Downgraders as Directive Speech Act’s Internal Modifications in the Official Talkshow of Covid-19 in Indonesia

Abstract

This research which used qualitative method aims to describe the types of directive speech acts that use downgraders as internal modifications and classify the illocutionary directive speech acts in the Covid-19 talk show, as well as, classify the types of downgraders used. This research is interesting to do because the official covid-19 talk show, especially, at the beginning of the pandemic, contains many directives from the government to prevent the spread of covid-19 more widely. However, on the other hand, the use of directive speech acts which can have a strong effect of damaging the face, rarely used in direct speech, so that speakers can save their face and their positive image can be maintained. Therefore, it is very interesting to know what downgraders are used to reduce the face damage in directive utterances. Using the speech act theory of Trosborg (1995) and Blum-kulka, House, and Kasper (1989) to analyze 25 contexts of conversation themes, it was found that there are six functions of directive speech acts that use internal modification of downgraders, such as request, direct, prohibit, suggest, command, and urge. Then, 19 variations of the downgraders markers were found. From the research findings, it can be said that the use of downgraders is important in directive speech acts, especially this can be used to maintain a positive image of the speakers and protect the face of the speech partners, so that communication can be well established.