58 somewhat like the Vatican and managed not by any national government, but by
an international council of Muslims? From those two interpretations, the first meaning was the most suitable.
10. So, in order to make Indonesia better in the future, all candidates need to
prepare to be great leaders, not merely making promises, but giving more
proof of work done. Your Letter: Old and new Turkey on July 2, 2013
The letter mostly talked about the difference between the old and new Turkey under Edorgan power. The writer of the letter also suggested Indonesia to
look and learn from Turkey. From the letter, the researcher found the word need to which triggers ambiguity. It has 2 meanings, those meanings are:
a. must as modal
b. require
In the first meaning the sentence is interpreted as 1 So in order to make Indonesia better in the future, all candidates must prepare to be great leaders, not
merely making promises, but giving more proof of work done. On the other hand, in the second meaning, the sentence interpreted as 2 So in order to make
Indonesia better in the future, all candidates are required to prepare to be great leaders, not merely making promises, but giving more proof of work done. Both
meanings are acceptable and made sense. This might cause confusion to the reader.
11. So, in order to make Indonesia better in the future, all candidates need to
prepare to be great leaders, not merely making promises, but giving more proof of work done. Your Letter: Old and new Turkey on July 2, 2013
59 From the same passage and sentence as presented in point 10, the
researcher found that the word great was ambiguous. The word great has multiple meanings. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, the possible
meanings of the word great used in the sentence were: a.
excellent and outstanding b.
high rank c.
clever or skillful Based on those meanings, the sentence could be interpreted as 1 So, in
order to make Indonesia better in the future, all candidates need to prepare to be excellent and outstanding leaders, not merely making promises, but giving more
proof of work done, 2 So, in order to make Indonesia better in the future, all candidates need to prepare to be a high rank leaders, not merely making
promises, but giving more proof of work done, and 3 So, in order to make Indonesia better in the future, all candidates need to prepare to be clever and
skillful leaders, not merely making promises, but giving more proof of work done. Those three interpretations were reasonable. Therefore, it might make the reader
could not choose the one that was actually intended by the writer. 12. Now, if we think of the food products we consume every day, the realization
that sugar consumed is much higher than we required is apparent. Your Letter: Be smart eater on July 2, 2013
The passage titled Be smart eater talked about the danger of foods nowadays which many of them did not place the nutrition information in the food
wrap. It also talked about the amount of salt and sugar served in fast food
60 restaurants and food manufactures. In the sentence presented in point 11, it uses
the word apparent which was ambiguous. Apparent meanings were: a.
clearly seen or understood b.
seeming real or true Knowing those two meanings, the sentence could be interpreted as 1
Now, if we think of the food products we consume every day, the realization that sugar consumed is much higher than we required is obvious. 2 Now, if we think
of the food products we consume every day, the realization that sugar consumed is much higher than we required is seemingly real. Those two meaning made sense
when they were applied to the sentence. However, the first meaning conveyed the idea of the sentence better since the passage talked about the great amount of
sugar and salt that people consume. 13. Because of the high content of sugar in fast food, diabetes has become
common concern, even for people in their 20s. Your Letter: Be smart eater on July 2, 2013
The word common also caused ambiguity in the sentence presented in point 13. It has several meanings, but there were only two meanings which could
fit the sentence. Those meanings are: a.
usual or familiar b.
shared by or belonging to two or more people If the first meaning was applied to the sentence, the meaning would be 1
Because of the high content of sugar in fast food, diabetes has become usual and familiar concern, even for people in their 20s, while the second meaning would
61 modify the sentence as 2 Because of the high content of sugar in fast food,
diabetes has become concern of a lot of people, even for people in their 20s. 14. Because of the high content of sugar in fast food, diabetes has become
common concern, even for people in their 20s. Your Letter: Be smart eater on July 2, 2013
The word concern also triggered another ambiguity, since it might refer to more than one meaning. Those meanings are:
a. worries or anxiety
b. important or interesting thing for somebody
Based on those two meanings, the sentence could be interpreted as 1 Because of the high content of sugar in fast food, diabetes has become common
worries, even for people in their 20s, and 2 Because of the high content of sugar in fast food, diabetes has become important thing for people, even for people in
their 20s. Having read the passage, the researcher still could not decide the intended meaning of the writer since both interpretations suggested by the
researcher could meet the idea of the passage.
15. If he continues to always bear in mind the well-being of the common man, you are truly fortunate to have such a political leader. Comments: Jokowi
allows residents in to watch ‘Ariah’ on July 2, 2013
The comment was about Jokowi’s act in allowing people to watch ‘Ariah’ event for free. Many people gave positive comments such as presented in point
14. In the comment, the researcher found that the sentence was ambiguous. It was because the word common has multiple meaning. In point 13, the meaning that
62 suited the sentence is usual and shared. However, in this sentence, the possible
meanings were: a.
ordinary, without special rank b.
low class Using those two meanings, the interpretation of the sentence would be 1
If he continues to always bear in mind the well-being of the ordinary man, you are truly fortunate to have such a political leader, 2 If he continues to always bear
in mind the well-being of the low class man, you are truly fortunate to have such a political leader. From those two interpretations it can be seen that the first
interpretation could carry the message better than the second one.
