A study of adjective phrases in www.bbc.co.uk [UK version] and www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued in October 2007.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA . A Study of Adjective Phrase in www.bbc.co.uk
(UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com News Articles Issued In October 2007.
Yogyakarta: Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University,2008.
An adjective phrase, which has the same distribution and function as an adjective,
plays an important role in the construction of simple or complex sentences. An adjective
phrase is a phrase which has an adjective as its head. It may consist of a single adjective
or complete elements like in the Phrase-bar theory. It needs other phrases when it occurs
in complex form. The phrases have their functions in the structure of an adjective phrase.
This thesis will study the position, the elements and the elements' functions of the
adjective phrases that have been identified in both www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and
www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued in October 2007. They are chosen because
they are mostly accessed by people when looking for the crucial news every day.
Thus, this study has three objectives. The first objective is to identify the adjective
phrase and to observe its position. The second objective is to find out and to analyze the
elements that occur in the adjective phrases. The last objective is to categorize the phrases
and the clauses as the elements of the adjective phrases based on their function.
In order to achieve three objectives, a descriptive study of language is applied. It
describes the adjective phrases that are used by the news articles in the two websites. The
analysis of this study is based on corpus and data that are collected regarding three
characteristics of the descriptive linguistic; objective, empirical and exact.
From the analysis, it can be concluded that 533 adjective phrases or 74,70% are
found in attributive, 127 or 18,81% in predicative and only 15 or 2,22% postpositive
position. Most of the adjective phrases are constructed in bare form 508 or 75,25%. The
rests are in a complex form 167 or 24,74%. In the complex form, the adjective phrase
occurs with phrases and clauses and the percentage of each occurrence is as follows: the
intensifier phrase is 78 or about 11,55%, the prepositional phrase is 29 or 4,29%, the
adverb phrase is 15 or 2,22%, the verb phrase is 12 or 1,77%, the noun phrase is 4 or
0,59% and the clause is 7 or 1,03% . The phrases or clauses have certain functions in the
structure of the adjective phrase. They may fill namely: complement, attribute, adjunct
and specifier. A prepositional phrase, verb phrase, noun phrase and clause can function as
a complement of an adjective phrase when they are selected by the head to complete the
head's meaning. The next element of the head is an attribute. The elements of the
adjective phrase that can occur as the attributes are an intensifier phrase, adverb phrase
and noun phrase. The other element is an adjunct. A verb phrase, prepositional phrase and
clause can function as the adjunct if they only give additional information to the head of
the adjective phrases. The last function of the elements is a specifier; articles the and
demonstrative pronoun that and this. The adjective phrases in most cases do not have a
specifier and the consequence is that the specifier position is rarely filled.
ix
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA . A Study of Adjective Phrase in www.bbc.co.uk
(UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com News Articles Issued In October 2007.
Yogyakarta: Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University,2008.
Frase kata sifat yang memiliki distribusi dan fungsi yang sama dengan kata sifat
memainkan peranan penting dalam pembentukkan kalimat sederhana maupun kompleks.
Frase kata sifat adalah sebuah frase yang mempunyai kata sifat sebagai induknya. Frase
kata sifat dapat berupa sebuah kata sifat saja atau dengan komponen-komponen yang
lebih lengkap seperti yang terurai di teori frase-Bar. Pembentukan frase kata sifat yang
lengkap membutuhkan frase-frase lain. Frase-frase tersebut memiliki fungsi tersendiri
dalam struktur sebuah frase kata sifat. Skripsi ini mempelajari posisi, komponenkomponen serta fungsi komponen dari frase kata sifat yang digunakan di dalam artikel
berita pada bulan Oktober di www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com.
Kedua situs tersebut dipilihkan karena kedua situs tersebut banyak diakses oleh orangorang ketika mereka menginginkan berita yang sangat penting setiap hari.
Studi ini memiliki tiga tujuan. Tujuan pertama adalah mengidentifikasi frase kata
sifat dan mempelajari posisinya. Tujuan kedua adalah menemukan dan menganalisis
frase-frase maupun klausa yang menjadi bagian dari frase kata sifat. Tujuan terakhir
adalah mengelompokkan frase-frase dan klausa-klausa tersebut berdasarkan fungsinya
dalam struktur frase kata sifat.
Pembelajaran bahasa secara deskriptif diterapkan guna mencapai ketiga tujuan
tersebut. Pembelajaran ini akan menggambarkan penggunaan frase kata sifat oleh
penulis-penulis kolum berita di kedua situs tersebut. Analysis studi ini didasarkan pada
korpus dan data yang sesuai dengan ketiga ciri penelitian deskriktif yaitu objektif,
empiris dan pasti.
Dari hasil analisis dapat disimpulkan bahwa 533 frase kata sifat atau 78,96%
ditemukan pada posisi attributif, 127 atau 18,81% pada posisi predikatif dan hanya 15
atau 2,22% pada posisi pospositif. 508 frase kata sifat atau 75,25% terbentuk tanpa
element. Sisanya 167 atau 24,74% memiliki bentuk yang kompleks. Dalam
pembentukannya yang komplek, frase kata sifat membutuhkan frase-frase atau klausaklausa lain. Persentase frase-frase maupun klausa-klausa tersebut adalah sebagai berikut:
frase intensifier 11,55% atau 78, frase kata depan 4,29% atau 29, frase kata keterangan
2,22% atau 15, frase kata kerja 1,77% atau 12. frase kata benda 0,59% atau 4 dan klausa
1,03% atau 7. Frase-frase dan klausa-klausa tersebut memiliki fungsi tertentu dalam
struktur frase kata sifat: pelengkap, atribut, adjunct dan specifier. Frase kata depan, frase
kata kerja, frase kata benda dan klausa berfungsi sebagai pelengkap dari frase kata sifat
ketika frase-frase tersebut diperlukan oleh kata sifat untuk melengkapi arti dari kata sifat
tersebut. Elemen berikut dari kata sifat adalah atribut. Elemen-elemen yang dapat mnjadi
atribut dalam frase kata sifat adalah frase intensifier, frase kata keterangan dan frase kata
benda. Elemen lain adalah adjunct. Frase kata kerja, frase kata depan dan klausa
berfungsi sebagai adjunct jika frase-frase tersebut hanya memberikan tambahan
informasi pada kata sifat dari frase kata sifat. Fungsi terakhir dari elemen tersebut adalah
x
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
specifier; artikel the dan kata ganti demonstratif that dan this. Satu fungsi yang jarang
dipenuhi dalam frase kata sifat yang ditemukan dalam artikel-artikel berita tersebut
adalah specifier.
xi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
A STUDY OF ADJECTIVE PHRASES
IN WWW.BBC.CO.UK (UK VERSION) AND
WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM NEWS ARTICLES
ISSUED IN OCTOBER 2007
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA
Student Number: 044214055
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
2008
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
A STUDY OF ADJECTIVE PHRASES
IN WWW.BBC.CO.UK (UK VERSION) AND
WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM NEWS ARTICLES
ISSUED IN OCTOBER 2007
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA
Student Number: 044214055
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
2008
i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LAW OF ATTRACTION
Desire. Get a strong enthusiasm for that which you want in your life, a real longing for
something which is not there now.
Decision. Know definitely what it is that you want, what it is that you want to
do or have, and be willing to pay in spiritual values.
Ask. [When sure and enthusiastic] ask for it in simple, concise language.
Believe. Believe in the accomplishment with strong faith,
consciously and subconsciously.
Work. Work at it. . . a few minutes daily, seeing yourself in
the finished picture. Never outline details, but rather see
yourself enjoying the particular thing . . . Eventually, you
will see a time where it will just appear, as a gift or such, or
you may see an opportunity to get what you we're asking
for.
Feel gratitude. Always remember to say, "Thank you, God [or
the universe]," and begin to feel the gratitude in your heart. The
most powerful prayer we can ever make is those three words,
provided we really feel it. Feel as though you already have what
you wanted.
Feel expectancy. Train yourself to live in a state of happy expectancy...
Find a way it will appear in your life, and keep believing in that. May it be
that someone gives it to you, or you find an initiation to get it.
Mildred Mann (1904 -1971)
iv
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
This thesis is dedicated to
My lovely father and mother
My dearest sisters Angel and Anggi
v
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to the Jesus Christ and
Mother Maria for the blessing, protection, and wonderful time in Jogjakarta. I had never
thought that I could go through this three and a half years without Him and Mother
Maria.
I am indebted a gratitude to Dr. Francis Borgias Alip, MPd.,M.A. as my advisor
for his time, advice, understanding and patience in guiding me during the writing of my
undergraduate thesis. I would like to say “thank you” to Adventina Putranti, S.S.,
M.Hum., my co-advisor for the time to read this thesis and help me make some revisions
on it.
