To Language Studies To Teaching Studies

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F. Definition of Terms

To avoid vague notions in perceiving the key terms of this research, the definitions of particular terms used along the discussion of this thesis are briefly explained as follows.

1. Sound Symbolism

Inspired by the previous research whose main topic was the same as this research has, i.e. sound symbolism, the researcher decided to adopt the same definition of sound symbolism. It constitutes “branch of linguistics which studies the relationship between the sound of an utterance and its meaning” Hinton, 1994 as cited in Pischedda, 2011, p. 8. It means that sound symbolism refers to sounds describing their intended concrete and abstract things as well as their meanings. There are four categories of sound symbolism applied for the word classification of this research according to Hinton, Nichols, and Ohala 1994; they are corporeal sound symbolism, imitative sound symbolism, synesthetic sound symbolism, and conventional sound symbolism. The analysis of sound symbolism will be conducted by sorting the collected data into those categories.

2. Lullabies

Songs can be a medium of children learning which possesses various functions. Lullabies, a song type closely related to children, are defined by Trehub and Trainor 1998, p. 49 as songs sung by children’s parents or caregivers for calming or encouraging them to sleep. In addition, Cass-Beggs and Cass-Beggs 1969 argue that lullabies have characteristic features, namely being “simple, soothing, rhythmic, and repetitive” as cited in Lavoie, 2010, p. 2. In short, songs 8 can be indicated as lullabies if they have audibly soft melody whose contents are about encouraging sleep and simple.

3. Play Songs

Unlike lullabies whose function is to soothe children, play songs are created to encourage them to be more cheerful and active. Based on Suliteanu, 1979, the roles of play songs are “to amuse the child when he is awake by lifting him up in the arms, playing with his fingers and palms, tickling him, moving his hands and feet, teaching basic movements” as cited in Trehub Trainor, 1998, p. 53. Trehub and Trainor 1998, p. 53 also articulate that the prominent features of play songs are their capability to invite children showing “lively and exuberant performances .” It means play songs are related to songs whose characteristics are energetic and actively demanding children’s participation.