1
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of five parts, namely the research background, the research question, the research objective, the research benefits, and the definition
of terms. The research background represents the reasons why the topic is conducted. Moreover, this chapter also discusses the reasons why the topic is
worth studying. The research problems deal with the problems that will be analyzed in chapter four. The research objectives provide the purposes of the
study. The next part is the benefits of the study. In the last part, the researcher provides the definition of the terms to deepen readers understanding.
A. Research Background
Compared with men, women use different language features. Many studies have scientifically proven that men and women have specific language features
used in speaking. The most famous study about women’s language features is
Lakoff’s 1973 study. Lakoff 1973 states that women have specific language features. The language features distinguish women from men. Spender 1980
claims that men’s language is the norm of a society. Lakoff 1973 states that society places women
’s language in the lower position. It implies that men’s language
and women’s language are different. In society, women use politer language forms, whereas men tend to speak
harshly. Romaine 1996 states that women may use a language as a way to PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
2 assimilate to society and achieve status denied to them. In the past, women were
considered in the lower society. Women were in the lower society because they were illiterate. Men led the society and women became mothers and housewives.
There were only small places for women in other fields, such as in education and politics. In order to be accepted, some women do assimilation strategy. The
assimilation strategy is a strategy that is persuaded by women in order to be in equal status with men. Coates 1993 mentions six ways which imply women
’s assimilation. In some cases, women use deeper voices, swear, use taboo language,
use a more assertive style in group interaction, use prosodic features, talk about traditionally male topics, and speak non-standard accents.
Nowadays, many women believe in feminism. In Indonesia, women have taken some positions which men used to lead, such as politics, education and
other fields. In Indonesia, there are some women who have been famous in politics
, such as Tri Rismaharini as Surabaya’s mayor, and Susi Pudjiastuti as Indonesia’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. In Indonesia, there are
many heroes who are women, such as RA Kartini and Cut Nyak Din. On the other hand, some men have adopted women’s values. Italua 2013
states that nowadays society considers femininity traits as a part of masculinity. West 1990 m
entions some benefits of using women’s language features. She takes an example from doctor-patient talk and education field. The research
discovers that those male doctors who use men’s language features perform more
authoritarian and less sensitive. The doctors obtain difficulties in getting patients do what they are asked. It implies that female language features perform better in
3 doctor talk. The other example is in an education field. The new GCSE English
examinations prove that girls performed more positively in interpersonal skill. The evidence that men and women tend to assimilate nowadays invite the
researcher to do a study. The researcher tries to recognize whether men’s
nowadays also use women’s language features in their literary works. If they use womens language features in their writings, it may imply ideologies the men
believe. In order to examine the mens writings, the researcher chooses to obtain data from Doc. Loves articles in askmen.com. Doc. Love is a man who writes
some articles in order to solve love problems. The researcher observes Doc. Loves articles because Doc. Love is perceived as a doctor. Because of his job, he
may use women ’s language. The researcher wants to know whatever Doc. Love
uses women language features in his articles. Doc. Love’s articles are in a website, named askmen.com. Askmen.com is
a men’s website which helps men to improve their lives. Every man in the world can open the website and obtain some advice and knowledge about being a better
man. Being the most famous men site, it influences many men in the world. If the writers in the askmen.com use
women’s language features, it shows that assimilation between men and women is acceptable nowadays. The website is
categorized as documents where the data of the research can be gathered easily. Because of the validity and accessibility, the study gains data from the site as the
main data for the study. This research is relevant to English education. This research can be a
source of teaching. It will help teachers to gain more understanding in teaching, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4 especially in teaching sociolinguisticss. This research also helps English learners
to learn sociolinguisticss. In English Language Study Program, students must past sociolinguisticss. Women language features are one of the materials discussed in
sociolinguisticss. The students can expand their sociolinguistics knowledge by studying this research.
B. Research Problems
Based on the problems above, the study aims to answer these questions: 1.
