THE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE USED ONE OF THE JASON MRAZ ALBUMS IN 2008 ENTITLED “WE SING, WE DANCE, WE STEAL THINGS” A GRADUATING PAPER Submitted to the Board Examiners as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of SarjanaPendidikan (S.Pd) Eng

THE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE USED ONE OF THE JASON MRAZ
ALBUMS IN 2008 ENTITLED “WE SING, WE DANCE, WE STEAL
THINGS”

A GRADUATING PAPER

Submitted to the Board Examiners as a Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of SarjanaPendidikan (S.Pd) English
Education Department of Teacher Training and Education Faculty
State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga

Arranged By:
NURFIYANTI

113 08 028

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY
STATE INSTITUTE FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES (IAIN)
SALATIGA
2016

DECLARATION

‫الرحيم‬
ّ ‫الرمحن‬
ّ ‫بسم اهلل‬
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful,

Hereby, the writer declares that this graduating paper is written by the
writer herself. This paper does not contain materials which having been published
by other people and other people‟s idea except the information from the
references.
The writer makes this declaration, and she hopes this declaration can be
understood.

Salatiga, September 14th 2016
The writer

NURFIYANTI
113 08 028

WRITING ORIGINALNESS STATEMENT

The signee I-hand, under this:
Name

: Nurfiyanti

NIM

: 113 08 028

Faculty

: TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY

Majors

: ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
State that a graduating paper that I write this truly is my work result self

not copying of work write other people. Opinion or meeting other people that got
in a graduating this paper be quoted or be referred the ethic-code scientifically.

Salatiga, September 14th 2016
Who to state it,

Nurfiyanti
113 08 028

Salatiga,Sept 09th 2016

Hanung Triyoko, S.S., M.Hum., M.Ed.
The Lecturer of English Educational Department
State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga
ATTENTIVE COUNSELOR‟S NOTE
Case

: Nurfiyanti’s Graduating Paper
Dear

The Head of State Islamic
Studies Institut of Salatiga

Assalamu’alaikum, Wr. Wb.
After reading and correcting Nurfiyanti‟s graduating paper entitled THE

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE USED ONE OF THE JASON MRAZ
ALBUMS IN 2008 ENTITLED “WE SING, WE DANCE, WE STEAL
THINGS”
I have decided and would like to propose that thist paper can be
accepted by the Teacher Training and Educational Faculty, I hope this paper
would be examined as soon as possible.
Wassalamu’alaikum, Wr. Wb.
Consultant,

Hanung Triyoko, S.S., M.Hum., M.Ed.
NIP. 19730815 199903 1 003

A GRADUATING PAPER

THE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE USED ONE OF THE JASON MRAZ
ALBUMS IN 2008 ENTITLED “WE SING, WE DANCE, WE STEAL
THINGS”

Written By:
NURFIYANTI
113 08 028

Has been brought to the board of examiners of English and Educational
Department of Teacher Training of Education Faculty of State Institute for Islamic
Studies (IAIN) Salatiga on September 30th , 2016 and hereby considered to
completely fulfill of the requirement for degree of Sarjana Pendidikan Islam
(S.Pd.I) in English Education Department.
Boards of Examiners
Head

: Dr. Sa‟adi, M. Ag

Secretary

: Hanung Triyoko, S.S,M.Hum.,M.Ed

1st Examiners

: Faizal Risdianto,S.S,M. Hum.

2nd Examiners

: Ari Setiawan,M. M.

Salatiga, September 30th 2016
Head of Teacher Training and
Education Faculty

Suwardi . S. Pd..M. Pd.
NIP. 19670121 199903 1 002

MOTTO

Verily, every difficulty there is relief

(By self)

DEDICATION

This graduating paper is whole hearedly dedication to :
1. Allah SWT and Prophet Muhammad SAW who always guides and
gives strength for me.
2. My beloved Mrs. Watiyem thanks for your trust. My beloved Mr.
Kusno thanks for all generosity.
3. My beloved husband, Agus Puji Narimo thanks for your love,support
and finance.
4. My beloved son, Yorgi Radhika Alvaro thanks for your encouragement.
5.

My beloved sister, Martini thanks for your motivation.

6. All of my friends in TBI 2008 IAIN Salatiga.
7. All of my friends in IAIN Salatiga.
8. My friends of sharing in the same struggle (Nitha,Darul,Dwi,Restu).
Thanks for togetherness.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,
In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful, The
Lord of Universe. Because of Him, the writer could finish this graduating paper as
one of the requirement to finished in English and Department of Education
faculty at State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga.
Secondly, peace and salutation always be given to our prophet Muhammad
SAW who has guided us from the darkness to the lightness.
However, this success would not be achieved without supports, guidance,
advices, helps, and encouragements from individual and institution, and I
somehow realize that an appropriate moment for me to deepest gratitude for:
1. Mr. Dr. H. Rahmat Haryadi, M. Pd. as the Rector of State Institute for
Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga.
2. Mr. Suwardi, M.Pd., as the Dean of Education Faculty.
3. Mrs. Noor Malihah, Ph. D. As a Head of English Edecational Department
of State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga
4. Mr. Hanung Triyoko, S.S., M.Hum., M.Ed., as a counselor who has
educated, supported, directed and given the writer advices, suggestions,
and recommendations for this graduation peper from beginning until the

end.
5. My parents Mrs. Watiyem and Mr. Kusno thanks for your trust all
generosity giving spirit and motivation.
6.

