Self-Representation of "George Bush's Address on the Start of War".
ABSTRACT
Dalam skripsi ini saya membahas pidato George W. Bush, Presiden
Amerika Serikat pada tahun 2003. Judul pidato yang saya analisis adalah George
Bush’s Address on the Start of War. Dalam pidato ini pembicara, dalam hal ini
adalah George W. Bush, menekankan bahwa Amerika sedang terlibat dalam
perang melawan Irak yang pada saat itu dipimpin oleh Saddam Hussein karena
disinyalir Saddam Hussein memiliki senjata pemusnah masal dan Saddam
Hussein memerintah rakyat Irak dengan tangan besi.
Dalam tesis ini saya menggunakan teori Systemic Functional Grammar
(SFG) yang dikemukakan oleh Michael Halliday. Dalam teori ini Michael
Halliday mengemukakan bahwa ada tiga makna yang dapat dianalisis dalam
setiap teks, yaitu textual meaning, ideational meaning, dan interpersonal
meaning.
Dari hasil analisis yang saya lakukan melalui tiga jenis makna tersebut,
saya menemukan bahwa Amerika Serikat dalam pidato ini direpresentasikan
positif.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ i
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................... ii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 1
Background of the Study............................................................................. 1
Statement of the Problem ............................................................................ 3
Purpose of the Study ................................................................................... 4
Method of Research .................................................................................... 4
Organization of the Thesis .......................................................................... 4
CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ..................................... 6
2.1 Representation ....................................................................................... 6
2.2 Functional Grammar ............................................................................. 7
2.2.1 Ideational Meaning................................................................. 8
2.2.1.1 Material process ...................................................... 8
2.2.1.2 Mental process ........................................................ 8
2.2.1.3 Behavioral process .................................................. 9
2.2.1.4 Verbal process ......................................................... 9
2.2.1.5 Relational process ................................................. 10
2.2.1.6 Existential process................................................. 10
2.2.1.7 Meteorological process ......................................... 11
2.2.2 Textual meaning ............................................................................... 11
2.2.2.1 Cohesion............................................................................ 11
2.2.2.1.1 Reference............................................................ 12
2.2.2.1.2 Conjunction ........................................................ 12
2.2.2.2 Theme and Rheme................................................. 12
2.2.3 Interpersonal Meaning ..................................................................... 13
2.2.3.1 Mood ................................................................................. 13
2.2.3.2 Modality ............................................................................ 13
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CHAPTER THREE: ANALYSIS OF SELF-REPRESENTATION IN
GEORGE BUSH’S ADDRESS ON THE START OF WAR ............................. 15
3.1 Textual Meaning ................................................................................. 16
3.1.1 Cohesion............................................................................... 16
3.1.1.1 Reference............................................................... 16
3.1.1.2 Conjunction ........................................................... 16
3.1.2 Theme and Rheme................................................................ 18
3.2 Ideational Meaning.............................................................................. 19
3.2.1 Transitivity ........................................................................... 19
3.3 Interpersonal Meaning ........................................................................ 26
3.3.1 Mood .................................................................................... 26
3.3.2 Modality ............................................................................... 26
CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION ................................................................. 28
BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................... 32
APPENDICES ..................................................................................................... 35
Primary Text.............................................................................................. 35
Table 1. Clauses ........................................................................................ 37
Table 2. Reference .................................................................................... 39
Table 3. Transitivity .................................................................................. 41
Table 4. Material Processes....................................................................... 43
Table 5. Theme and Rheme ...................................................................... 44
Table 6. Mood and Modality..................................................................... 48
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Every human being delivers a message to others through speeches, articles,
conversations, news articles, and many more, whether it contains negative or
positive things. We cannot escape from that reality. This is the life that we live by
every day.
Sometimes, it is very hard to understand the real message that the speakers
or the writers want to tell us. Sometimes, we interpret the message of the writers
or the speakers wrongly and without any considerations about anything else.
