A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF MAXIM FLOUTING AS A REFLECTION OF AMERICAN SOCIAL ISSUES IN THE SIMPSONS TV SERIES

The objectives of the study are to identify the types of maxim flouting of Cooperative Principles used by the main characters in The Simpsons TV Series, to describe the strategies of maxim flouting used by the main characters in The Simpsons TV Series, and to describe kind of American social issues reflected through Maxim Flouting in The Simpsons TV Series. This study used a descriptive qualitative approach to analyze the categories of maxim flouting as a reflection of American social issues in The Simpsons TV Series. The procedure of collecting data was conducted through the following steps: reading the transcripts, selecting and underlining the maxim flouting, identifying and underlining the maxim flouting which reflected American social issues, and re-typing them into a data sheet. The method used to analyze qualitative data was a referential method with regard to the theories presented by Grice (1975). The trustworthiness of data can be gained by discussing with the thesis supervisors, reconfirming to any experts related in this field, and conducting data triangulation with several colleagues in linguistics field. In refenrence to the data analysis, the results show three findings. First, there are four maxims that are flouted. They are (1)flouting of quantity maxim, (2)flouting of quality maxim, (3)flouting of manner maxim, and (4)flouting of relation maxim. Second, there are eleven strategies in flouting the maxims. They include: (1)giving too little information, (2)giving too much information, (3)hyperbole, (4)methapor, (5)irony, (6)sarcasm, (7)banter, (8)changing the topic, (9)giving irrelevant answer, (10)giving ambiguous information, and (11)being not brief. Third, there are five American social issues which are reflected in The Simpsons TV Series. They are (1)capitalism, (2)nepotism, (3)labor right, (4)offensive joke, and (5)libel. This suggests that the American social issues determine the use of language as reflected in The Simpsons TV Series