My beloved husband, Agus Puji Narimo thanks for your love, support and
finance.

7. My beloved son, Yorgi Radhika Alvaro thanks for your encouragement.
8. My beloved sister, Martini thanks for your motivation.
9. All of the lecturers in English Department of IAIN Salatiga.
10. All of the staffs who have helped the writer in processing of graduating
paper administration.
Finally this graduating paper is expected to be able to provide useful
knowledge and information to the readers. The writer is pleased to accept more
suggestions and contributionsfrom the reader to the improvement of the
graduating paper.

Salatiga, September 14th 2016
The writer

Nurfiyanti
NIM. 113 08 028

ABSTRACT

Nurfiyanti. 2016. The Figurative Language Used One of The Jason Mraz Albums
in 2008 Entitled “We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things”. Graduating paper
English Education Department of state Institute for Islamic studies (IAIN)
Salatiga. Counselor: Hanung Triyoko, S.S., M.Hum., M.Ed.
Keywords: figurative language
In this research writer will analyze songs lyric of Jason Mraz album We
Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things is so melancholic and simple but consist of
many languages learning about figurative language. These albums consist of 12
songs, this research will study and analyze about figurative language that there are
in Jason Mraz song. After reading the text of a song the listeners do not know
what the topic of the text is. They cannot understand the sentence that they read or
listen in the song simply. Every song has many massagers. The language used in
literary work has been specific language used in other communication. Music and
song are parts of this world of sound, and art is based on the organization.The

aims of this research are (1) what are the types of figurative language used in
Jason Mraz songs? (2) What are the massages in Jason Mraz song lyrics? (3)
What is the denotative and connotative meaning in Jason Mraz songs?
The reseach method that is used in this study, the writer used descriptive
method. According to Suharsimi Arikunto‟s (1990:309), descriptive studies are
design to obtain information concerning with the current status of phenomena.
They are directed toward determining the nature of situation as it exists of the
time of study. Thus there is no administration or control of a treatment as it is
found in an experimental study.
After analyzing, the of Jason Mraz Song album 2008 she gets 44 (fourty
four) figurative languages in all of songs. In this research the writer found,
everything you do "Metonymy, Hyperbole, Personification, Simile and paradox".
Connotation meaning sometimes makes the listeners cannot understand what it
means, so the writer tries to make it clearly. She explained the real meaning of
Jason Mraz Songs. Denotation meaning makes the listeners understand more. But
it is less interesting because the listeners have known the real meaning of the
songs. Based on the messages of Jason Mraz Songs album 2008, the writer think
that she wants to tell the listeners of Jason Mraz Songs album 2008, that love can
give a power to some on but in the contrary, love can make some one lass of
mind. Love is abstract thing and irrational.

TABLE OF CONTENT

TITLE ........................................................................................................

i

SYMBOL OF YARD ................................................................................

ii

DECLARATION .......................................................................................

iii

WRITING ORIGINALNESS STATEMENT ..................................

iv

ATTENTIVE CONSELOR NOTES .......................................................

v

STATEMENT OF CERTIFICATION ...................................................

vi

MOTTO .....................................................................................................

vii

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

viii

ACKNOWLEDGENMENT .....................................................................

ix

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

xi

TABLE OF CONTENT ............................................................................

xii

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study............................................

1

B. Statement of the problem ...........................................

3

C. Objectives of the Study ..............................................

4

D. Benefits of the Study ..................................................

4

E. The Limitation of The Study......................................

4

F. Definition of the Key Terms ......................................

5

G. Review of Related Literature .....................................

6

H. The Methodology of the Research....................... ......

7

I. Graduating Paper Out Lines .......................................

9

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

A. Literature........................................................................................

10

1. The Characteristic of Literature...............................................

10

2. Categories of Literature...........................................................

11

3. The Benefit of Reading Literature...........................................

11

4. Kinds of Literature..................................................................

11

B. Figurative Language......................................................................

12

1. Definition of Figurative Language...........................................

12

2. Types of Figurative Language.................................................. 16
3. Meanings..................................................................................

23

CHAPTER III DATA AND CLASSIFICATION
A. Biography of Jason Mraz Singers..................................................

24

B. Data Presentation..........................................................................

28

C. Data Classification.........................................................................

29

CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
A. Findings Discussion......................................................................

