The particular dialect or language that a person chooses to use on any occasion is called a code 4155 Copyright © 2025 The Author IDEAS is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 License Issued by English study program of IAIN Palopo IDEAS Journal on Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) Volume 13, Number 2, December 2025 pp. 4155 - 4172 Analysis of Mood and Speech Function Found in “La La Land 2016” Movie Ika Shakila Maharani1, Nargis2, Ikhfi Imaniah3 1,2,3Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Muhammadiyah Tangerang, Banten Corresponding E-Mail: ika.shakila@umt.ac,id Received: 2025-06-28 Accepted: 2025-08-13 DOI: 10.24256/ideas. v13i2.7321 Abstract This study investigates the use of mood and speech functions in the film La La Land (2016), focusing on how these linguistic elements contribute to character interactions and emotional narratives. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive method, the research analyzes dialogues between the main characters, Mia and Sebastian, to identify the dominant types of mood and speech functions. The findings reveal that the Declarative Mood is the most prevalent, accounting for 10 out of 15 instances analyzed, facilitating the exchange of information and expression of internal states. Additionally, the Referential Function emerges as the dominant speech function, comprising 8 out of 27 total functions analyzed, underscoring the characters' use of language to convey facts and context. The study highlights the significance of understanding mood and speech functions in film dialogues and offering insights into character dynamics, particularly in how Mia and Sebastian navigate their relationship through expressive and directive language. Keywords: Mood, Speech Function, Pragmatics, La La Land , Movie Dialogue, Linguistic Analysis Introduction Linguistics is a comprehensive scientific study of language, exploring the structure, meaning, and use of language in various contexts. As a dynamic branch of science, linguistics does not simply record the rules of language, but also explains how human minds form words, the reasons for choosing certain expressions, and the meaning behind everyday conversations (Saadah, 2023). Pragmatics is the field of linguistics that examines the relationship between speech function and the form of the sentence that express the intent of the utterance in communication (Ariyadi et al., 2021). Every utterance created a meaning that has a relation between context and intention (Gea, 2020). Pragmatic emphasizes that meaning does not only result from grammatical structures but http://u.lipi.go.id/1457703302 mailto:ika.shakila@umt.ac,id Ika Shakila Maharani, Nargis, Ikhfi Imaniah Analysis of Mood and Speech Function Found in “La La Land 2016” Movie 4156 is formed through complex interactions between situational context, speakers' intentions, and social relations (Gardner et al., 2014). In the context of movies, language has a much more complex function than just a means of communication. A movie is a form of visual communication that uses moving images and sound to convey a message (Larasati et al., 2022), and according to (Yan 2016) movies are spaces where language plays an important role in shaping emotions, revealing character conflicts, and guiding audience interpretation. Dialogue in movies is not just a conversation but also a medium to portray emotions, build tension, and connect the audience to the narrative. Linguistic concepts that are interesting to explore in movies are mood and speech function. Mood is the grammatical resource for realizing an interactive move in dialogue ( Martin et. al. 2011 in (Ilham, 2019)). Mood is not just a grammatical mechanism but a window to understand the psychological and emotional perspectives of speakers (Saadah, 2023). There are three main types: declarative, which is used to state information or statements; interrogative, which is used to ask questions, with subcategories of yes-no for questions and WH for questions that want more specific information; and imperative, which is used to command (Halliday & Matthiessen's 2014). Speech functions are the terms used to study various utterances using and the function in speech ( Wilany 2018 in (Praditya, 2022)). Furthermore, the expression of speech function in different contexts has repeatedly involved considerations of politeness (Holmes, 2013). The basic function of language seems to be based on the main elements of each interaction, namely the speaker (expressive), the addressee (directive), the message (referential), and the phatic function also has an important it conveying emotional or social messages rather than just referential messages (Holmes, 2013). The ability to understand and use speech functions appropriately demonstrates social intelligence and communication skills. Speech as a communication skill is one of the speaking activities that belongs to interpersonal meaning (Widiyanto et al., 2022). Gender communication patterns refer to differences in communication styles between men and women. Differences in communication patterns between men and women can include speaking styles, use of body language, use of word or phrase peculiarities, and