An analysis of slang terms in what price glory by Maxwell Anderson
AN ANALYSIS OF SLANG TERMS IN WHAT PRICE GLORY
BY MAXWELL ANDERSON
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanilies Facullty
in Partial Fulfillment of the RequiI-ements for
the Degree of Letters Scholar
By
Adam Novriansyal!
202026001085
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY "SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH"
JAKARTA
2007
ABSTRACT
ADAM NOVRIANSYAH, An Analysis of Slang Terms in What Price Glory By
Maxwell Anderson. Thesis: English Letters Department, Faculty of Letters and
Humanities, UIN SyarifHidayatullah Jakarta, 2007.
In this research, the writer uses qualitative descriptive method. The writer
explains some theories of slang terms, and then the writer collects the data or slang
terms from the drama that consist of ten slang terms. Based on the theories and
dictionaries, the slang terms are analyzed one by one to know the kinds of slang terms
and the reasons of using slang terms.
What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson is a drama about world war I, and the
community of American soldiers. The speakers of the drama are mostly soldiers, only
two speakers who are not from the soldier community. The writer has analyzed
fourteen slang terms from the drama. And the writer concluded that there are three
kinds of slang terms, they are workmen's slang, society slang and soldiers' slang
which used in the drama and several reasons of using them. Soldiers' slang telIDS are
mostly used by the speakers of the drama. Those slangtcrms show the kinds of
miscellaneous soldier words, the kind of nicknantes, and the kinds of words
connected with drinking.
APPROVEMENT
AN ANALYSIS OF SLANG TERMS IN WHAT PRICE GLORY
BY MAXWELL ANDERSON
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the Degree of Letters Scholar
By
Adam Novriansyah
202026001085
Approved by Advisor
ｾ＿ｗＧｪＮ｟Ｍ
Drs. A. Saefuddin, M. Pd.
NIP: 150 261 902
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY "SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH"
JAKARTA
2007
LEGALIZATION
A thesis entitled "An Analysis of Slang Terms in What Price Glory By
Maxwell Anderson" was examined by examination board of Letters and
Humanities Faculty, State Islamic Univeraity Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta on
June, 20 th 2007. It has been accepted as a partial fulfillment of the requirements
for accruing the degree of Strata 1 (SI) in English Letters.
Board of Examiners
Chief
Secretary
.-J
/
Dr. Muh 'mad Farlillan M.Pd
NIP. :M( 299 480
Du, . Saefuddin, M.Pd
. 150 261 902
)W..
/
Members
Examiner 2
Examiner 1
Ｍﾣ
］ｾＧＮ｣Ｚ
ｾ
Dr. Frans Sayogie, M.Pd
NIP. 150299481
ｾＬ
==.
Elve Oktaviyani, M.Hum
NIP. 150 137 725
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my
knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by
another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the
award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of higher
learning, except where due acknowledgment has been made in the text.
I
Jakarta, June 20 2
OT't\:,>.J
\\ l-//
IV
Adam Novriansyah
PREFACE
First of all, the writer would like to thank Allah SWT. All praises belong to
Him, the creator of living things from nothing to exist. May salutation and
benediction be unto the noblest ofthe Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad SAW.
On this occasion, the writer would like to thank writer's beloved parents,
Syaiful Syam, and Dinda Wati who have given their spiritual support during him
study and the process of writing this paper. Then the writer also would like to thank:
the writer's beloved aunt, Sudarmi who also have given her spiritual and financial
support during him study and the process of writing this paper.
Then, the writer would also like to thank::
1.
Prof. Dr. Komaruddin Hidayat, the Rector of Syarif Hidayatullah State
Islamic University.
2.
Dr. Abdul Chair M.A., the Dean of Letters and Humanities Faculty.
3.
Dr. M. Far'khan M. Pd., the Chief of English Letters Department.
4.
Drs. A. Saefudin M. Pd., as the writer's Advisor, thank his careful reading of
the contents of this paper, his valuable suggestions for making this paper
better and more useful, and for his helpful comments on this paper.
S.
All of the English Letters Departinent's lectures who have educated, guided,
and given the valuable knowledge that the writer has never known before.
6.
All of the writer's friends in English Letters Department
7.
The writer's special thank to INDR! (BSI student)
Finally, the writer realizes that this paper is far from being perfect, therefore
he needs suggestions and critics from everyone that will encourage him to have
further study.
Jakarta, June 20 2007
Adam Novriansyah
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
i
APPROVEMENT............••••••.............................•••.........................ii
ｎｏｉｔａｾｉ ａ［Ｈｅｾ
.•................••...•........................••...•.•...................iii
ａｒ Ｎｾｃｅｄ
TION
iv
PREFACE
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS..........•..•••..•.•.................... "
vii
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION
1
A. Background of the study..............••••....••.•.••.....•.......•.............. 1
B. Focus of the study
5
C. Research questions
5
D. Significance of the research
5
E.
6
Methodology ofresearch
CHAPTER II.
ｔｈｅｏｒ ｉｃａｾ
FRAMEWORK
8
A. The MeaIling of Slang
8
B. Kinds of slang
1.
Cockney Slang
2.
Public House Slang
9
"
11
3.
Workmen's Slang
11
4.
