Speech style used by The Judges in X-Factor USA 2013

ABSTRACT

This thesis investigates speech styles used by the judges in X-Factor USA 2013. In this case, the researcher used the third session of the American music competition television show, was hosted by Mario Lopez and judges by Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato returned to the judging panel, while Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio joined the panel as replacements for the departing judges.

This study applies descriptive qualitative method in finding speech styles. In analyzing the data, this study follows four steps: (1) Putting the judges’ utterances into the categories referring to the types of speech styles based on Martin Joos (1976, cited in Broderick) theory; (2) Analyzing the data referring to the types of the speech styles theory; (3) Analyzing the possible differences of speech styles based on gender of the judges based on (Wardhaugh, 2006 : 315), Deborah Tannen (2003), and Yule (2006:225); (4) making conclusion based on the result

The result of this study presents the types of speech styles used by the judges in X-Factor USA 2013. Those include five types of speech styles by the judges: consultative style (53), casual style (21) and formal style (1) utterances, from the findings it can be seen that the mostly used type of speech style is consultative style. Relates to speech styles in this study, the possible differences between male and female utterances are not significance differences. Both of male and female used expressive utterances, which include in the criterion of consultative styles. Finally, the researcher suggests to another researchers to use different completed data sources and apply the newest object of their research.