Gricean Maxims Flouting in Bila Esok Ibu Tiada Film: The Pragmatic Analysis of Cinematic Discourse

Nirmala  Sari; Saiful Akmal; Nuril Rinahayu

doi:10.15408/bat.v32i2.52079

Authors

Nirmala Sari Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh
Saiful Akmal Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1118-2113
Nuril Rinahayu Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15408/bat.v32i2.52079

Keywords:

Gricean maxims, pragmatics, cinematic discourse, “Bila Esok Ibu Tiada” film

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the types of maxims flouted and the ways pragmatic implicatures were found in Indonesian film’s characters entitled "Bila Esok Ibu Tiada".

Method

A qualitative descriptive approach was used in this study, with Grice’s (1975) Cooperative Principle serving as the main way to analyze the data. Data were gathered by watching the film multiple times and writing down the dialogues, which led to 23 exchanges as examples of maxim flouting and its pragmatic implications in the film.

Result/Findings

Findings revealed that all four Gricean maxims are violated, with the Maxim of Relation (Relevance) flouting with 34.7%, Manner at 30.4%, Quantity at 26.0%, and Quality at 8.6%. Five central pragmatic functions for flouting were evasion and avoidance, face-saving and politeness, emotional expression, interpersonal conflict, and humor. In the case of maxim of relation (relevance) flouting, characters are often avoiding difficult subjects, while maxim of manner flouting exhibits emotional strength, especially during times of grief or disputes.

Conclusion

Hence, Gricean maxim flouting functions as a valuable pragmatic mechanism to demonstrate intricate emotional and relational meaning, helping us understand more about how language works in cinematic discourse and in learning languages.

Author Biographies

Nirmala Sari, Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh

Department of English Language Education,

Faculty of Education and Teacher Training
Saiful Akmal, Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh

Deputy Director of Department of English Language Education Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry

References

Akmal, S., & Yana, D. U. (2020). Conversational implicature analysis in Kingdom of Heaven movie script by William Monahan. Buletin Al-Turas, 26(2), 335–350. https://doi.org/10.15408/bat.v26i2.15356

Azmi, N. U., Sabat, Y., & Sulistyaningsih. (2024). Flouting maxim produced by Lay Zhang in I Heart Radio interview: A pragmatics analysis. Elite: English and Literature Journal, 11(1), 52–62. https://doi.org/10.24252/elite.v11i1.47761

Arifin, A., & Suprayitno, E. (2017). Flouting the Grice’s maxims found in “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” movie. Seminar Nasional Prasasti: Pragmatik, Sastra, dan Linguistik, Universitas Sebelas Maret. https://doi.org/10.20961/pras.v0i0.434

Birner, B. J. (2021). Pragmatics: A slim guide. Oxford University Press. DOI:10.1558/eap.23583

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://collegepublishing.sagepub.com/products/qualitative-inquiry-and-research-design-4-246896

Grice, H. P. (1975). Logic and conversation. In P. Cole & J. L. Morgan (Eds.), Syntax and semantics: Vol. 3. Speech acts (pp. 41–58). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004368811_003

Idiani, I. (2025). Representation of family communication in the film Bila Esok Ibu Tiada. Analytica: Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Humaniora, 7(2), 88–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.30829/jai.v14i1.25125

Ishaq, R. M., & Putra, I. G. A. C. S. (2023). An Analysis of Maxim Relevance by Main Character in Taxi Driver Film. Austronesian: Journal of Language Science & Literature, 2(2), 86-96. https://doi.org/10.59011/austronesian.2.2.2023.86-96

Ishihara, N., & Cohen, A. D. (2021). Teaching and learning pragmatics: Where language and culture meet (2nd ed.). Routledge. DOI:10.4324/9781003168188

Jiangli, S. (2021). Context and pragmatics. Education Quarterly Reviews, 4(4), 392–396. https://doi.org/10.31014/aior.1993.04.04.401

Levinson, S. C. (1983). Pragmatics. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511813313