JOUTIlalism Slang
12
5.
Medical Slang
13
6.
Slang in the Church
7.
Slang in Public Schools and Universities
15
8.
Society Slang
17
9.
Slang in Art
18
.14
10. Soldiers' Slang
"
19
C. Reasons of using slang terms
21
CHAPTER III. RESEARCH FINDINGS
24
A. Description of Data
24
1.
Workmen's Slang
2.
Society Slang
"
25
3.
Soldiers' Slang
,
25
B. Analysis of Data
24
"................ .
26
1.
Workmen's Slang
27
2.
Society Slang••••••.••...•.......................... "
30
3.
Soldiers' Slang
.32
C. The Reasons of Using Slang Terms
.39
CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS .•........................44
A. Conclusions.......•............•.....................................................44
B.
Suggestions.......••............•.........•.•.••.......... "
.45
I1IIILIOGRAPH)'•..................................•......................................•.46
APPENDIX
47
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of Study
Language connects people. This happens because language is a way for
people to interact and communicate in the society. There are many definitions of
language. We can see several definitions of language according to linguists.
According to Noam Chomsky "language is a set of finite or infinite of sentences, each
finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of elements. Wardhaugh said that
language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication."j
Then, Ferdinand De saussure stated "language is a system of signs correlated in such
a way that the values of each of them are conditioned. A language system is in fact
based on oppositions.,,2
Generally language is a mean of communication that is used by a group of
society and it has a clear rule and system. There are some kinds of language that are
called slang, colloquialisms, dialects, cant, jargon, and argot. All of them have their
own characteristics and aims of using them.
There are some differences between them that we can see from the definitions.
"Colloquialisms are familiar words and idioms used in informal speech and writing,
but not considered explicit or formal enough for police conversation or business
1 ehaedar
Alwasilah, Beberapa Madhab dan Dikotomi Teori Linguistik, (Bandung: Angkasa, 1989), p.
2.
2
Milka Ivic, Trends in Linguistics, (Paris: Mouton The Hague, 1970), p. 127.
2
correspondence. Unlike Slang, however, colloquialisms are used and understood by
nearly everyone. The use of slang coveys the suggestion that the speaker and the
listener enjoy a special fraternity, but the use of colloquialisms emphasizes only the
inspecial formality and familiarity of a general social situation. Dialects are the
words, idioms, pronunciations, and speech habits peculiar to specific geographical
locations. A dialecticism is a regionalism or localism. In popular use 'dialect' has
come to mean the words, foreign accent, or speech patterns associated with any ethnic
group. Cant, jargon, and argot are the words and expressions peculiar to special
segments ofthe population.
Cant is the conversational, familiar idiom used and generally understood only
by members of a specific occupation, trade, profession, c1.ass, age group, interest
group, or other sub-group of our culture. Jargon is the technical or even secret
vocabulary of such a sub-group and argot is both the cant and the jargon of any
professional criminal group.,,3
After reading some materials and references, the writer knows the definition
and the characteristics of slang. "Slang is one of those things that everybody can
recognize and nobody can define.,,4 Slang is a kind of language that shows an
informal style. Slang is a way to make differences between one conununity with the
others. Slang shows the using of informal language, the differences between formal
J. Burl Hogins and Robert E. Yarber, Language An IntroductOlY Reader, (New York, Evanston, and
London: Harper & Row Publishers, 1970), p. 162.
4 Paul Roberts, Understanding English, (New York, Evanston, and London: Harper & Row Pnblishers,
1958), p. 342.
3
3
language and infOlmal language are "fonnal language, even when spoken, is often
associated with the conventions expected of written standard English. At its most
extreme, fonnallanguage is signalled by complex, complete sentences, impersonality,
avoidance of colloquial or slang vocabulary, and a consistent preference for' leamed'
words, often derived from Latin. informal language is characterised by a simpler
grammatical stmcture, personal evaluation, and a colloquial or slang vocabulary."s
Most of slang vocabularies are nouns and verbs, but the adjective has its slang
too. Slang words are commonly words which slips into the pattern. For example, 'He
is numb', numb is a kind of adjective slang word which me/ms stupid. 'Give me ten
bucks', bucks is a kind of noun slang word which means dollars. '1 want to spoon
her' , spoon is a kind of verb slang word which means to Ｎ｣ｴｾｬＬｳｩｫ
Words or slang phrases are usually found with the m,w habits or ideas which
are developed in a society, and using slang is a way to introduce the new words
which enrich a language. "Slang is language that has little to do with the main aim of
language, the counection of sounds with ideas in order to communicate ideas, but is
rather an attitude, a feeling, and an act. Slang links itself with comedy in the respect
that it exploits and even celebrates human wealmess, animality, without working to
extirpate. ,,6
http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk
Robert L. Chapman Ph.D, A New Dictionary ofAmerican Slang, (USA: Harper & Row Publishers,
1987), p. xv.
5
6
4
There are some kinds of slang, such as; Cockney Slang, Public House Slang,
Society Slang, Workmen's Slang, Slang in The Church, Medical Slang, Art Slang,
Soldiers' Slang, etc. They have their own vocabularies and when we find slang
words, we can classify them into those kinds of slang terms. It is because, every kind
of slang terms has their own characteristics and their own vocabularies.