Next, I thank my lovely father and mother, who have given me a chance to have
my study in Sadhar, and my dearest sisters who always encourage and support me in
finishing my study.
Beside, I address my gratitude to all my friends I have in Jogjakarta. I thank them
for the happy and sad time that we have together.
The last but not least, my thanks go to all outstanding people who I have met in
Jogjakarta. I have learned many significant values from all of them.
Teguh Satria Pramana Jaya
vi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ........... ..............................................................................................
APPROVAL PAGE .................................................................................................
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ...........................................................................................
MOTTO PAGE .. ......................................................................................................
DEDICATION PAGE .............................................................................................
ACKNOWLEGDEMENTS ....................................................................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS..........................................................................................
ABSTRACT ................ .............................................................................................
ABSTRAK ..............................................................................................................
i
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
vii
ix
x
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION.........................................................................
A. Background of the Study..........................................................................
B. Problem Formulation................................................................................
C. Objectives of the Study.............................................................................
D. Benefits of the Study................................................................................
E. Definition of Terms..................................................................................
1
1
4
4
4
5
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE......................................................
A. Review of Related Studies.......................................................................
B. Review of Related Theories.....................................................................
B.1. Position of Adjectives...............................................................
B.2. The Elements of Adjective Phrases..........................................
B.2.a. Complement...............................................................
B.2.b. Attribute.....................................................................
B.2.c. Adjunct.......................................................................
B.2.d. Specifier.....................................................................
A.3. Adjective Phrase Structure.......................................................
A.4. Other Phrases and Clause.........................................................
C. Theoretical Framework...........................................................................
7
7
10
10
13
13
18
19
21
21
24
27
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY.....................................................................
A. Object of Study ......................................................................................
B. Method of Study......................................................................................
C. Research Procedure.................................................................................
C.1. Data Collection.........................................................................
C.2. Data Analysis............................................................................
29
29
29
30
30
31
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS....................................................................................
A. The Position of the Adjective Phrases .....................................................
A.1. Attributive Position....................................................................
A.2. Predicative Position...................................................................
A.3. Postpositive Position.................................................................
33
33
34
36
38
vii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
B. The elements of the Adjective Phrases......................................................
C. The Function of the elements....................................................................
C.1. A Complement............................................................................
C.2. An Attribute.................................................................................
C.3. An Adjunct..................................................................................
C.4. A Specifier...................................................................................
39
51
52
58
62
66
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION...............................................................................
69
BIBLIOGRAPHY.....................................................................................................
71
APPENDECIS ..........................................................................................................
Appendix 1.....................................................................................................
Appendix 2.....................................................................................................
Appendix 3.....................................................................................................
75
75
99
107
viii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA . A Study of Adjective Phrase in www.bbc.co.uk
(UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com News Articles Issued In October 2007.
Yogyakarta: Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University,2008.
An adjective phrase, which has the same distribution and function as an adjective,
plays an important role in the construction of simple or complex sentences. An adjective
phrase is a phrase which has an adjective as its head. It may consist of a single adjective
or complete elements like in the Phrase-bar theory. It needs other phrases when it occurs
in complex form. The phrases have their functions in the structure of an adjective phrase.
This thesis will study the position, the elements and the elements' functions of the
adjective phrases that have been identified in both www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and
www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued in October 2007. They are chosen because
they are mostly accessed by people when looking for the crucial news every day.
Thus, this study has three objectives. The first objective is to identify the adjective
phrase and to observe its position. The second objective is to find out and to analyze the
elements that occur in the adjective phrases. The last objective is to categorize the phrases
and the clauses as the elements of the adjective phrases based on their function.
In order to achieve three objectives, a descriptive study of language is applied. It
describes the adjective phrases that are used by the news articles in the two websites. The
analysis of this study is based on corpus and data that are collected regarding three
characteristics of the descriptive linguistic; objective, empirical and exact.
From the analysis, it can be concluded that 533 adjective phrases or 74,70% are
found in attributive, 127 or 18,81% in predicative and only 15 or 2,22% postpositive
position. Most of the adjective phrases are constructed in bare form 508 or 75,25%. The
rests are in a complex form 167 or 24,74%. In the complex form, the adjective phrase
occurs with phrases and clauses and the percentage of each occurrence is as follows: the
intensifier phrase is 78 or about 11,55%, the prepositional phrase is 29 or 4,29%, the
adverb phrase is 15 or 2,22%, the verb phrase is 12 or 1,77%, the noun phrase is 4 or
0,59% and the clause is 7 or 1,03% . The phrases or clauses have certain functions in the
structure of the adjective phrase. They may fill namely: complement, attribute, adjunct
and specifier. A prepositional phrase, verb phrase, noun phrase and clause can function as
a complement of an adjective phrase when they are selected by the head to complete the
head's meaning. The next element of the head is an attribute. The elements of the
adjective phrase that can occur as the attributes are an intensifier phrase, adverb phrase
and noun phrase. The other element is an adjunct. A verb phrase, prepositional phrase and
clause can function as the adjunct if they only give additional information to the head of
the adjective phrases. The last function of the elements is a specifier; articles the and
demonstrative pronoun that and this. The adjective phrases in most cases do not have a
specifier and the consequence is that the specifier position is rarely filled.
ix
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA . A Study of Adjective Phrase in www.bbc.co.uk
(UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com News Articles Issued In October 2007.
Yogyakarta: Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University,2008.
Frase kata sifat yang memiliki distribusi dan fungsi yang sama dengan kata sifat
memainkan peranan penting dalam pembentukkan kalimat sederhana maupun kompleks.
Frase kata sifat adalah sebuah frase yang mempunyai kata sifat sebagai induknya. Frase
kata sifat dapat berupa sebuah kata sifat saja atau dengan komponen-komponen yang
lebih lengkap seperti yang terurai di teori frase-Bar. Pembentukan frase kata sifat yang
lengkap membutuhkan frase-frase lain. Frase-frase tersebut memiliki fungsi tersendiri
dalam struktur sebuah frase kata sifat. Skripsi ini mempelajari posisi, komponenkomponen serta fungsi komponen dari frase kata sifat yang digunakan di dalam artikel
berita pada bulan Oktober di www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com.
Kedua situs tersebut dipilihkan karena kedua situs tersebut banyak diakses oleh orangorang ketika mereka menginginkan berita yang sangat penting setiap hari.
Studi ini memiliki tiga tujuan. Tujuan pertama adalah mengidentifikasi frase kata
sifat dan mempelajari posisinya. Tujuan kedua adalah menemukan dan menganalisis
frase-frase maupun klausa yang menjadi bagian dari frase kata sifat. Tujuan terakhir
adalah mengelompokkan frase-frase dan klausa-klausa tersebut berdasarkan fungsinya
dalam struktur frase kata sifat.
Pembelajaran bahasa secara deskriptif diterapkan guna mencapai ketiga tujuan
tersebut. Pembelajaran ini akan menggambarkan penggunaan frase kata sifat oleh
penulis-penulis kolum berita di kedua situs tersebut. Analysis studi ini didasarkan pada
korpus dan data yang sesuai dengan ketiga ciri penelitian deskriktif yaitu objektif,
empiris dan pasti.
Dari hasil analisis dapat disimpulkan bahwa 533 frase kata sifat atau 78,96%
ditemukan pada posisi attributif, 127 atau 18,81% pada posisi predikatif dan hanya 15
atau 2,22% pada posisi pospositif. 508 frase kata sifat atau 75,25% terbentuk tanpa
element. Sisanya 167 atau 24,74% memiliki bentuk yang kompleks. Dalam
pembentukannya yang komplek, frase kata sifat membutuhkan frase-frase atau klausaklausa lain. Persentase frase-frase maupun klausa-klausa tersebut adalah sebagai berikut:
frase intensifier 11,55% atau 78, frase kata depan 4,29% atau 29, frase kata keterangan
2,22% atau 15, frase kata kerja 1,77% atau 12. frase kata benda 0,59% atau 4 dan klausa
1,03% atau 7. Frase-frase dan klausa-klausa tersebut memiliki fungsi tertentu dalam
struktur frase kata sifat: pelengkap, atribut, adjunct dan specifier. Frase kata depan, frase
kata kerja, frase kata benda dan klausa berfungsi sebagai pelengkap dari frase kata sifat
ketika frase-frase tersebut diperlukan oleh kata sifat untuk melengkapi arti dari kata sifat
tersebut. Elemen berikut dari kata sifat adalah atribut. Elemen-elemen yang dapat mnjadi
atribut dalam frase kata sifat adalah frase intensifier, frase kata keterangan dan frase kata
benda. Elemen lain adalah adjunct. Frase kata kerja, frase kata depan dan klausa
berfungsi sebagai adjunct jika frase-frase tersebut hanya memberikan tambahan
informasi pada kata sifat dari frase kata sifat. Fungsi terakhir dari elemen tersebut adalah
x
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
specifier; artikel the dan kata ganti demonstratif that dan this. Satu fungsi yang jarang
dipenuhi dalam frase kata sifat yang ditemukan dalam artikel-artikel berita tersebut
adalah specifier.
xi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Language according to Wardaugh (1977: 3) is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols
used for communication. The system meant by Wardaugh is that language is a system
with several levels, namely phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. Phonology
deals with the way sounds used in individual languages. Morphology studies the structure
of words. Syntax concerns with the structure of phrases and sentences, and semantics
with the study of meaning.