16. If he continues to always bear in mind the well-being of the common man, you are truly fortunate to have such a political leader. Comments: Jokowi
allows residents in to watch ‘Ariah’ on July 2, 2013
What followed the word common was also ambiguous. The word man has two meanings. Those two meanings could modify the sentence since it would
become wider or narrower. Those meanings were: a.
people, human race b.
adult male human being The first meaning would make a wider interpretation since adult male
human being was smaller and part of the human race. Therefore, the interpretations would be; 1 If he continues to always bear in mind the well-being
of the common people, you are truly fortunate to have such a political leader, and
63 2 If he continues to always bear in mind the well-being of the common adult
male, you are truly fortunate to have such a political leader. 17. The obvious explanation is that the knowledge production in Indonesia is
very weak. Comments: Bogus journal publication on July 3, 2013
This sentence was also taken from the same journal as presented in point 23. The word weak could also be ambiguous. It was usually used to represent the
physical condition. However there were some suitable meanings that can be used to describe this word:
a. not strong enough to persuade, work, etc.
b. low standard and lack in skill
Based on those two meanings, the sentence can be interpreted as 1 The obvious explanation is that the knowledge production in Indonesia is not strong,
and 2 The obvious explanation is that the knowledge production in Indonesia is having very low standard. Those two sentences were reasonable and acceptable.
However, having read the passage, the second sentence was the most suitable one. The passage mostly talks about Indonesian scientists and researchers who were
not skillful and capable enough to produce good journals to be published internationally.
18. The people in power seem to be conveniently leaving out education reform, which in my opinions the best way to give RI a future. Comments:
Polygamy and graft: A most convenient marriage on July 3, 2013
This was a comment on the news about Fathanah who was caught because of corruption. He also did the polygamous practices at home. The researcher
64 found that the words the people were ambiguous. While the word people itself can
refer to several meanings, the compound noun the people could refer to two meanings. Those meanings are:
a. citizen
b. ordinary persons who do not have special rank
Those two meanings were slightly different. The first meaning was broader than the second one which only refers to the special group op persons.
Therefore, the word may trigger ambiguity since they would make different interpretation as follows 1 The citizen in power seem to be conveniently leaving
out education reform, which in my opinions the best way to give RI a future, and 2 Ordinary persons in power seem to be conveniently leaving out education
reform, which in my opinions the best way to give RI a future. However, the researcher also considered the possibility if the use of article the was to refer a
particular people which means that the ambiguity belongs to referential ambiguity.
19. The people in power seem to be conveniently leaving out education reform, which in my opinions the best way to give RI a future. Comments:
Polygamy and graft: A most convenient marriage on July 3, 2013
The researcher also found another ambiguity was found from the same sentence as in point 25. In the sentence, the researcher found that the word power
was ambiguous. Power could be described as: a.
political control b.
right possessed
65 Based on those two meanings, the sentence interpretations would be 1
The people who have political control seem to be conveniently leaving out education reform, which in my opinions the best way to give RI a future, and 2
The people who have the right to do so seem to be conveniently leaving out education reform, which in my opinions the best way to give RI a future.
20. Aside from a few yachts that are normally in Indonesia, and the odd boat out
of Darwin, Singapore or Malaysia, the “rally” can capture at most only 100- 120 boats that depart from Darwin with the Southeast trade winds in June-
July and must reach Singapore-Thailand before the Northwest monsoon sets
in. Issue of the day: ‘Unprepared’ for sail komodo on July 3, 2013
One of the sections in the Reader’s Forum is Issue of the Day. In the section, the readers of Jakarta Post newspaper give their comment on particular
issue. This sentence was taken from a comment on RI preparation of Sail Komodo event. The researcher found that the word odd was ambiguous, since it might refer
to two meanings. Those meanings were: a.
strange b.
not often Based on those meanings, the noun phrase the odd boat could be described
as 1 the strange boat and 2 the boat which is rarely seensailed. Those two meanings were very different, and cause double interpretations.
21. In past years the local tour guide associations have been ignored, which may
not mean much more than poor public relations. Issue of the day: ‘Unprepared’ for sail komodo on July 3, 2013
66 Taken from the same passage as in the previous point, the researcher found
that the word poor was ambiguous. Poor, which is usually described as the condition of not having much money, in this case, can be described as:
a. bad
b. deserving sympathy
If the first meaning was applied to the sentence, the sentence could be interpreted as 1 In past years the local tour guide associations have been
ignored, which may not mean much more than bad public relations. On the other hand, if the second meaning was applied, the sentence could be interpreted as 2
In past years the local tour guide associations have been ignored, which may not mean much more than public relations which deserve sympathy.
22. Hopefully, there is still a chance for preparations. Issue of the day: ‘Unprepared’ for sail komodo on July 3, 2013
The word chance in this sentence could refer to several meanings. Therefore, it was considered ambiguous. Those meanings were:
a. possibility of something happening
b. an opportunity
c. luck
From those three possible meanings, the sentence could be interpreted as 1 Hopefully, there is still a possibility for preparations, 2 Hopefully, there is
still an opportunity for preparations, and 3 Hopefully, there is still a luck for preparations. Seeing those three interpretations, all of them are acceptable and
make sense. Therefore, the word chance is ambiguous.
67
23. SBY’s brother-in-law would likely enjoy smooth sailing in the primary,
