THE USE OF DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES IN FITZGERALD’S ”THE BRIDAL PARTY’ AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters
THE USE OF DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES
IN FITZGERALD’S ”THE BRIDAL PARTY’ AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters Disusun oleh By HARI AGUS PURNOMO Student Number: 004214030 ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
“ The Liberated Mind Becomes the Perfect Container of Total Awareness” Oscar Ichazo
Arica’s Founder
This Undergraduate Thesis is dedicated to: My Beloved Parents & My Dearest Brother and Sister
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Allah God Almighty for the endless love He has given to me, and also for showing me the best people in my life.
I am personally indebted to
1. Dr. Fr. B. Alip, M.Pd.,M.A., my major sponsor for the invaluable knowledge he has shared with me during my study in this campus, and also for his support, patience, and suggestion he has given to me during the process of this thesis writing.
2. Other lecturers, especially in the Department of English Letters, for all the knowledge, experiences, and moments they have shared with me during my study in this campus. Indeed, your professional contributions in my life are undeniable.
3. Adventina Putranti, S.S., M.Hum., my reader, for her patience in correcting my thesis.
4. Mbak Nik, Mas Parjo, Mbak Lies, and other staff in Sekretariat Sastra and SAC for helping me with administration matters.
5. Pak Santo, Pak John, and other staff of Sanata Dharma University library for their familiarity and professional assistance with the library services.
6. My beloved mother and father, for always encouraging me to finish my thesis soon. Without their supports I certainly would never be able to
7. Dhika, Andy, Vey, Thomas, Kristin, Willy, Maran, Sisca, Seno, Alley, and all my friends in English Letters Department, for the moments we have made together.
8. X’Tin “Goprex”, Xandra (without “l”), Donal, Bebe, Willy , Lisis, Dewi, Koko Budi, Vinco, Theo, Dauz, Ian Kassela, and other NATAS crews for the sweetest memories we have experienced together.
9. My dearest brother and sister for keeping our home cheerful with all those ridiculous jokes.
10. All my relatives, sister Bekti’s family, Pak Lik Sabdono’s family, brother Aris family, and other relatives in Yogyakarta or elsewhere, for encouraging and helping me during my study in this campus.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ........................................................................................................... i
APPROVAL PAGE ................................................................................................. ii iii ACCEPTANCE PAGE ............................................................................................DEDICATION PAGE ............................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................ vii ix ABSTRACT ..............................................................................................................
ABSTRAK ................................................................................................................. x CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................
1
1 A. Background of the Study .....................................................................................
4 B. Problem Formulation............................................................................................
4 C. Objective of the Study ..........................................................................................
4 D. Definition of Terms .............................................................................................
6 E. Benefit of the Study..............................................................................................
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ......................................................... 8
A. Review of Related Studies ...................................................................................8 B. Review of Related Theories ..................................................................................
10 B.1. Theory on Style and Stylistics ...................................................................
10 a. Style.......................................................................................................
10 b. Stylistics ................................................................................................
12
B.2. Theory on Adjectives ................................................................................
27 C. Method of the Study ..............................................................................................
63 APPENDIX I ....................................................................................................
61 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................
57 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS..............................................................................
48 C. Fitzgerald’s Style....................................................................................................
32 A. The Categories of Descriptive Adjectives in “The Bridal Party” ........................ 32 B. The Use of Descriptive Adjectives in "The Bridal Party" ...................................
29 CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ...................................................................................
26 B. Approach of the Study ..........................................................................
14 a. Definition...............................................................................................
26 A. Object of the Study ...............................................................................................
23 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .......................................................................
20 C. Theoretical Framework .........................................................................................
20 B.3. The Use of Descriptive Adjective .............................................................
16 ii. Limiting Adjective ........................................................................
15 i. Descriptive Adjective ....................................................................
14 b. Classification.........................................................................................
65 APPENDIX 2 ............................................................................................................. 69
ABSTRACT
Agus Purnomo, Hari (2007): The Use of Descriptive Adjectives in Fitzgerald’s “The Bridal Party”. English Letters Department , Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta.
