NON-OBSERVANCE MAXIMS IN INDONESIAN TELEVISIAN TALK SHOWS

This study explains the non-observance of the maxims in Indonesian Television Talk Shows. The objectives of the study are to examine the types of non-observance maxims occurring in the talk shows, to describe the non-observance maxims’ realization, and to find out the reasons of not observing the maxims. This research was carried out by applying qualitative content analysis method. The data of the study were conversational utterances found in Indonesian television talk shows. The conversational utterances were transcribed from three television talk show videos, namely Mata Najwa Episode “Harap-Harap Cemas 2016”, Kick Andy Episode “Kontroversi Ahok”, and Indonesia Lawyer’s Club Episode “Pro Kontra Soeharto Pahlawan Nasional”. The three episodes of the talk shows discussed about politics. The findings confirmed that three of five non-observance maxims, i.e. flouting, violating, and opting out maxims occurred in Indonesian television talk shows, whereas infringing and suspending the maxims did not. The most frequent non-observance maxim was violating the maxims, followed by flouting and opting out. However, opting out the maxims did not come about in Kick Andy Episode “Kontroversi Ahok”. This indicates that the observance or non-observance of the maxims cannot be generalized. The violations, flouts, and opts out of the maxims are realized through guests’ (1) making political point, (2) declining to answer, (3) giving incomplete answer, (4) questioning the question, (5) attacking the question, (6) attacking the questioner, (7) repeating answer to previous question, (8) asking for clarification, and (9) interrupting. The maxims are not observed since the guests of the talk shows intend (1) to clarify, (2) to prompt the hearers to look for beyond the expressed meaning, (3) to mislead, deceive, or tell a lie, (4) to create humour, (5) to confirm, and (6) to avoid uncomfortable situation and confrontation.