An Analysis of Illocutionary Acts in Black Panther Movie Dialogue: A Pragmatic Study

• ZAINIDA FIKRIYAHSNIAR
• 2025

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In the era of globalization, movies serve not just as pleasure but also as cultural and linguistic works that reflect social and political situations. Black Panther is a movie that received international acclaim for its deep representation of African culture and power relations. Nonetheless, the pragmatic aspects present in its discussions remain barely examined. This study seeks to examine the categories and roles of illocutionary acts in the movie Black Panther through the lens of Searle’s speech act theory. A qualitative descriptive methodology was employed to gather statements from the movie's script and categories them into five classifications: assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative. The analysis clarifies the operational mechanisms of each kind in conveying information, issuing directives, expressing commitments, revealing emotions, and executing statements that influence social reality within the Wakandan cultural framework. The research reveals that all five types occur with an equal frequency distribution: assertive (20%), directive (20%), commissive (20%), expressive (20%), and declarative (20%). This finding demonstrates a unique balance, indicating that the film equally emphasizes stating facts, giving directives, making commitments, expressing emotions, and performing declarations. Such equilibrium reflects the narrative’s concern with authority, tradition, and social cohesion. The findings are anticipated to enhance comprehension of the pragmatic functions of language in movies, providing valuable insights for students, linguists, and filmmakers. The findings indicate that illocutionary behaviors function not only as communication instruments but also influence relationships, express cultural values, and fuel the narrative. This research aims to enhance pragmatic studies by combining language analysis with cultural representation in popular media.

Keywords: Pragmatics, Speech Act, Illocutionary Act, Black Panther, Movie Dialogue.

https://repository.bsi.ac.id/repo/72654/An-Analysis-of-Illocutionary-Acts-in-Black-Panther-Movie-Dialogue:-A-Pragmatic-Study
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