PERLOCUTIONARY ACTS OF MAN CHARACTERS IN THE RON CLARK STORY MOVIE

Abstract

This research explores the perlocutionary acts performed by the main characters in The Ron Clark Story movie, emphasizing the significance of language not only as a tool for communication but also as a means of influencing listeners. The study aims to identify and classify the types of perlocutionary acts used by the main characters and explain their effects on other characters. A qualitative method with a discourse analysis approach was employed. Data were collected from the utterances of the main characters and analyzed using Geoffrey Leech’s theory of perlocutionary acts. The findings reveal 45 instances of perlocutionary acts classified into seven types: persuasion (7), encouragement (10), inspiration (7), attention-getting (4), getting the hearer to do something (10), getting the hearer to think (3), and bringing the hearer to learn (4). Encouragement and getting the hearer to do something were the most frequently occurring types. These results demonstrate that Ron Clark frequently uses language not only to give instructions but also to motivate, inspire, and persuade his students. This highlights the importance of perlocutionary acts in shaping students’ attitudes, motivation, and engagement with learning as depicted in the movie