communication preferences that may differ between genders (Sihabudin, 2022). Generally, men tend to speak assertively and directly, emphasizing facts and arguments, while women prefer a collaborative speaking style, focusing on building relationships and paying attention to the emotions of the person they are talking to ( Wati et al. 2017). In terms of body language, men often display strong movements and a steady posture, while women are more expressive with subtle movements and more intense eye contact (Tjahyadi & Faishal, 2021). IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 4157 Previous research has shown that mood plays a significant role in dialogue comprehension and teaching English as a foreign language. For instance, studies like "Mood Analysis of Little Women Movie Script in Contribution for Teach ELT Classroom" reveal that declarative moods dominate dialogues while imperative moods appear less frequently. This highlights how mood influences dialogue comprehension and supports teaching methods based on film. Additionally analyzing speech functions provides insights into character interactions. Research such as "Analysis Speech Function Used in a Movie Frozen II" indicates that expressive functions dominate dialogues, reflecting characters emotional expressions and adding depth to their narratives. These findings underscore the importance of understanding mood and speech functions for interpreting character relationships and themes. This film is chosen not only for as a romantic musical but also for its strong, emotionally charged narrative conveyed heavily through character interactions and nuanced dialogue. The film's unique blend of realism and musical fantasy provides a compelling context to investigate how linguistic choices, particularly Mood and Speech Functions, contribute to its complex emotional atmosphere and the relational dynamics between its main characters, Mia and Sebastian. Linguistic research in film has undergone significant development, focusing on the analysis of mood and speech function. Although a number of previous studies have examined linguistic aspects in film, such as "Mood Analysis of Little Women Movie Script in Contribution for Teach ELT Classroom" indicates that declarative mood dominates the dialogue in the Little Women script, while imperative mood appears less frequently. These findings highlight the impact of mood usage in dialogue on understanding and teaching English, supporting the development of film-based teaching methods. Additionally, speech function analysis plays a crucial role in understanding communication dynamics among characters (Sani et al., 2023). Another study "Analysis Speech Function Used in a Movie Frozen II" found that expressive functions dominate the dialogue at 47%, followed by directive (31%) and referential (22%) functions. This indicates how characters in Frozen II often express their emotions through dialogue, adding depth to their characterization and narrative complexity. These results provide valuable context for speech function analysis in other films, including La La Land, where understanding mood and speech functions can enrich character interpretation and thematic exploration (Made & Sinta, 2024). This study focuses on two main points first, how mood is utilized in the dialogues of La La Land, particularly concerning the main characters, to create an emotionally rich atmosphere within the storyline. Second, how speech functions manifest in conversations between these characters to convey their intentions and relational dynamics. It is still rare to specifically examine the relations between mood and speech function in movies, especially in genres such as musical. This Ika Shakila Maharani, Nargis, Ikhfi Imaniah Analysis of Mood and Speech Function Found in “La La Land 2016” Movie 4158 research offers new approach by focusing on the romantic musical movie La La Land. Through a more in-depth analysis, this research will investigate and examine the types of mood and speech functions in this movie, to reveal how these two elements play a role in communicating narrative and emotion. Method This study employed a qualitative descriptive method, aiming to identify and analyze the types of Mood and Speech Function used in the La La Land (2016) movie. The qualitative research method is an approach used to understand social phenomena and human behavior in a natural context (Sugiyono, 2022), and according to (Taufik et al., 2023) qualitative is an inductive approach and its aim is to gain a deep understanding of a person's or group's experiences. Consistent with qualitative methodology, the researcher served as the primary instrument in this study, given the interpretive nature of linguistic analysis. The data source for this study was the La La Land (2016) movie. This film tells the story of Mia Dolan, an aspiring actress, and Sebastian Wilder, a dedicated jazz musician, as they pursue their dreams in Los Angeles while navigating the complexities of their developing romantic relationship. Data were collected using a document analysis method. The researcher meticulously watched the entire movie to understand its context and identify key dialogues. Subsequently, all