CONNOTATIVE MEANING RELATING TEXT TO PICTURE IN ADVERTISEMENTS ON TELEVISION.
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUfJY
PROGAJV~
POSTGRADUATE SCIIOOL
STATE lJNIVERSITY OF fviEDAN
2009
A THESIS
CONNOTATIVE MEANING RELATING TEXT TO
PICTURE IN ADVERTISEMENTS
ON TELEVISION
FARIDA HANIM SARAGIH
Registration Number: 082188330011
English Applied Linguistics Study Program
Post Graduate School
State University of Medan
This Thesis was examined on September 2, 2009 by the Board of Examiners
Approved By
Adviser Commission
APPROVAL
This Thesis was examined on September 2, 2009 by the Board of Examiners
Board of Examinen
Prof. Tina Mariany Arifin, M.A., Ph.D.
Dr. Busmin Guming, M.Pd.
Prof. Amrin Saragih, M.A., Ph.D•
•
Prof. Dr. Lince Sihombing, M.Pd.
IJr. Eddy Selia, M.Ed TESP.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In the name of Allah, the most gracious and most merciful. May greetings are shaded to
our Prophet Muhammad, his family and the noble friends. First of all, the writer owes a real
debt of gratitude to Prof. Tina Mariany Arifin M.A.,Ph.D., Head of English Applied Linguistics
Study Program and also her first adviser, whose advise, encouragement, reviews, comments,
suggestions and patience have been a feature of the writing process from the very beginning of
this thesis. Her unerring ability to spot her problems and mistakes saved me from many
mishaps and inspired me to go further than she might otherwise have done. She is also grateful
to Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd, her second adviser, for his robust criticisms, reviews and
assistance were extremely helpful. He reminded me of what the data and the data analysis
exactly that really need, his influence in final version of this thesis is strong. She is forever in
his debt.
She would also like to thank to all lecturers of English Applied Linguistics Study
Program for the treasure of knowledge they have transferred to her during the course of her
studies. In particular, she would like to thank to Prof. Amrin Saragih, M.A., Ph.D., Prof.Lince
Sihombing., M.Pd., and Dr. Eddy Setia.,M.Ed., TESP who offered many valuable ideas and
helped sharpen her observation.
Thanks are also due to her beloved husband Sadikin Saleh Siregar who provided me
with references she could not find and all her family whose love, care and support gave her
spirit to finish this thesis. She is also grateful to her dearest friends, Ade Aini Nuran, Feriyanti
Elina Gultom, Hamka, Nazly, Puan, Kak Mei, K Debby, K Shanty, K Hetty, K Dini, Bang
Parlin, Apri, Purwati and Dessy, have generously answered questions, given her their time and
also their sense of humor have helped her more than they can know. To them are due heartfelt
thanks. She is also grateful to all of the students of Applied Linguistics Study Program intake XIII for
their friendship.
Medan, August 26, 2009
The writer,
Farida Hanim Saragih
Registration Number: 082188330011
ii
ABSTRACT
Saragih, Farida Hanim. Connotative Meaning Relating Text and Picture in
Advertisements on Television. A Thesis. English Applied Linguistics
Study Program. Post Graduate School State University of Medan.
2009.
This study explains the insights of connotative meaning by relating the
texts to the picture in advertisements broadcasted on television program. The aims are
to investigate the types of connotative meaning in advertisements, to ascertain the
dominant type and to contextualize the use of the dominant type. The data were
obtained from the texts of advertisements on television broadcasting, collected by
using internet and were analyzed by using some steps as normally applied in
descriptive qualitative method. The instruments of data collection were television and
internet First the data were analyzed by identification of the text and picture,
elaboration and extension. Then they were classified into three types of connotative
meaning, namely Positive, Negative and Neutral Connotative Meaning. The
proposition of each type is converted into percentages. As the result, positive of
connotative meaning is 76. 5%, negative is 23. 5 % and neutral of connotative
meaning is not found. In this way the dominant type is derived. It is found that the
Positive Connotative Meaning was used. This use was attributed to social context
because of the culture, East culture, it is avoidance of something taboo to say. It
means that positive of connotative meaning is used to make people feel good, treat
them in a more pleasant way and try not to offend someone' s feeling.