Nowadays, slang terms is easily found in daily communication. It is also used
in fiction. One of the fiction which utilizes slang terms is What Price Glory By
Maxwell Anderson.
What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson is a drama about war, and the
community of American soldiers. "It has remained the finest American drama about
World War I, although its outspokenness now seems tanle and its realism streaked
with a touch of romance.,,7 In What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson, the writer
finds some slang words which is used by several characters in the drama. From the
writer's classifications there are three kinds of slang which used in the drama, and
several reasons of using those slang telms.
Through this paper, the writer wants to analyze and classify slang words in
What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson, based on several theories of slang tenns,
reason of using slang terms, and kinds of slang terms.
7
http://www.answer.com
5
B. Focus of The Study
Nowadays, slang is not only used in daily conununication, but also in drama,
and of course there are some aims of using it, for example, the slang terms used in
What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson.
In this study the writer wants to know more about slang. Here, the writer is
also interested in doing the research of this matter, by proposing the topic "An
Analysis of Slang TelIDS in What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson".
C. Research Questions
To ease the research, the writer fOlIDulates the statements of research as
below:
I.
What kinds of slang language are used
111
What Price Glory By Maxwell
Anderson?
2.
What are the reasons of using slang terms in What Price Glory By Maxwell
Anderson?
D. Significance of The Research
The writer hopes the result of this research will emich the writer's
understanding about slang terms. The writer also hopes it will be useful for improving
the knowledge of the English Department students who are interested in doing
research about slang terms.
6
E. Methodology of The Research
Below are the methodology of the researches that writer uses in the paper:
I.
The Objective of The Research
The objectives of the research are to know what kinds of slang terms are used
in What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson, and to know what are the reasons of
using slang terms in What Price GIOly By Maxwell Anderson.
2.
Method of The Research
The method used in this research is qualitative descriptive method which tries
to analyze the meanings and the kinds of slang terms and also to find out the reasons
of using slang terms.
3.
Data Analysis
The data analysis of this paper are the slang terms that the writer found in
What Price GIOly By Maxwell Anderson. The writer analyzes the data in the drama by
concerning deeply of the slang terms.
4.
Data Collection
The data collections of this paper are some books, dictionaries, and the data
fTOm the internet correlating to slang terms, such as, Slang Today and Yesterday By
Eric Partridge, Beberapa Madhab dan Dikotomi Teori Linguistik By Chaedar A.
Alwasilah, Understanding English By Paul Roberts, Language in The USA By
7
Edward Finegan and John R. Rickford, Trends in Linguistics By Milka Ivic,
Language An Introductory Reader By Robert E. Yarber and J. Burl Hogins, A New
Dictionary of American Slang By Robert 1. Chapman Ph.D, Kamus Slang Amerika
By Kesaint Blanc, Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English By AS
Hornby, What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson, http://www.answer.com.
http://www.njas.helsinki.fi, http://www.findarticles.com, http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk.
5.
The Unit of Analysis
Analysis unit which writer used is What Price Gloryl By Maxwell Anderson,
Brace and Company Publisher, New York, 1926 that chosen by the writer.
6.
The Technique of Data Analysis
After finding the resource books, the writer makes notes about slang, the
theories, kinds, and the reasons of using it. The first step, the writer collects the
suitable data found in What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson. The second step, the
writer classifies the data and analyzes what slang used in the dranla mentioned.
Finally, the data is analyzed through the qualitative analysis method
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. The Meaning of Slang
After reading some materials and references, the writer knows that there are
several definitions of slang that were proposed by some linguists. The writer will try
to describe several of those definitions.
There are some definitions of slang according to linguists. According to
Dumas and Lighter "slang is a category of vocabulary that is identifiable by its effects
rather than by its form or meanings. Slang is like an inside joke and depends on the
consciousness of shared knowledge between speaker and hearer. Fundamentally,
slang arises from the social rather than from the ideational functions of language.,,8
According to Professor G.H. Mcknight "slang is language of a highly colloquial type,
considered as below the level of standard educated speech, and consisting either of
new words or of current words employed in some special sense.,,9 According to
Mario Pei "slang is a nonstandard vocabulary, characterized by extreme infOlmal and
composed of coinages or arbitrarily changed words, clipped forms, extravagant of
facetious figures of speech, verbal novelties and subject to rapid decline into disuse. It
is a type of language in common use, produced by popular adaptation and extension
of meaning of existing words without regard for scholastic standards and the
Edward Finegan and John R. Rickford, Language in The USA, (London: Cambridge University Press,
2004), p. 378.
'Eric Partridge, Slang Today and Yesterday, (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul LTD, 1950), p. 2.
8
9
principles of the linguistics formation of words."IO According to Stuart Berg Flexner
"slang more precisely as the body of words and expressions fi:equently used by or
intelligible to a rather large portion of the general American public, but not accepted
as good, fomlal usage by the majority."ll
B. Kinds of Slang
In the book Slang Today and Yesterday by Eric partridge, the writer finds that
there are some types of slang. Some of t1le slang types are:
1. Cockney Slang
The first one is Cockney slang. "Cockney slang is the brightest spot in
England and it has a very pronounced accent. There are two varieties of Cockney
slang, first is the Cockney slang which is used by the educated and middle class
people, and the second is Cockney slang which is used by the semi literate and quite
literate people.
