Parents’ indirect utterances in an Indonesian family

Abstract

This present study examines Indonesian parents’ utterance to instruct each other. The results show that Indonesian parents’ speeches in the family were situated in context and situation. Parents did not mention themselves nor their spouse as the addressee, instead using indirect utterance to instruct the addressee. They produced indirect utterances with implied meanings, instructing their spouse via speaking to their children or about other objects. Each parent understood their spouse’s intention from the context and physical condition of family members.