FACE AND IMPLICATURES IN SPONTANEOUS TRANSACTIONS OF SELECTED COURTROOM SESSIONS

Abstract

Courtrooms are unique environments where legal professionals and other courtroom participants employ specific strategies to persuade, question, and present evidence which may convey an implied meaning. This study observed face and implicature in spontaneous transactions in courtroom sessions from utterances produced by courtroom participants using the case of Land Conflict. Combining Brown and Levinson’s theory of politeness and Yule’s concept of face, under the qualitative analytical method, the researcher gained insights into the use of facial expressions that conveyed implicature during spontaneous transactions within courtroom sessions. Findings revealed that maintaining face, or preserving one’s social identity and reputation, played a crucial role in communication within the courtroom. Participants were found to use politeness, indirectness, and strategic ambiguity to protect their faces during transactions. The study concluded that the language used in the courtroom should be balanced using both politeness strategies by the prosecutor rather than face-threatening utterances.