Below are some examples of Cockney slang which is used in their daily
speaking.
• Barrikin means shouts or shouting
• Can't youfeel the shrimps? Means don't you smell the sea?
10
11
http://www.njas.helsinkLfi
ht\p://www.findarticles.com
10
• Eye in a sling means defeated
• Language means bad language
• Old gal means general term of affection describing a wife
• See me breeze an taste the sun means an expression of summer enjoyment
at escaping from London to an open common.
In Cockney slang, nicknames are also very common among the costers and
they make the nicknames for some mode of dress, some remark which has ensured
costermonger applause, several peculiarity in trading, or some defect in personal
apperance.
Below are some examples of the nicknames in cockney slang.
• Spuddy means a seller of bad potatoes
• Curly means a man with a curly head
• Brassy means a very saucy person
• Dirty sal means the costermongers generally objecting to dirty women.,,12
The writer assumes that cockney slang is a kind of slang which is often used
by all of people in England, but every social class in Engl:md commonly has their
ownyocabularies which make a difference. The vocabulary characteristic in middle
,l;!/}.
clas$;people is more formal than lower class. This slang term is also often used by
costermongers in England. They are used this slang term in their work activities.
12
Ibid, p. 149.
11
2. Public House Slang
People can not neglect to use this slang, because it is "the public house group
of words and phrases which make up for the smallness of the recorded vocabulary by
the nature of the subject. This is the type of slang that genial, cheery, materialistic but
it is not gross or cynical.
Below are some examples of public house slang.
• Booze-shunter means a beer drinker
• Favourite vice means strong drink habitually
• Jumbo means the elephant and castle
• Liquor means beer
• Near and far means the bar
• Neck oil means beer
• Powdering hair means getting drunk.,,13
The characteristics of this slang telm are genial, cheery and materialistic.
People uses this slang term to show friendliness, because the vocabularies of this
slang term are genial, cheery, materialistic but not gross or cynical.
3. Workmen's Slang
This slang type has a link with public house slang. Workmen's slang or
operatives' slang is commonly used by tradesmen. "Names of animals figure
plentifully in the workman's vocabulary; thus we have goose, a tailor's smoothing13
Ibid, p. 159.
12
iron; sheep's foot, an iron hammer; sow, a receptacle for molten metal. Many of the
slang telms for money may have come from the workshop, thus brads, from the
ironmonger; chips, from the carpenter; dust, from the goldsmith ;feathers, from the
upholsterer; horse-nails, from the farrier; haddock, from the fishmonger; and tanner
and skin from the leather-dresser.
There is a difference for the using of this slang ternl between the town
laborers with the farm laborers. The town laborers are much more ready with their
tongues and fluently than the farm laborers. It is because the town laborers used to
communicate with different people.,,14
This slang term is commonly used by the trademen,. it is because all of the
vocabularies show the trademen's activities in working. People uses this slang term
when they connect with the trademen's world or they live as trademen. Some
vocabularies of this slang term use names of animals to express many things in their
community, and the vocabulary for money has several other names, depends on the
kinds oftheir work activities.
4. Journalism Slang
This term is a journalistic slang, this slang is Gommonly used in the
newspaper, the writers of newspaper use this slang term when "force of expression or
a little humour is desired,
01'
when the various writers wish to say something which is
better said in slang, or so-called vulgar speech, than in the authorized language.
14
Ibid, p. 162.
13
Below are some examples ofjournalism slang.
• Lethal means deadly
• Penny gush means exaggerated writing
• Screamer means an alarmist leader or principal artic:le
• Screaming gin and ignorance means bad newspaper writing
• Tripe means rubbish
• Turn over means last column on the right of the front page of a popular
newspaper, especially an evening one.,,15
The writer assumes that this is a kind of slang which is used by joumalists in
their newspaper in order to express something or give a humour in the newspapers.
Every newspaper journalist has their own words to express something in their
newspaper, and they often use slang words which are familiar in the journalistic
world.
5. Medical Slang
This slang term is used around the medical world. The words is used between
the doctor with other doctors or nurses and between doctor with the patients. Medical
slang is used, because "doctors very rarely talk to others than doctors and because in
the words of the one notable authority on medical slang. In medical slang there are
relatively few true slang expressions, although many words and phrases are used
15
Ibid, p. 173.
14
incomprehensible to the layman. In this slang term, there is a great tendency to use
initials, while abbreviations are also common.
Below are some examples of medical slang in initial fmills.
• D.D.A. means the dangerous drugs act
• E.N.T. means ear, nose and throat
• G.s. W. means gunshot wound
• V. D. means venercal disease
Below are some examples of medical slang in abbreviation forms.
• Benign means tumour
• Duodenal means ulcer
• German means measles
• Scarlet means fever.,,16
This is a kind of slang which are used by doctors and other people who
connect with the medical world or activity in the medical world. The words are often
in initials forms and abbreviations forms. A person who is not familiar with the
medical world will be hard to understand the vocabularies of its slang term.
