72 other hand, the second meaning would make the sentence have denotative
meaning since the sentence would be interpreted as 2 Indonesia is making development to improve in these important areas.
31. Coming to the core issue, as long as there is a strong demand for crude palm
oil CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to cultivate their
land with cheap, unethical methods. Comments: Yudhoyono tries to put out the fire from critics on July 4, 2013
This sentence was taken from comments on President of Indonesia’s act related to the critics from people on his apologizing to Singapore and Malaysia for
the smoke. In the sentence, the word core triggered ambiguity. It could refer to two meanings. Those meanings are:
a. central
b. most important
If the first meaning was applied, the sentence would be 1 Coming to the central issue, as long as there is a strong demand for crude palm oil CPO
worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to cultivate their land with cheap, unethical methods, while, if the second meaning was applied, the sentence
would be 2 Coming to the most important issue, as long as there is a strong demand for crude palm oil CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will
continue to cultivate their land with cheap, unethical methods. Both meanings were accepted and reasonable. However, based on Cambridge Advanced
Learner’s Dictionary, the word core which is usually interpreted as central is used
73 to represent the hard central part of fruit Therefore the second meaning suited the
sentence the most.
32. Coming to the core issue, as long as there is a strong demand for crude palm
oil CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to cultivate their
land with cheap, unethical methods. Comments: Yudhoyono tries to put out the fire from critics on July 4, 2013
The researcher also found that the word demand was ambiguous. It has two meanings. Those meanings are:
a. strong request
b. need
Based on those meanings which were both reasonable, the sentence could be interpreted as 1 Coming to the core issue, as long as there is a strong and
determined request for crude palm oil CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to cultivate their land with cheap, unethical methods, and 2
Coming to the core issue, as long as there is a strong need for crude palm oil CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to cultivate their land
with cheap, unethical methods. Those two sentences seemed reasonable and made sense.
33. Coming to the core issue, as long as there is a strong and determined request for crude palm oil CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to
cultivate their land with cheap, unethical methods. Comments: Yudhoyono tries to put out the fire from critics on July 4, 2013
74 In the same sentence as presented in point 33 and 34, the researcher found
other ambiguous word. The word cultivate was ambiguous since there were more than one meaning that can be referred to it. Those meanings are:
a. use and prepare
b. develop and improve something
Both meanings could be applied in the sentence as follows 1 Coming to the core issue, as long as there is a strong and determined request for crude palm
oil CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to use and prepare their land with cheap, unethical methods, and 2 Coming to the core issue, as
long as there is a strong and determined request for crude palm oil CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to develop and improve their
land with cheap, unethical methods. Both meanings were reasonable. However the first sentence was the most suitable interpretation since the meaning use and
prepare usually refers to land. 34. Coming to the core issue, as long as there is a strong and determined request
for crude palm oil CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to
cultivate their land with cheap, unethical methods. Comments: Yudhoyono tries to put out the fire from critics on July 4, 2013
Another ambiguous word found in the same sentence as presented in point 33, 34 and 35. The word cheap may also trigger ambiguity, since it can refer to
two meanings. Those meanings are: a.
low in price, costing little money b.
low in quality
75 Using those two meanings, the sentence could be interpreted as 1
Coming to the core issue, as long as there is a strong and determined request for crude palm oil CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to
cultivate their land with low cost, unethical methods, and 2 Coming to the core issue, as long as there is a strong and determined request for crude palm oil
CPO worldwide, these plantation owners will continue to cultivate their land with low quality, unethical methods. The interpretations of those meanings were
acceptable and reasonable. This might cause the reader confused in deciding which one was intended by the writer.