In their book An introduction to Language, Fromkin and Rodman (1993: 73)
states:
Knowing a language includes the ability to put words together to form
phrases and sentences that express our thoughts. That part of grammar that
represents a speaker's knowledge of the structure of phrases and sentences
is called syntax. The meaning of a sentence depends to a great extent on
the meaning of the words which it is composed. But the structure of the
sentence also contributes to meaning.
Syntax is a rule of putting words in specific structure to form phrases and
sentences. The texts either simple or complex will be followed fully when having a
thorough knowledge about syntax by analyzing the structure of the elements in sentences.
Furthermore, the clear understanding of syntax will be helpful in producing a good article
or text by smartly combining the elements of the sentences. To build up the good and
correct sentences, phrases play important roles. An adjective phrase is one of the phrases
that is usually used.
1
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
2
An adjective phrase is a phrase which has an adjective as its head. It may consist
of a single adjective or complete elements like in the X-bar theory. It needs other phrases
like a noun phrase, verb phrase, adverb phrase and prepositional phrase when it occurs in
complex form. It has the same distribution and function as an adjective (Asher, 1994:
5150).
In their book A Student's Grammar of the English Language, Greenbaum and
Quirk classify the syntactic functions of the adjectives into seven. First function is
attributive and predicative. The adjectives are attributive when they premodify the head
of a noun phrase, e.g. a small garden. They are predicative when they function as subject
complement or object complement, e.g. He seems careless (Cs); I find him careless (Co).
The second function is postpositive. The adjectives can immediately follow the noun or
pronoun they modify, e.g. something useful. The third is the adjectives with
complementation. The adjectives with complementation normally will require
postposition, e.g. I know an actor suitable for the part. The fourth is the adjectives as
heads of noun phrases. The adjectives can function as heads of noun phrases, which can
be subject of the sentence, complement, object, and prepositional complement, e.g. The
innocent are often deceived by the unscrupulous; She admires the mystical. The fifth is
verbless clauses. The adjectives can function as the sole realization of a verbless clause,
e.g. The man, quietly assertive, spoke to the assembled workers. The sixth function is
contingent verbless clauses. One type of verbless clause, which is often introduced by a
subordinator, expresses the circumstance or condition under which what is said in the
superordinate clause applies, e.g. Right or wrong, he always comes off worst in an
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
3
argument because of the his inability to speak correctly. The last function is exclamatory
adjective clauses. The adjectives can be exclamation, with or without an initial whelement, e.g. Excellent! ; How wonderful!
Based on the syntactic function of the adjectives, it is clear that the adjective
phrase, which has the same distribution and function as an adjective (Asher, 1994: 5150),
also plays an important role in the construction of simple or complex sentences. That is
why, the writer choose “adjective phrase” as the study. In this thesis, the syntactic
contribution of the adjective phrase in sentences will not be the concern since it has
become the study of other writers. As consequence, this study will focus on the adjective
phrase itself; the elements and the elements' functions of the adjective phrase.
The aims of this study are to find, to analyze, and to discuss the position of the
adjective phrases, the elements and the elements' functions of the adjective phrases that
have been used in both www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com
articles issued on October 2007.
In this study, the writer will use the adjective phrases in www.bbc.co.uk (UK
version) and www.washingtonpost.com articles as the source of the data. BBC (British
Broadcasting Corporation) is the first and biggest broadcasting organization in the United
Kingdom. The scientific origins of broadcasting are over 100 years old. Washington Post
Company is the international news and communications company. The Washington Post
is one of the most respected daily newspapers in the United States. It means that both
websites will serve crucial news in the world every day. They also cover current and
hottest news and also present explicit information which denotes time and place very
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4
well. That is why www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com are used as
a source in this research.
B. PROBLEM FORMULATION
1. Where are the adjective phrases in sentence structures in www.bbc.co.uk (UK
version) and www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued on October 2007
located?
2. What are the elements of the adjective phrases in www.bbc.co.uk (UK version)
and www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued on October 2007?
3. What are the functions of the elements?
C. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study has three objectives. The first objective is to identify the adjective
phrases in www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com news articles
issued on October 2007 and to observe their position which can be in attributive,
predicative or postpositive position. The second objective is to find out and to analyze the
elements that occur in the adjective phrases in www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and
www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued on October 2007. They can be an adverb
phrase, noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase, adjective phrase, intensifier
phrase and clauses. The third objective is to categorize the phrases and the clauses as the
elements of the adjective phrases based on their function. The elements can function as a
complement, attribute or adjunct in the adjective phrase.
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5
D. BENEFIT OF THE STUDY
Theoretically, it is expected that the findings will give more contribution to the
study of phrases especially the adjective phrase. This study is helpful for readers to enrich
their knowledge about the adjective phrase like where the adjective phrase can be located
in sentences, what can be the elements of the adjective phrase and how the function of the
elements in the adjective phrase is. Particularly this study is useful for the readers who
want to compare the adjective phrases in the BBC and Washington Post on-line news
articles issued on October 2007. Moreover, it is essential that the readers can produce the
adjective phrase, whether it is in a simple or complex form.
E. DEFINATION OF TERMS
Some terms are basically used in this thesis: adjective, phrase, and adjective
phrase.
According to Asher, an adjective is a major word class, containing words that
describes properties or qualities (1994: 28)
There are three positions of adjectives: attributives, predicative and postpositive
(Quirk et al, 1985: 418). The adjectives are attributive when it modifies its noun directly
(Bhat, 1994: 98). The adjectives used in predicative position function as subject
complement after linking verb like be, seem, look, feel and object complement after verbs
like consider, believe, find (Leech,1979: 193). The postpositive adjectives are adjectives
that immediately follow the noun or pronoun they modify (Quirk et al, 1985: 1293).
A phrase is a maximal projection of a category of word (Dwijatmoko, 2002: 7).
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
6
An adjective phrase is a phrase with an adjective as head, as in (He was) very
happy (Quirk, 1973: 115).
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
Chapter II will cover three parts; review of related studies, review of related
theories and theoretical framework. The first part is the review of another study that also
concerns about adjective phrase. Another study is needed to show the position of this
current study. The second part is the review of theories that are used to accomplish the
thesis. The theory of the adjective position is important since it will be helpful in the
identification of the adjective phrase. Next, the review of the adjective phrase will
include more explanation about the occurrence of the adjective phrase with its element,
either in a minimal or complex form. The theory of the adjective phrase structure will be
a significance part in the review since it shows how the adjective phrase is structured by
using an X-Bar theory. Then, the review will also include the theories of other phrases
and clause since they are the elements of the adjective phrase. The last part is the
theoretical framework. It shows how the theories and another study are related to the
study of this thesis.
A. Review of Related Studies
This review will discuss the findings of two researches that have relation with this
study. The findings are the result of Sanata Dharma University student's thesis researches.
First, a thesis entitled An Analysis on the Structure and the Use of Adjective
Phrases in Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome by Patricia Dewanti Nur Prastiwi, 1999, tries to
7
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
8
analyze the elements and the use of adjective phrases in Edith Wharton's novel entitled
Enthan Frome. From her research, the writer concludes that adjunct is the most frequently
used element since it has four categories of adjective phrase adjunct. Although adjunct is
the most frequently used element, there are a great number of adverb phrases which have
a function as an adjective phrase attributes. She also states that the adjective phrases give
a specific meaning to the sentences. The elimination of adjective phrases may differ the
meaning of the sentences.
Furthermore, the adjective phrases in Ethan Frome have three types of adjective
phrase elements. The first type is a complement. A complement is always attached to the
right of the head. There are 82 complements appear in the novel. An adjective phrase may
take some phrasal categories as its complement, namely a prepositional phrase, toinfinitive verb phrase, and clause. There are 38 prepositional phrases, 30 to-infinitive
verb phrases, and 14 clauses occur in the novel as the adjective phrase complements. The
second type of adjective phrase elements is an attribute. There are 90 attributes of
adjective phrases occur in the novel. The adjective phrases take an intensifier phrase and
an adverb phrase as its attribute. There are 22 intensifier phrases and 68 adverb phrases in
the novel as the adjective phrase attributes. The third type of adjective phrase element is
an adjunct. There are 94 in the novel. There are 42 prepositional phrases, 33 clauses, 12
adverb phrases, and 7 to-infinitive verb phrases functioning as the adjective phrase
adjuncts. Adjective phrases have three functions in sentences. The first function of
adjective phrases is the attribute of noun phrases. There are 1119 adjectives functioning
as the attributes of noun phrase. The second function of adjective phrases is as the subject
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
9
complement. There are 293 adjective phrases functioning as the subject complement. The
third function of adjective phrases is as the object complement. There are 79 adjective
phrases functioning as the object complement.