6. Slang in the Church
We can say that slang can be found in every place. "Even the pulpit itself is no
longer free from its intrusion. There is no wish here, for one moment to infer that the
practice is general. On the contrary, and in justice to the c1
BY MAXWELL ANDERSON
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanilies Facullty
in Partial Fulfillment of the RequiI-ements for
the Degree of Letters Scholar
By
Adam Novriansyal!
202026001085
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY "SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH"
JAKARTA
2007
ABSTRACT
ADAM NOVRIANSYAH, An Analysis of Slang Terms in What Price Glory By
Maxwell Anderson. Thesis: English Letters Department, Faculty of Letters and
Humanities, UIN SyarifHidayatullah Jakarta, 2007.
In this research, the writer uses qualitative descriptive method. The writer
explains some theories of slang terms, and then the writer collects the data or slang
terms from the drama that consist of ten slang terms. Based on the theories and
dictionaries, the slang terms are analyzed one by one to know the kinds of slang terms
and the reasons of using slang terms.
What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson is a drama about world war I, and the
community of American soldiers. The speakers of the drama are mostly soldiers, only
two speakers who are not from the soldier community. The writer has analyzed
fourteen slang terms from the drama. And the writer concluded that there are three
kinds of slang terms, they are workmen's slang, society slang and soldiers' slang
which used in the drama and several reasons of using them. Soldiers' slang telIDS are
mostly used by the speakers of the drama. Those slangtcrms show the kinds of
miscellaneous soldier words, the kind of nicknantes, and the kinds of words
connected with drinking.
APPROVEMENT
AN ANALYSIS OF SLANG TERMS IN WHAT PRICE GLORY
BY MAXWELL ANDERSON
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the Degree of Letters Scholar
By
Adam Novriansyah
202026001085
Approved by Advisor
ｾ＿ｗＧｪＮ｟Ｍ
Drs. A. Saefuddin, M. Pd.
NIP: 150 261 902
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY "SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH"
JAKARTA
2007
LEGALIZATION
A thesis entitled "An Analysis of Slang Terms in What Price Glory By
Maxwell Anderson" was examined by examination board of Letters and
Humanities Faculty, State Islamic Univeraity Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta on
June, 20 th 2007. It has been accepted as a partial fulfillment of the requirements
for accruing the degree of Strata 1 (SI) in English Letters.
Board of Examiners
Chief
Secretary
.-J
/
Dr. Muh 'mad Farlillan M.Pd
NIP. :M( 299 480
Du, . Saefuddin, M.Pd
. 150 261 902
)W..
/
Members
Examiner 2
Examiner 1
Ｍﾣ
］ｾＧＮ｣Ｚ
ｾ
Dr. Frans Sayogie, M.Pd
NIP. 150299481
ｾＬ
==.
Elve Oktaviyani, M.Hum
NIP. 150 137 725
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my
knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by
another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the
award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of higher
learning, except where due acknowledgment has been made in the text.
I
Jakarta, June 20 2
OT't\:,>.J
\\ l-//
IV
Adam Novriansyah
PREFACE
First of all, the writer would like to thank Allah SWT. All praises belong to
Him, the creator of living things from nothing to exist. May salutation and
benediction be unto the noblest ofthe Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad SAW.
On this occasion, the writer would like to thank writer's beloved parents,
Syaiful Syam, and Dinda Wati who have given their spiritual support during him
study and the process of writing this paper. Then the writer also would like to thank:
the writer's beloved aunt, Sudarmi who also have given her spiritual and financial
support during him study and the process of writing this paper.
Then, the writer would also like to thank::
1.
Prof. Dr. Komaruddin Hidayat, the Rector of Syarif Hidayatullah State
Islamic University.
2.
Dr. Abdul Chair M.A., the Dean of Letters and Humanities Faculty.
3.
Dr. M. Far'khan M. Pd., the Chief of English Letters Department.
4.
Drs. A. Saefudin M. Pd., as the writer's Advisor, thank his careful reading of
the contents of this paper, his valuable suggestions for making this paper
better and more useful, and for his helpful comments on this paper.
S.
All of the English Letters Departinent's lectures who have educated, guided,
and given the valuable knowledge that the writer has never known before.
6.
All of the writer's friends in English Letters Department
7.
The writer's special thank to INDR! (BSI student)
Finally, the writer realizes that this paper is far from being perfect, therefore
he needs suggestions and critics from everyone that will encourage him to have
further study.
Jakarta, June 20 2007
Adam Novriansyah
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
i
APPROVEMENT............••••••.............................•••.........................ii
ｎｏｉｔａｾｉ ａ［Ｈｅｾ
.•................••...•........................••...•.•...................iii
ａｒ Ｎｾｃｅｄ
TION
iv
PREFACE
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS..........•..•••..•.•.................... "
vii
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION
1
A. Background of the study..............••••....••.•.••.....•.......•.............. 1
B. Focus of the study
5
C. Research questions
5
D. Significance of the research
5
E.
6
Methodology ofresearch
CHAPTER II.
ｔｈｅｏｒ ｉｃａｾ
FRAMEWORK
8
A. The MeaIling of Slang
8
B. Kinds of slang
1.
Cockney Slang
2.
Public House Slang
9
"
11
3.
Workmen's Slang
11
4.
JOUTIlalism Slang
12
5.
Medical Slang
13
6.
Slang in the Church
7.
