A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF IMPLICATURE AND SPEECH ACTS IN BILLIE EILISH’S WILDFLOWER LYRICS

Abstract

This study explores the lyrics of "Wildflower" by Billie Eilish through a pragmatic lens, employing a descriptive qualitative method. The data were collected from the official lyrics on sonora.id and analyzed using Grice’s theory of implicature and Searle’s theory of speech acts. The objective is to identify the dominant types of speech acts assertive, expressive, directive, commissive, and declarative and to uncover the implicit meanings within the lyrics, including generalized and particularized implicatures. The findings reveal that assertive speech acts dominate, highlighting the speaker's intention to present facts, emotional reflections, and personal experiences. Expressive acts add emotional depth by conveying feelings such as pain, regret, and longing. Particularized implicatures occur more frequently than generalized ones, indicating a reliance on contextual interpretation. Overall, the analysis demonstrates that "Wildflower" employs language as both a medium of emotional expression and a communicative act, contributing to broader discussions in pragmatics, particularly in the context of popular music discourse.