34

B. Data Analysis Of Figurative Language.........................................

35

C. The Denotative Meaning and Connotative Meaning.....................

45

D. The Message that Contained
In Song‟s Album Jason Mraz Year 2008......................................
CHAPTER V

55

CLOSURE

A. Conclusions..................................................................................

61

B. Suggestions..................................................................................

62

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. The Background of the Study
Language is intimately tied to man‟s feeling and activity. It is bound up
with nationality, religion, and the feeling of self. It is used for work, work
ship, and play by everyone, be he beggar or banker, savage or civilized
(Robert Lado, 1964:11). Language variation language spoken by large
populations show marked differences among groups of speakers. These
variations appear geographically, historically, and socially. Everyone, for
example, talks about differences between American and British English, the
Spanish of Spain and of Latin American, Canadian French and the French of
France(Robert Lado, 1964:16).
According to Joshua A. Fishman and Suwito, communication with the
language of not only linguistic but rather determined by nonlinguistic factors,
such as social factors and situational factors. Social factors such as social
status, education level, economic level, age, and gender, whereas situational
factors refer to who speaks, the language of what, to whom, when, where, and
what issues are discussed. Means the domination of social factors and
situational factors in the use of language affects the emergence of language
variation.
In communication with someone else, many people need certain
medium that they called it as language, because they will not understand if one
people talk with other people who have different language. According to

Edward Sapir, language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of
communicating ideas, emotions, and desires by means of a system of
voluntarily produced symbols (Edward Sapir, 1921:8).
Figurative Language is one type of literary work which emphasis on
connotation rather than denotation meaning. Generally, Figurative language is
language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from
the literal interpretation. Language used in literary work has specification
based on languages use in other communication (Okta, 2010:3).
Figurative language is one with its literally in compatible term, forces
the readers to attend the connotation rather than to the denotation (Burhan
Nurgiyantoro, 1995:277). Language used in literally work has been specific
languages use in other communication; music and song are parts of this world
of sound (Endah Wahyuningsih, 2007:2).
Song lyrics is included of kind of literature because lyric is language
creation (poem) which contains of personal feeling expression. Song lyric is
like poem but it is served in song form. It attributes are imaginative but
nowadays. Song also contains critic to our government‟s wisdom, welfare,
miserable, etc. A lyric which is written by author, has destination that will be
delivered to audience. Song contains of word system, good diction, figurative
language, so it will makes it is not just in their ears but heart also can feel it.
Song is created by authors based on their life experiences, tell about someone
or another. Almost of people hear song be able toward their interest that
contains simple lyric, easy to understand and remember because they are in

growing faze. They learn by singing song that they like. Teenagers prefer
listen love song than other because almost of them feel in love in this age.
Mean while old people usually like slow song because their hearing are weak.
Song is more interesting if is sung by singer who has certain voice character
beside sing lyric also interesting. Singers give special voice that makes it touch
audience‟s feeling. Music arrangement also influences music power too. In
this research writer will analyze songs lyric of Jason Mraz album We Sing,
We Dance, We Steal Things is so melancholic and simple but consist of many
languages learning about figurative language. These albums consist of 12
songs, this research will study and analyze about figurative language that there
are in Jason Mraz song. After reading the text of a song the listeners do not
know what the topic of the text is. They cannot understand the sentence that
they read or listen in the song simply. Every song has many massagers. The
language used in literary work has been specific language used in other
communication. Music and song are parts of this world of sound, and art is
based on the organization. So, the writer makes research with title The
Figurative Language Used One of the Jason Mraz Album in 2008 Entitled“We
Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things”.
B. Statement of the Problem
From the background of the study, the writer would like to write down
problem statements as follows:
1. What are the types of figurative language used in Jason Mraz songs?
2. What are the messages in Jason Mraz song lyrics?

3. What is the denotative and connotative meaning of each song lyrics in
Jason Mraz songs?
C. The Objective of the Study
Considering the problems that formulated above the objectives of
research can be specified as follows:
1. To identify the types of figurative language used in Jason Mraz songs.
2. To reveal the message conveyed in Jason Mraz songs.
3. To identify the denotative and connotative meaning of each song lyrics
used in Jason Mraz songs.
D. The Benefit of Study
The result of the research is expected to be beneficial in two ways:
1. Practically, this research will give some knowledge about figurative
language like:
a. It will give additional knowledge to English student and English
lectures.
b. It will make student who like Jason Mraz‟s songs understand figurative
language in these songs.
c. It will add knowledge about figurative language analyzing in Jason
Mraz‟s songs.
2. Theoretically, this study will add the literature in linguistic about figurative
language.
E. The Limitation of The Study
The writer would like to limit this research, the limitations are:

1. This research will be limited by writer on analyzing the figurative of
language used by Jason Mraz‟s songs.
2. This research will be limited on the album entitled “we sing, we dance, we
steal things” of Jason Mraz songs.
3. This research examines the denotation and connotation meaning used by
Jason Mraz songs.
F. Definition of Key Terms
Figurative language consists of two words. Figurative means imitation,
meanwhile language is a set of signals and the structures and can be studied by
human being (Francis, 1992:244). Figurative language express of idea, opinion
or author‟s thinking which is consisting of syntax. That consists of word,
cause to pass certain condition and situations. Figurative language consist of
dictions of lexical chaises, sentences structures, describing, rime pattern and
else that used by art anchors or there are in literature creations. Then figurative
language is language is used by authors to create certain effect. From some
language experts above, so writer can concludes that figurative language is
language which is used by authors to deliver ideas, thinking and author‟s
opinion forward literature.
Lyrics are literature (poem) that contains personal feeling expressions,
word system of song. Song is sounds that consist of instrument voice and
singing, performance, way, etc. Song is music unity that consists of tone
arrangement consecutively. Song lyric is formed from language which is
produced by communication between song authors to song lovers. As written

