According to Austin cited in Levinson (1991, p.236) states that a perlocutionary act is an
act that is carried out by a speaker when making an utterance, which causes a bound effect on
the hearer and others. In other words, perlocutionary act is an effect from what speaker’s
intended which assumes that the hearer will recognized.

For an instance, let’s use the same previous example to describe how perlocutionary act
is, take a look into the sentence like this “It is very dark in this room,” the hearer will respons
this utterance with switching the light on.

Of these three dimensions, the most discussed is illocutionary force. Indeed, the
term’speech act’ is generally interpreted quite narrowly to mean only the illocutionary force
of an utterance. The illocutionary force of an utterance is what it ‘counts as’. In other words,
this assumption is used to derived kinds of different locutionary act, like these two words;
promise and warning.

The problem with two words above that the same utterance can potentially have quite
different illocutionary force. Therefore, in order to make hearer or reader recognized what
illocutionary force which intended to them, we should look into the realm of illocutionary
force indicating device and felicity conditions.

2.1.2.2 Illocutionary Force Indicating Device

According to Yule (1996, p.49) Illocutionary force indicating device or IFIDs is a term
that refers to an expression from the type of a verb which explicitly shows illocutionary act
being performed. It terms can identify by such a verb which called as performative verb or in
short-term (Vp).

In other words, IFIDs is a sign of a device which exist in either utterance or sentence that
refers to performing an action in a form of a verb. It has a pattern like this:

I (Vp) you that (Utterance)

10
 For an example, the word of ‘promise’ and ‘warning’ are performative verbs. It is
because both of them indicates an action for future acts and if it stated in a sentence, like this
example, “I promise you that I will come to your graduation tomorrow,” it would be clear is a
sign of a tool as IFIDs.

Sometimes, speaker do not always ‘perform’ their speech acts so explicitly, but actually
they do speech acts being performed even if its being performed implicitly. For an example,
based on what Yule said in his theory, take a look into this conversation between two persons
in a telephone:

Him: Can I talk to Jennie?

Her: No, she’s not here.
Him: I’m asking you-can I talk to her?
Her: And I’m telling you-SHE’S NOT HERE!

From the scenario above, each participants described their attention to its illocutionary
force as ‘Ask’ and ‘Tell’ of their utterances. Most of the time, performing a speech act to
other participant is requires circumstances among speaker and hearer to recognized the
intentions from what speaker or writter proposed that can affected to the hearer or reader’s
reality and it can be done through felicity conditions.
2.1.2.2.1 Felicity Conditions

Felicity conditions are the circumstances that expected or appropriate when a speech act
is being performed, in order to make the hearer recognized what is intended from the
speaker’s utterances (Yule, 1996, p.50). In other words, this condition related to the role of
social structure which could be affected to the hearer’s intersubjective reality . For example,
take a look to this sentence, below:

1. I sentence you to six months in prison.

This sentence above is felicious or appropriate if someone who uttered is a judge from
the courtroom that punish to sentence a suspect in a murder case. Instead, this sentence could
be infelicious or inaprropriate, if the sentence uttered by someone who has not in the same
level of its social structure. For another example, with respected to what Yule’s said in his
theory, take a look to this sentence, below:

2. I diagnose you with lung cancer.

If that sentence above not mentioned by a doctor from hospital, instead just from a friend
then it’s not appropriate or inflicious conditions. Because, it’s not fulfilled the pre-conditions
from its conditions. Hence, this conditions in everyday contexts have two pre-conditions on
speech acts. There are general conditions and the content conditions.

2.1.2.2.1.1 General Conditions and Contents Conditions

General conditions are refers to the participants’ understanding that they understand the
language being used for what purpose, in a particular context. They also not play-acting or
being nonsensical to the language that is used when they communicated (Yule, 1996, p.50).