Levinson, S. C. (2000). Presumptive meanings: The theory of generalized conversational implicature. MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/5526.001.0001

Mahpudin, M. (2020). Pelanggaran maksim Grice dalam film Forrest Gump. Jurnal Gramatika, 6(2), 167–178. https://doi.org/10.22202/jg.2020.v6i2.4035

Marlisa, R., & Hidayat, D. N. (2020). The analysis of flouting maxim in Good Morning America (GMA) talk show. Englisia: Journal of Language, Education, and Humanities, 7(2), 132–142. https://doi.org/10.22373/ej.v7i2.6630

Mayesti, N. (2023). Public library and librarian stereotypes in the Indonesian film Kambodja. Buletin Al-Turas, 29(2), 185-198. https://doi.org/10.15408/bat.v29i2.30658

Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). A methods sourcebook. Qualitative data analysis.

Nela, N. K. L. A., & Putri, I. G. A. V. W. (2024). Types of flouting maxim in Me Before You movie. Ethical Lingua: Journal of Language Teaching and Literature, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.15408/bat.v29i1.31038

Nurmansyah, M. A. (2023). Problematizing contemporary Islamic discourse: A conceptual modeling of new heroes in Indonesian Islamic biographical films. Buletin Al-Turas, 29(1), 81-92.

Putri, A. A. M. (2024). An analysis of Grice's maxims in Finding Nemo and Finding Dory. Sintaksis, 2(5), 217–230. https://doi.org/10.61132/sintaksis.v2i5.1024

Ramadhan, A., & Elfiondri. (2024). Analysis of the flouting maxims in Sherlock Holmes movie. https://ejurnal.bunghatta.ac.id/index.php/JFIB/article/view/25037

Ryan, J. (2020). The suitability of film for modelling the pragmatics of spoken language. Journal of Pragmatics, 171, 1–16. DOI:10.1016/j.system.2019.102186

Saefudin, D. P., Santosa, P. P. P., Lutvaidah, U., Restoeningroem, R., Albab, S., & Puadah, A. (2025). Pragmatic Analysis of Flouting Maxim in Romantic Dialogue: A Case Study of Dilan 1990. JELITA, 6(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.56185/jelita.v6i1.865

Sperber, D., Wilson, D., & Wilson, D. (1986). Relevance: Communication and cognition (Vol. 142). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Suparno, D. (2015). Film Indonesia “Do’a untuk Ayah” Tinjauan Unsur Intrinsik dan Ekstrinsik. Buletin Al-Turas, 21(1), 17-34. https://doi.org/10.15408/bat.v21i1.3824

Tunliu, D., Agustin, L. W., Noor, S., Permana, H. S., Adisty, N. D., & Suhayati, L. (2025). Breaking the Rules: An Analysis of Flouting Maxim in" Joker"(2019). Global Expert: Jurnal Bahasa dan Sastra, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.36982/jge.v13i2.6305

Van Dijk, T. A. (2008). Context theory and the foundation of pragmatics. https://discourses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Teun-A.-van-Dijk-2008-Context-theory-and-the-foundation-of-pragmatics.pdf

Wahyuni, M., Arifin, M. B., & Lubis, I. S. (2019). An analysis of flouting of maxims done by main characters in La La Land movie. Jurnal Ilmu Budaya, 3(3), 384–392. https://doi.org/10.30872/jbssb.v3i3.2212

Wayon, M. I., & Suastini, N. W. (2025). An analysis of flouting of maxims of quality in the “Uptown Girls” movie used by the main character. Elysian Journal: English Literature, Linguistics and Translation Studies, 5(3), 120–135. https://doi.org/10.36733/elysian.v5i3.12344

Wijana, I. D. P. (2021). Pragmatik: Teori dan analisis (2nd ed.). Pustaka Pelajar.

Xu, R., & Wijitsopon, T. (2023). Lexical bundles in mainstream film script. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 16(1), 545–574. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1380789.

Yus, F. (2011). Cyberpragmatics: Internet-mediated communication in context. John Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.213