5. CHARACTERISTICS OF SCIENTIFIC
TEXTS A
scientific text has a number of features or characteristics.
Some features characterize scientific
texts are: 1.
Objective, 2.
Impersonal, 3.
Technical, 4.
Practical, and 5.
Written Language. All
of these characteristics find their expressions
in langauge, particularly in lexicogrammatical
aspects.
5. 1 Objective
A concept or idea is called objective when
it is perceived similar by all persons regardless
of the surrounding elements, such as temporal,
spatial, manner characteristics. On the contrary,
a subjective idea is one which is contextually
dependent, that is the idea varies in terms of
location and manner. Subjectivity in language is
coded by linguistic aspects of 1 Mental
Process, 2 Epithet, 3 Modality, 4
Euphemism, and 5 Connotative Meaning.
1 Mental Process, that is verbs coding
cognition, affection and perception,
such as know, realize, understand, feel,
like, love, hate, see, hear…,
2 Epithet, that is adjectives which accept
intensifier very and degrees of
comparisons, such as high, low, pretty,
good ,
…, 3
Modality which codes assessment, opinion,
personal judgments, such as certain,
may, will, can, certain, sometimes, must
…, 4
Euphemism wash my hand, pass away,
ask one’s hand, and 5
Connotative Meanings. In
order to remain objective in a scientific text,
the use of the five subjective elements should
be avoided or if not possible be minimized.
Objectivity and subjectivity are in contrast
proportion in the sense that if subjectivity
increases, objectivity decreases and if
objectivity increases, subjectivity decreases. Occasionally
subjective assessment is used such
as in a scale measuring attitudes. The term ‘good’,
‘better’, ‘best’ and ‘excellent’ are used after
being made objective by defining each of the
term: being ‘good’ means that almost 8o of the
case is favorable.
5. 2 Impersonal
Ideas or concepts in scientific texts are
impersonal in the sense that involvement of the
writer of the text typically coded as personal
pronouns I, we, she and the writer is avoided.
Being personal implies subjectivity. Thus, to
maintain the objectivity pronouns are not used.
However, personality is allowed only in
acknowledgement. To maintain impersonality,
clauses in scientific texts are typically realized in
the passive voice. This is the main reason for
the dominant us of passive voice in scientific
texts. Another
realization of impersonality is promoting
the Value or Participant. In effect instead
of representing an arachnid is an invertebrate
animal having eight legs extending an equal
interval from the central body Trimble 1985: 80,
the clause an invertebrate animal having eight legs
extending an equal interval from the central body
is called an arachnid or an alternative of a meteorological
instrument that is used to measure the
seed of the wind is called an anemometer for an anemometer
is a meteorological instrument that is used
to measure the seed of the wind. In Indonesian the
use of quasi passive clause such as buku itu mereka
ambil is one alternative of coding impersonality
for its active counterpart mereka mengambil
buku itu. This way of promoting Value
in relational process clause is also the property
of technicality.
5. 3 Technical
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