Flouting and hedging maxims on Comic Strip Born Loser in The Jakarta Post Newspaper

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on analyzing flouting and hedging maxims of utterances in the comic strip “Bom Loser” in the Jakarta Post newspaper. Maxims are the rules of cooperative principle, one part of discourse analysis study which is distinguished into four categories, namely; maxim of quantity, maxim of quality, maxim of relevant and maxim of manner. If these maxims are used in conversations, these can go on smoothly. However, the speakers often break the maxims deliberately (flouting them) and sometimes they break them secretly (hedging the maxims). The utterances in comic strip ،،Bom Loser” are the examples, how the speakers often flout and hedge the maxims in the conversation.

Based on that background, the research about flouting and hedging maxims of utterances in comic strip ،،Bom Loser” in the Jakarta Post newspaper was conducted with the following problems; (1) ،،How are the maxims flouted on comic strip “Bom Loser” in the Jakarta Post newspaper ?” and (2) ،،How are the maxims hedged on comic strip ،،Bom Loser” in the Jakarta Post newspaper ?”. This research was conducted using descriptive-qualitative method based on Grice’s maxim. The data were in the forms of conversations which were selected from February 5 until April 30, 2004.

Data analysis revealed some findings covering the formulated research questions. The maxims could be flouted or hedged by the speakers. The maxims were flouted if the speaker violates some maxims when producing the utterance in the form of rhetorical strategies namely tautology, metaphor, overstatement, understatement, rhetorical question and irony. For example : the utterance ،،There was more waffling than at dinner Sunday morning!” is classified as overstatement because the speaker uses exaggerated statement to convey his opinion which is too strong and appears worse than they really are. Furthermore, this utterance is classified as metaphor because it describes an idea using words with very similar qualities. Thereby, the speaker overtly flouts the first and the second point maxim of quantity. In addition, hedging means the information is not totally accurate but seems informative well founded, and relevant. Moreover the speaker quotes the information from other people. For the example: the statement “I may be considered a billionaire instead of merely multimillionaire” indicates that the speaker’s utterance may not be totally accurate because the information being conveyed can not be proved. In addition, the speaker uses the degree of probability that is “may be.. ،، which signifies that he is still uncertain with the information being conveyed. As a result, the second point of maxim quality is hedged by the speaker.

Based on those finding, it is recommended that this research will be the additional references in the field of discourse. In addition, it is also suggested to the next researcher to investigate on the literary work. Furthermore, other relevance theories are also suggested to be used in conducting the research on the same area.