dialogues exchanged between the main characters (Mia and Sebastian) were transcribed to form the raw data. A note-taking technique was then employed to select and record utterances pertinent to Mood and Speech Function analysis. The data analysis was systematically carried out in three main steps. First, the transcribed dialogues were classified based on their mood types; declarative/statement, interrogative/question, imperative/command (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2014), by identifying their characteristic grammatical patterns. Second, these utterances were also identified and categorized according to Speech Function types (expressive, directive, referential, metalinguistic, poetic, phatic) as proposed by (Holmes, 2013). Third, the most dominant types of mood and speech function used in the La La Land 2016 movie. To ensure the validity of the research findings, triangulation techniques were applied, specifically source triangulation. This involved re-watching the film repeatedly to verify context, checking transcribed dialogues against subtitles for accuracy, and ensuring data consistency. IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 4159 Results 1. Type of Mood Used In La La Land 2016 movie This subsection discusses the types of moods used in film, following the theory of (Halliday & Matthiessen's 2014). The mood is classified into declarative, interrogative, and imperative depending on how the speaker structures the clauses to express meaning. The data was taken from the La La Land 2016 movie, featuring dialogue from the main characters, Mia and Sebastian. The following graph summarizes the types of moods found in the data: Declarative Declarative Mood is a type of sentence whose purpose is to provide information or make a statement. Data 1. Mia:"I love being around this stuff." (1:20:03) Explanation: This statement directly conveys the speaker's feelings and preferences, offering this information to the listener. Data 2. Mia:"I'm happy for you." (1:06:47) Explanation: This is a direct statement that expresses the speaker's feelings of happiness and support for the listener. Data 3. Mia: “I left college after two years to come here." (1:21:00) Explanation: This factual statement provides information about the speaker's past decision and action (leaving college to come to this place). 0 5 10 15 20 Fr eq u en cy Mood Type 1. Declarative 2. Interrogative 3. Imperative Total Ika Shakila Maharani, Nargis, Ikhfi Imaniah Analysis of Mood and Speech Function Found in “La La Land 2016” Movie 4160 Data 4. Mia: "This is my classroom." (1:26:19). Explanation: This is a statement that clearly provides information about the identity or ownership of the object (the classroom). Data 5. Mia: "I got a call back." (1:35:00) Explanation: This is a factual statement informing the listener that the speaker has received a callback, likely in the context of an audition or job application. Data 6. Mia: "I'm always going to love you." (1:42:55) Explanation: This is a statement conveying a strong emotional commitment, expressing the speaker's enduring feelings of love. Data 7. Mia and Sebastian: "You should come to Boise." (1:18:40) Explanation: Although serving as a strong suggestion or invitation, this is grammatically a statement presenting an idea or course of action to the listener. Data 8. Mia: "You need to get serious." (1:19:22) Explanation: This statement conveys information by emphasizing the necessity for the listener to take something seriously or to act in a more serious manner. Data 9. Mia: "You have to be quiet if you want me." (1:33:36) Explanation: This statement delivers information about a necessity or demand, emphasizing the requirement for the listener to be quiet. Data 10. Sebastian: "You need to make sense." (1:33:37) Explanation: This is a statement of what is expected or required of the listener, indicating that clarity or logical understanding needs to be achieved. Interrogative Interrogative mood is used to ask for information or ask something specific using the word question (what, where, when, who, why, how). IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 4161 Data 11. Sebastian: "How's the play going?" (1:17:52) Explanation: An interrogative ("How") question that asks for information about the status or development of a thing. Data 12. Mia: “What do you mean 'just an actress'?" (1:22:14) Explanation: An interrogative ("What") question that asks for clarification or information about the meaning of a phrase or statement. The form is clearly to demand information from the listener. Data 13. Mia: "What are you doing here?" (1:39:03) Explanation: Wh-interrogative ("What") questions that ask for factual information about a person's actions or whereabouts. Data 14. Mia: "How is she?" (1:45:40) Explanation: Wh-interrogative ("How") questions that ask for information about a person's condition or condition. Imperative Imperative mood is used to instruct or command someone to do something. Data 15. Mia: "Tell her I'll call her back in two minutes." (1:08:17) Explanation: This is an example of a clear imperative. Sentences start directly with the basic form of the verb ("Tell"). The goal is to demand action from