ANALYSIS OF THEME ON SELECTED TAYLOR SWIFT’S SONG LYRICS An Analysis of Theme on Selected Taylor Swift's Song Lyrics.

ANALYSIS OF THEME
ON SELECTED TAYLOR SWIFT’S SONG LYRICS

RESEARCH PAPER
Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirement for Getting Bachelor Degree of
Education in English Department

By:
RETNO RAHAYU
A320130198

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH SURAKARTA
2017

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MOTTOS

“The best preparation for good work
tomorrow is to do good work today”
(Anonymous)

Don’t tell them your dream,
show them!!
(Anonymous)

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DEDICATION

:

for my incomparable lover


Mamak and Bapak.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Assalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb
Alhamdulillahhirabbil’alamin.
All blessings belong to Allah SWT for His mercy given to the researcher, so
she could complete her research paper entitled “ANALYSIS OF THEME
ON SELECTED TAYLOR SWIFT’S SONG LYRICS”. In conducting
this research the researcher got so many supports from many people. The
researcher would like to express her deepest gratitude and appreciation to the
people in the following list:
1. Prof. Dr. Harun Joko Prayitno, M.Hum, the Dean of School
Teacher Training and Education, Muhammadiyah University of
Surakarta.
2. Mauly Halwat Hikmat, Ph.D. the Chief of Department of
English Education, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.
3. Dra. Malikatul Laila, M. Hum., the consultant who has

supported, helped and encouraged the researcher to conduct this
research by giving her great advice and suggestions.
4. Dr. Dwi Haryanti, M.Hum. and Drs. Sigit Haryanto, M.Hum.
the examiners who has given a great chance and easiness for the
researcher to get through this one of the most important steps in
her life.
5. All lecturers of Department of English Education who have
become such great educators and for giving uncountable
knowledge to the researcher.
6. Her beloved mother and father for their everlasting love and
support. The researcher is never done this without them.

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7. Her best friends, Fitria Uswatun A., Devica Hps, Ayuni and Sri,
who has been giving her a meaningful friendship this last three
years and forever.
8. All her family members as the prayer, who always give spirit
and supports in this whole hard times.
9. All her consultation classmates, Ambar, Rifky, Wreda and

others, even though we are only knowing each other not for
long, but you guys always be there when I need the most. Thank
you for your such big help.
10. All boardinghouse mates in Denida Kos, Lisa, Fitri and all of the
girls living there, I love you all. Thanks for all big helps and
supports.
11. All DEE classmates who is always cheering her up over this last
3 years.
The last, the researcher realizes that this research is not
good enough. So, the suggestion and supported criticism are
expected to make this research better.
Wassalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb.

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ANALYSIS OF THEME
ON SELECTED TAYLOR SWIFT’S SONG LYRICS
ABSTRAK
RETNO RAHAYU. A320130198. ANALYSIS OF THEME ON
SELECTED TAYLOR SWIFT’S SONG LYRICS.

Skripsi. Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan. Universitas
Muhammadiyah Surakarta. 2017, 155 halaman.
Tema (Theme) dan Rema (Rheme) merupakan komponen penting dalam
membangun makna dalam suatu klausa. Baik itu dalam tulisan baku maupun
dalam karya sastra yang mengedepankan segi artistik didalamnya. Lirik lagu
misalnya, selain cara penulisan yang artistik, tetapi juga terdapat makna yang
terbangun. Tema mempunyai peran utama dalam klausa karena memahami
Tema memungkinkan mengetahui isi keseluruhan klausa. Maka dari itu,
penelitian ini membahas tentang analisis jenis Tema dan Rema dan
menjelaskan makna yang terkandung pada lirik lagu tertentu dari Taylor
Swift. Tujuan dari penelitian ini antara lain: (1) Mengidentifikasi tipe Tema
yang terdapat pada lirik lagu Taylor Swift, dan (2) Menjelaskan makna
tektual yang terkandung dalam lirik lagu tersebut.
Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif. Data penelitian ini
adalah semua klausa dalam 10 lagu dari Taylor Swift yang berjudul Love
Story, You Belong With Me, Enchanted, You’re Not Sorry, Speak Now,
Haunted, Blank Space, Forever Always, Fearless dan 22. Analisis data
menggunakan teori Gerot dan Wignell (1994) tentang tipe-tipe tema,
kemudian penulis mendiskripsikan makna yang terkandung didalamnya.
Hasil dari penelitian ini, terdapat 4 jenis Tema yang diaplikasikan oleh

