e-Journal of Linguistics
Vol. 20 No. 1 (2026): January

The Realization of Interpersonal Meaning in Arabic–Indonesian Command Speech Acts of Farha Movie: A Systemic Functional Linguistics Study

Zahra Aulia Hanifa (Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia)
Mohamad Zaka Al Farisi (Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia)
Rinaldi Supriadi (Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
21 Jan 2026

Abstract

This study aims to examine how interpersonal meaning in Arabic command speech is realized in the film Farha (2021) and how it is transferred into Indonesian subtitles. Employing a descriptive qualitative method, the research draws on Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and directive speech act theory to analyze 117 command clauses taken from the film and its official subtitles. Each clause was examined through the interpersonal categories of mood, obligation, polarity, person, and tenor to assess the strength and equivalence of illocutionary force across languages. The findings indicate a predominant use of imperative mood, high obligation, positive polarity, and second-person forms, reflecting direct and hierarchical communication typical of conflict settings. Overall, the Indonesian subtitles maintain the core interpersonal force of the Arabic source text, though some shifts occur in obligation intensity, command merging, and lexical choices. This study contributes a systematic model for evaluating interpersonal equivalence in Arabic–Indonesian audiovisual translation.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

ejl

Publisher

Subject

Arts Humanities Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences

Description

This e-Journal of Linguistics is published by the Doctoral Studies Program of Linguistics of Udayana University Postgraduate Program and colaboration with APBL (Asosiasi Peneliti Bahasa Bahasa Lokal). The existence of the e-Journal of Linguistics aims to publish the results of linguistic ...