Slang in Public Schools and Universities
15
8.
Society Slang
17
9.
Slang in Art
18
.14
10. Soldiers' Slang
"
19
C. Reasons of using slang terms
21
CHAPTER III. RESEARCH FINDINGS
24
A. Description of Data
24
1.
Workmen's Slang
2.
Society Slang
"
25
3.
Soldiers' Slang
,
25
B. Analysis of Data
24
"................ .
26
1.
Workmen's Slang
27
2.
Society Slang••••••.••...•.......................... "
30
3.
Soldiers' Slang
.32
C. The Reasons of Using Slang Terms
.39
CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS .•........................44
A. Conclusions.......•............•.....................................................44
B.
Suggestions.......••............•.........•.•.••.......... "
.45
I1IIILIOGRAPH)'•..................................•......................................•.46
APPENDIX
47
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of Study
Language connects people. This happens because language is a way for
people to interact and communicate in the society. There are many definitions of
language. We can see several definitions of language according to linguists.
According to Noam Chomsky "language is a set of finite or infinite of sentences, each
finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of elements. Wardhaugh said that
language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication."j
Then, Ferdinand De saussure stated "language is a system of signs correlated in such
a way that the values of each of them are conditioned. A language system is in fact
based on oppositions.,,2
Generally language is a mean of communication that is used by a group of
society and it has a clear rule and system. There are some kinds of language that are
called slang, colloquialisms, dialects, cant, jargon, and argot. All of them have their
own characteristics and aims of using them.
There are some differences between them that we can see from the definitions.
"Colloquialisms are familiar words and idioms used in informal speech and writing,
but not considered explicit or formal enough for police conversation or business
1 ehaedar
Alwasilah, Beberapa Madhab dan Dikotomi Teori Linguistik, (Bandung: Angkasa, 1989), p.
2.
2
Milka Ivic, Trends in Linguistics, (Paris: Mouton The Hague, 1970), p. 127.
2
correspondence. Unlike Slang, however, colloquialisms are used and understood by
nearly everyone. The use of slang coveys the suggestion that the speaker and the
listener enjoy a special fraternity, but the use of colloquialisms emphasizes only the
inspecial formality and familiarity of a general social situation. Dialects are the
words, idioms, pronunciations, and speech habits peculiar to specific geographical
locations. A dialecticism is a regionalism or localism. In popular use 'dialect' has
come to mean the words, foreign accent, or speech patterns associated with any ethnic
group. Cant, jargon, and argot are the words and expressions peculiar to special
segments ofthe population.
Cant is the conversational, familiar idiom used and generally understood only
by members of a specific occupation, trade, profession, c1.ass, age group, interest
group, or other sub-group of our culture. Jargon is the technical or even secret
vocabulary of such a sub-group and argot is both the cant and the jargon of any
professional criminal group.,,3
After reading some materials and references, the writer knows the definition
and the characteristics of slang. "Slang is one of those things that everybody can
recognize and nobody can define.,,4 Slang is a kind of language that shows an
informal style. Slang is a way to make differences between one conununity with the
others. Slang shows the using of informal language, the differences between formal
J. Burl Hogins and Robert E. Yarber, Language An IntroductOlY Reader, (New York, Evanston, and
London: Harper & Row Publishers, 1970), p. 162.
4 Paul Roberts, Understanding English, (New York, Evanston, and London: Harper & Row Pnblishers,
1958), p. 342.
3
3
language and infOlmal language are "fonnal language, even when spoken, is often
associated with the conventions expected of written standard English. At its most
extreme, fonnallanguage is signalled by complex, complete sentences, impersonality,
avoidance of colloquial or slang vocabulary, and a consistent preference for' leamed'
words, often derived from Latin. informal language is characterised by a simpler
grammatical stmcture, personal evaluation, and a colloquial or slang vocabulary."s
Most of slang vocabularies are nouns and verbs, but the adjective has its slang
too. Slang words are commonly words which slips into the pattern. For example, 'He
is numb', numb is a kind of adjective slang word which me/ms stupid. 'Give me ten
bucks', bucks is a kind of noun slang word which means dollars. '1 want to spoon
her' , spoon is a kind of verb slang word which means to Ｎ｣ｴｾｬＬｳｩｫ
Words or slang phrases are usually found with the m,w habits or ideas which
are developed in a society, and using slang is a way to introduce the new words
which enrich a language. "Slang is language that has little to do with the main aim of
language, the counection of sounds with ideas in order to communicate ideas, but is
rather an attitude, a feeling, and an act. Slang links itself with comedy in the respect
that it exploits and even celebrates human wealmess, animality, without working to
extirpate. ,,6
http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk
Robert L. Chapman Ph.D, A New Dictionary ofAmerican Slang, (USA: Harper & Row Publishers,
1987), p. xv.
5
6
4
There are some kinds of slang, such as; Cockney Slang, Public House Slang,
Society Slang, Workmen's Slang, Slang in The Church, Medical Slang, Art Slang,
Soldiers' Slang, etc. They have their own vocabularies and when we find slang
words, we can classify them into those kinds of slang terms. It is because, every kind
of slang terms has their own characteristics and their own vocabularies.