iii
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCI'ION
1.1 The Background of the Study
Technology is the relationship between society with its tools, crafts and to
what extent society can control its environment. Technology has also a historical
context that traces the evolution of early humans from a period of very simple
tools to complex, large-scale networks that influence the most of contemporary
human life. In the early technology, humans had begun to use fire and to make a
variety of tools, including pear-shaped axes, scrapers, knifes, and other
instruments of stone, bone, and other materials. They had also begun to use tools
to make clothing and build shelters for protection from inclement weather. In
middle age technology, human had begun to use metal tools. They know the
advantage of copper tools over stone, bone and wooden tools. Now in modern
technology, they use more complex machines such as the clock, the engine,
computer, electric generator, electric motor, radio and television.
Nowadays, all the television channels broadcast advertisements. The
advertisers should pay some money to them. It becomes the biggest income to
them. First, advertisement in television, its text and picture are monochromatic
(black and white), but now the picture is moving image, not like upon before
television is found, a picture is something on canvas, paper or other surface,
1
2
produced by means painting, drawing, engraving, photography and represented in
colors. But now picture is everything that can be on every surface.
On television, the picture presents on screen. The picture is moving, even the
animation picture can be made in moving image. This is the result of technology.
The advertisers have high creativity to create attractive ones, so it invites the
curiosity of the viewers to see all the advertisements.
The exertion in seeing the advertisement actually refers to the commercial
value by broadcasting the product in television. But the duration of the
advertisement will cost more expensive. The advertisers try to make it as shorter as
possible, but of course it is interesting and attracts the public's attention.
Unfortunately not all the viewers are the expert viewers, means not all the viewers
understand the meaning of the advertisement, although the language used is very
short. The viewers • way to understand the meaning in advertisement is usually by
seeing the picture only. Usually the meaning obtained is in different interpretation.
In general the different interpretation is based on the viewers • schemata. Because
of they have different interpretation, so the result of the different interpretation is
called connotative meaning.
Connotative meaning refers to the emotional and psychological associations a
word carries with it. The connotative meaning of a word goes beyond its strict
meaning to express the feeling, thought and images the word suggests or evokes.
There are three types of connotative meaning (Cruse: 1997), namely Positive,
Negative, and Neutral of connotative meaning. Sometimes viewers are difficult to
3
get the cormotative meaning in advertisements, they don't understand the meaning
what the advertisements want to convey. Based on the researcher experience, she
is more difficult to get the meaning in advertisements with only consist of text
(headline, subhead, and slogan) and picture than the advertisements consist of
body copy. Body copy is to explain the benefit of the product directly, and the
basic concept is informative and persuasive prose that sells the product. For
example in advertisement Teh Sisri, it has body copy. Rasa baru dari teh sisri, teh
sisri b/ackcurrant, tehnya nikmat, rasa blackcurrantnya bikin senumgat, seger,
coba yule, Teh sisri blackcurrant. In this advertisement, the meaning or the
message has been obtained only from the text. It has delivered the benefit of the
product directly to the viewers. So it doesn't create different interpretation to the
viewers.
But if compared with "Absolute Mild" (cigarette product)", the text (headline)
says "Let your mind go for a walk." To see the advertisements and the product can
be very confusing. The picture shows the man plays skate board in his hand,
jumping down and playing in a snow glass accessories, and also discussing in his
office. If looked at from the picture and the product, they are not related. It is
difficult to get the meaning from the advertisement. The different interpretation or
connotative meaning will be created from the viewers.
To minimize the different interpretation of the connotative meaning the
researcher is very much interested in analyzing the relation between text and
picture in order to get the connotative meaning in advertisement on television.
4
1.2 The Problem of the Study
The problems of the study are fonnulated as the following.
What types of connotative meaning are found in advertisements on
television?
What is the dominant type of connotative
meaning found in
advertisements on television?
Why is the dominant type of connotative meaning found in advertisements
on television?
1.3 The Objective of the Study
In relating to the problems, the objectives of the study are
1) to investigate the types of connotative meaning in advertisement on
television program.
2) to ascertain the dominant type in advertisement, and
3) to contextualize the use of the dominant type.