the listener, that is, to convey the message. In conclusion, the declarative mood is the most dominant mood type in the film La La Land. In the analyzed data, Mia significantly more frequently uses this mood type to convey information and her feelings compared to Sebastian. Meanwhile, the Interrogative Mood appears less often, with Mia also showing a more frequent use for asking for information or clarification. The imperative mood is the least used, and in the data found, it is only used by Mia to give commands. Ika Shakila Maharani, Nargis, Ikhfi Imaniah Analysis of Mood and Speech Function Found in “La La Land 2016” Movie 4162 2. Type of Speech Function In La La Land 2016 Movie This section presents a classification of speech functions found in the film La La Land (2016), based on the framework of (Holmes 2013). The data collected from selected dialogues is categorized into several types of speech functions. Data on the types of speech functions are shown in the following graph: Expressive An expressive statement states what the speaker feels or expresses to someone else (Sanastia & Candria, 2022). Its main purpose is to reveal the speaker's inner state, not to convey new information to the listener. Data 16. M i a : “It hurts a little bit too much." (1:34:44) Explanation: This sentence explanation directly reveals Mia's internal feelings ("hurts" = pain). The meaning you give is very precise, which is about emotional pain. This is an example of an expressive function because its main purpose is to express what the speaker is feeling. Data 17. Mia: "I'm always going to love you." (1:42:55) Explanation: This sentence expresses the speaker's personal feelings of "love" for the interlocutor emotionally and intimately. No requests, orders, or factual information are conveyed but rather explicit expressions of emotions. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 Fr eq u en cy Speech Function Type Sentence Function Type Expressive Directive Referential Metalinguistic IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 4163 Data 18. Mia: "I'm happy for you." (1:06:47) Explanation: The phrase "I'm happy" explicitly expresses the speaker's feelings (happiness). The meaning you give also suggests that it is an expression of emotional support, although there are complex nuances behind it, the point remains on the expression of feelings. Data 19. Mia: "I don't know what I thought." (1:08:03) Explanation: This sentence directly expresses the speaker's mental state of confusion ("I don't know"). Confusion is an internal condition that is part of a person's emotions or attitudes towards a situation. Data 20. Mia: "I love being around this stuff." (1:20:03) Explanation: The phrase "I love being around this stuff" directly expresses a strong feeling of love or liking (positive emotions) for "this stuff" (referring to the world of art and entertainment in the context of movies). The main purpose of this speech is to share how the speaker feels about something, not just to provide factual information about preferences, but to highlight the intensity of those emotions. Directive Directive is a function that aims to influence listener behavior, i.e. to get listeners to do something (or not do something). This often takes the form of commands, requests, suggestions, or prohibitions. Data 21. Mia and Sebastian: "You should come to Boise." (1:18:40) Explanation: The word "should" here serve as a powerful suggestion or invitation. The goal is to influence Sebastian's actions (to get him to come to Boise). The meaning you provide ("invite") also supports the directive function. Data 22. Mia: “Tell her I'll call her back in two minutes." (1:08:17) Explanation: The verb "Tell" is imperative (command). Mia clearly asks Sebastian to do an action deliver a message. This is a very clear example of a directive function. Ika Shakila Maharani, Nargis, Ikhfi Imaniah Analysis of Mood and Speech Function Found in “La La Land 2016” Movie 4164 Data 23. Mia: "You need to get serious." (1:19:22) Explanation: The phrase "You need to" is a powerful form of suggestion or demand. The goal is to influence Sebastian to change his behavior to be more serious. Data 24. Mia: "You have to be quiet if you want me." (1:33:36) Explanation: phrase "You have to" is a very strong form of command or obligation. Mia is demanding a behavior from the listener (silence) as a condition. This is a directive. The meaning you gave was correct, which was the emphasis on clear communication, and to achieve that, Mia issued a demand. Data 25. Sebastian: "You need to make sense." (1:33:37) Explanation: the phrase "You need to" is a strong demand or suggestion. Mia demands that Sebastian speak clearly and logically (make sense) so that he can understand. Referential Referential is a function that focuses on conveying information or facts about the world. The goal is to tell, explain, or describe something. This is the function most often associated with language. Data 26. Mia: "I got a call back." (1:35:00) Explanation: This sentence conveys factual information about the event ("I got a call back"). While there can be emotional implications (hope/enthusiasm), its main function is to inform about an