11
 In other words, according to Grice cited in Yule (1996, p.) they obey to some cooperative
efforts when language is used for some communicative purpose in particular context without
violating principles in the event of communicative effort. Therefore, they beleive to the truth
or false propositions when utterence being uttered.

Another one is the content conditions. It refers to the content of the utterance that must
be about an event that will occured. For an example, respected to what Yule’s theory (1996,
p.49), the word of ‘promise’ from the sentence ‘I promise you that I will come to your
graduation tomorrow’ requires the future event that will be a future act of the speaker.

Sometimes, what is in the content conditions have different directions of its assumption.
This differentiation is called as preparatory conditions. It terms that refers to the assumptions
towards the time of event when it happened and to the benefits if the event happened. For an
example, ‘I promise you that I will come to your graduation tomorrow,’ this sentence has two
preparatory conditions: first, the event will not happen by itself, and the second, the event
will have beneficial effect (Yule, 1996, p.51). In other words, it will happened if the speaker
fulfilled the promise, and its give an effect for the hearer as beneficial matters.

Another example, respected to the Yule’s theory (1996, p.49) take a look to this
utterance ‘I warning you that if you are lazy, then you will not be graduated’ this sentence has
also preparatory conditions; first, it isn’t clear that the hearer knows the event will occur, but
the speaker does think the event will occur, and the event will not have a beneficial effect.

It means, this sentences involves assumptions based on awereness of an outcome that

should be prevented (Yule, 1996, p.51). This preparatory conditions related to the sincerity
conditions which means relates to the truth value of the proposition that speaker uttered or
written. It involves genuinely intends to carry out the future action for ‘promise’ and
genuinely beleieves for ‘warning’ that when the event occur it will not have a beneficial
effect to the hearer.

Therefore, there is an essential conditions that accompanied both of preparatory and

sincerity conditions, which covers the fact about a state of affairs that changes the my state
from not-to do to to-do. In other words, in the case of ‘promise’ and ‘warning’ is from non-
obligation to obligation and non-informed to infromed.

This essential conditions is combination from the specifications of what must be in the
utterance content, the context, and the speaker’s intentions, in order for specific speech act to
be appropriately (felicious) performed (Yule, 1996, p.51).

2.1.2.3 The Performative Hypothesis

Performative hypothesis is a term which express an illocutionary force with explicit way.
This term has a pattern such this:

I (hereby) Vp you (that) U

This sturucture must be put the first person singular (I), followed by the adverb ‘hereby’,
indicating that the utterance ‘counts as’ an action by being uttered. There is also a

12
performative verb (Vp) in the present tense and an indirect object in second person singular
(‘you’) then add the utterance.

For example, in regards to implemented that strcuture, take a look to this example from
what Yule (1996, p.52) said, ‘I hereby order you that you clean up this mess.’ This is an
expression for explicit illocutionary force, this is also called as explicit performative. In other
words, explicit performative is description sequence of the sentence in the complete form of
performative hypothesis.

Another performative hypothesis is the implicit form of speech act being performed. For
an example, using the previous sentence above, it would be has a form like this, ‘Clean up
this mess.’ This is a form of implicit of performative hypothesis.

The advantage of this type of analysis is that it makes clear just what elements are
involved in the production and interpretation. Eventhough, there is so many verb which can
be indentified as a performative verb, in principle, according to what Yule (1996, p.53) said,
that linguist categorized all of those verb into the speech acts classification (Searle, 1969, p.).

2.1.2.3 Classifications of Speech Acts

According to Yule (1996, p.53) there is a system which categorized all variants of
performative verbs into the five general function classification performed by speech acts:
declarations, representatives, expressives, directives, and commissives.
2.1.2.3.1 Declarations

Declarations are those kinds of speech acts that change the world via their utterance.
When a speaker who has a specific role in the social structure, and in specific context, would
be approriate declared something like this:

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

2. Referee: You’re out!
3. Jury foreman: we find the defendant guilty.

For the example in number one what is that mean with change the world via words is the
state of affairs between two persons whose before have status as a couple of lovers change
into a couple as husband and wife. It’s not just changing the kind of type of relationship but
also it’s change their intersubjective reality.

