ABSTRAC
Considering the significance role played by the language among society, this study is aimed to come deeper to see how the language user shares his or her intentions trough his or her utterances. Basically, this study cannot be completely separated from the idea of Whorfian which has purposed that language and culture is inextricably thing, one cannot be interpreted or understood without another one. However, the researcher views Discourse Analysis as another part of linguistics studies that is closer to the study of language in use to be the underlying theory on her study.
In accordance to those reasons, this study is aimed to find how illocutionary act used by the speaker and what messages or intensions expressed in the speaker s speeches. What makes this study was crucial to be completed was that the significant social status played by the speaker (President George W. Bush) in holding up the international policies especially regarding to social and political issue. Then, since an utterance carries such intention, message, or meaning which commonly reflects the speaker s social background, so there is very close relationship between his utterances and his point of view.
To figure out the speaker s intentions on his utterances, the researcher used descriptive qualitative because it deals with the nature of the real situation and is designed to obtain information concerning the linguistic phenomena. The researcher made herself as the key instrument that collected the data from the official website of Secretary Department of USA government. The seven data of this study were President Bush s speeches from the year 2004 up to 2007 which mainly discussed about democracy issue.
After analyzing the data, the researcher found that almost the seven speeches performed the five types of illocutionary act; representative/assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative, though there were three types (representative/assertive, directive, expressive) that were used very often than another. These five types are performed in quite different way. Representative/assertive, expressive, commissive, and declarative are performed explicitly whereas directive is implicitly or indirectly, though the speaker did not use any figurative language.
After being classified, the researcher interpreted the speaker s intention or message based on the type that mostly appeared. Due to the fact that the speaker (George W. Bush) was fully engaged in the mission on the advance of democracy and freedom at that time, he mainly discussed about the importance of democracy in building up a better life of human civilization and the bright history of democratic countries. He also intended to invite people where he was speaking in to get involved in spreading out democracy all over the world and make America as an ally in confronting terrorist network.
By reviewing this study, it can be suggested that the important thing in interpreting speech and communication in a broader sense is to develop mutual understanding between the speaker and the hearer. The speaker should carry her/his intention in a right way, so the hearer can respond it appropriately. To be a good hearer is also to be a critical thinker toward any issues. So that the felicity condition by which the illocutionary act is fulfilled can be successfully achieved. The next researcher, especially, should be able to come deeper to see the social setting that stands behind such utterances in order to reach a perfect comprehension.
