LANGUAGE STYLES OF MAIN CHARACTERS WITH DIFFERENT SOCIAL CLASSES REFLECTED IN JEAN AUSTEEN’S NOVEL “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE”

This thesis concerns the use of language by four main characters in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It particularly examines the types of language styles used by the main characters and how the styles reflect the social class of the characters. The data were obtained by observing the language of the 4 main characters when they converse with other characters. There were 23 conversations observed, which were taken from fifty-four pages of the novel. The types of language style are identified by referring to Martin Joos's theory (1976) and the relationship between language style and the social class of the speakers is examined by using William Labov's theory (1966). The data analysis shows that the main characters use four types of language styles, namely formal style, consultative style, casual style, and intimate style. None uses frozen style. The consultative style appears to be the most dominantly used style (34%). This is probably due to the formality of the conversation, which is primarily informal or semi-formal. The main character from the upper class uses all four types of language styles while those from the middle-class use three types of language style, namely consultative style, casual style, and intimate style. This is due to the fact that the higher-class people, unlike the lower ones, can use different language styles in speaking to people of a different class