For another example, pay attention to the sentence number two, what change is their
intersubjective reality, that the man whose out by the referee means he’s out from the game.

In other words, it changes the reality of his state of affairs from a player in the field to the
player in the bench. Then, the last one is example in number three. That what change to the
defendant guilty is his or her intersubjective reality from the suspect to the prisoner.
Therefore, in using a declaration, the speaker changes the world via words.
2.1.2.3.2 Representatives

Representatives are those kinds of speech acts thate state what the speaker believes to be
the case or not. Statements of fact, assertions, conclusions, and descriptions, as illustrated in

13
these examples, which representating the world as he or she believe it is.

4. The earth is flat

5. Chomsky didn’t write about peanuts
6. It was a warm sunny day.

All of those sentences in number four untill number six are based on speaker’s belief
which established from his or her knowledge, and their perceptions. Of course its
intersubjective reality. So, in using a representative, the speaker makes words fit the world
(of belief).

2.1.2.3.3 Expressives

Those kinds of speech acts that state what speaker feels, they express pyschological
states and can be statements of pleasure, pain, likes, dislike, joy, and sorrow. It can be caused
by speaker’s does or hearer does, but they are about the speaker’s experience.

Take a look to these examples, to describe the expressive speech acts calssification:

7. I’m really sorry!

8. Congratulations!
9. Oh, yes, great, mmmm, ssahh!

All of those sentences in number seven untill number nine are based on speaker’s feeling
which established from his or her experience, and their perceptions. Of course its their mental
state. So, in using a representative, the speaker makes words fit the world (of feeling).
2.1.2.3.4 Directives

Are those kinds of speech acts that speakers use to get someone else to do something.
They express what the speaker wants. They are commands, orders, requests, suggestions, and
to describe how directives speech act are, take a look to these examples, below:

10. Give me a cup of coffee. Make it black.

11. Could you lend me a pen, please?
12. Don’t touch that.

In using a directive, the speaker attempts to make the world fit the words (via the hearer).
In other words, directive speech acts is kind of type that speech act indicate to the hearer
doing something towards the speaker’s desire.
2.1.2.3.5 Commissives

Commissives are those kinds of speech acts that speakers use to commit themselves to
some future action. They express what the speaker intends. They are promises, threats,
refusals, pledges, and they can be performed by the speaker alone, or by the speaker as a
member of a group. For the illustation take a look to these examples:

13. I’ll be back.

14. I’m going to get it right next time.
15. We will not do that.

14
 In using a commissive, the speaker undertakes to make the world fit the words (via the
speaker). In other words, it involves preparatory conditions which related to sincerity
conditions of his or her future actions. The table below is a summarize for these five general
functions of speec acts.

Table 1 Table of Propositional contents (Yule; 1999, p.55)

Speech Act Direction of fit S=Speaker, X=Situation

Type

Declarative Words change the world S causes X

Representative Make words fit the world S Believes X

Expressive  Make the words fit words S feels X

Directive Make the world fit words S wants X

Commissive Make the world fits words S intends X

2.2 Sentence

In linguistics, a marker is a free or bound morpheme that indicates the grammatical

function of the marked word and sentence. According to Greenbaum and Nelson (2002, p.13)
in written language, there are two definitions for the term that is referred to as a sentence.
The first one is a large unit of linguistic items which describe a grammar structure that
expresses a complete thought.
Meanwhile, the second one is the formal definition that it is a string of words beginning
with a capital (upper case) letter and ending with stop (period).
Sentences are divided into several types (Greenbaum & Nelson, 2002, p.16), they are
declarative for proposing a statement, interrogative for asking a question, imperative for
issuing a command, and exclamative for expressing a strong feeling.
These features are related to other types of form and function in pragmatics, specifically
on speech acts such as declarative, interrogative, and imperative.