Moreover, sometimes we do not care about anything that speakers or writers want
to talk about. Thus, we lose touch with what the speakers or writers want to say.
Some factors can affect the meaning of the message.
One of the ways that we use to critically understand a message is by doing
a text analysis. Text analysis is part of discourse analysis, which "concerns itself
with the use of language in a running discourse…and involving the interaction
1
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of speakers (or writer) and hearers (or reader) in a specific situational context, and
within a framework of social and cultural conventions" (Abrams and Harpham).
Discourse analysis itself is not about the method but it is about how the
language is used in particular contexts. I choose to do a discourse analysis because
I want to understand thoroughly what the speakers or the writers want to convey
through their texts or speeches.
I choose a speech as my data source for my thesis. Speech is “a formal talk
that a person gives to an audience.” (“Speech,” def. 1). In my opinion, a speech
has power to change people’s mind. They will believe that something is good or
bad because the purpose of a speech is to persuade others to agree with the
statements that have been delivered. Sometimes it is easier to make propaganda or
to speak about the truth by using a speech than other media such as written texts.
For example, Hitler’s speech encouraged German invasion throughout Europe
(“Hitler Comes to Power”). Besides, Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech led the
African-Americans nowadays to have the same rights as the white in the United
States (“Martin Luther King, Jr: Fighting for Equal Rights in America”).
The reason why I choose Self-Representation of “George Bush’s Address
on the Start of War” as my thesis topic is because I find it interesting to discover
how a person who declares war will represent him/herself in the speech, whether
he/she represents him/herself positively or negatively. I choose George Bush’s
speech because I am interested in his straight-to-the-point style. Hence, it is clear
what he stands up for and what he is against.
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The approach that I will use in doing the text analysis is Systemic
Functional Grammar proposed by Michael Halliday, who “views language as a
resource for making meaning. These grammar attempts to describe language in
actual use and so focus on texts and their contexts…how those structures
construct meaning” (Gerot and Wignell 6).
Functional Grammar was first developed by Michael Halliday, who is a
British linguist (Princeton). He published his first work in the Systemic Functional
Grammar model in 1961. I choose this theory because it focuses on the meaning
in the text or the message in the text, so this theory fits my analysis.
Sometimes people’s speeches can be so deceitful and have many layers of
meanings that are uttered very subtly. As a result, sometimes the hearer is
provoked easily. They just believe what the speakers say without any second
thought or fully understanding the speakers’ intention. Sometimes they get a
wrong idea about how a speaker or writer represents him/herself in the text.
By doing Systemic Functional Grammar analysis, the reader of my thesis
can be more analytical and critical in understanding texts or speeches. Besides, it
is expected that they cannot be easily provoked. Moreover, by doing this analysis
the readers would understand how the speakers or writers represent themselves
positively or negatively in order to give positive or negative influence.
(661 words)
3
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Statement of the Problem
I would like to analyze the following problems:
1. Based on the ideational meaning, what is the representation of the self in
the text?
2. Based on the interpersonal meaning, what is the representation of the self
in the text?
3. Based on the textual meaning, what is the representation of the self in the
text?
Purpose of the Study
These are the purposes of this study:
1. To know self-representation through the ideational meaning of the text.
2. To know self-representation through the interpersonal meaning of the text.
3. To know self-representation through the textual meaning of the text.
Method of Research
First, I read the text that I am going to analyze. Second, I searched for the
background of the text in order to understand the text better. Third, I searched for
the sources that could help me to understand the theory more. Fourth, I analyzed
the text. Fifth, I wrote the research report.
