Speech Acts Strategies for Inspiring in the Podcast “Mission to the Moon”

Abstract

This research article aimed to classify speech acts inspiring speeches from 77 podcast episodes of Mission to the Moon, using John R. Searle’s speech act theory as the framework for analysis. The findings indicated that speech acts inspiring speeches could be categorized into 4 types: 1) Representative – including assertive speech acts such as expressing opinions, making statements, and affirmations; 2) Directive – consisting of advisory speech acts such as giving advice and providing instruction; 3) Commissive – including speech acts of commitment, such as offering comfort and making promises; and 4) Expressive – encompassing speech acts related to emotions, such as greetings and expressions of gratitude. Upon analyzing the overall use of speech acts, it was found that the most frequently used speech act was expressing opinions, with 1,122 occurrences (17.78%). This was followed by making statements, which appeared 1,099 times (17.41%). The least frequently used speech act was expressions of gratitude, with 361 occurrences (5.72%). The results demonstrated that inspiring speech involved a diverse range of speech acts working together to achieve effective communication. This variety enabled listeners to apply the knowledge gained to their own lives. The presence of multiple speech acts—not only opinion expressions but also other types—reinforced the effectiveness of inspiring speeches. Each speech act used by the speaker reflected their specific communicative intent and played a crucial role in ensuring successful communication.