An Analysis of Speech Act in Transactional Discourse: Bati Market in Focus

Abstract

The study analyses speech acts in transactional discourse in the case of Bati market. To do this, a descriptive research design was used, and both participant observation and interview were employed to collect data in the market. In order to present the data, the researcher used International Phonetic Alphabet symbols to transcribe the data phonemically, and provided equivalent translation for each utterance. Then, the data were analyzed qualitatively based on speech act theory of Austin, Searle, and Parker. Furthermore, images and descriptive expressions were implemented for the analysis. Thus, the utterance, which is given, by Bati market buyers and sellers were categorized in different types of speech act such as; locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary according to Austin’s speech act theory. Furthermore, according to Searle’s theory it is categorized as assertive, directive, commusive, expressive, and declarative speech act. Moreover, the researcher sorted out Bati market utterances as direct and indirect speech act according to parker’s speech act theory. Additionally, both buyers and seller used pragmatic expressions to describe the price of animals and the market situation. Since a complex market is performed by different language speakers of Bati animal market users, further investigations have been recommended in different discipline.