Issues in Applied and Language Teaching,Situmorang, Vol. Phatic 1 No.1, Expression June 2017 in pp. Daily 42-49 Conversation…

PHATIC EXPRESSION IN DAILY CONVERSATION AT PT.SMOE INDONESIA: A DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Maruli Situmorang Universitas Putra Batam [email protected]

Abstract

The writer aimed to find out the way PT. SMOE Indonesia use phatic expression in daily conversation and which type of phatic expression they frequently use. The writer collected data by recording conversation performed by employees and transcribed those conversation into written form. Qualititative method was employed to analyze utterances in daily conversations of employees at PT SMOE Indonesia. The writer also found that 85% phatic expressions used are other- oriented type which means employees tend to give special attention for other. The writer suggests further research with large number of data from several company to examine the use of phatic expression use in daily conversation in Batam.

Keywords: discourse analysis, phatic expression, daily conversation.

Background of the Research with ritualized aspects of social interaction, the more recent expressions phatic The five functions of language are related and phatic lay greater emphasis on the closely to how meaning of a word, phrase, or function of conversational exchanges described sentence is used for certain purposes i.e. to as phatic. give information to the listener and reader, to express ideas of the speaker and writer, to add The study of phatic expression may fall in aesthetic meaning of the speaker and writer, to several disciplines such as semantics, direct the listener and reader, and to open , , and discourse communication channel. Malinowski observed analysis. In this study, the writer would like to that in some types of communicative examine phatic expression in terms of interaction (e.g. greeting, gossiping) the discourse analysis perspective.Discourse situation in which the conversational exchange analysis deal with the use of language takes place consists in, and is largely created particularly and practically. Instead of linguistically. examining the sentence structure, the writer would like to observe phatic expression, as In this type of communication linguistic expalined earlier, as medium to establish expressions fulfill a social function. They channel of communication among group of establish an atmosphere of sociability and people. For sure, the study of discourse can be personal relationship between people in a sense separated from the relation among people that of being positive understanding with each is not always in equal state. By means, the way other) through overcoming silence. While the to speak to a superior is not as same as the way phrase phatic expression is closely associated

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Situmorang, Phatic Expression in Daily Conversation… to inferior. Hymes in Stockwell (2002: 46) object of discourse analysis, writing, marks this as context of an utterance occurs. conversation, and communicative event are variously defined in terms of coherent sequences of sentences, preposition, speech In this research, the writer observed the use of act, or turns-at-talk. Term discourse refers to phatic expression in an international company, the wide range which in this case is hard to be namely PT SMOE Indonesia. The writer chose defined. Discourse is derived from Greek word this topic because pathic expression is a part of “discurre” which means “running around”. It daily conversation. More over, social also means as strong reasoning activity used in circumstances which are multi-race, multi- debate or speech. culture, and multi-social-status, in the company encourage the writer to observe the Study about discourse is related to language usage of pathic expression in daily utterance. that human used, either spoken or written. Purwoko (2008: 5) defined discourse as a formal form of verbal expressions in speech or In order to give focus for this research, the writing or as process or power of reasoning. writer limit the study on the form of phatic The speaker's target is the listener, while the expression used, the function of them in daily writer target is the reader. In speaking and in conversation, and also the frequency those writing we strongly demanded to make the expression occur in daily conversation at target understand what we say. Therefore, the SMOE Indonesia. speaker or writer must have ability in arranging the words. The writer makes an assumption that a discourse analysis is the Theoretical Framework analysis based of the conversation the assumption is refers to the statement that One of research on the occurence of pathic mention the range of things that count as “ expression was performed by Lomborg (2011). appropriately” say able and meaning able, in He observed the occurence of phatic term of (oral or written) words, symbol, expression in social media, which in this case images, and things, at a given time and place, is personal blog. He found that actually the or within a given institution, set of institutions, guests that have strong connection with blog’s or society, in regard to a given topic or theme owner would express more pathic expression. (example schools, women’s health, smoking, Other research on phatics expression children, prison etc). The writer uses theory performed by Cruz (2003). He elaborated the Gee (1999:37)” Term of discourse is three types phatics expressions. In this paper, conversation”. Based on theory discourse he offered some guidelines to improve the analysis from Gee, the theory from Coulthard extant Relevance Theoretic (RT henceforward) (1985:165) Concluded that acquisition of approach to phatic utterances. He argues that discourse also analyzes the conversation, based these utterances may achieve an optimal level on the structure of the conversation. of relevance because of the interaction of cultural metarepresentations about the relation between their use and the different politeness Jacobson in Leech (1990: 40-2) states there are systems interlocutors can establish. As a result five functions of language. The first is of this, hearers may obtain contextual effects informative function that means language is about their social relationship with their used to share information. The conceptual interlocutors, which results into a better meaning is predominant in this function. appraisal of the social reality in which they Expressive function isused to express its interact. originator’s feelings and attitudes. Swear words and exclamations are the most obvious Discourse analysis is the branch of examples of this. Affective language is clearly conversation analysis (CA) study, and the all-important. Directive Function aims to