Second, another thesis titled A study on English Adjective Phrases in the Fashion
and Style Articles on New York Times Published in December 2002 and January 2003 by
Holan Nauli Christine Siahaan, 2003, analyzes the occurrence of the adjective phrase in
sentence and its elements on New York Times Published in December 2002 and January
2003. From her research, the writer concludes that an adjective phrase occurs in a
projection with other elements as pre-modifiers and post-modifiers, and it functions as
attributive or predicative in the sentence.
In addition, a pre-modifier can be an attribute and a specifier element. The
attributes are the intensifier elements such as so, very, too, still, etc, adverbs, and the
comparison. However, the specifiers are determiners that or this that function as the
condition of the head. While a post-modifier element can be adjuncts and complements.
Adjuncts are the optional elements because they only give circumstantial information to
the head adjectives. An adjunct can be a preposition phrase, verb phrase (to-infinitive), or
clause from. The only adverb taking the position of adjunct is enough. The comparison
adjectives can function as the adjunct in the adjective phrase structures as they are giving
the additional information to the head adjective by comparing. In additional, these
comparison more or less can not leave their attribute elements. Meanwhile, the
complement is an obligatory element in adjective phrases structures. In some cases, the
complement can be omitted although it is stated explicitly, e.g. aware.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
10
Moreover, for its presence in sentences, an adjective phrase has two functions:
attributive and predicative. As attributive, the adjective phrase heads have a minimal
form, without complement element. As predicative, the adjective phrases function as
subject complements or object complements.
This current study is similar to the thesis done by Prastiwi and Nauli. First, this
study is also about the adjective phrase. Second, the discussion of this study also includes
the analysis about the elements of the adjective phrases and their functions. However, this
current study is different from the previous studies. First, this current study will have
discussion about the position of the adjective phrase in the sentences. Second, this study
uses the different source as the data of the analysis. This study takes the adjective phrases
from
the
on-line
news
articles
in
www.bbc.co.uk
(UK
version)
and
www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued on October 2007. The previous studies
discuss deeper the use of the adjective phrases in Ethan Frome and New York Times.
Prastiwi only took the adjective phrases from Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome and Nauli
used New York Times as the data of her study.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Position of Adjectives
According to Quirk et al, there are three positions of adjectives: attributives,
predicative and postpositive (1985: 418). An adjective phrase has the same distribution
and function as an adjective (Asher, 1994: 5150). As a result, the adjective phrase is also
found on the attributive, predicative, or postpositive position.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
11
a. In the Attributive Position
The adjectives are attributive when it modifies its noun directly and names an
attribute of the noun (Emlyn, 1950: 81). They are placed between the determiners and the
head of NP it modifies, for example: the old lady and a small hostel. The adjectives can
modify the head of an NP and also becomes the head of an NP. When they modify the
head noun, the emphasis is on denoting a property associated with the meaning of the
head, whereas they are used as the head of NP they emphasize on denoting a property or
its possessor as an entity by itself (Bhat, 1994: 98).
There are three types of adjectives that are used as the head of NP (Quirk,
1990:138). The first type adjectives refer to certain fairly well-established classes of
persons, for example:
(1) The very lazy are punished by the teacher.
(2) The government will have to supply jobs for our unemployed.
(3) The rules are fair for both the poor and the rich.
The adjectives the very lazy, our unemployed, or both poor and rich have plural and
generic reference. The use of the definite article shows the generic reference.
The second type is adjectives that refer to nationalities. Sometimes they are used
to refer some part of the nation, for example teams or troops.
(4) The English will met The French in final UEFA.
(5) The agricultural Turkish
The third type is adjectives that have abstract references.
(6) The biggest (match) is held in the last summer.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
12
(7) The very hottest (news) is that they divorce.
(8) The worst is never expected to arrive
According Bhat, the attributive adjectives can not be followed by complement
(1994; 61)
b. In the Predicative Position
The adjectives used in predicative position function as subject complement after
linking verb like be, seem, look, feel and object complement after verbs like consider,
believe, find (Leech,1979: 193). Predicative adjectives functioning as subject complement
can follow NP, finite clause, and non-finite clause (Quirk et al, 1985: 417).
(9) Many of the students are clever.
(10) That you love her is obvious.
(11) Reading the classics novels are enjoyable.
Predicative adjectives that function as object complements can follow a direct
object and clause, for example:
(12) I believe her happy.
(13) She considers what he did foolish.
They express the result of the process denoted by the verbs, for example:
(14) They pushed the door close (=the door can be closed)
As the predicative adjectives, they will change from a dependent element to an
independent element. The sign of independent that the predicative adjectives have is their
ability to take complements.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
13
c. In the Postpositive Position
The postpositive adjectives are adjectives that can immediately follow the noun or
pronoun they modify. They are divided into three types. First, the postpositive adjectives
required by the head of an NP include indefinite pronouns ending in -body, -one, and
-thing and adverbs wh-forms, for example:
(15) everything metal
(16) nothing extraordinary
(17) we're not going anywhere very exciting.
Second, the postpositive adjectives that are required by complementation of
adjectives include adjective phrases having a prepositional phrase or to-infinitive verb
phrase as complement, for example:
(18) I know an actor suitable for the part.
(19) The boys easiest to teach were in my class.
The first and second types of the postpositive adjectives are always regarded the reduced
relative clause.
Third, the postpositive adjectives that are required by particular noun-adjectives
combinations such as The President elect and blood royal (Quirk et al, 1985: 1293).
2. The Elements of the Adjective Phrases
Like the other types of phrases, an adjective phrase may also have five phrase
elements. They are a head, complement, attribute, adjunct and specifier. They have
certain function in their occurrences within the adjective phrase that is explained in the
following part.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
14
a. A complement is an element which a head needs to complete its meaning. According
to Leech and Svartvik, a complement plays a significant role in a grammatical
construction to complete the meaning of the head. The absence of a complement in
certain phrase may cause an ill-formed construction (1979: 220). An adjective may need
or not need a complement. The adjectives angry and different need a complement.
(20) Mr Smith is angry with some students.
(21) Mary is very different from her sister.
The complement of angry is the prepositional phrase with some students, and the
complement of different is the prepositional phrase from her sister. The heads need the
complements semantically. With some students is needed to show the direction of Mr
Smith's anger, and from her sister is needed to show who Mary is very different from.
The complement is not present explicitly in a sentence when it may be understood
from context or probably not important for the message exchange.
(22) Mr Robinson was very angry in the meeting
(23) The new manager is very ambitious.
The complements of angry and ambitious are not stated since the speaker of the sentences
only want to give the fact that Mr. Robinson was very angry and the manager is
ambitious.
A complement can not be separated from the head because of their close
relationship. The proposing of the complements results in the ungrammaticality of the
sentences.
(24) *With some students, Mr Smith is angry.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
15
(25) *From her sister, Mary is very different.
An adjective may take several phrase categories as its complement. The first
category of adjective complement is prepositional phrase.
(26) good at mathematics
(27) responsible for the refreshment
Good takes at mathematics and responsible takes for the refreshment as their
complement.
There are three tests to identify a prepositional phrase as the complement of an
adjective (Dwijatmoko, 2002: 23). First, the noun phrase, which functions as the
complement of preposition, can be replaced with what or who to form a question.
(28) Mary is responsible for the refreshment. ⇒ What is Mary responsible
for?
(29) Tina is angry with Mark. ⇒ Who is Tina angry with?
The refreshment is replaced by what and Mark is replaced by who form a question.
Second, the noun phrase, which functions as the complement of preposition, can
occur as the focus in a cleft sentence.
(30) It is the refreshment that Mary is responsible for.
(31) It is Mark that Tina is angry with.
The refreshment and Mark become the focuses of (30) and (31) respectively.
Third, the noun phrase, which functions as the complement of preposition, can
occur in a pseudo-cleft sentence.
(32) What Mary is responsible for is the refreshment.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
16
(33) Who Tina is angry with is Mark.
The refreshment and Mark become the focuses of (32) and (33) respectively.
The second category of adjective complement is a to-infinitive verb phrase.
(34) Mary is eager to study abroad.
(35) The children are ready to swim.