"The Bridal Party" is one of Fitzgerald’s short stories written in 1930. In
this story, Fitzgerald’s distinctive talent in cultivating his blessing gift for language is undeniable. Specifically, it can be seen from his ability in utilizing one particular linguistic feature in his work, the descriptive adjective.
Particularly, the objective of this thesis is to examine the use of descriptive adjective in the short story. In the first part, this thesis tries to identify the categories of descriptive adjective employed in the short story. Secondly, having classified the descriptive adjective Fitzgerald applies in his work, this thesis will also examine the use of these adjectives in the story. Finally, this thesis describes Fitzgerald’s style.
Stylistic approach is chosen in understanding the writer’s underlying reasons in applying a particular linguistic feature to achieve a certain effects on the text and the readers.
Based on the categories proposed by Dixon, it is found that there are seven categories of descriptive adjective used in the story. They are the descriptive adjective describing dimension, physical property, human
propensity, colour, age, speed, and value. Fitzgerald applies this adjectives
especially to help him: 1. creating a powerful character sketch, 2. providing a clear and specific information about persons or a things he creates in his story, 3. suggesting various sensory senses perceptible to his readers’ perceptions, 4. distinguishing or contrasting persons or objects he recounts in his story, 5. to convince or persuade his readers that the events he recounts in the story are really happened or might have happened, 6. expressing his subjective evaluation, comment, opinion or judgment.
To conclude, Fitzgerald’s style is clear and suggestive. He selects adjectives that enable him providing specific and accurate description about the characters or objects he creates in his story. Also, he chooses descriptive adjectives that may appeal to his readers’ minds, feelings, and emotions.
ABSTRAK
Agus Purnomo, Hari (2007): The Use of Descriptive Adjectives in Fitzgerald’s “The Bridal Party”. Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sa nata Dharma, Yogyakarta.
"The Bridal Party" adalah cerpen karya Francis F. Scott Fitzgerald yang
ditulisnya pada tahun 1963. Dalam cerpen tersebut, kepiawaian Fitzgerald dalam mengolah bakat satranya tak perlu diragukan lagi. Ini terlihat, terutama, dari kemampuannya memanfaatkan salah satu unsur bahasa dalam karyanya, yaitu kata sifat deskriptif.
Secara khusus, tujuan dari penulisan skripsi ini adalah mempelajari penggunaan kata sifat deskriptif dalam cerpen tersebut. Pertama, skripsi ini akan mencari tahu jenis-jenis kata sifat deskriptif apa saja yang digunakan dalam cerpen tersebut. Kedua, setelah mengklasifikasikan jenis-jenis kata sifat tersebut, selanjutnya, skripsi ini akan meneliti penggunaannya, terutama terkait dengan efek-efek tertentu yang ditimbulkannya pada karya tersebut atau pembacanya. Terakhir, skripsi ini juga akan mencoba menjelaskan gaya tulisan Fitzgerald.
Pendekatan stilistika sengaja dipilih untuk memahami alasan-alasan penulis menerapkan unsur bahasa tertentu untuk mencapai efek-efek khusus dalam karyanya serta pada pembacanya.
Berdasarkan kategori yang dikemukakan oleh Dixon, terdapat tujuh jenis kata sifat deskriptif yang digunakan dalam cerpen tersebut, yaitu kata sifat deskriptif yang memberikan keterangan tentang dimensi, ciri-ciri fisik, , karakter
atau sifat manusia, warna, usia, kecepatan, dan nilai. Fitzgerald menggunakan
kata sifat deskriptif tersebut terutama untuk membantunya: 1. menciptakan karakterisasi yang kuat dan menarik, 2. memberikan keterangan spesifik tentang tokoh-tokoh atau objek-objek dalam cerpennya, 3. menggugah rangsangan inderawi yang dapat dicerap oleh pembacanya, 4 membedakan atau membandingkan tokoh-tokoh atau objek-objek rekaannya, 5. meyakinkan pembacanya bahwa peristiwa-peristiwa dalam cerpen tersebut benar-benar terjadi, atau mungkin saja terjadi, 6. menyampaikan pengamatan, komentar, pendapat, atau penilaian subjektifnya.
