ELITERATE : Journal of English Linguistics and Literature Studies
Vol 5, No 1 (2025): ELITERATE : Journal of English Linguistics and Literature Studies

A STUDY OF SPEECH ACTS: PERLOCUTIONARY ACTS IN “THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB” MOVIE

Sagala, Stefanie Hasianna Natania (Unknown)
Amalia, Rizka (Unknown)
Dalimunthe, Amelia Az-zahra (Unknown)
Alya, Hikmah (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
26 Dec 2025

Abstract

Language plays a crucial role not only in conveying information but also in influencing others through speech, which makes the study of speech acts essential in understanding communication both in real life and in fictional contexts. While previous studies have widely examined locutionary and illocutionary acts, research focusing on perlocutionary acts, particularly in film dialogue, remains limited, leaving a gap in understanding how language in media elicits emotional or behavioral responses from audiences and characters. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the types of perlocutionary acts used in the movie The Thursday Murder Club based on Austin’s Speech Act Theory and Leech’s classification of perlocutionary effects. Using a qualitative descriptive method, the researchers identified and categorized selected utterances from the film’s dialogues into six perlocutionary types: persuade, encourage, irritate, deceive, attract action, and embarrass. The results show that persuasive acts are the most dominant, followed by irritation and encouragement, indicating that most dialogues are designed to influence and evoke emotional reactions among characters while maintaining the movie’s crime-comedy tone. These findings reveal that perlocutionary acts serve not only as linguistic expressions but also as narrative devices that enhance characterization, tension, and humor. In conclusion, this study underscores that language in film functions as a powerful medium for persuasion, emotion, and engagement, bridging the gap between linguistic theory and cinematic storytelling

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Journal Info

Abbrev

Eliterate

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

ELITERATE: Journal of English Linguistics and Literature Studies is a professional, double blind peer-reviewed journal that aims to involve scholars not only from Indonesia, but also from all international academic and professional community. The journal provides a platform for different theoretical ...