THE PRAGMATIC FEATURES OF TAG QUESTION AND HEDGE IN THE UTTERANCES OF MALE AND FEMALE OF SILADANGNESE

The objective of this study is to describe the pragmatic features of tag question and hedge in the utterances of male and female of Siladangnese. The research was designed with qualitative descriptive method. The source of the data was male and female of Siladangnese who live in Aek Banir, Panyabungan for at least 10 years. The data were obtained by implementing participant observation and interview. The analysis of this research was done by applying Bokdan and Biklen approach. The research finding shows that there are two types of pragmatics features of tag question in the utterances of male and female of Siladangnese. They are modal tag and affective tag. It was also found that there are five pragmatic features of hedge in the utterances of male and female of Siladangnese; a) hedge as a means of protection, b) hedge as a means of certainty, c) hedge as a means of uncertainty, d) hedge as a means of politeness, and e) hedge as a means of limitation. Male Siladangnese tend to utter modal tag as a sign of uncertainty while female Siladangnese tend to utter affective tag as a sign of politeness. One of the pragmatic features of hedge in the utterances of female Siladangnese is a means of politeness, but it was not found in the utterances of male Siladangnese. The total number of pragmatic features of tag question and hedge in the utterances of male and female of Siladangnese is different but it did not show a significant differences.