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Organization of the Thesis
I divide this thesis into four chapters. Chapter One consists of Background
of the Study, Statement of Problem, Purpose of the Study, Method of Research,
and Organization of the Thesis. Chapter Two deals with the theoretical framework
that I use for my thesis. Chapter Three deals with the analysis of the selfrepresentation whether he/she is positive or negative. The last chapter is
Conclusion, in which I put my personal opinion of the findings. At the end, I put
Bibliography and Appendices that contain George Bush’s speech that I used as the
data source, tables of clauses, tables of ideational meaning, textual meaning, and
interpersonal meaning.
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CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION
In this chapter, I would like to put forward the concluding points and my
personal opinion about the findings stated in Chapter Three, which is a text
analysis of the speech of George W. Bush in addressing the war between the
United States and Iraq, which was led by Saddam Hussein. The reason for the
United States to strike Iraq is because Iraq is said to have a mass destructive
weapon and Saddam Hussein rules Iraq with an iron hand.
In doing this text analysis, I use the theory of Systemic Functional
Grammar. I personally think this theory helps me to understand a text better and to
find the meaning behind the speakers’ or writers’ utterances. I believe that the
other students of the English Department also have the same benefit.
The analysis of the textual meaning can be divided into the analysis of
cohesion and theme and rheme. In the analysis of cohesion, the analysis of
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reference shows that the self is the United States. Yet, the speaker of this speech is
George W. Bush who was at that time the president of the United States.
From the analysis of the use of conjunctions, I find two types of
conjunctions, namely the additive conjunction and comparative conjunction. The
function of conjunction is connecting one idea to another idea that the speaker
wants to convey through this speech. Thus, these two types of conjunction are
very useful in helping the readers follow the speaker’s flow of ideas. The additive
and comparative conjunctions are also so effectively used in this speech that the
readers can understand that the self is represented positively.
In the analysis of the use of theme and rheme of this speech, it is found
that there are five marked themes out of 49 themes. Thus, it can be said that there
are only some few points that are emphasized by the speaker. However, through
these five marked themes, the readers can be helped in identifying what the
speaker thinks important and what he thinks necessary to emphasize.
Through the analysis of the transitivity in order to get the ideational
meaning of this text, the most dominant process that is used in this text is material
process, which means that the self as actor mostly does something physically
towards others. In my opinion, the use of the material processes in this speech is
important because the speaker shows that the United States as the self performs
real actions. Thus, it is further found that the doings done by the self in the text
are all positive things, it is clear that the speaker is presenting the self positively.
This makes sense as the speaker is the President of the United States, and
therefore, he will certainly give a positive presentation of the United States.
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In my opinion, the way of the speaker presented the self in the previous
paragraph also shows the brilliant strategy of President George W. Bush. He does
not want to make the United States regarded as an unethical nation which
aggressively attacks another nation. This speech convinces the world that what the
United States does is something good.
The analysis of interpersonal meaning can be divided into two analyses,
namely the analysis of mood and the analysis of modality. These interpersonal
meaning shows the attitude of the speaker concerning the topic. In the analysis of
the mood, the self uses the declarative mood. I believe this is because he wants to
give information to the hearers about the situation that is happening. Moreover, by
using declarative mood, he minimalizes the hierarchical relationship of superior
and inferior. This is a good strategy as it can be understood that the speaker wants
to convey that although he is the President of the United States, he wants to be
equal to the hearers, which is a good thing to do for a person who has power like
George W. Bush. Moreover, it is an effective way because by using declarative
moods the speaker develops the sense of togetherness between the speaker and the
hearers of this speech. Thus, it makes the hearers feel they are being respected by
the speaker; consequently, the speaker will gain more popularity and respect from
the hearers.
The analysis also shows the use of median and low modalities in this text.
This reveals the attitude of the speaker that he cannot run from the reality that this
war is going to be difficult. Moreover, there is a chance that he will lose the war.
In addition, he cannot set free the Iraqis from Saddam Hussein’s iron hands.
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Consequently, his attitude towards the war becomes unsure that this war will end
as he wants, which is to win the war. Therefore, the speaker’s attitudes toward the
war show uncertainty that they are going to win the war. Still, they go to war in
order to prevent Saddam Hussein from striking the United States by using a mass
destructive weapon.