penulis dalam lirik lagunya. Diantaranya Unmarked dan Marked Topical
Theme, Textual dan Interpersonal Theme. Diantara jenis tema tersebut,
Unmarked Theme paling banyak digunakan oleh penulis dalam penulisan lirik
lagunya; yaitu 59, 6 % , berikutnya adalah Textual 24,8 %, Marked Topical
Themes 8, 5%, dan Interpersonal Theme 7, 2 %. Penulis kemudian
mendeskripsikan makna dari jenis-jenis tema tersebut. Implikasi penelitian di
dalam pendidikan adalah untuk mempermudah penguasaan tata
bahasa/grammar para siswa dan memupuk kemampuan menulis yang runtut.

Kata kunci: Tema dan Rema, lirik lagu, kandungan makna.
.

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ANALYSIS OF THEME
ON SELECTED TAYLOR SWIFT’S SONG LYRICS
ABSTRACT
RETNO RAHAYU. A320130198. ANALYSIS OF THEME ON
SELECTED TAYLOR SWIFT’S SONG LYRICS.
Research Paper. School of Teacher Training and Education. Muhammadiyah

University of Surakarta. 2017, 115 Pages.
Theme and Rheme are important components in meaning-organizing. Not
only on standard written texts but it also applies in written art or literature
work which is usually artistically constructed. Song lyric, for example, also
has meaning realized. Theme constitutes the main part of clause, because
comprehending the Theme may help to understand the whole clause.
Therefore, this research identifies the types of Theme and finds out the
textual meaning realized on selected Taylor Swift’s song lyrics. The
objectives of this study are: (1) to identify the types of Theme in the Taylor
Swift song lyrics, and, (2) to explain the textual meaning realized in Taylor
Swift’s songs.
This research is analyzed by using descriptive qualitative method. The data
are all clauses taken from 10 Taylor Swift’s song lyrics, entitled Love Story,
You Belong with Me, Enchanted, You’re Not Sorry, Speak Now, Haunted,
Blank Space, Forever Always, Fearless and 22. Data are analyzed by using
Gerot and Wignell (1994) theory which includes the type of Theme, then the
writer describes the textual meaning realized in the song.
The result of the study shows that 4 types of Theme are applied by the author
in her song. There are Unmarked and Marked Topical Theme, Textual and
Interpersonal Theme. Among the 4 types of Theme used, Unmarked Topical

Theme is most frequently used by the author in writing her songs lyrics; that
is 59, 6 %, the next position is Textual Theme 24,8 %, Marked Topical Theme
8, 5%, and the last one is Interpersonal Themes 7, 2 %. After identifying the
types of Theme, the writer describes the meaning realized in the song based
on the Theme type applied. The pedagogical implication of this research is to
make the students master the grammar easier and write a text coherently.

Keywords: Theme and Rheme, song lyrics, meaning realized.

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TABLE OF CONTENT
Page
TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................

i

APPROVAL ...................................................................................................

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ACCEPTANCE ..............................................................................................

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PRONOUNCEMENT ....................................................................................

iv

MOTTOS ........................................................................................................

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DEDICATION ................................................................................................

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .............................................................................

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ABSTRAK ......................................................................................................

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ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................

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TABLE OF CONTENTS ...............................................................................

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LIST OF TABLE AND PICTURE………………………………………….