event. Data 27. Mia: "I grew up in Boulder City, Nevada." (1:21:50) Explanation: This is a factual statement about the speaker's life background (where she grew up). Providing context about its origins, helps to understand its background. Data 28. Mia: “I left college after 2 years to come here” (1:21:00) Explanation: This is a presentation of factual information about Mia's past decisions and the reasons for them. She explained that she left her formal education in college after two years to pursue something more IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 4165 important to her, which was to come to where she is today (most likely to pursue a career in the art or acting world). Data 29. Mia: "I was in a traveling theater company." (1:22:00) Explanation: This sentence provides factual information about Mia's professional experience. The goal is to tell the listener about a part of his or her life history. Data 30. Mia: "This is my classroom." (1:26:19) Explanation: Although there is a sense of ownership, the main function of this sentence is to identify and inform about a place. "This is my classroom" is a factual statement about the identity of a place. The sense of ownership is an implication, not the primary function of speech itself. Data 31. Mia: "I just thought." (1:07:58) Explanation: Referential functions focus on conveying information or facts about the world. In the "I just thought" sentence, the speaker tells that he has just thought of something. This sentence reports the existence of an idea in his mind, not expressing emotions. Data 32. Mia:” What are you doing here?" (1:39:03) Explanation: Referential functions also include requests for information or facts. The sentence "What are you doing here?" is a question that aims to get concrete and factual information about the activity (what is being done) or the existence (why are you here) of the interlocutor in a place. Data 33. M i a : “How is she?" (1:45:40) Explanation: The sentence "How is she?" has the main purpose of asking or conveying information about the state or condition of "she" (she). This is a hallmark of the referential function, which focuses on the content of the message about the external world or facts. Metalinguistic Metalinguistic is a function used when language is used to talk about the language itself. Its purpose is to clarify, define, or explain linguistic aspects, such as the meaning of words, grammar, or the use of terms. Ika Shakila Maharani, Nargis, Ikhfi Imaniah Analysis of Mood and Speech Function Found in “La La Land 2016” Movie 4166 Data 34. M i a : "What do you mean 'just an actress'?" (1:22:14) Explanation: Mia is questioning the meaning of the phrase "just an actress". He asked for clarification on how the words were used or interpreted by others, and what the implications of using the word "just" were in that context. Data 35. Sebastian: “What do you mean the long haul?” (1:19:50) Explanation: Mia asked for a definition or clarification on the meaning of the phrase "the long haul". He didn't know what the phrase meant in the context of the conversation. It is a question of the meaning of an expression, which is a hallmark of a metalinguistic function. Data 36. Sebastian: “What do you mean?" (1:22:41) Explanation: Metalinguistic functions occur when a person uses language to discuss the language itself. For example, when saying "What do you mean?", the speaker is asking about the meaning of a word or sentence that the person they are talking to is just saying. The goal is to ensure that they understand each other. Poetic Poetic "function" is determined by the user's choices and combinations for a certain communicative and stylistic effect in a particular setting (Khashimova et al., 2021) that focuses on the form of the message itself, not just its content . The goal is to draw attention to the beauty or structure of language, often through rhyme, rhythm, style, or wordplay. It is often found in poetry, advertisements, or literary works. Data 37. Sebastian: “City of stars, are you shining just for me?" (1:09:04) Explanation: This is a song lyric rich in imagery (city of stars shining), evocative rhetorical questions, and beautiful language style. Although there is an expressive meaning (hope/dream), its poetic function stands out for its attention to how the message is conveyed (the beauty of the metaphor, the personification of the city). Data 38. Sebastian: "There's so much that I can't see." (1:09:09) IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 4167 Explanation: The beauty of this sentence lies in how it conveys the meaning of uncertainty figuratively, rather than simply stating facts. It creates a picture of things that are not seen or have not yet been revealed. Data 39. Sebastian and Mia: "What a waste of a lovely night." (1:10:34) Explanation: This is a very evaluative and emotional expression, but what makes it poetic is the choice of words and the way it is delivered that is dramatic or aesthetic ("waste of a lovely night"). It's not just "I'm sorry", but rather framed in a more empowering way and draws attention to the construction of the phrase. Data 40. Mia: "Here's to the hearts that break." (1:40:05) Explanation: