Politeness in the use of terms of address of rotinese

Abstract

This thesis aims to investigate politeness norms in the use of Rotinese terms of address (ToA), an Austronesian language spoken by the people in Roti Island, Termanu district, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The analysis draws on three types of data: observation, a semi-structure interview and questionnaires. Sixty respondents completed the test.

Terms of Address in Rotinese are very hierarchical, but they can be applied differently according to situational features. The thesis shows that the use of ToA shows power and hierarchy among Rotinese. The basic norms for the use of ToA among Rotinese are: (1) the use of professional terms or title terms to show deference politeness system, (2) the use of kinship terms, personal name, personal pronouns, terms of solidarity and terms of endearment to show solidarity politeness system and (3) the use of kinship terms, terms of solidarity and terms of endearment to show hierarchy politeness system.