discourses it is delivered by written medium at album subtitled and is called as
oral discourses because it can be heard by people. Lyric songs have certain
characteristic because it is served by using melody and sound which be able to
lyric songs. So it is more complete became supported by music arrangement
that add art value of song.
G. Review of Related Literature
In this research, the writer uses several the other previous theses as
related literature as follows:
The first review related to this research, and the title is “Figurative
Language Analysis in Letto’s song “ Truth, Cry and Lie” Album”. Which has
been researched by Muh Masruri in 2012, the Student of Islamic Studies
Institude (STAIN) Salatiga? In his thesis, he has analyzed about the figurative
language, According to him, the figurative language used Letto‟s song are
personification, ellipsis, rhetoric, metaphor, synecdoche pars pro toto, anti
climax, pleonasm and repetition.
The second review related to this research, and the title is “Figurative
Language Analysis in Celine Dion’ Songs”. Which has been researched by
Mokhamad in 2010, the student of State Islamic Studies Institude (STAIN)
Salatiga? In his thesis, he has analyzed about the figurative language.
According to him, the figurative used in Celine Dion‟s Songs are simile,
hyperbole, metonymy, personifications, etc in these songs.

He analyzed

sentence by sentence in Celine Dion‟s songs.
The third review related to this research and the title is “A Descriptive

Study on Figurative Language Christian Bautista’s Song’s”. Which has been
researched by Afidatul Barokah in 2007? The student of State Islamic Studies
Institute (STAIN) Salatiga. In her thesis, he has analyzed about the figurative
language. According to him, the figurative used in Christian Bautista‟s are
simile, personification, metaphor and hyperbole.
The fourth review related to this research, and the title is “A
Descriptive study on Figurative Language used in West life’s Song’s”. Which
has been researched by Ifonilla Yenianti in 2003, the Student of Islamic
Studies Institude (STAIN) Salatiga? In her thesis, she has analyzed about the
figurative language. According to him, the figurative language used in West
life song are metonymy, hyperbole, personification, paradox, metaphor, simile
and apostrophe, and it has many connotation meanings based on the data
analysis.
The fifth review related to this research, and the title is “A Descriptive
Study on the Uses of Colloquial Style on English Song’s”. Which has been
researched by Endriana Sri Wahyuni in 2003, the Student of Islamic Studies
Institude (STAIN) Salatiga? In her thesis, she has analyzed about the
colloquial style. According to her, the language styles in English songs are
colloquial style which discusses about non Standard English which is now
recognized as normal and interesting variety of English. As my thesis research,
the language style in Jason Myraz‟s song has interesting of English‟s variety.
But, the writer uses figurative language to be analyzed. It is interesting,
because some of them creates an paradigme of meaning, deeply and build

some imaginations.
H. The Methodology of the Research
1. The Method Research
In this study, the writer used descriptive method. According to
Suharsimi Arikunto‟s (1990:309), descriptive studies are design to obtain
information concerning with the current status of phenomena.
They are directed toward determining the nature of situation as it
exists of the time of study. Thus there is no administration or control of a
treatment as it is found in an experimental study. Therefore, this study
attempts to identify, classify, and describe the figurative language of Jason
Mraz‟s songs.
2. Data Sources
Data sources in this research were Jason Mraz‟s albums. The lyric
contained 12 song : Make it Mine, I’m Yours, Lucky, Butterfly, Live High,
Love for a Child, Details in the Fabric, Coyotes, Only Human, The
Dynamo of Volition, If It Kills Me and A Beautiful Mess.
3. Techniques of collecting data
There are many ways to collect the data, such as: documentation
and questionnaire. This technique was used to get data relating to
figurative language in Jason Mraz songs. Documentation in this case is the
text of Jason Mraz songs cassette.
The techniques of taking the data as follows:
a. The writer selected the Jason Mraz songs.
b. The writer read all of the lyrics of Jason Mraz songs

c. The writer of the lyrics of Jason Mraz songs.
d. The writer analysis the figurative language belonging to Jason Mraz
songs.
4. Techniques of analyzing data
In analyzing the data, the writer uses descriptive analysis technique
to analyze the figurative language used by Jason Mraz songs. The
techniques of analyzing the data as follows:
a. Listening to the Jason Mraz cassettes album to understand that lyrics.
b. Reading and learning all sentences from the lyrics.
c. Identifying the kinds of figurative language.
d. Describing the message conveyed in Jason Mraz songs.
I. Graduating Paper Out Lines
Outline is preliminary sketch representing the principal features,
structures and content of written work (Shah Mahmoud, 1992:109). This
graduating paper is divided into five chapters they are: chapter one is
introduction consisting of background of the study, statement of the problem,
the objectives of the study, the benefits of the study, the limitation of the
study, definition of key terms, review of related literature, the methodology of
the research, graduating paper out lines. Chapter two is review of the related
literature consist of the kind of figurative language and biography of Jason
Mraz songs. Chapter three is data and classification that consist of data
presentation and data classification. Chapter four is analysis that contain of
data analysis of figurative language, figurative language‟s definition and key
word to identify figurative language in Jason Mraz album entitled we sing, we

dance, we steal things. Chapter five is closure that consists of conclusion and
suggestion, bibliographies, curriculum vitae and appendix. The last part is
bibliography and appendixes.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