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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study .......................................................... 1
B. Limitation of the Study.............................................................. 2

C. Problem Statement .................................................................... 3
D. Objectives of the Study ............................................................ 3
E. Benefits of the Study................................................................. 3
F. Research Paper Organization ................................................... 4
CHAPTER II: UNDERLYING THEORY
A. Previous Study .......................................................................... 5
B. Related Literary Theory ........................................................... 8
1. Notion of Grammar ............................................................... 9
2. Systemic Functional Grammar .............................................. 9
3. Metafunction- Three Strands of Meaning...............................10
4. Ideational Meaning ................................................................ 11
5. Interpersonal Meaning ........................................................... 11
6. Textual Meaning..................................................................... 11

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7. Organizing Massages: Theme................................................ 12
8. Types of Theme…..……………............................................ 14
a. Ideational Theme…….………………………..………… 14
(1) Unmarked Theme……….…...…….………………… 14
(2) Marked Topical Theme………...……………………. 14

b. Interpersonal Theme……….….…………………………15
c. Textual Theme………..………………………………….16
d. Taylor Swift Song Lyrics…………..…………………… 18
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHOD
A. Research Type …...................................................................... 19
B. Research Object…..................................................................... 19
C. Data and Data Source ............................................................... 19
D. Method and Technique of Collecting Data .............................. 20
E. Data Validity ............................................................................ 20
F. Technique of Analyzing Data ................................................... 20
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS, FINDING AND DISCUSSION
A. Data Analysis ............................................................................ 21
B. Research Finding ....................................................................... 90
1. Types of Theme…................................................................. 90
2. The Meaning Realized .......................................................... 92
C. Discussion…………………….………………………………. 95
1. Types of Theme….................................................................. 95
a) Unmarked Theme............................................................... 96
(1) Personal Pronoun…………………………………….. 96
(2) Demonstrative pronouns………...…………………… 96
(3) Noun…………………………………………………. 96
(4) Noun phrase………………………………………….. 97
(5) Existential……………………………………………. 97
(6) Anticipatory………………………………………….. 97
(7) Dependent clause…………………………………….. 97

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b) Textual Theme …...........………………………............... 97
(1) Interjection…………………………………………… 98
(2) Conditional…………………………………………... 98
(3) Additive……………………………………………… 98
(4) Adversative…………………………………………... 98

c) Marked Topical Theme………………….......................... 99
(1) Adverbial phrase……………………………………... 99
(2) Prepositional phrase…………………………………. 99
(3) Complement…………………………………………. 100

d) Interpersonal Theme………...………………………….. 100
(1) Polarity………………………………………………. 100
(2) Entreaty……………………………………………… 100
(3) Addressee……………………………………………. 101
(4) Interrogative…………………………………………. 101

2. The Meaning Realized .......................................................... 101
a) Unmarked Topical Theme…................................................ 101
(1) Personal Pronoun……..……………………………… 101
(2) Demonstrative pronouns……………………………... 102
(3) Noun…………………………………………………. 102
(4) Noun phrase……….…………………………………. 103
(5) Existential……………………………………………. 103
(6) Anticipatory………………………………………….. 104
(7) Dependent clause…………………………………….. 104

b) Textual Theme…………………………………………….. 105
(1) Interjection…………………………………………… 105
(2) Causal………………………………………………... 105
(3) Conditional……………...…….……………………... 106
(4) Additive……………………………………………… 106
(5) Adversative………………………………………….. 107

c) Marked Topical Theme……………………........................ 107
(1) Adverbial phrase…………………………………….. 107

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(2) Prepositional phrase…………………………………. 108
(3) Complement…………………………………………. 108

d) Interpersonal Theme…………………………………......... 109
(1) Polarity………………………………………………. 109
(2) Entreaty……………………………………………… 109
(3) Addressee……………………………………………. 110
(4) Interrogative ………………………………………… 110

3. The Pedagogical Implication………………………………. 111
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion .................................................................................. 112
B. Suggestion .................................................................................. 113
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX

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LIST OF TABLE AND PICTURE

CHAPTER I
Figure.1.1. Stratification by Halliday & Matthiessen (2014: 26).............. 10
CHAPTER IV
Table 4.1. Distribution of Theme in the song lyrics.................................... 91
Table 4.2. Specification of Linguistic Forms on Theme. ........................... 92

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