SPEECH FUNCTIONS CLASSROOM INTERACTION

Interpersonal function is a tenn used in semantics as a part of classification
of types of meaning. The function of language as the interpersonal function means
that language is used to enable people to participate in commooicative acts, to take
on roles, to express and understand feelings, attitudes, and judgements. Speech
Function is an action or performance done by language users such as: asking,
commanding, and answering in order to fulfill the intention of the speakers and
listeners. The objectives of the research are ( 1) to describe how the speech
functions are coded and patterned in the English classroom interaction (2) to
investigate the types of speech functions used in classroom interaction, to describe
how the speech functions are patterned in classroom interaction, and (3) to
investigate why the speech functions are realized in the ways they are. The research
used descriptive qualitative design based on Participant-Observation was conducted
to discover Speech Fooctions in Classroom Interaction of the students. The students
were from the Grade X consisting of 55 students State Senior High School 3
(Sekolah Menengah Atas: SMA 3) Medan. The research findings show that both
teacher and students play an important role in classroom interaction. The teacher
used almost all types of speech functions and the dominant speech functions used
were question (27.91 %) followed by statement (18.60 %), and command &
response offer to command (14.53 %), and then response statement to question
(8.72 %), greeting and response to greeting (5.81 %), followed by offer (2.91 %),
and acknowledge statement (1.16 %). This happens because the role of the teacher
is as a leader of class. As the leader of class s/he has authority to inquire, ofter
something, and to command all elements of c1ass. While the dominant speec
function used by the students was statement ( 46.21%) which is almost of the whole
utterances in classroom. It is because of students just answer questions from teacher
and gave statements needed. And then they ask questions if they still do not
understand or if they do not get knowledge or information. The second s~
function used by the students dominantly is response statement to question
(33.10%), followed by question (10.34%), acknowledge statement (5.52%), and
then greeting & response to greeting (2.07%), while offer (0.69 %). Calling &
response to calling, exclamation & response to exclamation, acknowledge offer,
command & response offer to command were not used by students. The reasons are
students' ole and students' position is not a leader in class, they never command
all elements in class.