In this chapter the writer would like to review the related literature dealing
with the figurative language of songs.
A. Literature
Literature derived from the Latin literal, meaning “letter”. The root
meaning of literature refers primarily to the written word and seems to support
this board definition. However, such a definition eliminates the important oral
traditions on which much of our literature is based, including homer‟s illiad
and odyssey, the English epic Beowulf, and many Native American legends
(Charles E.bressler, 1998:6)
Literature is considered as the expression of beautiful thought, ideas in
beautiful language (Hartiningsih, 2001:4). It will be interesting for some
readers if they have high sensitivity and imagination because they can really
enjoy the beauty of literature. Literature is writing of particular kind involving
a particular use of words, writing that works in particular way, makes
different. Literature is human expression about the life experience in language
form.

1. The Characteristic of Literature
Characteristics of literature that mentions three points: first, that
literature has power. The use of language in a certain piece work of
literature may create a powerful emotional impact in the reader mind.

Second, literature is also vivid. One of its great achievements is by the
power of written word to make you hear, to make you feel, it‟s before all,
to make you see. Third, the language of literature is clear to clarify this, he
use a passage describing a character (Sunaryono, 1988:2).
2. Categories of Literature
There are two categories of literature are escape and interpretative
literature. Escape literature is that written purely for entertainment, to help
us pass the time agreeably. Interpretative literature is written to broaden,
deepen and sharpen our awareness of live; it takes us through the
imagination deeper into the real world (Sunaryono, 1988:2).
3. The Benefit of Reading Literature
The benefit of learning literature especially western literature are
the human readers can increase their vocabulary, understanding the
English or American styles of speaking, and knowing western culture.
Another benefit and reading literature is that it offers the readers
an experience, problem life and the way to solve it. But to have experience
and to make the story comes alive, they must read it seriously. Though the
experience is imagination but the emotion is real. Different experience
makes different readers responds differently to the some work.
4. Kinds of Literature
The kinds of literature are mentions two main divisions they are
literature of knowledge and the literature of imagination, both of literature
in function, according to the purpose of the writer. The literature of

knowledge presents or interprets facts, ideas or happenings, a description
of a person or place, the explanation of scientist process, the account of
war, or the discussion of political issues. The literature of imagination
interprets experience by fictitious presentation of person, ideas and events
these writing involve prose, poetry and drama (Sunaryono, 1988:3). The
writer of this thesis will explain only literature of imagination as material
because the analysis of this thesis is about poetry that include into one of
imaginative literature.
B. Figurative Language
1. Definition of Figurative Language
The poetic element of poetry comes from figurative language
aspects. It is one factor that influences the beauty of works. According to
Longman Dictionary of English language and culture (1992), the word
figurative is an adjective of a word, phrase, meaning, etc. used in some
way other than the main or usual meaning to suggest a picture in the main
or to make a comparison that can help the readers make unfamiliar like
familiar.
Abrams (1985:66), also states that figurative language is a
deviation from which speakers of language apprehend as the ordinary, or
standard, significance or sequences of words, in order to achieve some
special meaning or effect. It has often been divided into two classes. They
are “figure of thought”; in which words are used in a way that effects a
conspicuous change in their standard meaning. The standard meaning of a

word, as opposed to its tropic meaning, is called its literal meaning and
“figures of speech” or “rhetorical figures” or schemes (from the Greek
word for form), in which the departure from standard usage is not,
primarily, in the meaning but in the order of the words.
Figurative language is language that employs various figures of
speech. In general, figurative language that departs from the language
employed in the traditional, literal ways of describing persons or object.
Using figurative language is making imaginative description in fresh way.
It is usually immediately obvious whether a text is using figurative or
literal meaning (Reaske, 1966:33).
Figurative language is one factor that makes the poem will have
more meaning. Parrine (1977:61) states that the figurative language is
more effective to explore what the literary people means, because;
a. Figurative language creates the imaginative thinking.
b. Figurative language is the way to make the additional imaginations in
the poem, therefore the abstract will be concrete.
c. Figurative language is the way to give the intensity of the poet.
d. Figurative language is the way to concretize the meaning and to
explore many things in sorter sentence (Waluyo, 1987:83).
The metaphor consists of two terms; they are the main term
(principal term) and secondary term. The main term means tenor, and the
second term means vehicle. Tenor refers to signify and vehicle refers to
signifier. Nevertheless, the people use the term without tenor. This kind of

metaphor is implied metaphor (Pradopo, 1987:66).
According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
(1987:379) figurative speech or figurative language is “an example of the
figurative use of words.” Same definition is given by Oxford Advanced
Learner‟s Dictionary (2005: 433) that is “a word or phrase used for vivid
or dramatic effect.”
Figurative language or “figures of speech” is “a way of saying
something

other

than

the

literal

meaning

of

the

words”

