An SFL Analysis of Interpersonal Metafunction in Constructing President Prabowo's Moral Authority at the UNGA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v14i1.9126Keywords:
Discourse Analysis, The Interpersonal Metafunction, SpeechAbstract
This study presents an SFL (Systemic Functional Linguistics) analysis of the Interpersonal Metafunction in President Prabowo's UNGA speech, focusing on the Mood and Modality systems to uncover the rhetorical strategies used in constructing his moral authority and negotiating Indonesia's role as a committed global actor. The analysis finds that while the Declarative Mood dominates to establish credibility, strategic shifts to the Interrogative Mood and the inclusive Imperative Mood ("We must...") are employed to actively engage the audience, demand moral reflection, and construct an accountable solidarity. The most significant finding is the dominance of High Value Modality, particularly the high frequency of High Deontic Modality ("must"), which linguistically elevates propositions such as the Two-State Solution to non-negotiable moral and political mandates. This choice is further reinforced by High Value Capacity/Willingness Modality, asserting Indonesia's credibility and agency. Overall, this sophisticated interpersonal strategy successfully positions President Prabowo as an authoritative and highly moral leader, linguistically imposing the highest level of conviction and demand for action upon the international community.
References
Abduh, N. K., & Masruddin, M. (2023). Structural Studies of Robert Stanton in The Folklore of Luwu (Worongporong dan Pariama). IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 11(1), 117-126.
Bani, M., & Masruddin, M. (2021). Development of Android-based harmonic oscillation pocket book for senior high school students. JOTSE: Journal of Technology and Science Education, 11(1), 93-103.
Eggins, S. (2004). An Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics (2nd ed.). London: Continuum.
Furwana, D., Muin, F. R., Zainuddin, A. A., & Mulyani, A. G. (2024). Unlocking the Potential: Exploring the Impact of Online Assessment in English Language Teaching. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 12(1), 653-662.
Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2014). Halliday’s Introduction to Functional Grammar (4th ed.). London: Routledge.
Husnaini, H. (2022). Development of Self Esteem-Oriented Micro Teaching Materials for IAIN Palopo English Education Students. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 10(1), 538-560.
Ismayanti, D., & Syam, A. T. (2022). The Community Manipulation through Big Brother’ s Tyranny in George Orwell’ s Nineteen Eighty-Four. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 10(2), 1556â-1569.
Ismayanti, D., Said, Y. R., Usman, N., & Nur, M. I. (2024). The Students Ability in Translating Newspaper Headlines into English A Case Study. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 12(1), 108-131.
Masruddin, Hartina, S., Arifin, M. A., & Langaji, A. (2024). Flipped learning: facilitating student engagement through repeated instruction and direct feedback. Cogent Education, 11(1), 2412500.
Masruddin, M., Amir, F., Langaji, A., & Rusdiansyah, R. (2023). Conceptualizing linguistic politeness in light of age. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 11(3), 41-55.
Nasriandi, N., & Masruddin, M. (2021). The Use of British Parliamentary Debate Style in Teaching Speaking Skill. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 9(1).
President Prabowo's speech at the general debate of the UNGA. (Source: The uploaded speech transcript).
Setiawan, E. I., Masruddin, M., & Zainuddin, Z. (2023). Semiotic Analysis and Ethnography Study on the Implementation of Local Wisdom in Economic Field at Luwu Society. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 11(2), 1912-1925.
Thompson, G. (2014). Introducing Functional Grammar (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.
Usman, N., Hendrik, H., & Madehang, M. (2024). Difficulties in understanding the TOEFL reading test of english language education study program at university. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 12(1), 755-773.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Rafiq al indra
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See the Effect of Open Access)