1.4 The Scope of the Study
The study is limited to addressing the connotative meaning relating text to
picture in advertisements on television. Connotative meaning can be found in
many types. The researcher focused the study in Evaluative of connotative
meaning, namely Positive, Negative, and Neutral. Texts in advertisements also can
be found in some types, namely headline, subhead, slogan, and body copy. She
s
only limited in headline, subhead, and slogan. Body copy is avoided in this
research because it has explain the benefit, the reason, and the message of the
advertisements through the utterance or dialogues directly, so it seems to be telling
the denotative meaning and didn't make the interpretation in people's mind
anymore.
1.5 The Significance of the Study
It is expected that findings of the study will be useful and relevant
theoretically and practically. The results of this study are relevant to the needs of
the students who want to understand more about semiotics and the role of
semiotics in communication. The students who learn semiotics and semantics need
to comprehend the type of connotative meaning to enable and enrich their
knowledge to communicate better than before. For teachers, it can provide some
inputs in teaching semiotics and semantics. For readers, the findings of this
research can be used as a guide to understand the meaning and the role of text and
picture in advertisement. The advertisers can use the findings of this research to
help them in making good advertisements.
CHAPTERV
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusions
Having analyzed the data, it is concluded that
a) there are three types of connotative meaning, namely positive, negative
and neutral. Positive and Negative were found in advertisements on
television.
b) positive of connotative meaning belongs to the dominant type in
advertisements on television
c) the use of Positive of connotative meaning as the dominant type because
the words are made to make people feel good, treat them in more pleasant
way and try not to offend someone's feeling and this is the intension of
some advertisements. So the advertisements not only give information,
but also attract the public attention and persuade to buy their products in a
pleasant way.
5.2 Suggestions
In relation to the conclusions, it is suggested that
a) the fmdings of connotative meaning in advertisement on television should
encourage the students in studying more about semiotics and the role of
semiotics in communication
44
45
b) by considering this topic, hopefully the students can understand the
meaning and the role of text and picture in advertisement and can
determine which advertisements have positive or negative connotative
meaning, and
c) the meaning of advertisements should be made in positive of connotative
meaning only, not in negative to avoid bad interpretation in someone's
mind and also without ignoring the sense of attractiveness.
PROGAJV~
POSTGRADUATE SCIIOOL
STATE lJNIVERSITY OF fviEDAN
2009
A THESIS
CONNOTATIVE MEANING RELATING TEXT TO
PICTURE IN ADVERTISEMENTS
ON TELEVISION
FARIDA HANIM SARAGIH
Registration Number: 082188330011
English Applied Linguistics Study Program
Post Graduate School
State University of Medan
This Thesis was examined on September 2, 2009 by the Board of Examiners
Approved By
Adviser Commission
APPROVAL
This Thesis was examined on September 2, 2009 by the Board of Examiners
Board of Examinen
Prof. Tina Mariany Arifin, M.A., Ph.D.
Dr. Busmin Guming, M.Pd.
Prof. Amrin Saragih, M.A., Ph.D•
•
Prof. Dr. Lince Sihombing, M.Pd.
IJr. Eddy Selia, M.Ed TESP.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In the name of Allah, the most gracious and most merciful. May greetings are shaded to
our Prophet Muhammad, his family and the noble friends. First of all, the writer owes a real
debt of gratitude to Prof. Tina Mariany Arifin M.A.,Ph.D., Head of English Applied Linguistics
Study Program and also her first adviser, whose advise, encouragement, reviews, comments,
suggestions and patience have been a feature of the writing process from the very beginning of
this thesis. Her unerring ability to spot her problems and mistakes saved me from many
mishaps and inspired me to go further than she might otherwise have done. She is also grateful
to Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd, her second adviser, for his robust criticisms, reviews and
assistance were extremely helpful. He reminded me of what the data and the data analysis
exactly that really need, his influence in final version of this thesis is strong. She is forever in
his debt.
She would also like to thank to all lecturers of English Applied Linguistics Study
Program for the treasure of knowledge they have transferred to her during the course of her
studies. In particular, she would like to thank to Prof. Amrin Saragih, M.A., Ph.D., Prof.Lince
Sihombing., M.Pd., and Dr. Eddy Setia.,M.Ed., TESP who offered many valuable ideas and
helped sharpen her observation.