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Situmorang, Phatic Expression in Daily Conversation… influence the behavior and attitudes of others. channel devices such as ‘uh-huh’ or ‘hmmm’. Aesthetic function can be defined as the use of Laver in Stockwell (2002) takes up language for the sake of the linguistic artifact Malinowski’s views and examines in some itself, and for no ulterior purpose. And the last detail the connection between the relative is phatic function that taken after Malinowski’s social status of the interlocutors and the term “phatic communication” is the function of appropriate choice of linguistic expression in a keeping communication lines open, and phatic exchange. keeping social relationships in good repair. In British culture, talking about the weather is the Generally, to arrange the words in writing or well-known examples. “Hi, everyone! It’s a speaking, author or speaker insert discourse good day, isn’t it?” markers. Discourse markers common in both written and spoken. Discourse markers are The term ‘phatic’ (from Greek phátos: spoken) words and phrases used in speaking and was originally used in the phrase ‘phatic writing to 'signpost' discourse. Discourse communion’ which was coined by Bronisław markers do this by showing turns, joining ideas Malinowski (Leech: 2004: 155). Malinowski together, showing attitude, and generally examined that in some types of communicative controlling communication. This is very contact the circumstances in which the important, because the with Discourse markers conversational exchange takes place consists in an article will be seen logically and would be happens linguistically. In this type of clearly accepted by the target. communication linguistic expressions fulfill a social function rather than bear a derective or Stockwell also notes that phatic expressions any other function of language. They establish are normatively emotionally uncontroversial, feeling of sociability and personal empathy expect a positive response, and expect a non- between people in a sense of being in positive comittal response. Furthermore, Laver in relationship with each other through Stockwell (2002: 24) distinguishes three types overcoming silence. of phatic expression. Neutral: the expression toward weather, condition, etc such as “It’s a beautiful day, eh? Self-oriented: the expression While the phrase phatic expression is closely aims to the speaker such as “I’m bored, how connected to scrutinize aspects of social bout you?” Other-oriented: the expression aims interaction, the more recent expressions of to the hearer such as “You look wonderful phatic put greater emphasis on the function of today”. conversational exchanges. Malinowski coined phatic for communicative acts that fulfill an These are ways of showing status by orienting exclusively social function, that is, acts that comments to oneself, to the other, or to the serve to confirm ‘ties of union,’ such as the general or prevailing situation (in England this more or less formal inquiry about one’s health, is usually the weather). Self-oriented phatic remarks about the weather, or comments about expressions are personal to the speaker: “I'm trivial matters (Bussman, 1996: 886). not up to this” or “My feet are killing me”. Other-oriented expressions are related to the Jakobson (in Leech, 2003:155) distinguishes hearer: “Do you work here?” or “You seem to the phatic function of language as its use to know what you're doing”. A neutral expression focus on the channel of communication itself, refers to the context or general state of affairs: rather than on the information conveyed by the “Cold, isn't it?” or “Lovely flowers”. A language code. He points out that expanded superior shows consideration in an other- phatic conversations sometimes occur in the oriented expression, as when the Queen says to communication process. At this point, various the factory worker: “It must be jolly hard to ways of opening and ending conversations, as make one of those”. The inferior might well as maintaining them are described as respond with a self-oriented expression, like phatic. Phatic expression make use of back- “Hard work, this”. On the surface, there is an

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Situmorang, Phatic Expression in Daily Conversation… exchange of information. In reality there is a phenomena via statistical, mathematical or suggestion and acceptance of a hierarchy of computational techniques. The objective of status. The factory worker would be unlikely to quantitative research is to develop and employ respond with, “Yes, but it's not half as hard as mathematical models, theories and/or travelling the world, trooping the colour, hypotheses pertaining to phenomena.” This making a speech at Christmas and dissolving paper is not use a pure quntitative method. Parliament.” The word phatic means of or This paper use a descriptive formulation of the relating to words used to convey polite mood, problem. According to Sugiyono, (2013:35) rather than meaning; for example, "You're descriptive formulation is a formulation of the welcome" is not used to convey its literal problem with respect to the question of the meaning but is said only as an automatic polite existence of an independent variable, either response to an expression of thanks. only one or more variables (variable that stands alone). SMOE is a fully owned subsidiary of SembCorp Marine Limited (SCM). As an Based on the formulated question of the EPCIC service provider in the energy industry, research, the present writer recorded and SMOE offers oil and gas companies a observed utterances expressing phatics and complete range of solutions to meet their transcribed those utterances into written form. production needs. It operates a strategic marine Afterward, the present writer chose some of hub in Southeast Asia with wholly owned and the utterance that maintain phatics alliance yards in Singapore, Indonesia, Brazil, expression.Then, those utterances were going India, Middle East China and USA. The be separated into the classification of phatics international atmosphere encourages the writer expression based on their use. Thus, the writer to examine the use of english in daily not only analyzed phatics expression textually conversation for in PT SMOE, the employees but also contextually. By means, in this are from various cultural background and yet research, the writer considered the interaction they use English for daily conversation. among interlocutors as they maintain social bond through phatics expression. The writer summarized the theoretical framework as illustrated in picture 2.1. the The existence of the data for the research is writer began with discourse analysis as a part very essensial because the data were analysed of language study. Then, the writer diffrentiate before they are drawn to the conclusion. two type of discourse may occur which in this Before the data is analysed, it were sorted to case are written and spoken. The discourse, as get valid data in order the result of the research elaborated by Leech (1990: 40-2), exhibits the considered to valid and up to date. Since the function of language which in this case is important information of the respondent, the phatics function. Finally, the writer classify researcher should be smart to decide the types of phatic expression based on Laver in population and sample of the research. Stockwell (2002: 24) (which are neutral, self- oriented, and other-oriented. According to Sugiyono (2002) in Riduwan (2008:10) Population is general area which Method of the Research consist of object or subject which meet the certain quantity and characteristic decided by There are many ways for the researcher to the researcher to be researched and drawn to finding the answer of the research problem. the conclusion. They are methodology qualitative and methodology quantitative, mixed method and While according to Bailey,1994:83 in a book etc. In this research, the writer applied the of Prasetyo, Jannah, 2011:119, Population is methodology quantitative. According to Kisno the whole sympthom unit which will be (2012:24), “Quantitative research is the researched. On the contrary sample is a part of systematic empirical investigation of social the population in the research. Therefore