Which women’s language features are used by Doc. Love in askmen.com? 2.
What factors affect Doc. Love to use womens language?
C. Research Limitation
This research focuses on two points. First, it analyzes which women’s
language features by Doc. Love uses in his articles. The researcher uses women’s
language features purposed by Lakoff 1972 and women language features in writing by Jespersen 1922. Second, the researcher analyzes the factors that
influence Doc. Love used the features. Besides, the researcher also relates the obtained data with the theories that had been reviewed.
D. Research Objectives
The objectives of this study are to discover these things: 1.
Women’s language features used by Doc. Love in askmen.com. 2.
Factors affecting Doc. Love to use women ’s language.
5 E.
Research Benefits
The researcher expects that the study offers some benefits. The benefits are:
1. English Language Education Study Program Students
It is expected that this study will make the students expand their knowledge of women’s language features. On the other hand, by understanding
that women and men tend to assimilate nowadays, it may lead students to support diversity in their daily life. It will help male and female students to be aware that
nowadays women are partners for men. Male students should learn to cooperate with female students when they study in university. The fact that women are
acceptable to work with men nowadays should make the male students aware that they may work with female workers when they are in their jobs. Male students
also should understand that there may be changes in society perspective of masculinity and femininity.
2. English Language Study Program Teachers
For English Language Study Program teachers, this study may become an additional source for teaching. There are many examples of women languages
features discussed in chapter four. The data which are put in the appendices can be used in teaching process. The examples are taken from an online magazine. This
study examines language features from websites. The website is quite popular and up to date. The content of the website may attract students to study. Hence,
students may not become bored with class activities. 3.
Future Researchers The last benefit is for people who want to do a future research. This study
6 may contribute as an additional source. By reading this research, the future
researchers can replicate the study steps. It is expected that the future researchers will produce better results and explanation about problems discussed in this study.
The references of this study also can be additional references for future researchers. Hopefully, if the future researchers can find mistakes in this study,
they can produce a better research.
F. Definitions of Terms
In order to help readers, follow the discussion in this thesis, the researcher defines the terms which are used. Some of the terms are defined as follows.
1. Sex
Talbot 2010 states that the term sex refers to what has been given biologically to a human. Sex is an identity that a human obtains when he or she
was born. Eckert Ginet 2003 state that the term sex is a biological categorization based on reproductive potential. As a male, he has two kinds of
chromosomes; that are chromosome x and y. On the other hand, Talbot 2010 adds that a female only obtains one kind of chromosome; that is chromosome x.
2. Gender
The term gender is not the same as sex. If sex is obtained when an individual was born, gender is socially constructed. Talbot 2010 states that
gender is learned from the society; Society divides people into masculine and feminine categories. Gender is not obtained biologically. Gender does not depend
on his sex types. If someone is a man, it does not mean the man must be PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
7 masculine. He may adopt feminine traits. Gender is psycho-social. People are
decided whether they are masculine or feminine by society. 3.
Askmen.Com Askmen.com is a man lifestyle website. It provides men with much
information, such as dating, news, grooming, style, etc. Mediakit.askmen.com n.d claims that every month there are about 14,000,000 readers who open
askmen.com. For over 7 years, AskMen has been an industry leader in what is now known as “native advertising”. Askmen.com provides articles and videos
which help the readers to become better men. The website also provides some advertisements.
4. Doc. Love Thomas Hodge or Doc. Love is a relationship coach for men. He was born
on 1 January 1945. Since 1965, Doc. Love has given advice on relationships and dating women. He has an own worldwide radio show every Wednesday on Blog
Talk Radio. He also writes a popular column on the 1 mens website in the world, askmen.com. Doc. Love has been featured in some media appearances, including
Fox News, Time Magazine, The 9-5-0 Houston and Kills Los Angeles Retrieved
from doclove.com on Friday, 15 July 2016.
8
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Kategori