Nowadays, slang terms is easily found in daily communication. It is also used
in fiction. One of the fiction which utilizes slang terms is What Price Glory By
Maxwell Anderson.
What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson is a drama about war, and the
community of American soldiers. "It has remained the finest American drama about
World War I, although its outspokenness now seems tanle and its realism streaked
with a touch of romance.,,7 In What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson, the writer
finds some slang words which is used by several characters in the drama. From the
writer's classifications there are three kinds of slang which used in the drama, and
several reasons of using those slang telms.
Through this paper, the writer wants to analyze and classify slang words in
What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson, based on several theories of slang tenns,
reason of using slang terms, and kinds of slang terms.
7
http://www.answer.com
5
B. Focus of The Study
Nowadays, slang is not only used in daily conununication, but also in drama,
and of course there are some aims of using it, for example, the slang terms used in
What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson.
In this study the writer wants to know more about slang. Here, the writer is
also interested in doing the research of this matter, by proposing the topic "An
Analysis of Slang TelIDS in What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson".
C. Research Questions
To ease the research, the writer fOlIDulates the statements of research as
below:
I.
What kinds of slang language are used
111
What Price Glory By Maxwell
Anderson?
2.
What are the reasons of using slang terms in What Price Glory By Maxwell
Anderson?
D. Significance of The Research
The writer hopes the result of this research will emich the writer's
understanding about slang terms. The writer also hopes it will be useful for improving
the knowledge of the English Department students who are interested in doing
research about slang terms.
6
E. Methodology of The Research
Below are the methodology of the researches that writer uses in the paper:
I.
The Objective of The Research
The objectives of the research are to know what kinds of slang terms are used
in What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson, and to know what are the reasons of
using slang terms in What Price GIOly By Maxwell Anderson.
2.
Method of The Research
The method used in this research is qualitative descriptive method which tries
to analyze the meanings and the kinds of slang terms and also to find out the reasons
of using slang terms.
3.
Data Analysis
The data analysis of this paper are the slang terms that the writer found in
What Price GIOly By Maxwell Anderson. The writer analyzes the data in the drama by
concerning deeply of the slang terms.
4.
Data Collection
The data collections of this paper are some books, dictionaries, and the data
fTOm the internet correlating to slang terms, such as, Slang Today and Yesterday By
Eric Partridge, Beberapa Madhab dan Dikotomi Teori Linguistik By Chaedar A.
Alwasilah, Understanding English By Paul Roberts, Language in The USA By
7
Edward Finegan and John R. Rickford, Trends in Linguistics By Milka Ivic,
Language An Introductory Reader By Robert E. Yarber and J. Burl Hogins, A New
Dictionary of American Slang By Robert 1. Chapman Ph.D, Kamus Slang Amerika
By Kesaint Blanc, Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English By AS
Hornby, What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson, http://www.answer.com.
http://www.njas.helsinki.fi, http://www.findarticles.com, http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk.
5.
The Unit of Analysis
Analysis unit which writer used is What Price Gloryl By Maxwell Anderson,
Brace and Company Publisher, New York, 1926 that chosen by the writer.
6.
The Technique of Data Analysis
After finding the resource books, the writer makes notes about slang, the
theories, kinds, and the reasons of using it. The first step, the writer collects the
suitable data found in What Price Glory By Maxwell Anderson. The second step, the
writer classifies the data and analyzes what slang used in the dranla mentioned.
Finally, the data is analyzed through the qualitative analysis method
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. The Meaning of Slang
After reading some materials and references, the writer knows that there are
several definitions of slang that were proposed by some linguists. The writer will try
to describe several of those definitions.
There are some definitions of slang according to linguists. According to
Dumas and Lighter "slang is a category of vocabulary that is identifiable by its effects
rather than by its form or meanings. Slang is like an inside joke and depends on the
consciousness of shared knowledge between speaker and hearer. Fundamentally,
slang arises from the social rather than from the ideational functions of language.,,8
According to Professor G.H. Mcknight "slang is language of a highly colloquial type,
considered as below the level of standard educated speech, and consisting either of
new words or of current words employed in some special sense.,,9 According to
Mario Pei "slang is a nonstandard vocabulary, characterized by extreme infOlmal and
composed of coinages or arbitrarily changed words, clipped forms, extravagant of
facetious figures of speech, verbal novelties and subject to rapid decline into disuse. It
is a type of language in common use, produced by popular adaptation and extension
of meaning of existing words without regard for scholastic standards and the
Edward Finegan and John R. Rickford, Language in The USA, (London: Cambridge University Press,
2004), p. 378.
'Eric Partridge, Slang Today and Yesterday, (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul LTD, 1950), p. 2.
8
9
principles of the linguistics formation of words."IO According to Stuart Berg Flexner
"slang more precisely as the body of words and expressions fi:equently used by or
intelligible to a rather large portion of the general American public, but not accepted
as good, fomlal usage by the majority."ll
B. Kinds of Slang
In the book Slang Today and Yesterday by Eric partridge, the writer finds that
there are some types of slang. Some of t1le slang types are:
1. Cockney Slang
The first one is Cockney slang. "Cockney slang is the brightest spot in
England and it has a very pronounced accent. There are two varieties of Cockney
slang, first is the Cockney slang which is used by the educated and middle class
people, and the second is Cockney slang which is used by the semi literate and quite
literate people.