To study abroad and to swim are complements of the adjectives eager and ready. Those
three tests that are used to identify a prepositional phrase as the complement of an
adjective are also applicable for a to-infinitive verb phrase. First, a to-infinitive adjective
complement can be identified using a what question.
(36) What is Mary eager to do?
(37) What are the children ready to do?
To study abroad and to swim are the answers of questions (36) and (37).
Second, a to-infinitive adjective complement is the focus in a cleft sentence.
(38) It is to study abroad that Mary is eager.
(39) It is to swim that the children are ready.
To study abroad and to swim are the focus of the cleft sentences.
Third, a
to-infinitive adjective complement is the focus in a pseudo-cleft
sentence.
(40) What Mary is eager is to study abroad.
(41) What the children are ready is to swim.
To study abroad and to swim are the focus of the pseudo-cleft sentences.
The third category of adjective complement is a clause; a that clause or a whether
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
17
clause. The adjectives like sure, certain, and doubtful take a whether clause as their
complement.
(42) Rita is still doubtful whether she will join the club or not.
(43) The kids are afraid that their parents leave them.
Whether she join the club or not is the complement of doubtful and that their parents
leave them is the complement of afraid. A clause adjective complement also can be
identified using those three tests. First, a clause adjective complement is an answer to a
what question.
(44) What is Rita doubtful of?
(45) What are the kids afraid of?
Whether she join the club or not and that their parents leave them are the answer of
questions (44) and (45) respectively.
Second, a clause adjective complement is the focus in a cleft sentence.
(46) It is whether she join the club or not that Rita is still doubtful.
(47) It is that their parents leave them that the kids are afraid.
Whether she join the club or not and that their parents leave them are the focus of the
cleft sentences.
Third, a clause adjective complement is the focus in a pseudo-cleft sentence.
(48) What Rita is still doubtful is whether she join the club or not.
(49) What the kids are afraid is that their parents leave them.
Whether she join the club or not and that their parents leave them are the focus of the
pseudo-cleft sentences.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
18
The last category of adjective complement is a noun phrase. A noun phrase
adjective complement can be identified using a paraphrase; the noun phrase is changed
into the prepositional phrase.
(50) context-free ⇒ free from the context
(51) gender-sensitive ⇒ sensitive to gender
Free in (50) takes context as its complement, and sensitive on (51) takes gender as its
complement.
Not all adjectives needs a complement. The adjectives long, wide and expensive
do not need any complement.
(52) very long
(53) fairly expensive
b. An attribute is an element that shows the characteristics of the head. There are four
types of phrases that can be attributes (Dwijatmoko, 2002:27). The first phrase is an
intensifier phrase. The intensifiers are very, quite, rather, fairly, and too.
(54) The book is very easy.
(55) The dress is quite expensive.
Very and quite are the attributes of adjectives easy and expensive.
The second one is an adverb phrase.
(56) The workers are physically tired.
(57) The girls are emotionally mature.
Physically and emotionally are the attributes of adjectives tired and mature.
The third one is a noun phrase.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
19
(58) Bobby is two years old.
(59) His explanation is crystal clear.
The noun phrases two years and crystal are the attributes of the adjectives old and clear.
The last category of an adjective attribute is an adjective phrase.
(60) Her dress is light blue.
(61) The hair of the woman is reddish brown.
Light and reddish are the attributes of blue and brown.
An adjective attribute is identified by using how or in what aspect question.
(62) How easy is the book?
(66) In what aspect is the book easy?
(63) How tired are the workers?
(67)In what aspect are the workers tired?
(64) How old is Bobby?
(68) In what aspect is Bobby old?
(65) How blue is her dress?
(69) In what aspect is her dress blue?
c. An adjunct in an adjective phrase makes the condition or state or gives circumstantial
information on the state or condition. An adjective may take several categories as its
adjunct (Dwijatmoko, 2002:29). The first category of an adjec
ABSTRACT
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA . A Study of Adjective Phrase in www.bbc.co.uk
(UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com News Articles Issued In October 2007.
Yogyakarta: Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University,2008.
An adjective phrase, which has the same distribution and function as an adjective,
plays an important role in the construction of simple or complex sentences. An adjective
phrase is a phrase which has an adjective as its head. It may consist of a single adjective
or complete elements like in the Phrase-bar theory. It needs other phrases when it occurs
in complex form. The phrases have their functions in the structure of an adjective phrase.
This thesis will study the position, the elements and the elements' functions of the
adjective phrases that have been identified in both www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and
www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued in October 2007. They are chosen because
they are mostly accessed by people when looking for the crucial news every day.
Thus, this study has three objectives. The first objective is to identify the adjective
phrase and to observe its position. The second objective is to find out and to analyze the
elements that occur in the adjective phrases. The last objective is to categorize the phrases
and the clauses as the elements of the adjective phrases based on their function.
In order to achieve three objectives, a descriptive study of language is applied. It
describes the adjective phrases that are used by the news articles in the two websites. The
analysis of this study is based on corpus and data that are collected regarding three
characteristics of the descriptive linguistic; objective, empirical and exact.
From the analysis, it can be concluded that 533 adjective phrases or 74,70% are
found in attributive, 127 or 18,81% in predicative and only 15 or 2,22% postpositive
position. Most of the adjective phrases are constructed in bare form 508 or 75,25%. The
rests are in a complex form 167 or 24,74%. In the complex form, the adjective phrase
occurs with phrases and clauses and the percentage of each occurrence is as follows: the
intensifier phrase is 78 or about 11,55%, the prepositional phrase is 29 or 4,29%, the
adverb phrase is 15 or 2,22%, the verb phrase is 12 or 1,77%, the noun phrase is 4 or
0,59% and the clause is 7 or 1,03% . The phrases or clauses have certain functions in the
structure of the adjective phrase. They may fill namely: complement, attribute, adjunct
and specifier. A prepositional phrase, verb phrase, noun phrase and clause can function as
a complement of an adjective phrase when they are selected by the head to complete the
head's meaning. The next element of the head is an attribute. The elements of the
adjective phrase that can occur as the attributes are an intensifier phrase, adverb phrase
and noun phrase. The other element is an adjunct. A verb phrase, prepositional phrase and
clause can function as the adjunct if they only give additional information to the head of
the adjective phrases. The last function of the elements is a specifier; articles the and
demonstrative pronoun that and this. The adjective phrases in most cases do not have a
specifier and the consequence is that the specifier position is rarely filled.
ix
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA . A Study of Adjective Phrase in www.bbc.co.uk
(UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com News Articles Issued In October 2007.
Yogyakarta: Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University,2008.
Frase kata sifat yang memiliki distribusi dan fungsi yang sama dengan kata sifat
memainkan peranan penting dalam pembentukkan kalimat sederhana maupun kompleks.
Frase kata sifat adalah sebuah frase yang mempunyai kata sifat sebagai induknya. Frase
kata sifat dapat berupa sebuah kata sifat saja atau dengan komponen-komponen yang
lebih lengkap seperti yang terurai di teori frase-Bar. Pembentukan frase kata sifat yang
lengkap membutuhkan frase-frase lain. Frase-frase tersebut memiliki fungsi tersendiri
dalam struktur sebuah frase kata sifat. Skripsi ini mempelajari posisi, komponenkomponen serta fungsi komponen dari frase kata sifat yang digunakan di dalam artikel
berita pada bulan Oktober di www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com.
Kedua situs tersebut dipilihkan karena kedua situs tersebut banyak diakses oleh orangorang ketika mereka menginginkan berita yang sangat penting setiap hari.
Studi ini memiliki tiga tujuan. Tujuan pertama adalah mengidentifikasi frase kata
sifat dan mempelajari posisinya. Tujuan kedua adalah menemukan dan menganalisis
frase-frase maupun klausa yang menjadi bagian dari frase kata sifat. Tujuan terakhir
adalah mengelompokkan frase-frase dan klausa-klausa tersebut berdasarkan fungsinya
dalam struktur frase kata sifat.
Pembelajaran bahasa secara deskriptif diterapkan guna mencapai ketiga tujuan
tersebut. Pembelajaran ini akan menggambarkan penggunaan frase kata sifat oleh
penulis-penulis kolum berita di kedua situs tersebut. Analysis studi ini didasarkan pada
korpus dan data yang sesuai dengan ketiga ciri penelitian deskriktif yaitu objektif,
empiris dan pasti.