(http://www.frostfriends.org/figurative.html). In other words, any language
that goes beyond the literal meaning of words in order to furnish new
effects or fresh insights into an idea or a subject, cited from
(http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/yorba/figurative_language.htm).
Meanwhile, figurative language is:
“Figure of speech, word of group of words used to give particular
emphasis to an idea or sentiment. The special emphasis is typically
accomplished by he user’s conscious deviation from the strict literal sense
of a word, or from the more commonly used from of word order or
sentence
construction”
(http://au.encarta.msn.com/text_761577842_1/Figure_of_Speech.html).
In Merriam-Webster‟s Encyclopedia of Literature (1995: 415),
figure of speech is defined as:
“A form of expression (as a simile or metaphor) used to convey meaning
or heighten effect often by comparing or identifying one thing with another
that has a meaning or connotation familiar to the reader or listener.”
The figurative language is the way to express ideas through a
specific language which is showing the author‟s soul and personality.
Therefore, we can see the condition and the character of the writer through

his expression. Figurative language is essential for a true appreciation of
literature understanding how it works help us interpret what the poets are
saying and what they are trying to explore. It is usually used in poetry. It
just like what Raskin says that figurative language is used in poetry and
fiction, as well as in everyday speech when a potentially ambiguous
sentence is only one meaning of it occurs to him and he intends the
sentence in this one meaning (Raskin, 1963:63). It is because Poets do
sometime use vague, abstract language; but only in order to make a
particular kind of impression on the reader, or to create in the poem a
vague, day-dreaming mood (Lewis, 1944:25).
Related with the statement above is appropriate with the purpose of
using figurative language. The poets use it to conceive many more effect,
more effective, and more suggestive in the poems. There are some types of
figurative language each of which has their own function. Those types are
metaphor,simile,

personification,

overstatement,

euphemism

(understatement), synecdoche, and irony (Waluyo, 1987:84). However, in
this study only focused on metaphor. From the definition above, we can
conclude that figurative language is the way to explore the idea by specific
language, which shows the mind and the individuality of the writers as the
user of language. The purpose of using it is to make the expression more
interesting and giving an imaginative comfort for the readers. In addition,
figurative language gives more esthetic value for the work.
Therefore, based on the explanations above, the writer conclude

that figurative language is language that cannot be taken literally (or
should not be taken literally only). Figurative language is supposed as a
way in saying one thing and meaning another. It is usually applied by
many writers in creating literary works such as poetry and novel. Many
writers create figurative language personally and creatively. Their styles
are influenced not only by their culture but also their background of
experiences and so forth. Certainly, the writers‟ skill to create attractive
and dept meanings of combinational words are needed to attract their
readers‟ intention.
2. Types of Figurative Language
According to Merriam-Webster‟s Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995:415). Figurative language or figure of speech can be classified in
five major categories, there are
a. Figures of resemblance on relationship (e.g., simile, metaphor,
kenning, conceit, parallelism, personification, metonymy, synecdoche
and euphemism).
b. Figures of emphasis or understatement (e.g., hyperbole, litotes,
rhetoric question, antithesis, climax, bathos, paradox, oxymoron and
irony).
c. Figures of sound (e.g., alliteration, repetition, anaphora and
onomatopoeia).
d. Verbal games and gymnastics (e.g., pun, and anagram).
e. Errors (e.g., malapropism, periphrasis, and spoonerism).
In addition, in line with Frost (2006:76) state that there are sixteen
types of figurative language. Those figurative language would be

explained which related to this study and those are used in analyzing the
findings. The sixteen types of igurative language are presented below:
a. Alliteration
Alliteration is repeated consonant sound occurring at the beginning of
the word or within words. Alliteration is used to create melody,
establish mood, call attention to important words, and point out
similarities contrast.
For instances:
1) Sweet smell of success, a dime a dozen, and jump for joy.
2) Five freaky females finding sales at retail.
b. Allegory
Allegory is a poem in the form of a narrative or story that has a second
meaning beneath the surface one. Allegory is a prolonged or an
extended metaphor which presents its meaning in a veiled way. In
short, it is simply one thing consistently being presented in the guise
of something else. Usually there is a series of actions, which are in
fact symbolic of other actions. Furthermore, Robert Frost is notable
for his use of parable using the description to evoke an idea. For
instances:
1) After apple-picking: the apple harvest suggests accomplishment.
2) Birches: the climbing suggests the value of learning and
experience.
3) Because of wading your ship of life, roaming the ocean, the raff,

billow and hurricane.
c. Allusion
Allusion is a brief figurative or symbolic reference within a literary
text to
a familiar or person, place, event or thing outside the text. Allusion is
used in hopes of triggering an association to portray a meaning. For
instances:
1) Catherine is a real Cinderella (works a lot around the house,
cooking and cleaning).
2) He was Hercules of a man (strong, take on anything).
d. Assonance
Assonance is a resemblance of a sound in words or syllable.
According to Ensiklopedi Sastra Indonesia (2004: 93). For instances:
1) Thy kingdom com, thy will be done.
2) Fleet feet sweep by sleeping geese.
e. Hyperbole
Hyperbole is expression of exaggeration which used by a writer
depicted as being better or worse, or larger or smaller, than actually
the case. According to Merriam-Webster‟s Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995: 573) “hyperbole is a figure of speech that is an intentional
exaggeration for emphasis or comic effect.” For instances:
1) Dr. Johnson drank his tea in oceans.
2) My date last night was the most beautiful girl in the world
f. Idiom
Idiom is the language peculiar to a group of people and has a

