A discourse analysis on hedging and flouting Maxims found in the script of “Rush Hour 2” movie

ABSTRACT

The effectiveness and efficiency of delivering information are needed in communication. It is essential to use Grice’s maxims theory of cooperative principles to avoid misinterpretation and misunderstanding. Maxims is a basic assumption and it can be changed.

Focused of the study is on analyzing flouting and hedging maxims of utterances used by the main characters in “Rush Hour 2” movie. Maxims are the rules of cooperative principle, one part of Discourse Analysis study which is distinguished into four categories: Maxims of Quality, Maxims of Quantity, Maxims of Relevant, and Maxims of Manner. If these maxims are used in conversation, they can go on smoothly, but when people make conversation they often break the maxims overtly (flouting the maxims) and sometimes break the maxims secretly (hedging the maxims). The main characters, especially in movie, often flout and hedge the maxims in their conversation. Based on that background, the research about flouting and hedging maxims of utterance used by the main characters of “Rush Hour 2” movie was conducted with the following problems: 1.What maxims are flouted by the main characters in “Rush Hour 2” movie? 2. What maxims are hedged by the main characters in “Rush Hour 2” movie?

This research was conducted using descriptive qualitative method based on the theory known as Grice’s maxims. The data are in the form of utterances used by the main characters in “Rush Hour 2” movie.

Data analysis revealed some findings covering the formulated research questions. The maxims could be flouted or hedged by speakers. The maxims are flouted if the speaker breaks some maxims when using the utterance in the form of rhetorical strategies, namely: tautology, metaphor, overstatement, understatement, rhetorical question and irony. On the other hand, maxims are hedged when the information is not totally accurate or not clearly stated but seems informative, well founded and relevant.

Based on the findings, it is suggested that although it is very difficult to obey and use all of the maxims in using utterance, especially in movie, in order the communication can go on smoothly.