Dari hasil analisis dapat disimpulkan bahwa 533 frase kata sifat atau 78,96%
ditemukan pada posisi attributif, 127 atau 18,81% pada posisi predikatif dan hanya 15
atau 2,22% pada posisi pospositif. 508 frase kata sifat atau 75,25% terbentuk tanpa
element. Sisanya 167 atau 24,74% memiliki bentuk yang kompleks. Dalam
pembentukannya yang komplek, frase kata sifat membutuhkan frase-frase atau klausaklausa lain. Persentase frase-frase maupun klausa-klausa tersebut adalah sebagai berikut:
frase intensifier 11,55% atau 78, frase kata depan 4,29% atau 29, frase kata keterangan
2,22% atau 15, frase kata kerja 1,77% atau 12. frase kata benda 0,59% atau 4 dan klausa
1,03% atau 7. Frase-frase dan klausa-klausa tersebut memiliki fungsi tertentu dalam
struktur frase kata sifat: pelengkap, atribut, adjunct dan specifier. Frase kata depan, frase
kata kerja, frase kata benda dan klausa berfungsi sebagai pelengkap dari frase kata sifat
ketika frase-frase tersebut diperlukan oleh kata sifat untuk melengkapi arti dari kata sifat
tersebut. Elemen berikut dari kata sifat adalah atribut. Elemen-elemen yang dapat mnjadi
atribut dalam frase kata sifat adalah frase intensifier, frase kata keterangan dan frase kata
benda. Elemen lain adalah adjunct. Frase kata kerja, frase kata depan dan klausa
berfungsi sebagai adjunct jika frase-frase tersebut hanya memberikan tambahan
informasi pada kata sifat dari frase kata sifat. Fungsi terakhir dari elemen tersebut adalah
x
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
specifier; artikel the dan kata ganti demonstratif that dan this. Satu fungsi yang jarang
dipenuhi dalam frase kata sifat yang ditemukan dalam artikel-artikel berita tersebut
adalah specifier.
xi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
A STUDY OF ADJECTIVE PHRASES
IN WWW.BBC.CO.UK (UK VERSION) AND
WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM NEWS ARTICLES
ISSUED IN OCTOBER 2007
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA
Student Number: 044214055
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
2008
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
A STUDY OF ADJECTIVE PHRASES
IN WWW.BBC.CO.UK (UK VERSION) AND
WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM NEWS ARTICLES
ISSUED IN OCTOBER 2007
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA
Student Number: 044214055
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
2008
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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LAW OF ATTRACTION
Desire. Get a strong enthusiasm for that which you want in your life, a real longing for
something which is not there now.
Decision. Know definitely what it is that you want, what it is that you want to
do or have, and be willing to pay in spiritual values.
Ask. [When sure and enthusiastic] ask for it in simple, concise language.
Believe. Believe in the accomplishment with strong faith,
consciously and subconsciously.
Work. Work at it. . . a few minutes daily, seeing yourself in
the finished picture. Never outline details, but rather see
yourself enjoying the particular thing . . . Eventually, you
will see a time where it will just appear, as a gift or such, or
you may see an opportunity to get what you we're asking
for.
Feel gratitude. Always remember to say, "Thank you, God [or
the universe]," and begin to feel the gratitude in your heart. The
most powerful prayer we can ever make is those three words,
provided we really feel it. Feel as though you already have what
you wanted.
Feel expectancy. Train yourself to live in a state of happy expectancy...
Find a way it will appear in your life, and keep believing in that. May it be
that someone gives it to you, or you find an initiation to get it.
Mildred Mann (1904 -1971)
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This thesis is dedicated to
My lovely father and mother
My dearest sisters Angel and Anggi
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to the Jesus Christ and
Mother Maria for the blessing, protection, and wonderful time in Jogjakarta. I had never
thought that I could go through this three and a half years without Him and Mother
Maria.
I am indebted a gratitude to Dr. Francis Borgias Alip, MPd.,M.A. as my advisor
for his time, advice, understanding and patience in guiding me during the writing of my
undergraduate thesis. I would like to say “thank you” to Adventina Putranti, S.S.,
M.Hum., my co-advisor for the time to read this thesis and help me make some revisions
on it.
Next, I thank my lovely father and mother, who have given me a chance to have
my study in Sadhar, and my dearest sisters who always encourage and support me in
finishing my study.
Beside, I address my gratitude to all my friends I have in Jogjakarta. I thank them
for the happy and sad time that we have together.
The last but not least, my thanks go to all outstanding people who I have met in
Jogjakarta. I have learned many significant values from all of them.
Teguh Satria Pramana Jaya
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ........... ..............................................................................................
APPROVAL PAGE .................................................................................................
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ...........................................................................................
MOTTO PAGE .. ......................................................................................................
DEDICATION PAGE .............................................................................................
ACKNOWLEGDEMENTS ....................................................................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS..........................................................................................
ABSTRACT ................ .............................................................................................
ABSTRAK ..............................................................................................................
i
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
vii
ix
x
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION.........................................................................
A. Background of the Study..........................................................................
B. Problem Formulation................................................................................
C. Objectives of the Study.............................................................................
D. Benefits of the Study................................................................................
E. Definition of Terms..................................................................................
1
1
4
4
4
5
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE......................................................
A. Review of Related Studies.......................................................................
B. Review of Related Theories.....................................................................
B.1. Position of Adjectives...............................................................
B.2. The Elements of Adjective Phrases..........................................
B.2.a. Complement...............................................................
B.2.b. Attribute.....................................................................
B.2.c. Adjunct.......................................................................
B.2.d. Specifier.....................................................................
A.3. Adjective Phrase Structure.......................................................
A.4. Other Phrases and Clause.........................................................
C. Theoretical Framework...........................................................................
7
7
10
10
13
13
18
19
21
21
24
27
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY.....................................................................
A. Object of Study ......................................................................................
B. Method of Study......................................................................................
C. Research Procedure.................................................................................
C.1. Data Collection.........................................................................
C.2. Data Analysis............................................................................
29
29
29
30
30
31
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS....................................................................................
A. The Position of the Adjective Phrases .....................................................
A.1. Attributive Position....................................................................
A.2. Predicative Position...................................................................
A.3. Postpositive Position.................................................................
33
33
34
36
38
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B. The elements of the Adjective Phrases......................................................
C. The Function of the elements....................................................................
C.1. A Complement............................................................................
C.2. An Attribute.................................................................................
C.3. An Adjunct..................................................................................
C.4. A Specifier...................................................................................
39
51
52
58
62
66
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION...............................................................................
69
BIBLIOGRAPHY.....................................................................................................
71
APPENDECIS ..........................................................................................................
Appendix 1.....................................................................................................
Appendix 2.....................................................................................................
Appendix 3.....................................................................................................
75
75
99
107
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ABSTRACT
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA . A Study of Adjective Phrase in www.bbc.co.uk
(UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com News Articles Issued In October 2007.
Yogyakarta: Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University,2008.
An adjective phrase, which has the same distribution and function as an adjective,
plays an important role in the construction of simple or complex sentences. An adjective
phrase is a phrase which has an adjective as its head. It may consist of a single adjective
or complete elements like in the Phrase-bar theory. It needs other phrases when it occurs
in complex form. The phrases have their functions in the structure of an adjective phrase.
This thesis will study the position, the elements and the elements' functions of the
adjective phrases that have been identified in both www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and
www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued in October 2007. They are chosen because
they are mostly accessed by people when looking for the crucial news every day.
Thus, this study has three objectives. The first objective is to identify the adjective
phrase and to observe its position. The second objective is to find out and to analyze the
elements that occur in the adjective phrases. The last objective is to categorize the phrases
and the clauses as the elements of the adjective phrases based on their function.
In order to achieve three objectives, a descriptive study of language is applied. It
describes the adjective phrases that are used by the news articles in the two websites. The
analysis of this study is based on corpus and data that are collected regarding three
characteristics of the descriptive linguistic; objective, empirical and exact.
From the analysis, it can be concluded that 533 adjective phrases or 74,70% are
found in attributive, 127 or 18,81% in predicative and only 15 or 2,22% postpositive
position. Most of the adjective phrases are constructed in bare form 508 or 75,25%. The
rests are in a complex form 167 or 24,74%. In the complex form, the adjective phrase
occurs with phrases and clauses and the percentage of each occurrence is as follows: the
intensifier phrase is 78 or about 11,55%, the prepositional phrase is 29 or 4,29%, the
adverb phrase is 15 or 2,22%, the verb phrase is 12 or 1,77%, the noun phrase is 4 or
0,59% and the clause is 7 or 1,03% . The phrases or clauses have certain functions in the
structure of the adjective phrase. They may fill namely: complement, attribute, adjunct
and specifier. A prepositional phrase, verb phrase, noun phrase and clause can function as
a complement of an adjective phrase when they are selected by the head to complete the
head's meaning. The next element of the head is an attribute. The elements of the
adjective phrase that can occur as the attributes are an intensifier phrase, adverb phrase
and noun phrase. The other element is an adjunct. A verb phrase, prepositional phrase and
clause can function as the adjunct if they only give additional information to the head of
the adjective phrases. The last function of the elements is a specifier; articles the and
demonstrative pronoun that and this. The adjective phrases in most cases do not have a
specifier and the consequence is that the specifier position is rarely filled.
