THE USE OF SOCIAL DEIXIS IN ALEXANDRE DUMAS’ THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO

Abstract

This study discusses the use of social deixis. It focuses on the kinds and the usage of social
deixis. This research is descriptive in nature. It was conducted through the following steps:
collecting, arranging, classifying, and analyzing the data. The data were obtained from a novel
written by Alexandre Dumas’ entitled The Count of Monte Cristo. The unit of analysis of this
research is all of sentences containing socialdeixis. To get the sample, this research applied total
sampling. Consequently, all of the data were analyzed one by one. To find out the kinds of social
deixis, referential method was used. Likewise, to search the aims of usage, pragmatic equivalent
method was applied. The data analysis shows that based on its kinds, social deixis found in the
novel includes relational social deixis (10 items) and absolute social deixis (20 items). Among
them, absolute social deixis is more frequently used than relational social deixis. While, due to its
aims of usage, social deixis is applied to express politeness and respect (10 items), intimacy (5
items), and identify authority (21 items). In this case, social deixis is mostly used to identify
authority.