INTERACTIVE PATTERNS OF THE OPENING STATEMENT IN THE DEFAMATION CASE TRIAL OF DEPP VS HEARD 2022

Abstract

In light of the interactive aspects of a monologue speech, this study intends to examine the opening statement by the plaintiff’s lawyer, Ben Chew, in the trial of the Depp versus Heard Defamation case in 2022. Utilising Searle’s Illocutionary Acts and Hyland’s Stance and Engagement Models which was modified by Chaemsaithong, and the qualitative descriptive method, the writer can elaborate on how the interactive patterns can be discerned through the utterances presented by the lawyer. The finding shows 68 utterances dominated by 46% representative acts and 40% commissive acts, while the least occurrences are 7% of expressive acts and 7% of directive acts. Thereafter, it is also found 91 stance markers in the form of 50% attitude markers and 13% first-person pronouns, and 54 engagement markers in the form of 26% second-person pronouns, 10% reported discourse, and 1% questions. Through those interactive devices, the lawyer negotiated his representations within the opening statement at three levels: narrative, interpersonal, and personal self. Those negotiations are operated simultaneously as interactive means for presenting his proposition and identity as a lawyer while engaging rapport with jurors. Therefore, persuading them to be on the same page with the lawyer’s point of view, in which he stood on the plaintiff’s side in the trial.