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ABSTRAK
TEGUH SATRIA PRAMANA JAYA . A Study of Adjective Phrase in www.bbc.co.uk
(UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com News Articles Issued In October 2007.
Yogyakarta: Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University,2008.
Frase kata sifat yang memiliki distribusi dan fungsi yang sama dengan kata sifat
memainkan peranan penting dalam pembentukkan kalimat sederhana maupun kompleks.
Frase kata sifat adalah sebuah frase yang mempunyai kata sifat sebagai induknya. Frase
kata sifat dapat berupa sebuah kata sifat saja atau dengan komponen-komponen yang
lebih lengkap seperti yang terurai di teori frase-Bar. Pembentukan frase kata sifat yang
lengkap membutuhkan frase-frase lain. Frase-frase tersebut memiliki fungsi tersendiri
dalam struktur sebuah frase kata sifat. Skripsi ini mempelajari posisi, komponenkomponen serta fungsi komponen dari frase kata sifat yang digunakan di dalam artikel
berita pada bulan Oktober di www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com.
Kedua situs tersebut dipilihkan karena kedua situs tersebut banyak diakses oleh orangorang ketika mereka menginginkan berita yang sangat penting setiap hari.
Studi ini memiliki tiga tujuan. Tujuan pertama adalah mengidentifikasi frase kata
sifat dan mempelajari posisinya. Tujuan kedua adalah menemukan dan menganalisis
frase-frase maupun klausa yang menjadi bagian dari frase kata sifat. Tujuan terakhir
adalah mengelompokkan frase-frase dan klausa-klausa tersebut berdasarkan fungsinya
dalam struktur frase kata sifat.
Pembelajaran bahasa secara deskriptif diterapkan guna mencapai ketiga tujuan
tersebut. Pembelajaran ini akan menggambarkan penggunaan frase kata sifat oleh
penulis-penulis kolum berita di kedua situs tersebut. Analysis studi ini didasarkan pada
korpus dan data yang sesuai dengan ketiga ciri penelitian deskriktif yaitu objektif,
empiris dan pasti.
Dari hasil analisis dapat disimpulkan bahwa 533 frase kata sifat atau 78,96%
ditemukan pada posisi attributif, 127 atau 18,81% pada posisi predikatif dan hanya 15
atau 2,22% pada posisi pospositif. 508 frase kata sifat atau 75,25% terbentuk tanpa
element. Sisanya 167 atau 24,74% memiliki bentuk yang kompleks. Dalam
pembentukannya yang komplek, frase kata sifat membutuhkan frase-frase atau klausaklausa lain. Persentase frase-frase maupun klausa-klausa tersebut adalah sebagai berikut:
frase intensifier 11,55% atau 78, frase kata depan 4,29% atau 29, frase kata keterangan
2,22% atau 15, frase kata kerja 1,77% atau 12. frase kata benda 0,59% atau 4 dan klausa
1,03% atau 7. Frase-frase dan klausa-klausa tersebut memiliki fungsi tertentu dalam
struktur frase kata sifat: pelengkap, atribut, adjunct dan specifier. Frase kata depan, frase
kata kerja, frase kata benda dan klausa berfungsi sebagai pelengkap dari frase kata sifat
ketika frase-frase tersebut diperlukan oleh kata sifat untuk melengkapi arti dari kata sifat
tersebut. Elemen berikut dari kata sifat adalah atribut. Elemen-elemen yang dapat mnjadi
atribut dalam frase kata sifat adalah frase intensifier, frase kata keterangan dan frase kata
benda. Elemen lain adalah adjunct. Frase kata kerja, frase kata depan dan klausa
berfungsi sebagai adjunct jika frase-frase tersebut hanya memberikan tambahan
informasi pada kata sifat dari frase kata sifat. Fungsi terakhir dari elemen tersebut adalah
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specifier; artikel the dan kata ganti demonstratif that dan this. Satu fungsi yang jarang
dipenuhi dalam frase kata sifat yang ditemukan dalam artikel-artikel berita tersebut
adalah specifier.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Language according to Wardaugh (1977: 3) is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols
used for communication. The system meant by Wardaugh is that language is a system
with several levels, namely phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. Phonology
deals with the way sounds used in individual languages. Morphology studies the structure
of words. Syntax concerns with the structure of phrases and sentences, and semantics
with the study of meaning.
In their book An introduction to Language, Fromkin and Rodman (1993: 73)
states:
Knowing a language includes the ability to put words together to form
phrases and sentences that express our thoughts. That part of grammar that
represents a speaker's knowledge of the structure of phrases and sentences
is called syntax. The meaning of a sentence depends to a great extent on
the meaning of the words which it is composed. But the structure of the
sentence also contributes to meaning.
Syntax is a rule of putting words in specific structure to form phrases and
sentences. The texts either simple or complex will be followed fully when having a
thorough knowledge about syntax by analyzing the structure of the elements in sentences.
Furthermore, the clear understanding of syntax will be helpful in producing a good article
or text by smartly combining the elements of the sentences. To build up the good and
correct sentences, phrases play important roles. An adjective phrase is one of the phrases
that is usually used.
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An adjective phrase is a phrase which has an adjective as its head. It may consist
of a single adjective or complete elements like in the X-bar theory. It needs other phrases
like a noun phrase, verb phrase, adverb phrase and prepositional phrase when it occurs in
complex form. It has the same distribution and function as an adjective (Asher, 1994:
5150).
In their book A Student's Grammar of the English Language, Greenbaum and
Quirk classify the syntactic functions of the adjectives into seven. First function is
attributive and predicative. The adjectives are attributive when they premodify the head
of a noun phrase, e.g. a small garden. They are predicative when they function as subject
complement or object complement, e.g. He seems careless (Cs); I find him careless (Co).
The second function is postpositive. The adjectives can immediately follow the noun or
pronoun they modify, e.g. something useful. The third is the adjectives with
complementation. The adjectives with complementation normally will require
postposition, e.g. I know an actor suitable for the part. The fourth is the adjectives as
heads of noun phrases. The adjectives can function as heads of noun phrases, which can
be subject of the sentence, complement, object, and prepositional complement, e.g. The
innocent are often deceived by the unscrupulous; She admires the mystical. The fifth is
verbless clauses. The adjectives can function as the sole realization of a verbless clause,
e.g. The man, quietly assertive, spoke to the assembled workers. The sixth function is
contingent verbless clauses. One type of verbless clause, which is often introduced by a
subordinator, expresses the circumstance or condition under which what is said in the
superordinate clause applies, e.g. Right or wrong, he always comes off worst in an
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argument because of the his inability to speak correctly. The last function is exclamatory
adjective clauses. The adjectives can be exclamation, with or without an initial whelement, e.g. Excellent! ; How wonderful!
Based on the syntactic function of the adjectives, it is clear that the adjective
phrase, which has the same distribution and function as an adjective (Asher, 1994: 5150),
also plays an important role in the construction of simple or complex sentences. That is
why, the writer choose “adjective phrase” as the study. In this thesis, the syntactic
contribution of the adjective phrase in sentences will not be the concern since it has
become the study of other writers. As consequence, this study will focus on the adjective
phrase itself; the elements and the elements' functions of the adjective phrase.
The aims of this study are to find, to analyze, and to discuss the position of the
adjective phrases, the elements and the elements' functions of the adjective phrases that
have been used in both www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com
articles issued on October 2007.
In this study, the writer will use the adjective phrases in www.bbc.co.uk (UK
version) and www.washingtonpost.com articles as the source of the data. BBC (British
Broadcasting Corporation) is the first and biggest broadcasting organization in the United
Kingdom. The scientific origins of broadcasting are over 100 years old. Washington Post
Company is the international news and communications company. The Washington Post
is one of the most respected daily newspapers in the United States. It means that both
websites will serve crucial news in the world every day. They also cover current and
hottest news and also present explicit information which denotes time and place very
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well. That is why www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com are used as
a source in this research.
B. PROBLEM FORMULATION
1. Where are the adjective phrases in sentence structures in www.bbc.co.uk (UK
version) and www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued on October 2007
located?
2. What are the elements of the adjective phrases in www.bbc.co.uk (UK version)
and www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued on October 2007?
3. What are the functions of the elements?
C. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study has three objectives. The first objective is to identify the adjective
phrases in www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and www.washingtonpost.com news articles
issued on October 2007 and to observe their position which can be in attributive,
predicative or postpositive position. The second objective is to find out and to analyze the
elements that occur in the adjective phrases in www.bbc.co.uk (UK version) and
www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued on October 2007. They can be an adverb
phrase, noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase, adjective phrase, intensifier
phrase and clauses. The third objective is to categorize the phrases and the clauses as the
elements of the adjective phrases based on their function. The elements can function as a
complement, attribute or adjunct in the adjective phrase.
