Flouting and hedging maxims of utterances produced by the sellers at traditional market Pronojiwo Lumajang

ABSTRACT

This study is focused on analyzing flouting and hedging maxims of utterances produced by the sellers at traditional market in Pronojiwo Lumajang. Maxims are the rules of cooperative principle, one part of Discourse analysis study which is distinguished into four categories: maxims of quantity, maxims of quantity, maxims of relevant and maxims of manner. If these maxims are used in conversation, it can go on smoothey, but when people make conversation they often break the maxims overtly (flouting the maxims) and sometimes break the maxims secretly (hedging maxims). Seller is one of the examples who often flout and hedge the maxim in their conversations. Based on that the background, the research about flouting and hedging maxims of utterances produced by sellers at traditional market in Pronojiwo Lumajang was conducted with the following problem: (1). How are the maxims flouted by the sellers at traditional market Pronojiwo Lumajang?, (2). How are the maxims hedged by the sellers at traditional market Pronojiwo Lumajang?

This research was conducted using descriptive qualitative method based on Grice’s maxims. The data were in the forms of conversations among sellers when they were in traditional market. The data were selected from may, 2 2005 to may, 23 2005 at 03.00 am to 10.00 am.

Data analysis revealed some finding covering the formulated research question. The maxims could be flouted/hedged by sellers. The maxims were flouted when the maxims were overtly broken by sellers, such as by producing the utterances in the form of rhetorical strategies namely tautology, metaphor, overstatement, understatement, rhetorical question and irony. In addition, the maxims were hedged when the information was not totally accurate but it seems that it was informative, well founded and relevant to the words or the utterances: sek taona sengkok (as I know), sak werohku (as I remember). Furthermore, often the information from other person usually certain words or utterances used such as “kabare wong-wong" or “people says ”

Based on those thing findings, it is recommended that this research will be the additional reference in the field of discourse. In addition, it also recommended next researchers can be use grice’s Maxims to conduct the research on the literary work. Furthermore, Sperber and Wilson’s relevance theory is also suggested to be used in conducting the researches on this same area.