A Pragmatic Analysis of Speech Acts in Selected Songs from Joji's "Smithereens" Album

Abstract

This study investigates the pragmatic use of language in music, specifically focusing on the classification and functions of speech acts in the lyrics of Joji’s album, Smithereens (2022). Utilizing John R. Searle’s taxonomy of illocutionary acts, this research aims to identify the types of speech acts employed in the lyrics and to uncover the underlying illocutionary forces that convey the speaker's emotional state. A descriptive qualitative method was adopted to analyze the data, which consisted of textual lyrics from the album's four selected tracks. The data were collected through documentary techniques, closely read, and categorized based on contextual interpretation. The findings reveal that Expressive and Assertive speech acts are the most dominant categories used throughout the album. Joji heavily utilizes expressive acts to externalize deep psychological states such as grief, longing, and resignation, while assertive acts serve to state painful realities regarding broken relationships. Conversely, Directives and Commissives appear less frequently, reflecting the speaker’s passive and helpless stance. This study concludes that the deliberate choice of speech acts in Smithereens successfully constructs an atmosphere of alienation and vulnerability, showing how indirect communication in songwriting can powerfully resonate with the listeners' emotions.