Multimodality in Fruit Transaction Conversations at a Traditional Market

Abstract

The topic of this research is the multimodality in fruit transaction conversations happening at a traditional market in Wonogiri. This research aims to explain the multimodality used by sellers and buyers at traditional market in Wonogiri. The data used in this research are utterances (verbal modes) and gestures (nonverbal modes) used in 10 conversation videos of fruit transactions at a traditional market in Wonogiri, Central Java, Indonesia. The data was transcribed using the ELAN software and classified based on the concepts of adjacency pairs in the conversation analysis. The findings are the multimodality used by buyers and sellers in transaction conversations. The buyers’ multimodality are (i) asking the price of apple (verbal mode) while holding an apple and looking at the seller (nonverbal mode), (ii) asking for jicama and cucumber (verbal mode) while looking at the seller and pointing at the cucumber (nonverbal mode), (iii) asking for pineapple (verbal mode) while looking at the seller, pointing at the pineapple, and holding money (nonverbal mode), (iv) bargaining for the price of pineapple (verbal mode), while touching, checking, and inspecting the pineapple (nonverbal mode), (v) asking for the availability of fruit (verbal mode), while holding a pakel (a type of mango). The seller’s multimodality are (i) asking for information on the quantity of fruit wanted (verbal mode) while holding and packing the fruit (nonverbal mode), (ii) asking for information on the quantity of fruit (verbal mode) while peeling the fruit, (iii) requesting information on the quantity of fruit (mode verbal) while packing fruit and receiving payment (nonverbal mode), (iv) offering other types of fruit (verbal mode) while patting the fruit (nonverbal mode), (v) offering other types of fruit (verbal mode) while receiving payment from the buyer (nonverbal mode), (vi) praising fruit physical condition (verbal mode) while showing the papaya (nonverbal mode), (vii) praising fruit's fragrance and providing price information (verbal mode) while receiving the mango given by the buyer and putting it in a basket (nonverbal mode). The seller uses more various verbal modes than the buyers. The buyers generally ask the price or availability of fruit. However, in addition to asking for the amount wanted by the buyers, the seller also offers different types of fruit and praises the fruit’s physical condition, taste, and fragrance. In terms of the nonverbal modes, the seller uses more various nonverbal modes than the buyers. The buyers normally only use nonverbal modes of pointing at fruits, looking at the seller, and holding money. On the other hand, the seller uses nonverbal modes of holding, peeling, packing, patting fruits, receiving money, and putting money in a basket. This shows that seller uses more nonverbal modes than buyers, talking while doing other things such as peeling or packing fruits or packing them.