An Analysis on Commissive Utterances in The Film Entitled “The Gods Must Be Crazy” and Its Implication on Teaching Speaking

Abstract

The aims of this study were to find out 1) the types of commissive utterances; 2) the strategy in employing commissive utterances in the film entitled “The God Must be Crazy”; and 3) its context of situation. This study uses descriptive qualitative method. In collecting the data, the writer used the film entitled “The Gods Must be Crazy” and its transcript as the source of the data. The findings of this study are 1) the types of commissive utterances that found in the film are promise, refusal, threat, and offer; 2) in general, the characters of the film mostly use indirect speech act, they mostly use explanation, excuse or reason in employing refusals, use If-then in employing threat, use interrogative with modal and justification in employing offers; 3) the way of the characters in the film entitled “The Gods Must be Crazy” in choosing the strategy of employing the utterances are influenced by the factors like social status of the interlocutors, the relationship between the participants, and the situation when the conversation occurs.