I would also like to give suggestion for Linguistic students of the English
Department who want to do a text analysis by using Systemic Functional
Grammar for their thesis. I suggest that they understand the text or speeches that
they want to analyze in order to understand the writer’s or speaker’s intention, as
this helps they to get better analysis of the text. Moreover, it is better to browse
the background of the text to get an accurate context of the text so as to gain a
thorough understanding. I think, it is better to choose a speech as a source data,
although I personally believe that all kinds of verbal or written texts can be
analyzed using Halliday’s Systemic Functional Grammar. Speeches are easier to
understand, and most speeches are conveyed in a straight-to-the-point way,
because the speakers want the hearers to understand their intention.
(972words
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Text
“Full Text: George Bush's address on the start of war.” The Guardian, 2003. Web.
13 Mar. 2014
References
Abrams, M.H., and Harpham, G.G.. A Glossary of Literary Terms, 2005.
“Assure.” Def.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 2
Sept. 2014.
“Begin.” Def.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
“Bless.” Def.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
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“Bring.” Def.1.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
“Carry On.” Def.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
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“Come.” Def.1.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
“Choose.” Def.1.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
“Defend.” Def.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
“Depend.” Def.2.Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
“Enter.” Def.2. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 2
Sept. 2014.
“Face.” Def.2.2. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
Gardiner, Nile. ”10 reasons why George W. Bush was a smarter world leader than
Barack Obama. ” The telegraph, 2010. Web. 20 May 2014.
“George W. Bush.” Whitehouse. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Gerot, Linda, and Wignell, Peter. Making Sense Of Functional Grammar:An
Introductory Workbook. Reprinted 1995. Autralia: Gerd Stabler, 1995. Print.
“Give.” Def.1.3. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
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Halliday, M.A.K., Christian, M.I.M. Matthiessen. Halliday’s Introduction to
Functional Grammar. 4th ed. Routledge, 2014. Print.
“Hitler Comes to Power.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum,
Washington, DC. Web. 20 Sept. 2015
“Make.” Def.2.2. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
“Martin Luther King, Jr: Fighting for Equal Rights in America.” Martin Luther
King, Jr: Fighting for Equal Rights in America. Tavaana. Web. 20 Sept. 2015
“Michael Halliday.” Princeton. Web. 6 May 2014.
“Pass.” Def.2. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
“Pray.” Def.1.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
“Prevail.” Def.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
“Require.” Def 1.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 2
Sept. 2014.
Rosenberg, Jennifer. “Saddam Hussein.” History1990s. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
“Strike.” Def.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
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“Want.” Def.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary. Web. 2
Sept. 2014.
“Will Be Overcome.” Def.1. Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online
Dictionary. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
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Dalam skripsi ini saya membahas pidato George W. Bush, Presiden
Amerika Serikat pada tahun 2003. Judul pidato yang saya analisis adalah George
Bush’s Address on the Start of War. Dalam pidato ini pembicara, dalam hal ini
adalah George W. Bush, menekankan bahwa Amerika sedang terlibat dalam
perang melawan Irak yang pada saat itu dipimpin oleh Saddam Hussein karena
disinyalir Saddam Hussein memiliki senjata pemusnah masal dan Saddam
Hussein memerintah rakyat Irak dengan tangan besi.
Dalam tesis ini saya menggunakan teori Systemic Functional Grammar
(SFG) yang dikemukakan oleh Michael Halliday. Dalam teori ini Michael
Halliday mengemukakan bahwa ada tiga makna yang dapat dianalisis dalam
setiap teks, yaitu textual meaning, ideational meaning, dan interpersonal
meaning.
