Language Style by Radio Broadcaster toward Different Audiences

Abstract

Many studies generally examine the language use from the speaker's point of view. This study sees if the language style use is also influenced by the audiences, namely audience design Bell in Coupland (2007). Inspired from the use of language style, this study attempts to analyze the use of formality and informality by the radio broadcaster toward different audiences. The use of formality and informality of language style is important because a radio broadcaster must be capable to differentiate the language style based on the audience's background. The research question is 'how is the use of formality and informality by the radio broadcaster toward the different audiences?' This study uses audience design method, which proposes that linguistic style-shifting, occurs primarily in response to a speaker's audience Bell in Coupland (2007). The result of the study shows that a radio broadcaster changes his language style depending on his audience. He uses more formal language to talk to the adult audience, because he wants to create a close formal interaction situation as he did not know the audience's level of age. In contrast, he uses informal language to the young audience, because he wants to make a liberate conversation, because a language style that is used by young people is mostly informal.