Lingual: Journal of Language & Culture (Volume 13, No.1, May 2022) English Department, Faculty of Humanities, Udayana University 41 CONVERSATIONAL MAXIMS USED BY BTS MEMBERS Nessa Aqila Anggraini, Usmi University of Indonesia nessanggraini@gmail.com Abstract The purpose of conversation is to deliver the message and receive it completely. Concerning the purpose of conversation, speaker and listener have their principal role to use language constructively. The objective of this study is to find out the use of conversational maxims by BTS members in their reality show by applying Grice’s theory of cooperative principle. This study also gives explanation regarding the types of conversational maxims that have been violated by BTS members. This study qualitative done. The data are the dialog among BTS members which violate the rule of the conversation. The result shows that maxim of quantity is the dominant one that BTS member violates. Keywords: conversational, maxims, cooperative principle, BTS I INTRODUCTION The goal of communication process is to convey the information and to understand that information smoothly. Concerning the purpose of conversation, speaker and listener have their principal role to use language constructively. It will enable common meaning to be produced and the understanding to be occurred. Yet, the communication process does not always run smoothly without any obstacle, especially the communication in daily conversation. Grice (1975:39) names an issue which called implicature phenomenon when the unpredicted response lead to misinterpretation among the speaker and hearer. In identifying and classifying this phenomenon, Grice (1975:45) propose the cooperative principle as a rule of conversation. He named it as violation of maxims; maxim of quality, maxim of quantity, maxim of relation, and maxim of manner. The maxim of quality happened when the speaker or listener is not telling the truth about something. The maxim of quantity, where the speaker or listener give much information than needed. The maxim of relation, where the feedback of the conversation is not relevant at all. The maxim of manner, when the speaker or listener give unclear information that causing ambiguity. Some of researcher that analysed the theory of implicature, Syafryadin (2020) which analysed students’ conversation and found that there were two types of implicature namely conventional and conversational implicature. In other side, Sayyid (2020) study shows that the most violated maxim in Beauty and the Beast movie is maxim of quantity. It is also happened to the study by Akmal (2020) which discover that the frequent use of flouting maxim of quantity occurred more frequent than other in the Kingdom of Heaven movie script by William Monahan. As one of the biggest groups in the world, people will look up to BTS as group which influence most of the young generation. This phenomenon makes the writer interested to analyse BTS utterances in BTS Run reality show. Furthermore, the writer hopes can show the reason why the implicit meaning is used by BTS in impartial manner. So that the reader can understand the speaker’s want and make them wiser in order to make good response to the speaker. As mention before, this research deals with the Pragmatics Implicature behaviour. By understanding the significances of the issue, the main problem that will be analysed in this research is the conversational maxims used by BTS members in the BTS Run reality show. II MATERIALS AND METHOD Data source took from the one of the famous Korean broadcasting, V application which can be access in Play Store or App Store. The study was qualitatively done. This study used the theory of implicature and cooperative principle which proposed by Grice (1975) to determine the type of conversational implicature and identify the cooperative principle as the rule of conversation. Cresswell (1998) state that qualitative method is the process of analysis where the writer is compiled all the task such as collecting, analysing, and composing the data in detail but not involved with the data since this study dealt with utterances. Ary, et al (2002) also affirm that in process analysing a conversation, the writer need some recorded material such as recording and textbooks. mailto:nessanggraini@gmail.com 42 | Nessa Aqila Anggraini, Usmi Lingual (Vol. 13, No.1, 2022) III RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 MAXIM OF QUANTITY Jungkook: V앱에 대해 어떻게 생각하세요? Vaeb-e daehae eotteohge saeng-gaghaseyo? What do you think about V-app?’ RM: 이보다 긍정적인 의미를 지닌 알파벳이 있을까요? 비전, 시각, 가치, 다양함, 다양함 iboda geungjeongjeog-in uimileul jinin alpabes-i iss-eulkkayo? bijeon, sigag, gachi, dayangham, dayangham ‘Is there any alphabet that has more positive connotation? Vision, visual, value, vary, variety, various’ The conversation above occurs in the first episode of BTS Run reality show which was aired on August 1st, 2015. In this episode, all of the members were introducing themselves and their special ability to the viewers. They were given several questions about V application. Since it was the first episode, the members give their own opinions enthusiastically. From the conversation above, the utterance of is there any alphabet that has more positive connotation? vision, visual, value, vary, variety, various is regarded the maxim of quantity because he gives more information than needed. One of the rules of maxim quantity is to not make your response more informative than already required. The utterance V-live app is good is enough to answer interviewer’s question. Jimin: 놀이기구 개발하는 사람들 이해가 안 돼요. 그들이 나를 두려워하는 이유는 무엇입니까? nol-igigu gaebalhaneun salamdeul ihaega an dwaeyo. geudeul-i naleul dulyeowohaneun iyuneun mueos- ibnikka? ‘I don’t understand those who develop rides. Why do they terrify me?’ RM: 누구나 중력에 저항하고 싶어한다. nuguna junglyeog-e jeohanghago sip-eohanda ‘All humans naturally want to defy gravity’ The conversation above occurs in the episode 3 of BTS Run reality show which was aired on August 18th, 2015. They were going to Amusement Park and chose to rides the rollercoaster. In the middle of the road, one of the members, Jimin was scared and didn’t want to join the rides. He kept telling the other members how he felt scared just to see the people who rides the rollercoaster. In this case, Namjoon violates the maxim of quantity because his answer is not informative and he does give information that is not supported by evidence. Jimin gives a question that need to be answered by Namjoon clearly. Otherwise, Namjoon declare an information that is not clear enough to answer Jimin’s question. Hence, he leaves Jimin unsatisfied with his answer. The utterance I don’t know is clear enough to answer Jimin’s question. RM: 방금 사전 인터뷰를 했는데 뷔가 서바이벌 게임을 너무 잘한다고 하더라. 그가 한 말이다. V 어떻게 생각해? bang-geum sajeon inteobyuleul haessneunde bwiga seobaibeol geim-eul neomu jalhandago hadeola. geuga han mal-ida. V eotteohge saeng-gaghae? ‘I just did a pre-interview, and V said, he’s so good at survival games. That’s what he said. What do you think, V?’ V: 내 기록은 0사망 40사망이다 nae gilog-eun 0samang 40samang-ida ‘My record would be 0 death and 40 kills’ The conversation above occurs in the episode 7 of BTS Run reality show which was aired on November 17th, 2015. BTS members were played a game called survival picnic and divided into two teams, red and black teams. The rules are that each team plays by attacking and defending, if a member Conversational Maxims Used by BTS Members | 43 is shot by a paint ball, they must return to their camp to rejoin, and if they enter the enemy's camp without being shot, they will win. If no one wins within 30 minutes, the team with fewer respawns or shots wins. By saying My record would be 0 death and 40 kills, V violates the maxim of quantity because his answer is more informative than required. When engaged in conversation, the maxim of quantity object to make the contribution as informative as is required for certain purpose (H.P. Grice: 1975). V proudly tells to all of the member about his greatest record he ever achieved instead answer RM’s simple question. Jungkook: 성인이 된 후에도 그런 행동을 계속한 이유는 무엇인가요? seong-in-i doen huedo geuleon haengdong-eul gyesoghan iyuneun mueos-ingayo? Why did you continue those actions after becoming a legal adult?’ Jimin: 습관이 참 무섭다 seubgwan-i cham museobda ‘Habits are quite scary’ The conversation above occurs in the episode 12 of BTS Run reality show which was aired on February 28th, 2017. They were having another skit which located in police station. Like the previous episode there is no script, so it will be a real skit that created by the members. There are 3 roles in this episode. Jin, J-hope, and Jimin will be the criminals, Suga will be the chief, RM, Jungkook, and V will be the cops. From the utterance Habits are quite scary, Jimin violates the maxim of quantity because his answer is not complete in accordance to Jungkook’s question. The rule of conversation as in the maxim of quantity is to deliver the information clearly and as just needed. Here Jimin give incomplete answer that cause misinterpretation. Jimin supposed to answer the question by saying it’s all because of his habits instead of Habits are quite scary. J-hope: 정국아 준비됐어? jeong-gug-a junbidwaess-eo? ‘Are you ready Jungkook?’ Jungkook: 우리는 운명입니다. 너무 상세하다 ulineun unmyeong-ibnida. neomu sangsehada We’re doomed. It’s too detailed’ The conversation above occurs in the episode 66 of BTS Run reality show which was aired on March 5th, 2019. The theme for this episode is BTS in comic book cafe. BTS members will have to complete missions. The first mission is cartoon book random game. It is between the staff and BTS members. The person with a smaller number of people on a random page in the comic is the winner. All of BTS members will play, and if 4 of them win the members will win 5 points and choose a snack. But they will only count people with definite eyes, nose, and mouth. By uttering We’re doomed. It’s too detailed, Jungkook violates the maxim of quantity because his response is not clear enough to understand and there is no further explanation about that. Jungkook should answer with a simply yes or no to J-hope’s question. The maxim of quantity requires you to make your response as informative as is required and do not make your contribution more or less informative than is required. (Grice: 1975). 3.2 MAXIM OF QUALITY RM: 슈가를 봐. 깃발이 찢어졌습니다. syugaleul bwa. gisbal-i jjij-eojyeossseubnida ‘Look at Suga’s. The flag is torn’ Suga: 넘어지면 찢어져요 neom-eojimyeon jjij-eojyeoyo 44 | Nessa Aqila Anggraini, Usmi Lingual (Vol. 13, No.1, 2022) ‘It was torn when I stumbled’ The conversation above occurs in the episode 8 of BTS Run reality show which was aired on December 15th, 2015. They have a mission to find 10 flags in the mountain individually. There were also some blank flags that have X mark written on the flag. The member who got the blank flags will not get the meal. One of the members, Suga did not get any flags. In the last scene, Namjoon was questioned Suga’s flag because it seems suspicious. Then Suga states, it was torn when I stumbled to others. However, the members did not believe Suga. The conversation above Suga violates the maxim of quality because he is not telling the truth. By saying It was torn when I stumbled, he gives the information which is not true. He is lying to avoid unpleasant consequence which is he did not get the meal. Do not say what you believe to be false and do not say that for which you lack evidence. Those are the characteristics of maxim of quality. Suga should plays the games fairly and answer the question as honestly as possible. V: 지민아, 놀이기구 타도 돼? jimin-a, nol-igigu tado dwae? ‘Jimin, can you go on the rides?’ Jimin: 네, 할 수 있어요. 별거 아니야 ne, hal su iss-eoyo, byeolgeo aniya Yes, I can. It’s no big deal The conversation above occurs in the episode 3 of BTS Run reality show which was aired on August 18th, 2015. They were going to Amusement Park and chose to play several kind of rides. Jimin and J-hope are known as the member with acrophobia or fear of heights in BTS. On their way, members are talking to each other and V was asking a question to Jimin and J-hope since he knew that both of them were scared. Instead of feeling happy, Jimin and J-hope seems a little bit off with the fact that they must rode the rollercoaster From the utterance of Yes, I can It’s no big deal, Jimin violates the maxim of quality because what he said was not true and it contrast with the reality. In fact, Jimin was really scared and he was not able to ride the rollercoaster unlike the other members. It can be concluded that Jimin’s remark implies that he can’t go on the rides. He can answer V’s question by telling the truth that he was scared. 3.3 MAXIM OF RELATION J-hope: 이 양말 어디서 났어요? 그들은이 양말을 판매합니까? 딸기우유에 담그지 않았나요? i yangmal eodiseo nass-eoyo? geudeul-eun-i yangmal-eul panmaehabnikka? ttalgiuyue damgeuji anh- assnayo? ‘Where did you get these socks? Do they sell these socks? Didn’t you soak them in strawberry milk?’ Jin: 한 번 입었어요 han beon ib-eoss-eoyo ‘I wore them once’ The conversation above occurs in the episode 29 of BTS Run reality show which was aired on November 28th, 2017. In this episode, BTS members were shooting at their own dorm. They have to be a stylist to another member to keep their vow for a Billboard Hot100 hit. BTS members will use their own outfits to style the others. They will play a game to choose partners and put on a fashion show. There will be a prize and punishment for the best and the worst style. From the conversation above, Jin violates the maxim of relevance because Jin’s information is not relevant to J-hope’s question. By saying I wore them once, he says something entirely different to deliver his intention. When engage in conversation, the maxim of relation requires you to be relevant (Grice: 1975). it is simply relevant answer would be “yes” or “no. 3.4 MAXIM OF MANNER Jin: 여러분, 3차전은 만족하시나요? yeoleobun, 3chajeon-eun manjoghasinayo? Conversational Maxims Used by BTS Members | 45 Everyone, are you all satisfied with the 3rd game?’ Jungkook: 순식간에 끝났다 sunsiggan-e kkeutnassda ‘We were done in a flash’ The conversation above occurs in the episode 39 of BTS Run reality show which was aired on February 6th, 2018. The theme for this episode is BTS golden bell. They will play 7 games in 2 team with MC Jin. The losing team will have a penalty at the end. The rules are the MC will choose 1 team and he will have to perform the penalty too if his team loses. The winner will get Jungkook’s computer. By uttering We were done in a flash, Jungkook violates the maxim of manner because he did not give a specific and clear answer. Violating the maxim of manner occurs when speaker’s contribution is not perspicuous and it may be obscure, ambiguous and not reasonable direct. When engage in conversation, the maxim of manner requires you to be perspicuous (Grice: 1975). Jungkook’s answer is not clear and it can be interpreted in 2 ways, he really satisfied with the game or he did not enjoy at all. To avoid ambiguity, Jungkook should answer the question clearly. Suga: 당신의 죄가 무엇입니까? dangsin-ui joega mueos-ibnikka? ‘What is your sin?’ V: 내 죄가 심각합니다. 이 친구 김석진이 있습니다. 이 죄는 그렇게 심각한 것이 아닙니다. nae joega simgaghabnida. i chingu gimseogjin-i issseubnida. i joeneun geuleohge simgaghan geos-i anibnida My sin is serious. I have this friend, Kim Seokjin. This sin is not that serious’ The conversation above occurs in the episode 6 part 2 of BTS Run reality show which was aired on October 20th, 2015. In this episode, all the member of BTS had skit which take place in the church. The episode shows about the member who playing a role as a sinner and priest. In the situation above, Suga is the priest and V is the sinner. V is come to confess his sin to father Suga. V’s utterances My sins are serious. I have this friend, Kim Seokjin. This sin is not that serious indicates that he violates the maxim of manner because his utterance is not clear and ambiguity. Suga asked a simple question, however what he receives from V is an uncertain utterance that Suga already know that it will be a funny story. The interpretation can be made from the utterance above that V forget that he has told that story to Suga before that is why he want to skip the story. He can say his sin is about Jin in order to avoid ambiguity. IV CONCLUSION The findings and discussion of conversational implicature analysis based on Grice theory in BTS Run reality show have led to some conclusions. There are four maxims of cooperative principle in the conversation of BTS Run reality show and all of those maxims were violates by the members of BTS in the conversation. There are 5 utterances violate maxim of quantity, 2 utterances violate maxim of quality, 1 utterance violate maxim of relevance and 2 utterances violate maxim of manner occurs in the conversation of BTS Run reality show. The researcher concluded that BTS member violate maxim of quality when they make certain thing for laughing stuff by saying the untrue thing. Then BTS members violate the maxim of quantity when they try to get more attention. They violate the maxim of manner in order to give confusing response. Then they violate the maxim of relevance when they want to change the topic of the conversation. REFERENCES Akmal, S. (2020). Conversational Implicature Analysis in “Kingdom of Heaven” Movie Script by William Monahan. Buletin Al-Turas 26(2), 335-350. Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., Sorensen, C., Razavieh, A. (2002). 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(2020) Maxim Variation, Conventional and Particularized Implicature On Students’ Conversation. International Journal of Scientific and Technology of Research, 9(2), 3270-3274. Lingual: Journal of Language & Culture (Volume 13, No.1, May 2022) English Department, Faculty of Humanities, Udayana University 47