Dari hasil analisis yang saya lakukan melalui tiga jenis makna tersebut,
saya menemukan bahwa Amerika Serikat dalam pidato ini direpresentasikan
positif.
i
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ i
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................... ii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 1
Background of the Study............................................................................. 1
Statement of the Problem ............................................................................ 3
Purpose of the Study ................................................................................... 4
Method of Research .................................................................................... 4
Organization of the Thesis .......................................................................... 4
CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ..................................... 6
2.1 Representation ....................................................................................... 6
2.2 Functional Grammar ............................................................................. 7
2.2.1 Ideational Meaning................................................................. 8
2.2.1.1 Material process ...................................................... 8
2.2.1.2 Mental process ........................................................ 8
2.2.1.3 Behavioral process .................................................. 9
2.2.1.4 Verbal process ......................................................... 9
2.2.1.5 Relational process ................................................. 10
2.2.1.6 Existential process................................................. 10
2.2.1.7 Meteorological process ......................................... 11
2.2.2 Textual meaning ............................................................................... 11
2.2.2.1 Cohesion............................................................................ 11
2.2.2.1.1 Reference............................................................ 12
2.2.2.1.2 Conjunction ........................................................ 12
2.2.2.2 Theme and Rheme................................................. 12
2.2.3 Interpersonal Meaning ..................................................................... 13
2.2.3.1 Mood ................................................................................. 13
2.2.3.2 Modality ............................................................................ 13
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CHAPTER THREE: ANALYSIS OF SELF-REPRESENTATION IN
GEORGE BUSH’S ADDRESS ON THE START OF WAR ............................. 15
3.1 Textual Meaning ................................................................................. 16
3.1.1 Cohesion............................................................................... 16
3.1.1.1 Reference............................................................... 16
3.1.1.2 Conjunction ........................................................... 16
3.1.2 Theme and Rheme................................................................ 18
3.2 Ideational Meaning.............................................................................. 19
3.2.1 Transitivity ........................................................................... 19
3.3 Interpersonal Meaning ........................................................................ 26
3.3.1 Mood .................................................................................... 26
3.3.2 Modality ............................................................................... 26
CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION ................................................................. 28
BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................... 32
APPENDICES ..................................................................................................... 35
Primary Text.............................................................................................. 35
Table 1. Clauses ........................................................................................ 37
Table 2. Reference .................................................................................... 39
Table 3. Transitivity .................................................................................. 41
Table 4. Material Processes....................................................................... 43
Table 5. Theme and Rheme ...................................................................... 44
Table 6. Mood and Modality..................................................................... 48
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Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Every human being delivers a message to others through speeches, articles,
conversations, news articles, and many more, whether it contains negative or
positive things. We cannot escape from that reality. This is the life that we live by
every day.
Sometimes, it is very hard to understand the real message that the speakers
or the writers want to tell us. Sometimes, we interpret the message of the writers
or the speakers wrongly and without any considerations about anything else.
Moreover, sometimes we do not care about anything that speakers or writers want
to talk about. Thus, we lose touch with what the speakers or writers want to say.
Some factors can affect the meaning of the message.
One of the ways that we use to critically understand a message is by doing
a text analysis. Text analysis is part of discourse analysis, which "concerns itself
with the use of language in a running discourse…and involving the interaction
1
Maranatha Christian University
of speakers (or writer) and hearers (or reader) in a specific situational context, and
within a framework of social and cultural conventions" (Abrams and Harpham).
Discourse analysis itself is not about the method but it is about how the
language is used in particular contexts. I choose to do a discourse analysis because
I want to understand thoroughly what the speakers or the writers want to convey
through their texts or speeches.
I choose a speech as my data source for my thesis. Speech is “a formal talk
that a person gives to an audience.” (“Speech,” def. 1). In my opinion, a speech
has power to change people’s mind. They will believe that something is good or
bad because the purpose of a speech is to persuade others to agree with the
statements that have been delivered. Sometimes it is easier to make propaganda or
to speak about the truth by using a speech than other media such as written texts.