Below are some examples of Cockney slang which is used in their daily
speaking.
• Barrikin means shouts or shouting
• Can't youfeel the shrimps? Means don't you smell the sea?
10
11
http://www.njas.helsinkLfi
ht\p://www.findarticles.com
10
• Eye in a sling means defeated
• Language means bad language
• Old gal means general term of affection describing a wife
• See me breeze an taste the sun means an expression of summer enjoyment
at escaping from London to an open common.
In Cockney slang, nicknames are also very common among the costers and
they make the nicknames for some mode of dress, some remark which has ensured
costermonger applause, several peculiarity in trading, or some defect in personal
apperance.
Below are some examples of the nicknames in cockney slang.
• Spuddy means a seller of bad potatoes
• Curly means a man with a curly head
• Brassy means a very saucy person
• Dirty sal means the costermongers generally objecting to dirty women.,,12
The writer assumes that cockney slang is a kind of slang which is often used
by all of people in England, but every social class in Engl:md commonly has their
ownyocabularies which make a difference. The vocabulary characteristic in middle
,l;!/}.
clas$;people is more formal than lower class. This slang term is also often used by
costermongers in England. They are used this slang term in their work activities.
12
Ibid, p. 149.
11
2. Public House Slang
People can not neglect to use this slang, because it is "the public house group
of words and phrases which make up for the smallness of the recorded vocabulary by
the nature of the subject. This is the type of slang that genial, cheery, materialistic but
it is not gross or cynical.
Below are some examples of public house slang.
• Booze-shunter means a beer drinker
• Favourite vice means strong drink habitually
• Jumbo means the elephant and castle
• Liquor means beer
• Near and far means the bar
• Neck oil means beer
• Powdering hair means getting drunk.,,13
The characteristics of this slang telm are genial, cheery and materialistic.
People uses this slang term to show friendliness, because the vocabularies of this
slang term are genial, cheery, materialistic but not gross or cynical.
3. Workmen's Slang
This slang type has a link with public house slang. Workmen's slang or
operatives' slang is commonly used by tradesmen. "Names of animals figure
plentifully in the workman's vocabulary; thus we have goose, a tailor's smoothing13
Ibid, p. 159.
12
iron; sheep's foot, an iron hammer; sow, a receptacle for molten metal. Many of the
slang telms for money may have come from the workshop, thus brads, from the
ironmonger; chips, from the carpenter; dust, from the goldsmith ;feathers, from the
upholsterer; horse-nails, from the farrier; haddock, from the fishmonger; and tanner
and skin from the leather-dresser.
There is a difference for the using of this slang ternl between the town
laborers with the farm laborers. The town laborers are much more ready with their
tongues and fluently than the farm laborers. It is because the town laborers used to
communicate with different people.,,14
This slang term is commonly used by the trademen,. it is because all of the
vocabularies show the trademen's activities in working. People uses this slang term
when they connect with the trademen's world or they live as trademen. Some
vocabularies of this slang term use names of animals to express many things in their
community, and the vocabulary for money has several other names, depends on the
kinds oftheir work activities.
4. Journalism Slang
This term is a journalistic slang, this slang is Gommonly used in the
newspaper, the writers of newspaper use this slang term when "force of expression or
a little humour is desired,
01'
when the various writers wish to say something which is
better said in slang, or so-called vulgar speech, than in the authorized language.
14
Ibid, p. 162.
13
Below are some examples ofjournalism slang.
• Lethal means deadly
• Penny gush means exaggerated writing
• Screamer means an alarmist leader or principal artic:le
• Screaming gin and ignorance means bad newspaper writing
• Tripe means rubbish
• Turn over means last column on the right of the front page of a popular
newspaper, especially an evening one.,,15
The writer assumes that this is a kind of slang which is used by joumalists in
their newspaper in order to express something or give a humour in the newspapers.
Every newspaper journalist has their own words to express something in their
newspaper, and they often use slang words which are familiar in the journalistic
world.
5. Medical Slang
This slang term is used around the medical world. The words is used between
the doctor with other doctors or nurses and between doctor with the patients. Medical
slang is used, because "doctors very rarely talk to others than doctors and because in
the words of the one notable authority on medical slang. In medical slang there are
relatively few true slang expressions, although many words and phrases are used
15
Ibid, p. 173.
14
incomprehensible to the layman. In this slang term, there is a great tendency to use
initials, while abbreviations are also common.
Below are some examples of medical slang in initial fmills.
• D.D.A. means the dangerous drugs act
• E.N.T. means ear, nose and throat
• G.s. W. means gunshot wound
• V. D. means venercal disease
Below are some examples of medical slang in abbreviation forms.
• Benign means tumour
• Duodenal means ulcer
• German means measles
• Scarlet means fever.,,16
This is a kind of slang which are used by doctors and other people who
connect with the medical world or activity in the medical world. The words are often
in initials forms and abbreviations forms. A person who is not familiar with the
medical world will be hard to understand the vocabularies of its slang term.
6. Slang in the Church
We can say that slang can be found in every place. "Even the pulpit itself is no
longer free from its intrusion. There is no wish here, for one moment to infer that the
practice is general. On the contrary, and in justice to the c1