2.2.1 Form and function of Sentence

According to Yule (1996, p.54) there is a basis of structure in the English language.
There are three basic sentence types. They were divided into three basic form and three basic
function sentence types in speech acts, declarative, interrogative, and imperative.
Interrogative refers to sentence type with function for question, imperative refers to
sentence type with function for command/request.

2.2.1.1 Declarative sentence

Declarative refers to sentence type with function for statement.

15
2.2.1.2 Interrogative sentence

Interrogative sentence is a kind of sentence which used to make a question. There are
two main types of interrogative sentences, first one is yes-no questions begin with verb.

2.2.1.3 Imperative sentence

Imperative sentence is a kind of sentence which ends with an exclamation or a point to

give command to other people. According to Mastop cited in Condoravdi and Laurer (2011,
p.4) says that imperative implies actions, which influences the hearer’s series of acts. In an
imperative sentence, there must be a response from the second person.
Imperative sentences usually do not have a subject (Greenbaum & Nelson, p.123). if
there is no auxiliary, the verb has the base form:
a. Take a seat.
b. Pass me the bottle.
c. Make me an offer.
Meanwhile according to Chung-hye han (1999, p.1) canonically, imperative sentences
express the directive illocutionary force which is associated with commands and requests.
2.3 Nature of Text

According to Halliday (1987, p.10) text is a language that is functional, by functional

means, either spoken or written language is doing some job in some context.
In line with this Widdowson (2007, p.4) a text defined as an actual use of language, a
piece of language recognised as a product of communicative purpose use.
In other words, all texts are uses of language which are produced with the intention to
refer to something for some purpose and a stretch of language can only be identified as a text
when this intention is recognized (Widdowson, 2007: 6).
It means that a text is produced to get a message across, to express ideas and beliefs, to
explain something, to get other people to do certain things or to think in a certain way, and so
on. In a simple way, we can call it as a living language.
The important thing about the nature of a text is although when we write it down words
and sentences, it is really made of meanings (Halliday, 1989, p.9). Of course, the meanings
have to be expressed, or coded, in words and structures. it has to be something in order to be
communicated; but as a thing itself, text is essentially a semantic unit or entity.
It means that terms refers to total environment, verbal environment, that also includes the
situation in which text was uttered. This includes issues such as non-verbal communication
and the overall environment in which a text is unfolded. so, it serves to make a bridge
between the text and the situation in which text actually occurs.

2.3.1 Text Interpretation

According to Halliday (1985, p.5) “In order to arrive into a better understanding of
language, we should lie in the study of text.” Then, Halliday also states that text and context

16
should be put together, because there are aspects of the same process. Therefore, there is
always something accompanying it, and that is called the context.

To understand language that is formulated as a text, the context involved cannot be

ignored. Because it goes beyond words and writings.

In line with this, Widdowson (2004, p.36) said “we identify a stretch of language as text
when we recognize that it is intended to be related to a context.” In other words,
Interpretation depends on realizing this relation.

For an example, public notice is a kind of sign of sentence in form of single isolated
sentence. However, according to Widdowson (2004, p.6) although single isolated sentences
have no other sentences to keep them company, it’s still regarded as a text. because it’s a
communicative unit.

In other words, it can be interpreted, because it is a phenomenon of stretch language in

text interpretation through its textuality. Therefore, text interpretation is about view language
beyond sentence, for an example:

1. Handle with care. With a view into analysis of language beyond sentence, we
need to interpret that text as a communicative unit, it has intention. so it can be
interpreted with concern into context. it can be concluded as something heavy and
that has to be careful when carried on.
According to Widdowson (2004, p.7) even public notice such as a symbol of word can
be regarded as a text. it’s just a minimal text. In other words, all text in term single isolated
sentences in public notice are parts of speech in grammatical limbo, for an instance:
2. Ⓟ as minimal text, its stands for larger text. it could be inferred as parking areas.
or in the explicit ways “This is an area for parking your car.”
2.4 Relevance Theory for interpretations

According to Sperber and Wilson cited in Clark (2013, p.29-32), Relevance theory is a
set of a sequence an existing evidence as cognitive environment, it was such a clue which
combine with evidence that create an accessible assumptions and it’s called as contextual
implication to process new information for a new assumption.

