Speech acts and their pragmatic functions in Justin Baldoni’s Five Feet Apart: A qualitative study

Abstract

Speech acts play a significant role in revealing speakers’ communicative intentions and interpersonal relationships in spoken interactions, including those represented in films. This study aims to identify the types of speech acts employed by the main characters in Justin Baldoni’s Five Feet Apart and examine their pragmatic functions within the narrative. A qualitative descriptive research design was employed, using the dialogues of Stella Grant and Will Newman as the primary data source. The data were collected through observation, repeated viewing of the film, transcription, and note-taking techniques. The analysis was conducted based on Searle’s Speech Act Theory, focusing on locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts, with the illocutionary acts classified into representatives, directives, commissives, expressives, and declarations. The findings reveal that expressive speech acts are the most dominant category, followed by directive and representative acts, while commissive acts occur less frequently, and declarative acts are absent. The predominance of expressive speech acts indicates that emotional expression is central to the interpersonal communication between the main characters. In contrast, directive and representative acts facilitate interaction, convey opinions, and support the progression of the narrative. The study also demonstrates that the interpretation of speech acts depends heavily on contextual factors, including speakers’ intentions, interpersonal relationships, and communicative situations. These findings highlight the applicability of Speech Act Theory in cinematic discourse and suggest that film dialogues can serve as authentic materials for teaching pragmatics and enhancing learners’ pragmatic competence in English language education.