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Situmorang, Phatic Expression in Daily Conversation… sample must be considered as presumption bond. The writer, as mentioned previuosly, towards the population not population itself. made note related to the interaction among interlocutors in the conversation. Base on the explanation above population is an object or subject lies in certain area which This research employed descriptive meet the requirements related to the research quantitative, thus, it used description and conducted by the researcher. Population in this statistical concluding remark about phatic thesis is conversation made by employees at expression. The collected data were textually PT SMOE Indonesia. Total population of this analyzed with discourse analysis, particularly research is 32 conversations. on phatic expression, and it is focused on the form and the practical function as well as Sample is part of the total characteristic which interaction among interlocutor within the belong to the population or sample is part of utterances. the certain population which become the object of the research. (Sugiyono,2004:73). A sample Discussion is a smaller group of members of a population selected to represent the population. In In this part, the writer would like to elaborate qualitative research sample is not defined as the data analysis from previous subchapter. respondent. Based on the data analysis, the writer classify the use of phatic expressions in daily In this research the writer used purposive conversation at PT. SOME. There are 93 sampling technique. According to Sugiyono phatic expression found in daily conversation (2008) purposive sampling is a sampling at PT. SMOE based on the collected and technique data sources with particular transcripted data. Most of the expressions are consideration of the sources of the data classified as other-oriented type that occur 79 considered most knowledgeable about what to times. The rest of the expression shown less expect, making it easier for researchers to occured. Neutral phatics expressions occured 5 explore the social object or situation that is times and self-oriented occured 9 times. being studied. Particular consideration here Therefore, other-oriented phatic expression is defined as the data that has certain things the most frequent phatic expression used in inside as requirement to conduct the research. daily conversation at PT. SMOE Indonesia. For this research, the writer took 22 The writer drawn a table that shown the conversations from 32 because of the quality frequency of phatic expression found in the of the recording. analyzed data.

The writer collected the data directly from No Type of Occurence Frequency employees of PT SMOE Indonesia by Phatic recording their utterances and also observing Expression the interlocutors of those utterances. Firstly, 1 Neutral 5 5% the writer recorded candidly daily conversation 2 Self-oriented 9 10% in PT SMOE Indonesia and transcribed those utterance into written form. The writer also 3 Other- 79 85% observed the conversation occured to gain oriented knowledge on interlocutor interation. By Total 93 100% means, the writer used any contextual evidence to support the analysis of phatic expression in daily conversation at PT SMOE. After the Table 1 Frequency of Phatic Expression utterances were obtained, the writer selected some utterances that maintain phatic expression and analyze their forms and Basically, the function of phatic expression practical function instead of maintaining social is to maintain social bond among

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Situmorang, Phatic Expression in Daily Conversation…

interlocutors as stated in chapter tow. neutral, other-oriented, and self-oriented. They However, in the analyzed data, the writer use the phatic expression in opening and found that phatic expression can be closing official conversation in form of functioned as an opening and closing mark greeting and gratitude. for conversation in official conversation as seen in the most of analyzed data. The functions of phatic expression in formal Meanwhile, for the casual conversation, conversation is to open and close official phatic expression is used to enhance conversations by using greeting and gratitude sociability of interlocutor as seen in data which are included as other-oriented phatic 10, 11, 18, 20, 21, and 22. expression. Meanwhile, in casual conversation, By seeing the most frequent phatic it functions to maintain close social relation expression found in daily conversation at PT SMOE among employee. Generally, as theoretically Indonesia, the writer deduce that employee and mentioned, phatic expression is used to higher officials at the company try to establish a maintain social bond in a particular group of strong social bond among them. This might occur people. because they maintain the same goal in a particular communion The most frequent phatic expression uttered by employees in daily conversation at PT SMOE Indonesia is other-oriented with 80 occurence Frequency of Phatic Expression in Daily or 85%. Conversation at PT. SMOE Indonesia

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