All those variables could be divided into two parts in order to make a conception of
interpretation, contextual information and contextual experience.

When we arrive to conclude the interpretation, it is because we form an assumption in

the expectation that it will interact with our existing assumption to yield a contextual effect
from the information and experience. For an example:
1. A: Did you enjoy your holiday?
2. B: The beaches were crowded and the hotel was full of bugs.

17
 The interpretation of B’s answer is “Nope, I did not.” It’s kind of an indirect speech act
form. Its interpretation refers to the text which is indicated by crowds and bugs. based on In
this case that’s how interpretation from the perspective of relevance theory works.

In other words, when an item of information has a contextual effect in a given context,
Sperber and Wilson say it is relevant in that context.

With all the explanations above, we realize that an individual with finite processing
resources, aiming to maximize relevance, should pay attention to such phenomena.

When represented in the best possible way, and processed in the best possible context,
seem likely to yield the greatest possible contextual effects in return for the available
processing effort. Relevance, and maximizing relevance, is the key to cognition of inferences.

2.5 Mental Health

Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It is all about
how people think, feel, and behave (WHO, 2022). People sometimes use the term "mental
health" to mean the absence of a mental disorder.

Mental health can affect daily living, relationships, and physical health. However, this
link also works in the other direction. Factors in people's lives, interpersonal connections, and
physical factors can contribute to mental ill health. Looking after mental health can preserve
a person's ability to enjoy life. Doing this involves balancing life activities, responsibilities,
and efforts to achieve psychological resilience.

Stress, depression, and anxiety can all affect mental health and disrupt a person's routine.
Although health professionals often use the term mental health, doctors recognize that many
psychological disorders have physical roots.

“Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of
life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.”

(WHO; 2022)

2.6 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos

12 Rules for life Renowned psychologist Jordan B Peterson combines the hard-won
truths of ancient tradition with the surprising revelation of cutting-edge scientific research.
Humorous, surprising and informative, Dr Peterson tells us why skateboarding boys and girls
must be left alone, what terrible fate awaits those who criticize too easily, and why people
should always pet a cat when he/she meets one on the street.

What does the nervous system of the lowly lobster have to tell us about standing up
straight (with our shoulders back) and success in life? Why did ancient Egyptians worship the

18
capacity to pay careful attention as the highest of gods? What dreadful paths do people tread
when they become resentful, arrogant and vengeful?

Dr. Peterson discusses discipline, responsibility, freedom and adventure, distilling the
world's wisdom into twelve wide-ranging essays, practical and profound.

Reasons why researchers choose this book, because it bridges how text narratives in self-
improvement category books are reflective, philosophical, and motivating for readers. The
elaboration of scientific information facts can be a choice for readers as reading material for
shifting-mindset needs and self-development in recovering mental health.
This book became the #1 bestseller in 2018 in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, New
Zealand, Sweden, the Netherlands, Brazil and Norway, translated into some 50 languages.
The later book has sold more than five million copies; the former, released in mid of 2021,
sold around 750,000, and this book was known for its large and far-reaching impact on
mental health issues.

19
 CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter discusses a research methodology that was used by the writer to explain
how to complete this research. It explains about the design of the research, object of the
research, techniques of collecting data, and the data analysis.