special meaning of its own. Idioms according to Webster's Dictionary,
an idiom is defined as: peculiar to itself either grammatically (as no, it
wasn't me) or in having a meaning that cannot be derived from the
conjoined meanings of its elements (as Monday week for „the
Monday a week after next Monday‟). Idioms are expressions of at
least two words which cannot be translated literally and which
function as a single unit semantically (see Holman 1992). For
instances:
1) She sings at the top of her lungs.
2) Do you need a hand?
3) You steal my heart  you make me fall in love with you
g. Imagery
Imagery is the use of words to describe something, to create a
“menta
picture” of it. When Matthew Arnold‟s speaker says “the sea is
calm
tonight” in the poem “Dover Beach,” you create sea in your
imagination.
For instances: The trees converged in a velvet meadow.
h. Irony
Irony is word using that say something other than what we mean
actually. Irony is one of type of figurative language that declare the
opposite meaning or contradiction with the fact. Irony refers to words
with an implication opposite to their usual meaning. Ironic comment

may be humorous or mildly sarcastic (McArthur, 1996:532). For
example:
1) In this cell we are happy, actually.
2) Someone says to his friend “ you are very slim” whereas the fact
is that his friend is very fat.
i. Metaphor
Metaphor is use of a word or phrase denoting kind of idea or object in
place of another word or phrase for the purpose of suggesting a
likeness between the two. In the other word, “metaphor is a figure of
speech in which a word of phrase denoting one kind of object or
action is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy
between

them” (Merriam_Webster‟s Encyclopedia

of Literature,

1995: 756). For instances:
1) A woman is admired for her strength and beauty, she is a silken
tent.
2) The stages of love are stepping stones to death.
3) My lover is a treasure.
j. Metonymy
Metonymy is figure of speech that consists of the use of the name of
one object or concept for that of another to which it is related. as “the
bottle” for “strong drink.” According to Kinayati (2006:19) metonymy
is figures of speech that use one word or phrase to explain something,
because its have a close associated. Example: He loves the bottle,
meaning that he likes the content, not the bottle itself; He bought a

Chevrolet (Chevrolet is used to mean a car).
k. Onomatopoeia
Is a figure of speech that combines of sounds in a word that imitates or
suggests what word refers to? And according Reaske (1966:21) this is
a technique of using a word whose sound suggests its meaning.
Example; when the owl sang in her night, cuckoo…..
I don‟t know where I had to go.
l. Paradox
Paradox is a statement or situation containing apparently contradictory
or incompatible elements, but on closer inspection may be true.
There are three definitions of paradox based on Merriam_Webster‟s
Encyclopedia of Literature (1995: 856):
Paradox is (1) A tenet or proposition contrary to received of
expectation. 2) An apparently self-contradictory statement, the
underlying meaning of which is revealed only by careful scrutiny.
(3) Something (such as a person, phenomenon, state of affairs, or
action) with seemingly contradictory qualities or phases
Paradox is a termeven absurd, but may contain an insight into life
(McArthur, 1996:348). Several examples of paradox as follows:
1) Men work together whether they work together or apart.
2) A well-known secret agent.
3) “This statement is false”; if the statement is true, then the
statement is false, thereby in rhetoric for a situation or statement
that is or seems self- contradictory and the statement true.
m. Personification
Reaske (1966:39) state that personification is the process of

singing human characteristic to object. Personification is figure of
speech which shows an analogy to draw a thing as if human
characteristic, or these thing, animal, and abstract term is made as
human.
Personification is a figure of speech that draw an animal an
object or an ideas having human characteristic (Kinayati, 2006:19).
When something that is not human is given human-like qualities, this
is known as personification. An example of personification would be
to say, for examples:
“The leaves danced in the wind on the cold October afternoon.
”The wind stood up and gave a shout”
“The sky looks angry”
C. Meanings
Figurative language refers to words, and groups of words, that
exaggerate or alter the usual meaning in figures of speeches of the component
words.

A figure of speech may be said to occur whenever a

speaker or writer, from the sake of freshness or emphasis, departs from the
usual denotations of words (Kennedy, 1983; 479). Figurative language may
involve analog to similar concepts or the other contexts, and may involve
exaggerations. There are many figurative languages, the writer will analyze
figurative languages in Jason Mraz album entitled “we sing, we dance, we
steal things” because these figurative languages always uses by the poet in the
word and figurative languages will classified.

L.A. Richarcd in Aminuddin say the original difficulty of all reading,
the problem of making out the meaning is our obvious starting point.
According to Reaske (1966:36) meaning is something that the poet wants to
convey to the reader. In this research, the writer only focus on contextual
meaning in analyzing figurative language used in Jason Mraz songs Album
entitled we sing, we dance, we steal things. Askar (2011) said that contextual
meaning is the meaning of almost any utterance depends on the context in
which it made (online accesses on November 24th, 2013). By these
explanation the writer concluded that the contextual meaning is the meaning
of the poem does not depend on the the word of poem but it depends on the
context of the sentence.

