An Analysis of Imperative Sentences in the Drama Series Alice in Borderland Episode 1

Abstract

This study aims to identify and analyze the forms and types of imperative sentences found in episode one of the Japanese drama “Alice in Borderland.” The main focus is on the pragmatic classification of imperatives based on Makino & Tsutsui (1996) and the analysis of direct and indirect forms based on Rahardi’s (2006) framework. This research employs a qualitative descriptive approach, using non-participant observation techniques through listening and note-taking. The results indicate that 70 imperative utterances were identified, consisting of 37 direct and 33 indirect imperative sentences. Findings show that the directive form (meirei) is the most dominant among the utterances, followed by prohibition (kinshi), invitation (kanyuu), and request (irai). Indirect imperative forms are generally used to maintain politeness, while direct imperatives appear in emotionally charged or urgent contexts. This study emphasizes the importance of context in Japanese language learning, particularly in understanding pragmatic and sociolinguistic aspects.
Keywords: imperative sentence, pragmatics, speech act, Japanese drama, Alice in Borderland.