Illocutionary speech acts in the Oscar-winning short film The Neighbors' Window: A pragmatic analysis
Keywords:
Illocutionary Speech Acts, The Neighbors' Window, Pragmatic Analysis, Searle's Taxonomy,, Film DialogueAbstract
This research presents a pragmatic analysis of illocutionary speech acts in the dialogue of The Neighbors' Window (2019), an Academy Award-winning short film directed by Marshall Curry. Drawing on Searle's (1976) taxonomy, this study identifies and classifies 28 illocutionary acts across five categories: expressives (28.6%), directives (25.0%), assertives (25.0%), commissives (17.9%), and declarations (3.6%). Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, the film's transcript was systematically analyzed to examine how illocutionary acts function in conveying character intentions, emotional states, and relational dynamics. Expressives are the most frequent, reflecting the film's emotional intensity, while declarations are rare. The distribution correlates with the film's narrative structure, with expressives dominating the conflict phase and assertives and expressives characterizing the emotional climax. The analysis demonstrates that illocutionary acts are integral to the film's storytelling, character development, and emotional communication. The findings contribute to the growing body of pragmatic research on cinematic discourse and suggest pedagogical applications for teaching pragmatics through film dialogue.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rostina, Ushwa Dwi Masrurah Arifin Bando, Nur Fadilah Ayu Sandira, Indri Iswardhani, Dien Afni Ariyati (Author)
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