Article
EXPRESSIVE SPEECH ACTS FOUND IN THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA NOVEL
Canon: Jurnal Penelitian Bahasa dan Sastra, Vol. 3 No. 1 (2025), hlm. 28–35
Abstrak
This study explores the use and function of expressive speech acts in The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, through the lens of speech act theory. Expressive speech acts, as classified by Searle (1975), refer to utterances that reveal the speaker’s psychological or emotional state. The data collection was done by reading and identifying the relevant dialogue. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the researcher identifies and analyzes selected dialogues from the novel to investigate how expressive acts are linguistically constructed and pragmatically employed by the characters. The findings show that expressive speech acts in the novel are not only used to reflect personal emotions but also function as narrative devices that communicate moral growth and forgiveness. The researchers found that expressive speech acts in the novel reveal expressions of surprise, happiness, annoyance, admiration, apology, anxiety, and resentment. It represents the strong emotional bonds formed among the characters throughout their adventures. The study underscores the significance of expressive speech acts in enriching literary meaning and emotional resonance. It contributes to both pragmatic studies and literary analysis by demonstrating how language functions as a tool for emotional expression within fictional discourse.