3.1 Design of the Research

Mills (2019, p.4) states that methodology is an orderly process entailing a number of
steps: recognition and definition of problem, formulation of hypothesis, collection of data,
analysis of data, and statement of conclusions regarding confirmation or disconfirmation of
the hypothesis.

According to Mills (2019, p.7) qualitative research method is the collection, analysis, and
interpretation of comprehensive narrative and visual (i.e., non-numerical) data to gain
insights into a particular phenomenon of interest. In line with this, according to Bogdan and
Taylor cited in Tersiana (2022, p.10) descriptive qualitative research is a kind of research
procedure which produce descriptive data from speech, writing and the behavior of the
people being obsererved.

This aprroach is expected to yield in-depth description of speech, writing, and or

behavior that is observed comprehensively and holistically. Data collection techniques
carried out by the researcher includes content analysis, which describes the description
through perspective of discourse analysis.

The researcher choose this method to use, because it is in line with what Kothari (2004:
37) said. He states that a descriptive method is a kind of research method using the technique
of formulating, designing, selecting, collecting, processing and analyzing the data,
interpreting, then finally concluding the data.

All of those techniques are used to understand, to seek the meaing behind the data, and to
discover the truth.

3.2 Data Source

The object of the research used rule titles of the book entitled 12 Rules for Life: An
Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson as the data. 

3.3 Technique of Data Collection

1. The researcher read the book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan
Peterson.
2. The researcher makes a transcript of every chapter title of Jordan Peterson's book 12
Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos.
3. The researcher makes a note to identify the kinds of linguistic markers and speech
act functions used by Jordan Peterson in every chapter title of the book entitled 12
Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos.

20
 4. The researcher identifies the context which leads to interpreting meaning in every
chapter title of the book entitled 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos.
5. The researcher classified data and analyzed linguistic markers in every chapter titles
of 12  Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos. They choose which one in every
chapter title of the book entitled 12  Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos includes
linguistic markers.
6. The researcher analyzes and chooses which one in every chapter title of the book
entitled 12  Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos includes a certain speech act.  

3.4 Technique of Data Analysis

In the data analysis technique, the researcher used content analysis because the
researcher analyzed the book and read the transcript that the researcher had written to
interpret.

Content analysis is usually performed on forms of human communication, including

books, newspapers, personal journals, official documents, film, television, art, music,
videotapes of human interactions, transcript of voice communication, and net journal and
bulletin board entries, in order to identify patterns, themes, and biases (Leedy & Ormrod,
2015, p. 275).

1. Analyze the kinds of linguistic markers (Greenbaum & Nelson, 2002, p.123), and
kind of speech acts from the transcript based on the theory of Searle (1979, p.12)
about directive illocutionary. Then, analyzing its illocutionary force component
(Vanderverken, 1987, p.13).

2. Analyze the interpretations in the transcript, based on linguistic markers, speech

acts, and context of situation by Halliday (1989, p.12).

3. Classifies the data of linguistic markers, speech acts, and Interpretations. To

classify the data, the researcher uses the table below: 

Rules Sentences Linguistic Speech Acts Illocutionary Context of Situation Researcher

Markers force Analyses and
Interpretations

21
 CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS EXAMPLE

4.1 Findings 

Rules Sentences Linguistic Speech Acts Illocutionar Context of Situation Researcher

Markers y Force Analyses and
Interpretations

1 Stand up Imperative Directive  Order Field: how level of You have to be

straight with sentence serotonin, lobster, and mentally strong
your dominance hierarchy and tough, in
shoulders metaphorically order to involves
back  describe to influence voluntarily in live
readers about which have lot of
competency. both challenge and
Tenor: writer and difficulty
reader.
Mode of discourse:
Medium - monologue
as a book to
encourage awareness.
Channel – written.