This is a congratulatory or tribute that is highly symbolic and figurative. The use of "hearts that break" is a metaphor for people who suffer or experience heartbreak. His focus on how the idea is conveyed (figuratively and memorably) makes him very poetic. Phatic Phatic is a function used to establish, maintain, or end social contact between speakers and listeners. It does not convey information, but only keeps the conversation open (Hamdoun, 2024). Its purpose is not to convey substantive information, but to ensure that the communication channel remains open or to show a desire to communicate. Data 41. Sebastian: “How's the play going?" (1:17:52) Explanation: This is a common question that aims to start or maintain a conversation, show interest and show concern in the lives of others. Data 42. Sebastian: “How are you?" (1:29:36) Explanation: This sentence is not really intended to get information about the condition of the interlocutor, but rather to start, maintain, or maintain the flow of communication in a polite and friendly manner. In conclusion, the referential function is the most dominant speech function in the film La La Land, used intensively to convey facts and Ika Shakila Maharani, Nargis, Ikhfi Imaniah Analysis of Mood and Speech Function Found in “La La Land 2016” Movie 4168 information that are important to the narrative. In addition, the expressive function and the Directive Function are also very prominent. Mia, in particular, shows strong dominance in all three functions, often using language to share experiences, express feelings, and influence Sebastian's actions. On the other, Sebastian exhibits a different pattern. He tends to use the metalinguistic function more frequently to clarify meaning, the Phatic Function to establish and maintain relationships, and the Poetic Function, particularly in song lyrics, which focuses on the beauty of language. Discussion 1. The Most Dominant Types of Mood and Speech Function Used in the La La Land (2016) Movie This section presents the findings regarding the most dominant types of Mood and Speech Function observed in the dialogues of the La La Land (2016) movie. The analysis reveals patterns in how characters construct their utterances and the primary communicative intentions behind their speech, reflecting the film's narrative and character dynamics. Dominant Mood Type: The analysis reveals that the Declarative Mood is the most dominant type, accounting for 10 out of 15 instances analyzed. This prevalence indicates that characters primarily engage in exchanging information, stating facts, and expressing their internal thoughts and feelings. This dominance aligns with Halliday's (1994) Systemic Functional Linguistics, where the declarative mood primarily serves the function of "giving information." Dominant Speech Function Type: Referential emerged as the most dominant speech function in La La Land (2016), accounting for 8 of the 27 total functions analyzed. This indicates that characters frequently use language to convey information, describe events, or state facts. This function is important for establishing context and driving the plot forward. Sentences such as “I got a call back,” “I grew up in Boulder City, Nevada,” and “This is my class” serve to provide information about personal backgrounds or current situations. Even questions like “What are you doing here?” or “How is she?” fall under the referential function because their primary purpose is to obtain factual information. 2. Comparison with Previous Research: The findings regarding the types of mood in La La Land are generally consistent with previous research on cinematic dialogue, such as “Mood Analysis of Little Women Movie Script” (Sani et al. 2023), which also found a dominance of IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 4169 declarative mood. This suggests that dialogue in narrative films, regardless of their specific genre, tends to rely heavily on statements to convey information, develop the plot, and explore character internalities. However, in terms of Speech Function, our findings regarding Referential as the most dominant type in La La Land present a striking difference from “Analysis of Speech Function Used in the Movie Frozen II” (Made and Sinta 2024), where expressive functions dominate. This difference may stem from differing narrative focuses: while Frozen II explores overt emotional expression within a fantasy setting, La La Land emphasizes practicality and factual reality in pursuing dreams in a competitive city, thereby requiring more referential exchanges to convey concrete information and plot points. This comparison underscores how genre and thematic focus can shape the linguistic patterns of cinematic dialogue. 3. Conversation Patterns Based on Gender: Qualitative observations reveal potential differences in communication patterns between Mia and Sebastian. Differences in communication patterns between men and women can include speaking styles, use of body language, use of word or phrase peculiarities, and communication preferences that may differ between genders (Sihabudin 2022). For example, initial observations may show. Mia uses more expressive language when discussing her dreams, while Sebastian may use more declarative statements about the history of jazz. Such patterns may reflect gender-based communication styles or specific aspects of their characters that contribute to their individual roles in the narrative. 