For example, Hitler’s speech encouraged German invasion throughout Europe
(“Hitler Comes to Power”). Besides, Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech led the
African-Americans nowadays to have the same rights as the white in the United
States (“Martin Luther King, Jr: Fighting for Equal Rights in America”).
The reason why I choose Self-Representation of “George Bush’s Address
on the Start of War” as my thesis topic is because I find it interesting to discover
how a person who declares war will represent him/herself in the speech, whether
he/she represents him/herself positively or negatively. I choose George Bush’s
speech because I am interested in his straight-to-the-point style. Hence, it is clear
what he stands up for and what he is against.
2
Maranatha Christian University
The approach that I will use in doing the text analysis is Systemic
Functional Grammar proposed by Michael Halliday, who “views language as a
resource for making meaning. These grammar attempts to describe language in
actual use and so focus on texts and their contexts…how those structures
construct meaning” (Gerot and Wignell 6).
Functional Grammar was first developed by Michael Halliday, who is a
British linguist (Princeton). He published his first work in the Systemic Functional
Grammar model in 1961. I choose this theory because it focuses on the meaning
in the text or the message in the text, so this theory fits my analysis.
Sometimes people’s speeches can be so deceitful and have many layers of
meanings that are uttered very subtly. As a result, sometimes the hearer is
provoked easily. They just believe what the speakers say without any second
thought or fully understanding the speakers’ intention. Sometimes they get a
wrong idea about how a speaker or writer represents him/herself in the text.
By doing Systemic Functional Grammar analysis, the reader of my thesis
can be more analytical and critical in understanding texts or speeches. Besides, it
is expected that they cannot be easily provoked. Moreover, by doing this analysis
the readers would understand how the speakers or writers represent themselves
positively or negatively in order to give positive or negative influence.
(661 words)
3
Maranatha Christian University
Statement of the Problem
I would like to analyze the following problems:
1. Based on the ideational meaning, what is the representation of the self in
the text?
2. Based on the interpersonal meaning, what is the representation of the self
in the text?
3. Based on the textual meaning, what is the representation of the self in the
text?
Purpose of the Study
These are the purposes of this study:
1. To know self-representation through the ideational meaning of the text.
2. To know self-representation through the interpersonal meaning of the text.
3. To know self-representation through the textual meaning of the text.
Method of Research
First, I read the text that I am going to analyze. Second, I searched for the
background of the text in order to understand the text better. Third, I searched for
the sources that could help me to understand the theory more. Fourth, I analyzed
the text. Fifth, I wrote the research report.
4
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Organization of the Thesis
I divide this thesis into four chapters. Chapter One consists of Background
of the Study, Statement of Problem, Purpose of the Study, Method of Research,
and Organization of the Thesis. Chapter Two deals with the theoretical framework
that I use for my thesis. Chapter Three deals with the analysis of the selfrepresentation whether he/she is positive or negative. The last chapter is
Conclusion, in which I put my personal opinion of the findings. At the end, I put
Bibliography and Appendices that contain George Bush’s speech that I used as the
data source, tables of clauses, tables of ideational meaning, textual meaning, and
interpersonal meaning.
5
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CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION
In this chapter, I would like to put forward the concluding points and my
personal opinion about the findings stated in Chapter Three, which is a text
analysis of the speech of George W. Bush in addressing the war between the
United States and Iraq, which was led by Saddam Hussein. The reason for the
United States to strike Iraq is because Iraq is said to have a mass destructive
weapon and Saddam Hussein rules Iraq with an iron hand.
In doing this text analysis, I use the theory of Systemic Functional
Grammar. I personally think this theory helps me to understand a text better and to
find the meaning behind the speakers’ or writers’ utterances. I believe that the
other students of the English Department also have the same benefit.
The analysis of the textual meaning can be divided into the analysis of
cohesion and theme and rheme. In the analysis of cohesion, the analysis of
28
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reference shows that the self is the United States. Yet, the speaker of this speech is
George W. Bush who was at that time the president of the United States.