Dapat disimpulkan, gaya dari tulisan Fitzgerald adalah jelas dan memikat. Ia mampu memilih kata-kata sifat deskriptif yang dapat membantunya memberikan gambaran yang spesifik dan akurat mengenai tokoh-tokoh atau objek-objek rekaannya. Selain itu, ia juga mampu memilih kata sifat deskriptif yang mampu merangsang pikiran, emosi, dan perasaan pembacanya.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Style, in the world of literary writing can be defined as the writer’s manner
of expression in language. By the simplest meaning, style is how the writer says whatever he wishes to say. Schapiro, as quoted in Cunningham’s The Problem of
Style, says that style is the constant form - and sometimes the constant elements,
qualities, expression – in the art of an individual or a group. Style is a system of forms with quality and meaningful expression through which the personality of the artist and the broad outlook of a group is visible (Cunningham, 1996 : 11).
In particular, in studying the style of a certain text, or a certain writer, the researcher needs to know about the linguistic feature he is going to examine. It means, to respond or to understand a piece of work requires a particular attention to the language employed in the work. In specific, according to Richards in
Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics (1985), when analyzing a piece of
work, it is important to balance the question about the linguistic features, the author’s words choice, words combination, patterns of sound and rhythm, sentence construction and so on, with the consideration about the overall effects of the text. The study of that variation in language and the effect the writer wishes to create, is called Stylistics (Richards, 1985: 227).
In essence, every analysis of style, is an attempt to find the artistic principles underlying a writer’s choice of language. In the light that all writers or all texts having their own qualities, the concept of good style is obviously relative until it is considered with a particular situation. John Grisham possesses his own style, so does Pramoedya, Rowling, Hemingway, and so on. In common, they all know how to cultivate their blessing gift of language. They know well how to involve and to delight their readers.
Further, Guth in his Words and Ideas states that one way to involve or to evoke the reader’s imagination is using the appropriate adjectives (Guth, 1969: 69). Adjectives suggest the description of the noun, thus make the writing clear by the description suggested. They help the reader to respond the work as exactly as possible, to make the events, settings, scenes, and characters come alive in the reader’s imagination.
Correspondingly, Francis Scott Fitzgerald was the one who was widely recognized for his brilliant achievement in cultivating his distinctive gift for language. By the long stretch of his writing career, he has successfully created the sense of intimacy to his readers. Almost from the start of his career, early in 1920, Fitzgerald was a famous and successful writer. For twenty years, he produced something like 160 short stories, mostly for the high-priced magazines (Mizener, 1963: 1). Most of them were praised by critics as an important works.
“The Bridal Party” is one of Fitzgerald’s short stories published in 1930. In this short story, Fitzgerald’s unique style in presenting his works is observable. His style is implied in the use of language, his ability in utilizing some adjectives to evoke certain impression to his readers. Fitzgerald employed a well organized composition of dictions, in purpose that his reader can grasp his idea in a clearer and simpler way. Here is the Trilling’s comment concerning Fitzgerald’s work: “Even in Fizgerald’s early, cruder books, or even in his commercial stories…there is tone and pitch to the sentences which suggest his warmth and tenderness, and , what is rare nowadays and not likely to be admired, his gentleness without softness.” (Mizener, 1963: 12).
The above passage suggests, Fitzgerald gave to his work the quality that distinguished it almost strikingly from the works of other good writers of his time, that is the sense of intimacy (warmth) he created to his readers. That such quality came as a result of his continuous writing. What is more, the voice of his prose is the essence of his success. Again, there is no doubt about Fitzgerald’s gift of language. His prose is polished and poetic. The language style he employed is considered more mature and artistic.
Recalling our previous discussion about literary analysis, we shall remember that in analyzing a piece of literary writing, it is important to balance the question about the linguistic features employed by the author, with the considerations about the overall effect of the text. However, to make the analysis of this thesis specific, I will be concentrating on the use of descriptive adjectives found in Fitzgerald’ “The Bridal Party”. It is aimed by the interesting peculiarity the writer possesses, his ability in utilizing some words (adjectives) to build a certain impression in revealing his messages to his audiences. Thus, this thesis seeks to find out the kinds and the use(s) of descriptive adjectives in the story. Lastly, this thesis will also try to define Fitzgerald’s prose style.