CHAPTER III
DATA AND CLASSIFICATION

A. Biography of Jason Mraz Singers
Jason Mraz, born on March 23, 1977 and raised in Mechanicsville,
Virginia, was mostly influenced with such music genres as reggae, pop, rock,
jazz, folk and hip-hop. Having a strong interest in music, he attended the
American Musical and Dramatic Academy but dropped out a year later when
he decided to pick up guitar at the age of 18 and started exploring his singing
talent at strawberry fields and on the streets of Manhattan.
After busking around the Big Apple, Jason moved to San Diego.
There, he landed a singing career with a duo with drummer Noel "Toca"
Rivera. Along with Toca, he performed at the coffeehouses around the town
before getting signed to Elektra Records. Mraz is of Czech descent through
his grandfather who moved to the United States from what is now the Czech
Republic in 1915. His sure name is Czech for "frost." Mraz is a vegan. He
attended The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City,
for a short time, studying musical theatres before moving to San Diego. Mraz
also owns an avocado farm in Northern San Diego County near Fallbrook.
Music career, Waiting for My Rocket to Come. In 2002, Mraz released
his first major-label debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come. The album
was a relative commercial success, peaking at number fifty-five on the
Billboard Hot 200 and at number two on the Top Heat seekers Chart. The lead
single from the album, "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)" was co-written by

music production team The Matrix and it was Mraz's first top twenty single on
the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number fifteen.
In July 2005, Mraz opened for Alanis Morissette during her Jagged
Little Pill Acoustic Tour. On July 26, 2005, he released his second major-label
album, Mr. A?Z, for Atlantic Records. It entered the Billboard 200 album
chart at number 5. In December, the album earned a Grammy Award
nomination for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, while its producer, the
prolific Steve Lilywhite, received a nomination for Producer of the Year.
Mraz's friend and former roommate Billy "Bushwalla" Galewood also
collaborated on the album, co-writing "Curbside Prophet" and the album's
third single, and "I'll Do Anything".
Mraz began his long-running tour in support of Mr. A?Z at the San
Diego Music Awards on September 12. The tour featured a variety of opening
acts, including Bushwalla and Tristan Prettyman, with whom he had cowritten the duet "Shy That Way" in 2002. Mraz and Prettyman dated, ending
their relationship in 2006. They also co-wrote the song "All I Want For
Christmas is Us". In November 2005, Mraz opened for the Rolling Stones on
five dates during their 2005/2006 world tour. Also in 2005, Mraz was one of
many singers featured in the fall advertisement campaign for The Gap entitled
"Favourites". The music-themed campaign also featured other singers
including Tristan Prettyman, Michelle Branch, Joss Stone, Keith Urban,
Alanis Morissette, Brandon Boyd, and Michelle Williams. In December 2005,
Mraz released the first part of his on going pod cast.

Jason Mraz performs at Fox woods Resort Casino in Ledyard,
Connecticut on May 17, 2006. In March 2006, Mraz also performed for the
first time at a sold-out performance in Singapore with Toca Rivera as part of
the annual Mosaic Music Festival. In May 2006, Mraz toured mostly small
venues and music festivals in the U.S., along with a few shows in the United
Kingdom and Ireland. The tour included a May 6, 2006 acoustic show with
P.O.D., Better than Ezra, Live, and The Presidents of the United States of
America. Mraz was featured as a headlining guest of St. Louis's annual Fair
St. Louis and performed a free concert at the base of the Arch on July 1, 2006.
In December 2006, Selections for Friends, the live, online-only album
recorded during the Songs for Friends Tour, was released. Selections for
Friends features Jason's favourite songs from the Schubas Tavern and Villa
Montalvo shows he played in July 2006. Jason Mraz began 2007 by debuting
his new single "The Beauty in Ugly", an earlier track penned by Mraz entitled
"Plain Jane" that he rewrote for the ABC TV show Ugly Betty. The song was
featured as a part of ABC's "Be Ugly in '07" campaign. He has since released
a song in Spanish entitled "La Nueva Belleza (The New Beauty)".
In 2007, American Idol contestant Chris Richardson performed "Geek
in the Pink", which subsequently garnered the song mass recognition and
increased downloads at the American Tunes Store. It was also performed later
that year by Canadian Idol contestant Greg Neufeld. "Geek in the Pink"
peaked at 22 on the U.S. Tunes Store on March 10, 2007, but it was ineligible
for the site's Hot 100. The tape-recording of bootlegs during Mraz's shows is

explicitly supported by him and his management.
We sing, we dance, we steal things, Jason Mraz at Grina Lund in
Stockholm, Sweden 2008 Mraz released his third studio album, we sing, we
dance, we steal things. On May 13, 2008. The album debuted at number three
on the Billboard Hot 200 giving Mraz his highest charting album to date.
Following the success of lead single, I'm yours, the album broke into the top
ten of many international music charts and charted in the top three in Australia
and the US. The first single "I'm yours" reached on a radio charts in the US.
The single was a B-side to Mr A-Z, and was made famous by recordings from
his live shows. In September 2008, the song became Mraz's first Top 10 hit on
the Billboard Hot 100, peaking so far at as of October 14, 2008, the album has
been certified Gold