FLOUTING MAXIMS IN MY LIFE WITH THE WALTER BOYS SERIES

Authors

  • Bella Rosyidatul Masitoh Prasetyanto Universitas Negeri Surabaya
  • Lisetyo Ariyanti Universitas Negeri Surabaya

Keywords:

Communication Accommodation, Flouting Maxims, Cooperative Principles, Social Adaptation, My Life With The Walter Boys Series

Abstract

 

ABSTRAK. Penelitian ini mengkaji cara Jackie Howard, tokoh dalam serial My Life with the Walter Boys, saat ia harus menyesuaikan diri dengan lingkungan sosial baru pasca kehilangan seluruh keluarganya dan harus pindah ke kediaman keluarga Walter. Data percakapan kemudian diteliti menggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif dengan mengaplikasikan kerangka kerja analisis data Miles, Huberman, dan Saldaña (2014). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Jackie secara taktis melanggar keempat maksim Grice (1975); yaitu Kuantitas, Kualitas, Relevansi, dan Cara. Pelanggaran maksim tersebut dieksekusi melalui empat mekanisme linguistik spesifik: penggunaan respons minimal untuk membatasi informasi, penyusunan alasan logis yang dibuat-buat, penggunaan pengalihan abstrak untuk mengubah topik yang mengganggu, serta penggunaan ketidaklancaran berbicara sebagai instrumen penghentian percakapan. Lebih lanjut, analisis menunjukkan bahwa manuver pragmatik ini berfungsi sama seperti Teori Akomodasi Komunikasi (Giles, 2014) secara dominan sebagai strategi Divergensi. Jackie menggunakan rentetan pelanggaran maksim ini sebagai tameng linguistik untuk menjaga jarak relasional, menolak asimilasi, dan mempertahankan otonomi emosionalnya di lingkungan baru, di samping penggunaan Konvergensi dan Pemeliharaan yang sangat selektif. Kesimpulannya, pelanggaran maksim dalam konteks ini bukanlah sebuah kegagalan komunikasi, melainkan alat taktis yang penuh perhitungan untuk mengelola batasan sosial.

 

Kata kunci: Flouting Maksim; Prinsip Kerja Sama; Teori Akomodasi Komunikasi; Serial TV My Life With The Walter Boys; Adaptasi sosial

 

ABSTRACT. This research examines Jackie Howard, character in My Life with the Walter Boys series, as she adjusts to a new social environment following the death of her family and the need to relocate to the Walter family household. The conversational data is analyzed using a descriptive qualitative method based on Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña’s (2014) analytical framework. The findings reveal that Jackie tactically flouts all four Gricean Maxims (1975); Quantity, Quality, Relation, and Manner. These pragmatic flouting are executed through specific linguistic mechanisms: utilizing minimal responses to restrict information output, constructing fabricated logical pretexts, employing abstract deflections to shift intrusive topics, and using speech disfluencies as an emergency conversational brake. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that this systematic flouting functions as in Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT; Giles, 2014) predominantly as a Divergence strategy. Jackie weaponizes these linguistic maneuvers as a protective shield to maintain relational distance, resist forced assimilation, and preserve her emotional autonomy in her new environment, alongside highly selective use of Convergence and Maintenance. In conclusion, the non-observance of maxims in this context is not a communication failure but a calculated linguistic instrument for social boundary management.

 

 

ABSTRAK. Penelitian ini mengkaji cara Jackie Howard, tokoh dalam serial My Life with the Walter Boys, saat ia harus menyesuaikan diri dengan lingkungan sosial baru pasca kehilangan seluruh keluarganya dan harus pindah ke kediaman keluarga Walter. Data percakapan kemudian diteliti menggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif dengan mengaplikasikan kerangka kerja analisis data Miles, Huberman, dan Saldaña (2014). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Jackie secara taktis melanggar keempat maksim Grice (1975); yaitu Kuantitas, Kualitas, Relevansi, dan Cara. Pelanggaran maksim tersebut dieksekusi melalui empat mekanisme linguistik spesifik: penggunaan respons minimal untuk membatasi informasi, penyusunan alasan logis yang dibuat-buat, penggunaan pengalihan abstrak untuk mengubah topik yang mengganggu, serta penggunaan ketidaklancaran berbicara sebagai instrumen penghentian percakapan. Lebih lanjut, analisis menunjukkan bahwa manuver pragmatik ini berfungsi sama seperti Teori Akomodasi Komunikasi (Giles, 2014) secara dominan sebagai strategi Divergensi. Jackie menggunakan rentetan pelanggaran maksim ini sebagai tameng linguistik untuk menjaga jarak relasional, menolak asimilasi, dan mempertahankan otonomi emosionalnya di lingkungan baru, di samping penggunaan Konvergensi dan Pemeliharaan yang sangat selektif. Kesimpulannya, pelanggaran maksim dalam konteks ini bukanlah sebuah kegagalan komunikasi, melainkan alat taktis yang penuh perhitungan untuk mengelola batasan sosial.

 

Kata kunci: Flouting Maksim; Prinsip Kerja Sama; Teori Akomodasi Komunikasi; Serial TV My Life With The Walter Boys; Adaptasi sosial

 

ABSTRACT. This research examines Jackie Howard, character in My Life with the Walter Boys series, as she adjusts to a new social environment following the death of her family and the need to relocate to the Walter family household. The conversational data is analyzed using a descriptive qualitative method based on Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña’s (2014) analytical framework. The findings reveal that Jackie tactically flouts all four Gricean Maxims (1975); Quantity, Quality, Relation, and Manner. These pragmatic flouting are executed through specific linguistic mechanisms: utilizing minimal responses to restrict information output, constructing fabricated logical pretexts, employing abstract deflections to shift intrusive topics, and using speech disfluencies as an emergency conversational brake. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that this systematic flouting functions as in Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT; Giles, 2014) predominantly as a Divergence strategy. Jackie weaponizes these linguistic maneuvers as a protective shield to maintain relational distance, resist forced assimilation, and preserve her emotional autonomy in her new environment, alongside highly selective use of Convergence and Maintenance. In conclusion, the non-observance of maxims in this context is not a communication failure but a calculated linguistic instrument for social boundary management.

 

Keywords: Flouting maxims; Cooperative Principles; Communication Accommodation Theory; My Life With The Walter Boys TV Series; Social Adaptation

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References

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Published

2026-09-03

How to Cite

Prasetyanto, B. R. M., & Ariyanti, L. (2026). FLOUTING MAXIMS IN MY LIFE WITH THE WALTER BOYS SERIES. Language Horizon: Journal of Language Studies, 14(1). Retrieved from https://ejournal.unesa.ac.id/index.php/language-horizon/article/view/81221

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