B. Problem Formulation
The quality of literary piece is observable. It may appear on the way the creator utilizes his particular linguistic feature(s) through his works. This thesis attempts to find the answers(s) to the following questions:
1. What kinds of descriptive adjectives Fitzgerald uses in “The Bridal
Party”?
2. What are the uses of those adjectives in the short story?
3. What is Fitzgerald’s style?
C. Objective of the Study
Every analysis of style, in a certain respect, is an attempt to find the artistic principles underlying a writer’s choice of language. To be specific, we are looking for information about the author’s word choice, word-combination, use of patterns of sounds and rhythm, types of sentence construction, and so on.
Due to the attempt to find out the use of descriptive adjectives in Fitzgerald’s “The Bridal Party”, in the first part, this thesis ought to identify the kind of adjectives used in short story. Having classified the descriptive adjectives found in the text, in the next part, I will try to examine the use of those adjectives in the story. Lastly, I will also try to elucidate Fitzgerald’s prose style.
D. Definitions of Terms
As the title of this thesis suggests, this thesis will analyze the categories of descriptive adjectives found in the text. Furthermore, it will also try to find out the significant contribution of the use of descriptive adjectives found in the story. To avoid the misleading interpretations on the title cited, it is essential to provide a sufficient definition to the specific terms below:
1) Style. Without particular reference to language, according to Verdonk in
his Stylistics, the term style is one which we use so commonly in our everyday conversation and writing (Verdonk, 2002:3).
To be more specific, Schapiro as quoted in Cunningham’s The
Problem of Style, states that style, in the world of literature is the
constant form, and sometimes a constant elements, qualities, expression, in the art of an individual or a group. (Schapiro, 1966:11).
By the simple definition, it is said that style is the writer’s manner of expression in language.
2) Stylistics. Still, under the same title, Verdonk defines stylistics, or the
study of style, as the analysis of distinctive expression of language and the description of its purpose and effect. (Verdonk, 2002: 4).
Or, to put the meaning another way, Richards in Longman Dictionary of
Applied Linguistics, states that stylistic, or the study of the variation in
language (style) is concerned with the choices that are available to a writer and the reason why particular forms and expressions are used rather than others. (Richards, 1985: 227). At this point, stylistic depends considerably on the situation in which the language is used, through whatever medium the expression is given its form.
3) Descriptive Adjectives. A word that describes the thing, quality, state, or action which a noun refers to (Curme, 1966: 18). Or, a descriptive adjective is a word that is used with a noun or pronoun to describe or define or point out the living being or lifeless thing, designated by the noun or pronoun (Emolyn, 1950: 73).
E. Benefit of the Study
Literature is written to be understood and enjoyed. Unfortunately, understanding a piece of literary work is not an easy pleasure. In many respects, literature makes significant linguistic, intellectual, moral and emotional demands.
However, it might be a tiring and less effective attempt to observe all these requirements at a single limited discussion. Thus, I shall restrict my analysis on the linguistic device employed in the work under study, the adjectives. I believe that to understand and respond to a literary work requires a particular kind of attention to language. Needless to say , by exploring the linguistic feature of literary text , we can enrich our ways of thinking about the language of literary piece.
To be specific, using stylistics analysis, this thesis tries to examine the use of adjectives found in the work under study. There have been numbers of discussions about adjectives made by the English students of Sanata Dharma University Yogyakarta. Most of them are concerning with the structure or syntactic aspects of the adjectives form used in literary or non-literary text . Whereas, the stylistic analysis, that takes a strong emphasis on techniques of creativity and invention in language, unfortunately, little enough.
Despite the habit of continuing the common custom, it must be equally necessary for us, mainly for those who are interested in linguistic or/and literature subject, to be familiar with another kind of approach we may take, the stylistic approach. Along with knowing the method of stylistic approach, we may also learn how to use descriptive adjectives to achieve a certain effect we may give to our works, effectively.
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies
"The Bridal Party" is one of six short stories published in Fitzgerald’s fifth short stories collection, The Lost Decade and Other Stories. In this story, love is still becoming the dominant theme the writer loved to write about. The typical theme we easily found in most of Fitzgerald’s work.