4. Research Limitations This study, while providing valuable insights into Mood and Speech Function in the dialogue of La La Land, has certain limitations. First, the analysis is limited to 15 utterances for Mood and 27 for Speech Function, which, while providing a basic pattern, does not cover the entire dialogue of the main characters. Second, the interpretive nature of qualitative analysis, despite employing triangulation of sources and analysts, inherently involves a degree of researcher subjectivity. Third, this study primarily focuses on linguistic features (Mood) and their direct communicative functions (Speech Function), with less detailed exploration of pragmatic nuances such as implied meaning, sarcasm, or complex politeness strategies, which could also enrich the analysis. 5. Practical Benefits The findings of this study offer several practical benefits. For language analysis, understanding the dominance of declarative Mood and referential Speech Function in popular films such as La La Land can enrich linguistic studies on how language is used in the counter-appreciation of cinematic dialogue. It provides insights into how grammatical structures (Mood) realize various communicative Ika Shakila Maharani, Nargis, Ikhfi Imaniah Analysis of Mood and Speech Function Found in “La La Land 2016” Movie 4170 intentions (Speech Function). For film analysis and criticism, this study demonstrates a systematic linguistic approach to understanding how dialogue contributes to character development, emotional expression, and narrative messages, moving beyond thematic interpretation alone. This research can also serve as a foundation for interdisciplinary research combining linguistics with film or media studies. 6. Suggestions for Further Research For future research, it is recommended to expand this study by: Conducting a comparative analysis of Mood and Speech Function across various film genre (action, drama, comedy) to understand genre-specific linguistic variations. Exploring the evolution of these linguistic patterns in character dialogue throughout the entire film or series, investigating how they change as characters and plots develop. Investigating their impact on audience reception and interpretation, possibly through reception studies involving audience surveys or qualitative interviews. Delving into the nuanced manifestations of less dominant but significant functions such as poetic or metalinguistic functions, or exploring pragmatic aspects such as implicature and politeness in more detail in dialogue. Conducting cross-cultural studies that analyse films from various linguistic backgrounds to provide valuable insights into universal and culturally specific patterns in dialogue. Focusing on individual character analysis to identify their individual linguistic characteristics and how they contribute to the overall narrative and character relationships. Conclusion This study analyzed the main characters' dialogues in La La Land (2016) to identify mood and speech functions. The findings show that Declarative Mood is the most dominant (10 out of 15 instances), indicating characters primarily convey information and personal feelings. Similarly, the Referential function is the most frequent speech function (8 out of 27 instances), highlighting a focus on providing factual information and describing events to advance the plot. In summary, La La Land effectively uses declarative and referential language to convey both narrative details and emotional depth, shaping character interactions and audience understanding. In suggestion, please describe your recommendation for further studies regarding your research implication. Acknowledgement This article was compiled independently by the researcher as part of the final requirements for a thesis. The researcher would like to express his deepest gratitude to my supervisors, Ms. Nargis M.Pd and Ms. Dr. Ikhfi Imaniah, M.Pd for their guidance, constructive input, and encouragement during the process of compiling this article. Although the guidance provided was very helpful in IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 4171 providing academic direction, all ideas, interpretations, data analysis, and final compilation of the article were carried out independently by the author. I am also grateful for the support of the academic environment and facilities that made it possible to complete this research. Without the support and direction that has been given, this article would not have been completed as it is today. References Ariyadi, A. D., HP, M. K., & Yudi Utomo, A. P. (2021). Analisis Tindak Tutur Ilokusi Film Pendek “Nanti Kita Cerita Tentang Hari Ini the Series Eps 01” Pada Kanal Youtube Toyotaindonesia. Sarasvati, 3(2), 215. https://doi.org/10.30742/sv.v3i2.1679 Arafah, B., Sirajuddin, J., Thayyib, M., Room, F., Takwa, T., & Anayati, W. (2023). Emotional Management of Defoe's Robinson Crusoe's Main Character. 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