Thanks are also due to her beloved husband Sadikin Saleh Siregar who provided me
with references she could not find and all her family whose love, care and support gave her
spirit to finish this thesis. She is also grateful to her dearest friends, Ade Aini Nuran, Feriyanti
Elina Gultom, Hamka, Nazly, Puan, Kak Mei, K Debby, K Shanty, K Hetty, K Dini, Bang
Parlin, Apri, Purwati and Dessy, have generously answered questions, given her their time and
also their sense of humor have helped her more than they can know. To them are due heartfelt
thanks. She is also grateful to all of the students of Applied Linguistics Study Program intake XIII for
their friendship.
Medan, August 26, 2009
The writer,
Farida Hanim Saragih
Registration Number: 082188330011
ii
ABSTRACT
Saragih, Farida Hanim. Connotative Meaning Relating Text and Picture in
Advertisements on Television. A Thesis. English Applied Linguistics
Study Program. Post Graduate School State University of Medan.
2009.
This study explains the insights of connotative meaning by relating the
texts to the picture in advertisements broadcasted on television program. The aims are
to investigate the types of connotative meaning in advertisements, to ascertain the
dominant type and to contextualize the use of the dominant type. The data were
obtained from the texts of advertisements on television broadcasting, collected by
using internet and were analyzed by using some steps as normally applied in
descriptive qualitative method. The instruments of data collection were television and
internet First the data were analyzed by identification of the text and picture,
elaboration and extension. Then they were classified into three types of connotative
meaning, namely Positive, Negative and Neutral Connotative Meaning. The
proposition of each type is converted into percentages. As the result, positive of
connotative meaning is 76. 5%, negative is 23. 5 % and neutral of connotative
meaning is not found. In this way the dominant type is derived. It is found that the
Positive Connotative Meaning was used. This use was attributed to social context
because of the culture, East culture, it is avoidance of something taboo to say. It
means that positive of connotative meaning is used to make people feel good, treat
them in a more pleasant way and try not to offend someone' s feeling.
iii
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCI'ION
1.1 The Background of the Study
Technology is the relationship between society with its tools, crafts and to
what extent society can control its environment. Technology has also a historical
context that traces the evolution of early humans from a period of very simple
tools to complex, large-scale networks that influence the most of contemporary
human life. In the early technology, humans had begun to use fire and to make a
variety of tools, including pear-shaped axes, scrapers, knifes, and other
instruments of stone, bone, and other materials. They had also begun to use tools
to make clothing and build shelters for protection from inclement weather. In
middle age technology, human had begun to use metal tools. They know the
advantage of copper tools over stone, bone and wooden tools. Now in modern
technology, they use more complex machines such as the clock, the engine,
computer, electric generator, electric motor, radio and television.
Nowadays, all the television channels broadcast advertisements. The
advertisers should pay some money to them. It becomes the biggest income to
them. First, advertisement in television, its text and picture are monochromatic
(black and white), but now the picture is moving image, not like upon before
television is found, a picture is something on canvas, paper or other surface,
1
2
produced by means painting, drawing, engraving, photography and represented in
colors. But now picture is everything that can be on every surface.
On television, the picture presents on screen. The picture is moving, even the
animation picture can be made in moving image. This is the result of technology.
The advertisers have high creativity to create attractive ones, so it invites the
curiosity of the viewers to see all the advertisements.
The exertion in seeing the advertisement actually refers to the commercial
value by broadcasting the product in television. But the duration of the
advertisement will cost more expensive. The advertisers try to make it as shorter as
possible, but of course it is interesting and attracts the public's attention.
Unfortunately not all the viewers are the expert viewers, means not all the viewers
understand the meaning of the advertisement, although the language used is very
short. The viewers • way to understand the meaning in advertisement is usually by
seeing the picture only. Usually the meaning obtained is in different interpretation.
In general the different interpretation is based on the viewers • schemata. Because
of they have different interpretation, so the result of the different interpretation is
called connotative meaning.
Connotative meaning refers to the emotional and psychological associations a
word carries with it. The connotative meaning of a word goes beyond its strict
meaning to express the feeling, thought and images the word suggests or evokes.