By its very nature, the successful achievement of Fitzgerald’s literary writing can be attributed to his long, continuously writing habit. For nearly twenty years, he had written about 160 short stories, eleven novels (including his masterpiece, The Great Gatsby), and numbers of plays, sketches, and movie scripts. For short, he was a creative and productive writer.
Fitzgerald was not only a productive and creative writer, he was also known for the popularity of his works. Besides his novels, most of his short stories, including "The Bridal Party", were published by high priced magazines. However, while every attempt has been taken to trace the publicity of
"The Bridal Party", it is barely hard for me to gather sufficient information on the
particular title. But, in general, most of his works were praised by critics as important works.
Along with knowing the popularity of his works, there have been lots of comments, studies, and criticisms concerning Fitzgerald’s works. For instance, a few years after his death, two full length books about Fitzgerald’s and his works examine the whole body of his works. This book was composed by Sergio Perosa, professor of English and American Literature at the University of Ca Fascari, Venice. F. Scott Fitzgerald was the second book published in 1963. The book enlisted some essays written by Arthur Mizener. Both these two books were so helpful for me to understand Scott’s works better.
Another response was issued by The New York Times, as cited in the fifth volume of Fitzgerald’s short story compilation, The Lost Decade, the volume in which "The Bridal Party" was published.
“ He was better than he knew, for in fact and in the literary sense he invented.” (Mizener, 1963: cover page).
Fitzgerald was well recognized for his brilliant and casual observations to build the sense of intimacy to his readers. He managed to employ a well organized composition of dictions (adjectives) to enable him presenting his idea clearly and easily. (Mizener, 1963: 1). The adjectives he used in "The Bridal Party" were both precise and carefully selected.
The use of adjectives in the literary or non-literary writing is certainly significant. Adjectives suggest the description of the noun. They also make the writing clear. Correspondingly, some attentions have been paid to examine the form and the use of these linguistic feature in textual pieces.
As far as I know, most of the studies concern with the grammatical or syntactical aspects of adjectives. Rather than following the common custom, I do believe, it must be equally interesting to examine the similar subject another way, using stylistic approach. Running this approach, hopefully, the creative process of the work’s composition could be effectively observed.
B. Review of the Related Theories
1. Theory on Style and Stylistics
a. Style
By simple meaning, the term style refers to someone’s manner of expression in language. It is the word we use to describe how a writer or a speaker says whatever it is he says. In literature, according to J.V. Cunningham (1966), style is a system of forms with quality and meaningful expression through which the personality of the artist or the broad look of a group or are visible (Cunningham, 1966:11). It is said that everybody has his or her own style.
In specific, when people talk about style, they usually mean Authorial
Style, a way of writing which recognizably belongs to a particular writer, say
Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, Shakespeare, and so on (Short, 1996:227). This assumes, each writer may develop his own distinctive style. Quite often, we do not need to be an expert to recognize the author of a particular writing, if we know the work well. For example, a reader might gradually find a style that familiar to him when he reads Mary Carmichael’s Life Adventure. He will finally recognize the effect of Carmichael’s prose writing, a series of physical sensations she used in her work, such as going up and down in a boat, or having a flash light shone right on one’s face. Carmichael employs sentences that seem to have a life of
Traditionally, the study of style has been developed in literary criticism and particularly associated with literary texts. However, in its broader sense, style can be applied to spoken or written, literary or non-literary varieties of language. (Stott, 2001:5). A literary critic might study the style used in a particular text or the style of a particular author or the style of a particular period of literary history, say the style of Renaissance novel.
Further, Stott states that we can also study style in different contexts and for different audiences, writing for report, journalism, and advertising (2001:7).
Of course, the style of the news reporting is not necessarily similar to the one used in garage sale leaflet. Also, to study the style of a particular writer or a particular text, we need to understand some general principles behind good, effective writing. So that the fair judgment could be taken from the text examined.
Abcardian in his Literature says that a good work evokes the reader to respond to the author’s carefully crafted world, pleases our needs, and makes of our experience (Abcardian, 1998:1).