2 Treat Imperative Directive Order Field: Carrying yourself

yourself like sentence Tenor: as if you care
someone Mode: about the person
you are you care about
responsible
for helping

4.2 Discussion 

a. Imperative Sentence and Situational Context

Rules Sentences Linguistic Situational context Illocutionary Speech Researcher Analyses

Markers Force Acts and Interpretations

1 Stand up Imperative Field: how level of Order Directive You have to be mentally
straight sentence serotonin, lobster, and strong and tough, in order
with your dominance hierarchy to involves voluntarily in
shoulders metaphorically live which have lot of
back  describe to influence both challenge and
readers about difficulty
competency.
Tenor: writer and
reader.
Mode of discourse:
Medium - monologue
as a book to
encourage awareness.
Channel – written.

[1] Stand up straight with your shoulder back.

22
 Lingusitically, this sentence has a pattern of imperative, which indicated by the
structure pattern of its sentence. It has a pattern of verb phrase, that it’s begin with the
first appeareance of verb, which has a function for performing a command or a request
(Greenbaum and Nelson, 2012, p.). This finding leads the researcher to a kind of speech
act that has a similarity of form and its fucntion, and it’s called as directive speech act
with the form of imperative (Yule, 1999, p.).

Directive with form of imperative have several features such as command, order,
suggestion, advice, request and so on (Searle, 1969, p.). Therefore, this sentence have
an imperative form as a lingusitic marker and directive with the feature of order as a
function for make reader to do something (Grundy, 2008, p.).

[2] Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping.

Rules Sentences Linguistic Speech Acts Illocutionary Context of Researcher

Markers Force situation Analyses and
Interpretations

2 Treat Imperative Directive Order Carrying yourself

yourself sentence like you care to
like someone you
someone cared off
you are
responsible
for helping

In the perspective of Illocutionary force indicating device as Grundy said (2008,

p.28) the sentence in the rule of second number had the performative verb in a sentence
Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping. it obviously indicates
an action. In regard to its linguistic marker, it was categorized as an imperative
sentence. It's a kind of form of directive speech act, which functions as order (Searle,
1969, p.).

According to Vanderverken (1979, p.13) about illocutionary components, this

sentence has a propositional content, which indicates world to word direction of fit,
means that writer wants the reader to do something. Last, this sentence also has
illocutionary force as an order.

b. Interpretation based on Imperative Sentence, Context of Situation and Directive

Speech Acts

[1] Stand up straight with your shoulders back

Based on the researcher finding, this sentence has type of imperative (Greenbaum
and Nelson, ..., p.), which have features like command, order, suggestion, and request.
It features leads the researcher to the kind of particular speech act classification
(Searle, ..., p.) that have similar features, and it’s directive speech act form with its
features such as command, order, suggestion, requesting, advice and so on.

Both of them, has a similar function, which to make other people do something (Yule,
1999, p.). In the sense to what specific particular is doing something, from the function of

23
imperative and directive, the researcher must be put the context of situation (Halliday and
Hasan, 1989, p.) to interpret this rule, in regards to its features such as field of discourse as
what is talked about, tenor of discourse refers to who are participants which engaged with the
situation, then mode of discourse that refers to what kind of product was delivered which
related to the role of language, channel and medium.

So, the mode of discourse in this rule is contains the role of language as a constitutive
one to be conventionally agreed, then the channel from this rule is written, and the medium of
this rule is monologue in a book (Halliday and Hasan, 1989, p.).

Tenor of dicourse from this rule is relation between participants (Halliday and Hasan,
1989, p.), in this case, they are writer and reader. Then, the last is the field of discourse
(Halliday and Hasan, 1989, p.), it refers to the what is talked about.

From the rule number one, the writer is telling about the similarity from lobster’s
neurochemsitry and biological structure with human when they feel defeted or useless. Both
of human and lobster have serotonin chemistry level.

When low serotonin produces, then we are tend to be depressed and anxious, stress, less
hapiness, lack of confidence, and act like a coward or loser. When high level of serotonin
produces it increase our confident and calmness, more happier, or in short-term we are under
positive mental state (Peterson, 2018, p.34).