There are three types of connotative meaning (Cruse: 1997), namely Positive,
Negative, and Neutral of connotative meaning. Sometimes viewers are difficult to
3
get the cormotative meaning in advertisements, they don't understand the meaning
what the advertisements want to convey. Based on the researcher experience, she
is more difficult to get the meaning in advertisements with only consist of text
(headline, subhead, and slogan) and picture than the advertisements consist of
body copy. Body copy is to explain the benefit of the product directly, and the
basic concept is informative and persuasive prose that sells the product. For
example in advertisement Teh Sisri, it has body copy. Rasa baru dari teh sisri, teh
sisri b/ackcurrant, tehnya nikmat, rasa blackcurrantnya bikin senumgat, seger,
coba yule, Teh sisri blackcurrant. In this advertisement, the meaning or the
message has been obtained only from the text. It has delivered the benefit of the
product directly to the viewers. So it doesn't create different interpretation to the
viewers.
But if compared with "Absolute Mild" (cigarette product)", the text (headline)
says "Let your mind go for a walk." To see the advertisements and the product can
be very confusing. The picture shows the man plays skate board in his hand,
jumping down and playing in a snow glass accessories, and also discussing in his
office. If looked at from the picture and the product, they are not related. It is
difficult to get the meaning from the advertisement. The different interpretation or
connotative meaning will be created from the viewers.
To minimize the different interpretation of the connotative meaning the
researcher is very much interested in analyzing the relation between text and
picture in order to get the connotative meaning in advertisement on television.
4
1.2 The Problem of the Study
The problems of the study are fonnulated as the following.
What types of connotative meaning are found in advertisements on
television?
What is the dominant type of connotative
meaning found in
advertisements on television?
Why is the dominant type of connotative meaning found in advertisements
on television?
1.3 The Objective of the Study
In relating to the problems, the objectives of the study are
1) to investigate the types of connotative meaning in advertisement on
television program.
2) to ascertain the dominant type in advertisement, and
3) to contextualize the use of the dominant type.
1.4 The Scope of the Study
The study is limited to addressing the connotative meaning relating text to
picture in advertisements on television. Connotative meaning can be found in
many types. The researcher focused the study in Evaluative of connotative
meaning, namely Positive, Negative, and Neutral. Texts in advertisements also can
be found in some types, namely headline, subhead, slogan, and body copy. She
s
only limited in headline, subhead, and slogan. Body copy is avoided in this
research because it has explain the benefit, the reason, and the message of the
advertisements through the utterance or dialogues directly, so it seems to be telling
the denotative meaning and didn't make the interpretation in people's mind
anymore.
1.5 The Significance of the Study
It is expected that findings of the study will be useful and relevant
theoretically and practically. The results of this study are relevant to the needs of
the students who want to understand more about semiotics and the role of
semiotics in communication. The students who learn semiotics and semantics need
to comprehend the type of connotative meaning to enable and enrich their
knowledge to communicate better than before. For teachers, it can provide some
inputs in teaching semiotics and semantics. For readers, the findings of this
research can be used as a guide to understand the meaning and the role of text and
picture in advertisement. The advertisers can use the findings of this research to
help them in making good advertisements.
CHAPTERV
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusions
Having analyzed the data, it is concluded that
a) there are three types of connotative meaning, namely positive, negative
and neutral. Positive and Negative were found in advertisements on
television.
b) positive of connotative meaning belongs to the dominant type in
advertisements on television
c) the use of Positive of connotative meaning as the dominant type because
the words are made to make people feel good, treat them in more pleasant
way and try not to offend someone's feeling and this is the intension of
some advertisements. So the advertisements not only give information,
but also attract the public attention and persuade to buy their products in a
pleasant way.
5.2 Suggestions
In relation to the conclusions, it is suggested that
a) the fmdings of connotative meaning in advertisement on television should
encourage the students in studying more about semiotics and the role of
semiotics in communication
44
45
b) by considering this topic, hopefully the students can understand the
meaning and the role of text and picture in advertisement and can
determine which advertisements have positive or negative connotative
meaning, and
c) the meaning of advertisements should be made in positive of connotative
meaning only, not in negative to avoid bad interpretation in someone's
mind and also without ignoring the sense of attractiveness.