To say another way, a good work enables us to see the facts through author’s eyes, to see what the facts mean, and thus to share the imagined experience. Hence, to achieve such quality, the knowledge about language to scribe out on paper what is running inside our hearts and mind would be necessary. In short, we need to know how to please and delight our readers. So that the reader can enjoy the illusion of action, of vision, and of thought we create.
As Hans P. Guth says in his Words and Ideas (1969), a work of literature, by its very nature, is a blend of creativity and hard work (Guth, 1969: ix).
Accordingly, due to Harry Teitelbaum’s How to Write a Book Reports (1995), a great literature, if it is truly effective, will give the reader new experience and insights (Teitelbaum, 1995: 95). He says that a good work enables its readers to respond the ideas and experiences in their minds. Thus, it will increase their delightys at the subject at hand. At this point, all good works or good writings are the representatives of the writer’s mastery of language.
b. Stylistics
Needless to say, knowing how to analyze the language of literary texts is surely beneficial. Referring to Mick’s opinion, the more we know how a good piece of writing works, the more we appreciate it (Short, 1996:355). He suggests, knowing how to analyze the language of literary text will provide us a better understanding on how many complex things the writer has managed and put together to form a successful piece. In other words, we may understand and respond to pieces of good writing in a deeper way, precisely.
Through analysis, we may appreciate the work in a more precise way how a particular writer has succeeded in cultivating his distinctive techniques of creativity and invention in language. Thus, due to Jack Richards’ Longman
Dictionary of Applied Linguistics (1985) the study about the linguistic features;
the author’s word choice, word combination, patterns of sound and rhythm, sentence construction, and so on, with the overall effect of the text is known as
stylistics (Richards, 1985: 227). Further, he explains that stylistics is concerned
with the choices available to a writer and the reasons why particular forms and expressions are used rather than others. Stylistics often forms a core competent of many creative writing courses, emphasis on techniques of creativity and invention in language.
Essentially, the purpose of stylistics analysis, according to Simpson’s
Stylistic (2004), is to explore creativity in language use. He says, the various
forms, patterns and levels that constitute linguistic features are an important subject of the text. (Simpson, 2004: 3). Doing stylistics analysis thereby enriches our ways of thinking about language. Supporting Simpson’s opinion, Peter Verdonk (2002) believes very firmly that stylistic can provide strong support to literary critical appreciation by giving textual substation for the different kinds of literary effects a text may have on reader (Verdonk, 2002: xiii). In his book Exploring The Language of Poems, Plays and Prose, Short (1996) explains that stylistics spans the border of the two subjects, literature and linguistic. Thus, stylistics can sometimes look like either linguistic or literary criticism, depending upon where we are standing when we are looking to the particular passage(s) to observe the linguistic devices the writer employed through his work. Ideally, then, by conducting such analysis, we may learn the author’s method of selecting and arranging the details of the work to create the meaningful pattern. Hence, we may see the facts through the author’s eyes, to see what the facts mean, and thus to share the imagined experience.
2. Theory on Adjectives
Before proceeding, it is worth remembered that this thesis employs stylistics approach in analyzing the work under study. As we previously discussed, stylistics is concerned with the choices available to a writer, and the reason why particular linguistic features are used rather than others (Richards, 1985: 277).
For this reason, I would not come into details with the grammatical aspects of the object examined (descriptive adjective). Though, some theories of adjective, especially the theories relating to the descriptive adjective would be further presented. These theories can help me in providing the sufficient information about its definition, category, and also its functions in (literary) writing.
a. The Definition
An adjective, as stated in Curme’s English Grammar is defined as a word that is used with a noun or pronoun to describe or define or point out the living being. (Curme, 1966:18). Accordingly, to be more specific, states that an adjective refers to a scribe qualities to entities, objects, and concepts. (Simpson, 2004: 55). It means, an adjective is not merely applicable to describe a real or a concrete things. It can also be used to define an abstract things as well. Thus, it is acceptable then, to have a phrase like a ridiculous idea.