From the analysis of the use of conjunctions, I find two types of
conjunctions, namely the additive conjunction and comparative conjunction. The
function of conjunction is connecting one idea to another idea that the speaker
wants to convey through this speech. Thus, these two types of conjunction are
very useful in helping the readers follow the speaker’s flow of ideas. The additive
and comparative conjunctions are also so effectively used in this speech that the
readers can understand that the self is represented positively.
In the analysis of the use of theme and rheme of this speech, it is found
that there are five marked themes out of 49 themes. Thus, it can be said that there
are only some few points that are emphasized by the speaker. However, through
these five marked themes, the readers can be helped in identifying what the
speaker thinks important and what he thinks necessary to emphasize.
Through the analysis of the transitivity in order to get the ideational
meaning of this text, the most dominant process that is used in this text is material
process, which means that the self as actor mostly does something physically
towards others. In my opinion, the use of the material processes in this speech is
important because the speaker shows that the United States as the self performs
real actions. Thus, it is further found that the doings done by the self in the text
are all positive things, it is clear that the speaker is presenting the self positively.
This makes sense as the speaker is the President of the United States, and
therefore, he will certainly give a positive presentation of the United States.
29
Maranatha Christian University
In my opinion, the way of the speaker presented the self in the previous
paragraph also shows the brilliant strategy of President George W. Bush. He does
not want to make the United States regarded as an unethical nation which
aggressively attacks another nation. This speech convinces the world that what the
United States does is something good.
The analysis of interpersonal meaning can be divided into two analyses,
namely the analysis of mood and the analysis of modality. These interpersonal
meaning shows the attitude of the speaker concerning the topic. In the analysis of
the mood, the self uses the declarative mood. I believe this is because he wants to
give information to the hearers about the situation that is happening. Moreover, by
using declarative mood, he minimalizes the hierarchical relationship of superior
and inferior. This is a good strategy as it can be understood that the speaker wants
to convey that although he is the President of the United States, he wants to be
equal to the hearers, which is a good thing to do for a person who has power like
George W. Bush. Moreover, it is an effective way because by using declarative
moods the speaker develops the sense of togetherness between the speaker and the
hearers of this speech. Thus, it makes the hearers feel they are being respected by
the speaker; consequently, the speaker will gain more popularity and respect from
the hearers.
The analysis also shows the use of median and low modalities in this text.
This reveals the attitude of the speaker that he cannot run from the reality that this
war is going to be difficult. Moreover, there is a chance that he will lose the war.
In addition, he cannot set free the Iraqis from Saddam Hussein’s iron hands.
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Consequently, his attitude towards the war becomes unsure that this war will end
as he wants, which is to win the war. Therefore, the speaker’s attitudes toward the
war show uncertainty that they are going to win the war. Still, they go to war in
order to prevent Saddam Hussein from striking the United States by using a mass
destructive weapon.
I would also like to give suggestion for Linguistic students of the English
Department who want to do a text analysis by using Systemic Functional
Grammar for their thesis. I suggest that they understand the text or speeches that
they want to analyze in order to understand the writer’s or speaker’s intention, as
this helps they to get better analysis of the text. Moreover, it is better to browse
the background of the text to get an accurate context of the text so as to gain a
thorough understanding. I think, it is better to choose a speech as a source data,
although I personally believe that all kinds of verbal or written texts can be
analyzed using Halliday’s Systemic Functional Grammar. Speeches are easier to
understand, and most speeches are conveyed in a straight-to-the-point way,
because the speakers want the hearers to understand their intention.
(972words
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Text
“Full Text: George Bush's address on the start of war.” The Guardian, 2003. Web.
13 Mar. 2014
References
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Halliday, M.A.K., Christian, M.I.M. Matthiessen. Halliday’s Introduction to
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