Phatic Expressions in the Riverdale TV Series Season 1

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze and classify the function of the six main characters’ phatic expressions related to Jason Blossom’s death in the Riverdale TV Series Season 1 using Jumanto's theory (2017), namely breaking the silence, starting a conversation, making small talk, gossiping, keeping the talk, expressing solidarity, creating harmony, offering comfort, expressing empathy, expressing friendship, expressing respect, and expressing politeness. The result shows that 195 data of phatic function are found in all types. Keeping the talk is the most used by the six main characters with 61 data because the characters want to maintain the conversation to get information about Jason Blossom's death. This research also classified the response type and analyzed whether their responses to those phatic expressions can make the conversations stop or continue. When the conversations can be continued and maintained, the characters could get more information about Jason Blossom’s death and even murderer.