Further, Richards in Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics says that an adjective can be placed after be, become, and seem as in The Merapi eruption
is amazing. Similarly, it can also occur after a noun as in He makes the problem
clear. To avoid confusion between adjectives and adverb Simpson states that
many English adjectives can be graded by extending or modifying the degree or intensity of the basic quality which they express. In a simple way, to test whether an adjective is gradable or not, we can put the intensifier “very” in front of it. However, the test does not work for another group of adjectives, classifying adjectives, which specify more fixed qualities relative to the noun they describe.
For example, such expression like very former and very strategic weapons are not quite familiar to our ears, thus unacceptable. Unlike adverbs, that often seem capable of taking places everywhere in a sentence, adjectives nearly always appear immediately before the noun or a noun phrase that they modify.
b. TheClassification of Descriptive Adjective
As Curme states in the same book, basically, an adjective can be categorized into two main classes, descriptive and limiting adjective (Curme, 1966: 18). However, in English, the greatest variation of adjective is found in the descriptive adjective class. On the contrary, the number of variation in limiting adjective is little enough. As the title of this thesis suggests, the discussion of this thesis will be concerning more on the descriptive adjective class, rather than the second one.
i. Descriptive Adjectives
As Curme rightly states in English Grammar (1966), a descriptive adjective expresses either the kind, condition, or state of the living being or lifeless thing such as a lovely sunrise, a magnificent landscape, and a gorgeous student (Curme, 1966, 18). He asserts that the participle of verbs in adjectival function are all descriptive adjectives, since they represent either an active or passive state, such as a challenging statement, and a charming supermodel (Curme, 1966: ibid.).
Correspondingly, in addition to Curme’s explanation, Emolyn in
Descriptive English Grammar remarks that descriptive adjective shows an
inherent quality, feature, physical state or characteristic of the thing modified (Emolyn, 1950: 74). Further, she states that descriptive adjective may branch into three categories. They arte called as proper adjective, participial adjective, and
adjective compounds. In brief, proper adjective is a n adjective derived from a
proper noun which is used to describe or define a being or a thing ((Emolyn, 1950: 80). The examples of this category are Spanish eyes, Andalucian pirates, Irish coffee, and so on.
In the second category we have participial adjective that take into two forms: the adjective which is formed by present participle such as an annoying
guest, a confusing theory, an astonishing play (and many more), and adjective
which is formed by past participle like a rotten eyes and a crippled leg. Lastly, descriptive adjective may also take an adjective compounds, adjective that express measurement. Adjective compounds can occur before or after a noun.
As Emolyn previously stated, descriptive adjective shows an inherent quality, feature, physical state or characteristic of the thing modified (Emolyn, 1950: 74). To make what Emolyn stated specific, R.H.W. Dixon in Where All
The Adjectives Gone? (1982) classifies descriptive adjective into seven more
detailed criterions (Dixon, 1982: 115). Nevertheless, in his book, the detailed explanation on the definition of each category of descriptive adjective is insufficient. For this respect, I have considered to find the more specific definition of each category from other relevant books and dictionaries. Here are the seven categories of descriptive adjective as proposed by Dixon:
1. Dimension. As its name implies, a descriptive adjective dimension
specifies the measurement of length, width , thickness, etc. of something (Hornby, 1958: 326). Essentially, it is not so difficult to consider whether an adjective can be classified into the descriptive adjective dimension category or not. As its name suggests, by its very nature, a descriptive adjective dimension tells us a particular information about the measurement or proportion of an object or a thing.
Specifically, it characterizes a distinguishable features of something by referring to a certain proportions it possesses like the width (narrow , widened.), length (long, short, etc.), thickness (thick, thin, etc.) and any other measurable proportions it has.
2. Physical Property. the physical property adjective gives a specific
information about the physical characteristics or properties (structure, shape, etc, ) of something that can be touched and seen (Sinclair, 2001: 1155). In addition, in Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary it is stated that the word physical also refers to something that can has material existence perceptible through our senses (Mich, 1993: 877).
Accordingly, to be perceptible through our senses means that the words (adjectives) must be appealed to our senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch (Guth, 1969: 72). There are many examples that can be taken into this category such as bitter, smooth, cold, loud, rough, hard, soft, and many more. Basically, any particular qualities of an object or a thing that can be perceived by our sensory perceptions (the senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste) can be classified into this category of adjective.
