A PRAGMATIC FAILURE IN INTERCULTURE: THE YES AND NO DONE BY INDONESIAN

This writing is aimed at describing a pragmatic failure in interculture in understanding the answer yes and no done by Indonesian. Most of nonnative speakers of Indonesian sometimes find hard to understand the meaning inside saying yes for no while no answer for yes. The pragmatic failure exists in interpreting the statement “yes” and “no” in conversation. Most Indonesian, find hard to say no for responding refusal. It leads to most Western people confusion in understanding the message underlying their yes and no statement. According to Thomas (1983: 45) it is called pragmatic failure. The concept of pragmatic failure is to define the inability to understand what is meant by what is said. Ziran (1997) also emphasized that pragmatic failure is not general performance error in using words or making sentences, but those mistake, failing to fulfill communication because of infelicitious style, incompatible expressions, and improper habit. The result shows that the pragmatic failure in understanding yes and no answer can be observed in the following findings. First, most Indonesian prefer to say no when offered something but the reality is yes answer. Second, they are hard to say no by saying yes in the matter of being polite. Third, Western people are difficult to figure out what the meaning inside their nodding head and smile. The most interesting finding is that there is an advice given by Australian businessman, John Thomas, saying that If you want a straight answer, don’t ask Indonesian. The writing tries to describe what kind of pragmatic failure underly the problem.