Significant of the Study

6 c A list of a foreign language textbook of the words and phrases taught or used 1 According to Hornby, vocabulary is: 2 a. All the words that a person knows or uses b. All the words in a particular language c. The words that people use when they are talking about particular subject d. A list of words with their meaning, especially in a book for learning foreign language. The writer observes that this definition is different from the definition before. The writer summarizes that vocabulary is all the words that a person knows and uses in a language with their meanings. In this definition the writer get complete meaning. Mastery of a language is taken to mean the ability to use or even to understand all the words of the language, then none of us can be said to have mastered his own native language. In other words, we know the word for those areas of life or some fields with which we have had some experience. However, none of us can know all the “words” of our language. Knowledge of new words and new meaning keep increasing as we grow older and we are often very conscious of this growth and change. As we all may know, vocabulary is very important to improve our knowledge. We can find all information that we want by understanding our reading. As the English teachers, we can give our student some ways to make them interested in mastering their vocabulary. We do not much time just for looking up the difficult word in dictionary. Schmitt Broadly defined “We must consider what we mean by vocabulary. The first idea that probably springs to mind is words, a formulation that is admirably adequate for the layperson”. 3 1 Philip Babvock Gove, Webster’s Third New International Dictionary Massachusetts: Heinle Publisher, 1996, p. 2560. 2 AS Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, Sixth Edition, London: Oxford University Press, 2000, p.1447 3 Norbert Schmitt, Vocabulary in Language Teaching, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000, p.1. 7 Acquiring vocabulary is a very important tool to master a language. It is impossible to learn a language without vocabulary, as Zimmerman said: Vocabulary is central to language and of critical importance to the typical language learner. 4 Murc ia said that “Vocabulary can be defined, roughly, as the words we teach in the foreign language.” 5 In other references by Richards and Renandya, it is stated that vocabulary is a core component of language and provides much of the basic for how well learners speak, listen, read and write. 6 From the previous definitions above, it has come into the conclusion that vocabulary is a set of words known to a person or other entity, or that are parts of a specific language. Vocabulary gives a big even the biggest contribution in learning new language. However, learning vocabulary is not an easy thing especially. The students often face difficulties in memorizing and using the word in a sentence. That is why teachers should encourage themselves to be creative in selecting the approach and the method of teaching English in order to make it easier and fun in learning a new vocabulary.

2. Definition of Mastery

Several definition about mastery based on Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged that the definition of mastery is 1 great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity; the state of being cognitively skillful; 2 power to dominate or defeat; the state of excelling or surpassing or going beyond usual limits; the state that exists when one person 4 Cheryl Boyd Zimmerman in Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition by James Coady and Thomas Huckin, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997, p. 5. 5 Marianne Celce Murcia, Teaching English as a Second Language or Foreign Language, Second Edition Massachusetts: Heinle Publisher, 1991, p. 60. 6 Jack C Richards and Willy A. Renandya, Methodology in Language Teaching,Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2002, p. 255. 8 or group has power over another; 3 the act of mastering or subordinating someone; social control by dominating. 7 Based on Webster’s revised Unabridged Dictionary 1913 that the definition of mastery is 1 the position or authority of a master: dominion: command: supremacy: superiority; 2 superiority in war or competition; victory; triumph, 3 contest for superiority; 4 a mastery operation; a feat; 5 specifically, the philosopher’s stone 6 the act process of mastering; the state of having mastered. From some definition above, the writer concludes that mastery is the great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity and the positionor aouthority of a master. 8

3. The Influence of Students Mastery

In teaching and learning process, some students still get problem in their learning. It can be showed by their low score or achievement in their subjects. In English matter, some students may be not master about grammar. As known in Indonesian language there is no complex rule like grammar. There are many factors that contribute the influence of students’ mastery. Those factors are divided into two categories; they are internal factor and external factor. 9 a. Internal factor This factor comes from inside of the students. It is divided into two aspect; physiological aspect and psychological aspect. 1 Physiological aspect. This aspect is about the conditions of students’ body from every part of the body. For instance, when the students got headache, they could not study well. The condition of the bo dy can influence students’ intensity and spirit in studying. So if their bodies are healthy, they can study 7 http:www,thefreedictionary.commastery , 29 Agustus 2011. 8 http:dictionary.die.netmastery , 29 Agustus 2011. 9 http:wiki.answer.comQWhat_are_the_factors_influencing_learningixxz1jigbMmjp , 10 April 2011.