3. Human Propensity. In a simpler term, the word propensity means a natural tendency that people have to behave in particular way (Sinclair, 2001: 1230).
Accordingly, the human propensity adjective can be defined as an adjective that refers to the natural tendency that human beings (people) have to behave in particular way (Sinclair, 2001: idem). There are many examples of adjectives that belong to this category like generous, happy, clever, cruel, proud, afraid, etc. (Dixon, 1982: 15).
4. Colour. As its name suggests, a descriptive adjective denoting colour
specifies the aspect of the appearance of objects and light sources that may be described and specified in terms wholly from one’s perception (Gove. 1981: 447).
In other words, it suggests a sort of visual sensation or perception that enables one to distinguish objects or things by referring to a particular colours they posses like
yellow, red, black, blue, etc.
5. Age. Specifically, a descriptive adjective denoting age gives specific
information about the length of time during which a being or a thing has existed or occurred (Guralnik, 1975: 27). The descriptive adjective denoting age that we commonly used are new, old, and young. Therefore, to say something is new, old, or young, we can refer to the length of time during which it has existed or occurred.
6. Speed. The descriptive adjective denoting speed tells specific
information about the rate of something at which it moves, travels, happens or done (Sinclair, 1995: 768). There are only few examples of descriptive adjective that can be categorized into this category such as: fast, slow, quick and few more items.
7. Value. In a simpler term, the descriptive adjective denoting value
expresses personal evaluation made from an individual or a specific point of view or situation (Gove, 1971: 2530). In other words, it refers to a personal evaluation like good, bad, poor, rich, etc. (Dixon, 1982:15). In addition, Dixon states that most of the adjectives referring to the hyponyms of good and bad like excellent,
fine, well, right etc can be classified into the descriptive adjective of value (Dixon,
1982: 15).ii. Limiting Adjectives
As Curme said before, a great number of variations can be found in adjective is few enough. In brief, referring to what Curme stated, a limiting adjective restricts the application of the idea expressed by the noun to one or more individuals of the class, or to one or more parts of a whole (Curme, 1966: 18). The example of this class of adjective are these paradise, those papers, this part of the book, and so on.
B. 3. The Use of Descriptive Adjectives in Literary Work
Literature is written to be read and enjoyed. Unlike another genres of textual pieces, literature primarily uses techniques associated to fiction, narration, or story telling, and description, a way to make the events settings, scenes, and characters come alive in the reader’s imagination (Guth, 1969: 79).
Simon and Meyers as stated in The Longman Dictionary of Poetic Terms argue that one way to make the description used in the story clear and alive is by using the appropriate adjectives. Adjectives modify the noun and produce the dramatic sense in the noun (1982: 182). In particular, adjectives suggest the description of the noun and make the writing clear by the description suggested. The use of adjectives may evoke an imaginative reader a response as exactly as possible, harmonious with the experience which filled the author’s mind as he wrote. Further, Guth in Words and Ideas states, in imaginative writing, descriptions may be elaborately and richly written, evoking a complex response in the reader. Detail will be added into detail to build up an overall picture. The reader is intricated to see the person or scene described in a particular way, leading to the cumulative effects with the imagery and other stylistic devices (1969: 69). Guth also suggests that the effective description could be made through observation.
Correspondingly, to produce an accurate description, the observer, or in this case the writer, has to be able to capture scenes, people, and events effectively. A good description records things that the eyes of ordinary observer pass over. Also, an effective description could be produced by the careful use of language (descriptive adjectives). Hence, an effective description could be observed through its carefully selected diction ( descriptive adjectives), which are both precise and suggestive.
Referring to what S.H. Burton stated in The Criticism of Poetry (Burton, 1974: 11), to substitute adjective with another adjective will reduce the impact of sense and imagination. It implies then, any writing intended to evoke a strong emotional responses to its reader, must be composed in well selected language to build the appropriate emotional responses. To say another way, in this sense, language is then creatively manipulated to create particular emotion. Interestingly, employing the right descriptive adjectives, we may also express something we easily recognize but find hard to communicate.