In order to be in a good shape of positive mental state, we should conduct ourselve to

start straighten up, because standing up straight with your shoulder back is not something that
is only physical, but also spiritual, and metaphysical. Standing up means voluntarily
accepting the demans of life, respond to a challenge, step forward to take your place in
dominance hierarchy, accept the terrible responsibility of life with wide eyes open, willingly
undertaking the sacrifices necessary to generate a productive and meaningful reality
(Peterson, 2018, p.53).

All of those actions will encourage the serotonin to flow plentifully through the neural
pathways desperate for its calming influence. People, including yourself, will start to assume
that you are competent and able.

Based on three variables that the researcher been mentioned above, which are a type of
sentence, a kind of speech act, and the context of situation with its features. The researcher
arrive into interpretation that this rule is “You have to be mentally strong and tough, in
order to involves voluntarily in live which have lot of both challenge and difficulty.”

[2] Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping

Based on what the researcher found, the sentence above has a type of imperative pattern
(Greenbaum and Nelson, ..., p.), which have features like command, order, request,
suggestion, advice and so on. All those features leads to the kind of particular speech act
classification (Searle, ..., p.) such as directive. It has similar features like command, order,
request, suggestion, advice.

Both of them has same function, which is to make people do something (Yule, 1999, p.).
In order to interpret what exactly means do something that represented by imperative and

24
directive function, in this case, the researcher must be put the context of situation (Halliday
and Hasan, 1989, p.).

In regards to the features of the context, the researcher must be view into such as field of
discourse as what is talked about, tenor of discourse refers to who are participants which
engaged with the situation, then mode of discourse that refers to what kind of product was
delivered which related to the role of language, channel and medium.

So, the mode of discourse in this rule is contains the role of language as a constitutive
one to be conventionally agreed, then the channel from this rule is written, and the medium of
this rule is monologue in a book (Halliday and Hasan, 1989, p.).

Tenor of dicourse from this rule is relation between participants (Halliday and Hasan,
1989, p.), in this case, they are writer and reader. Then, the last is the field of discourse
(Halliday and Hasan, 1989, p.), it refers to the what is talked about.

From the rule number two, the writer is telling about ...

25
 REFERENCES

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Peterson, Jordan. (2018). 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos. Canada. Penguin Random
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Hidayat, Agus. (2016). Speech acts: Force behind word. In English Education: Jurnal Tadris
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Pranowo. (2020). The role of contexts in interpreting pragmatic meanings. RETORIKA:
Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra dan Pengajarannya, Vol. 13 No.2. Retrieved from THE ROLE OF
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Sukarno. (2018). Politeness Strategies, Linguistic Markers And Social Contexts In Delivering
Requests In Javanese. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, Vol. 7 No. 3, January 2018,
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SOCIAL CONTEXTS IN DELIVERING REQUESTS IN JAVANESE | Sukarno |
Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics (upi.edu)

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 THESIS PROPOSAL REVISION GRADUATE PROGRAM

Name : Reza Paramarta

Student’s Number : 20191410002

Study Program : English Literature

Title

THE ROLE OF CONTEXT AND TYPE OF SENTENCE IN DETERMINING A KIND

OF SPEECH ACT ON THE BOOK ENTITLED 12 RULES FOR LIFE

No. Advisor/Examiner Suggestion and Advisor/Examiner’s

Comments Signature

1 Dr. Heni Haryani Cover and Third

S.Hum., M.Hum. research question
revision

2 Dr. Heni Haryani Research Method

S.Hum., M.Hum. and implementing of
writing quotation

3 Dr. Heni Haryani Research question

S.Hum., M.Hum. revision and chapter
change into rule,
then writing issue,
illocutionary point
explanation, in into
on.

4 Dr. Heni Haryani Title

S.Hum., M.Hum.

Bandung,…………………..

………………………………….
(Supervisor)

29