The Use of Emphatic Stress and Hypercorrect Grammar in Political Speeches by Kamala Harris and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

MONICA AUDREY W K P, Dr. Aris Munandar, M.Hum.

2022 | Skripsi | S1 SASTRA INGGRIS

Women's language adalah teori yang digagaskan oleh Robin Tolmach Lakoff, yang menyatakan bahwa dalam percakapan, wanita menggunakan bahasa yang berbeda dari lelaki. Menurut Lakoff, women's language adalah perwujudan linguistik dari konsep sosial yang merendahkan posisi wanita, sehingga menciptakan bentuk penggunaan bahasa yang memberikan kesan ketidakpercayaan diri dan keraguan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengulik jenis dan fungsi dua women's language features, emphatic stress dan hypercorrect grammar, yang digunakan dalam pidato kemenangan Kamala Harris sebagai wakil presiden terpilih, dan pidato Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez kepada House of Representatives mengenai isu pribadi. Data diperoleh dari sumber video dan transkrip tertulis, untuk dianalisa menggunakan teori women's language milik Robin Lakoff, bersamaan dengan serapan teori tersebut, oleh Janet Holmes, dan Penelope Eckert dan Sally McConnell-Ginet. Dari penelitian ini, ditemukan 53 jumlah total kalimat dalam pidato kemenangan Kamala Harris, dengan 40 kalimat mengandung fitur emphatic stress dan 24 kalimat mengandung fitur hypercorrect grammar. Dalam pidato Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez kepada House of Representatives, ditemukan jumlah total 58 kalimat, dengan 52 kalimat mengandung fitur emphatic stress dan 44 kalimat mengandung fitur hypercorrect grammar. Kedua politisi wanita menggunakan fitur emphatic stress untuk menekankan bagian-bagian tertentu dalam pidato mereka, untuk memberikan kesan emosional dan/atau menyoroti bagian-bagian penting yang mereka sampaikan. Sedangkan penggunaan fitur hypercorrect grammar mereka didasari oleh situasi formal penyampaian pidato, sehingga perlu dikondisikan kesan formalitas dan kesopanan, sementara juga memberikan penekanan pada bagian-bagian yang penting, ketika diperlukan.

Women's language is a theory proposed by Robin Tolmach Lakoff, which states that women utilize a type of language in discourse that is different from that of men. According to Lakoff, women's language is a linguistic manifestation of the socially concepted inferiority imposed on women, resulting in language which portrays lack of confidence and tentativeness. This research aims to investigate the types and functions of two women language features, emphatic stress and hypercorrect grammar, used in Kamala Harris' victory speech as vice president-elect and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's address of personal concern to the House of Representatives. Data were collected from video sources and written transcripts, to be analyzed using Robin Lakoff's women's language theory, alongside its absorption by Janet Holmes, and Penelope Eckert and Sally McConnell-Ginet. This research found a total of 53 sentences in Kamala Harris' victory speech, with 40 sentences containing emphatic stress and 24 sentences containing hypercorrect grammar. The research also found 58 total sentences in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's address to the House of Representatives, with 52 sentences containing emphatic stress and 44 sentences containing hypercorrect grammar. Both women politicians' use of emphatic stress functions as reiteration and emphasizing certain parts of their speech to convey an emotional appeal or to highlight the importance of their utterances. Whereas their use of hypercorrect grammar is mainly due to the formal setting of their political speeches, as to portray formality and politeness, while also giving emphasis on imperative segments, when needed.

Kata Kunci : women's language, women's language features, emphatic stress, hypercorrect grammar, politeness, formality, political speeches