35. This must be stopped through strict legal enforcement otherwise it will revert to the status quo. Comments: Yudhoyono tries to put out the fire from
critics on July 4, 2013
This sentence was taken from a comment on President of Indonesia’s act related to the critics from people on his apologizing to Singapore and Malaysia for
the smoke. The word stopped can refer to two meanings, those meanings are: a.
to put an end to the movement, progress, or an action b.
to prevent Using those two meanings, the sentence could be interpreted as 1 This
must be put to an end through strict legal enforcement otherwise it will revert to the status quo and 2 This must be prevented through strict legal enforcement
otherwise it will revert to the status quo. The difference between them could be clearly seen from the meaning put an end and prevent. In put an end, it is clearly
76 that the action, progress or movement is ongoing, while in prevent, the movement,
progress and action haven’t started yet.
36. This must be stopped through strict legal enforcement otherwise it will revert to the status quo. Comments: Yudhoyono tries to put out the fire from
critics on July 4, 2013
Another ambiguous word from the sentence presented in point 20 and 21 was strict. The word strict could refer to two entries. Those entries are:
a. obeyed and observed
b. clearly and exactly defined
Those two meanings were clearly different. Therefore those would make different interpretation too. The first meaning would modify the sentence as 1
This must be stopped through legal enforcement which should be obeyed otherwise it will revert to the status quo, while the second meaning would modify
the sentence as 2 This must be stopped through legal enforcement which is clearly and exactly defined otherwise it will revert to the status quo. Those
sentence were both acceptable and reasonable, therefore it might cause confusion.
37. Needless to say, one must not compromise over public health. Comments: Yudhoyono tries to put out the fire from critics on July 4, 2013
This sentence was also taken from the same passage as on point 16 to 21. The word compromise is polysemous. There were three meanings that could fit
the sentence. Those meanings were: a.
to settle a dispute b.
to bring someone or something on danger situation because foolish behavior
77 c.
to weaken a belief, standard, etc. Based on those three meanings, the sentence could be interpreted as 1
Needless to say, one must not settle a dispute over public health, 2 Needless to say, one must not bring public health in a danger situation, and 3 Needless to
say, one must not lowering public health standard. Those three meanings could carry different interpretations, which were all acceptable.
38. Zoos in Indonesia are managed by incompetent and corrupt people. Issue of the day: Visitors feel pity for zoo occupants on July 4, 2013
This sentence was taken from the comment on zoos’ condition which was very poor. This sentence was ambiguous. The word corrupt was considered
ambiguous. There were three meanings that could be the references: a.
willing to act dishonestly or illegally in return for money b.
morally bad c.
not following standard or behavior Based on those three meanings, the noun phrase corrupt people could be
interpreted as 1 people who are willing to act illegally for money, 2 people who are morally bad, and 3 people who are not following the standard. Those
three interpretations made sense. Moreover, those three interpretations could carry the message of the whole passage which criticizes the condition of zoos in
Indonesia. 39. They “feed” the organization and preserve them in order to manage “the
political balance” so they can gain a dominant bargaining position with the government. Your letter: Violent in Papua on July 4, 2013
78 A sentence taken from a letter commenting on violence in Papua was
considered to be ambiguous. The ambiguity was raised because of the ambiguous found in the word gain. It could refer to these meanings:
a. get
b. increase
Those two meanings caused different interpretation to the sentence. The first meaning would affect the verb phrase gain a dominant bargaining position as
1 get a dominant bargaining position, which means that previously ‘they’ the subject have not got the dominant bargaining position before, while the second
meaning would modify the phrase as 2 increase a dominant bargaining position, which means that ‘they’ have got the dominant bargaining position but want to
increase and improve it.
40. I, too, support the respect for individual privacy and basic liberties for all. Comments: Snowden and evidence on July 5, 2013
The word respect has also been discussed in point 33. Previously, the researcher had suggested two meanings. Those meaning were:
a. admiration
b. consideration
Those two meanings could also be applied to this sentence, and would modify the sentence as 1 I, too, support the admiration for individual privacy
and basic liberties for all, and 2 I, too, support the consideration for individual privacy and basic liberties for all. Therefore, the readers might find it difficult to
get the intended meaning.
79
41. So the Islam Defenders Front FPI has done it again — a display of brutal