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D. BENEFIT OF THE STUDY
Theoretically, it is expected that the findings will give more contribution to the
study of phrases especially the adjective phrase. This study is helpful for readers to enrich
their knowledge about the adjective phrase like where the adjective phrase can be located
in sentences, what can be the elements of the adjective phrase and how the function of the
elements in the adjective phrase is. Particularly this study is useful for the readers who
want to compare the adjective phrases in the BBC and Washington Post on-line news
articles issued on October 2007. Moreover, it is essential that the readers can produce the
adjective phrase, whether it is in a simple or complex form.
E. DEFINATION OF TERMS
Some terms are basically used in this thesis: adjective, phrase, and adjective
phrase.
According to Asher, an adjective is a major word class, containing words that
describes properties or qualities (1994: 28)
There are three positions of adjectives: attributives, predicative and postpositive
(Quirk et al, 1985: 418). The adjectives are attributive when it modifies its noun directly
(Bhat, 1994: 98). The adjectives used in predicative position function as subject
complement after linking verb like be, seem, look, feel and object complement after verbs
like consider, believe, find (Leech,1979: 193). The postpositive adjectives are adjectives
that immediately follow the noun or pronoun they modify (Quirk et al, 1985: 1293).
A phrase is a maximal projection of a category of word (Dwijatmoko, 2002: 7).
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An adjective phrase is a phrase with an adjective as head, as in (He was) very
happy (Quirk, 1973: 115).
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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
Chapter II will cover three parts; review of related studies, review of related
theories and theoretical framework. The first part is the review of another study that also
concerns about adjective phrase. Another study is needed to show the position of this
current study. The second part is the review of theories that are used to accomplish the
thesis. The theory of the adjective position is important since it will be helpful in the
identification of the adjective phrase. Next, the review of the adjective phrase will
include more explanation about the occurrence of the adjective phrase with its element,
either in a minimal or complex form. The theory of the adjective phrase structure will be
a significance part in the review since it shows how the adjective phrase is structured by
using an X-Bar theory. Then, the review will also include the theories of other phrases
and clause since they are the elements of the adjective phrase. The last part is the
theoretical framework. It shows how the theories and another study are related to the
study of this thesis.
A. Review of Related Studies
This review will discuss the findings of two researches that have relation with this
study. The findings are the result of Sanata Dharma University student's thesis researches.
First, a thesis entitled An Analysis on the Structure and the Use of Adjective
Phrases in Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome by Patricia Dewanti Nur Prastiwi, 1999, tries to
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analyze the elements and the use of adjective phrases in Edith Wharton's novel entitled
Enthan Frome. From her research, the writer concludes that adjunct is the most frequently
used element since it has four categories of adjective phrase adjunct. Although adjunct is
the most frequently used element, there are a great number of adverb phrases which have
a function as an adjective phrase attributes. She also states that the adjective phrases give
a specific meaning to the sentences. The elimination of adjective phrases may differ the
meaning of the sentences.
Furthermore, the adjective phrases in Ethan Frome have three types of adjective
phrase elements. The first type is a complement. A complement is always attached to the
right of the head. There are 82 complements appear in the novel. An adjective phrase may
take some phrasal categories as its complement, namely a prepositional phrase, toinfinitive verb phrase, and clause. There are 38 prepositional phrases, 30 to-infinitive
verb phrases, and 14 clauses occur in the novel as the adjective phrase complements. The
second type of adjective phrase elements is an attribute. There are 90 attributes of
adjective phrases occur in the novel. The adjective phrases take an intensifier phrase and
an adverb phrase as its attribute. There are 22 intensifier phrases and 68 adverb phrases in
the novel as the adjective phrase attributes. The third type of adjective phrase element is
an adjunct. There are 94 in the novel. There are 42 prepositional phrases, 33 clauses, 12
adverb phrases, and 7 to-infinitive verb phrases functioning as the adjective phrase
adjuncts. Adjective phrases have three functions in sentences. The first function of
adjective phrases is the attribute of noun phrases. There are 1119 adjectives functioning
as the attributes of noun phrase. The second function of adjective phrases is as the subject
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complement. There are 293 adjective phrases functioning as the subject complement. The
third function of adjective phrases is as the object complement. There are 79 adjective
phrases functioning as the object complement.
Second, another thesis titled A study on English Adjective Phrases in the Fashion
and Style Articles on New York Times Published in December 2002 and January 2003 by
Holan Nauli Christine Siahaan, 2003, analyzes the occurrence of the adjective phrase in
sentence and its elements on New York Times Published in December 2002 and January
2003. From her research, the writer concludes that an adjective phrase occurs in a
projection with other elements as pre-modifiers and post-modifiers, and it functions as
attributive or predicative in the sentence.
In addition, a pre-modifier can be an attribute and a specifier element. The
attributes are the intensifier elements such as so, very, too, still, etc, adverbs, and the
comparison. However, the specifiers are determiners that or this that function as the
condition of the head. While a post-modifier element can be adjuncts and complements.
Adjuncts are the optional elements because they only give circumstantial information to
the head adjectives. An adjunct can be a preposition phrase, verb phrase (to-infinitive), or
clause from. The only adverb taking the position of adjunct is enough. The comparison
adjectives can function as the adjunct in the adjective phrase structures as they are giving
the additional information to the head adjective by comparing. In additional, these
comparison more or less can not leave their attribute elements. Meanwhile, the
complement is an obligatory element in adjective phrases structures. In some cases, the
complement can be omitted although it is stated explicitly, e.g. aware.
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Moreover, for its presence in sentences, an adjective phrase has two functions:
attributive and predicative. As attributive, the adjective phrase heads have a minimal
form, without complement element. As predicative, the adjective phrases function as
subject complements or object complements.
This current study is similar to the thesis done by Prastiwi and Nauli. First, this
study is also about the adjective phrase. Second, the discussion of this study also includes
the analysis about the elements of the adjective phrases and their functions. However, this
current study is different from the previous studies. First, this current study will have
discussion about the position of the adjective phrase in the sentences. Second, this study
uses the different source as the data of the analysis. This study takes the adjective phrases
from
the
on-line
news
articles
in
www.bbc.co.uk
(UK
version)
and
www.washingtonpost.com news articles issued on October 2007. The previous studies
discuss deeper the use of the adjective phrases in Ethan Frome and New York Times.
Prastiwi only took the adjective phrases from Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome and Nauli
used New York Times as the data of her study.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Position of Adjectives
According to Quirk et al, there are three positions of adjectives: attributives,
predicative and postpositive (1985: 418). An adjective phrase has the same distribution
and function as an adjective (Asher, 1994: 5150). As a result, the adjective phrase is also
found on the attributive, predicative, or postpositive position.
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a. In the Attributive Position
The adjectives are attributive when it modifies its noun directly and names an
attribute of the noun (Emlyn, 1950: 81). They are placed between the determiners and the
head of NP it modifies, for example: the old lady and a small hostel. The adjectives can
modify the head of an NP and also becomes the head of an NP. When they modify the
head noun, the emphasis is on denoting a property associated with the meaning of the
head, whereas they are used as the head of NP they emphasize on denoting a property or
its possessor as an entity by itself (Bhat, 1994: 98).
There are three types of adjectives that are used as the head of NP (Quirk,
1990:138). The first type adjectives refer to certain fairly well-established classes of
persons, for example:
(1) The very lazy are punished by the teacher.
(2) The government will have to supply jobs for our unemployed.
(3) The rules are fair for both the poor and the rich.
The adjectives the very lazy, our unemployed, or both poor and rich have plural and
generic reference. The use of the definite article shows the generic reference.
The second type is adjectives that refer to nationalities. Sometimes they are used
to refer some part of the nation, for example teams or troops.
(4) The English will met The French in final UEFA.
(5) The agricultural Turkish
The third type is adjectives that have abstract references.
(6) The biggest (match) is held in the last summer.
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(7) The very hottest (news) is that they divorce.
(8) The worst is never expected to arrive
According Bhat, the attributive adjectives can not be followed by complement
(1994; 61)
b. In the Predicative Position
The adjectives used in predicative position function as subject complement after
linking verb like be, seem, look, feel and object complement after verbs like consider,
believe, find (Leech,1979: 193). Predicative adjectives functioning as subject complement
can follow NP, finite clause, and non-finite clause (Quirk et al, 1985: 417).
(9) Many of the students are clever.
(10) That you love her is obvious.
(11) Reading the classics novels are enjoyable.
Predicative adjectives that function as object complements can follow a direct
object and clause, for example:
(12) I believe her happy.
(13) She considers what he did foolish.
They express the result of the process denoted by the verbs, for example:
(14) They pushed the door close (=the door can be closed)
As the predicative adjectives, they will change from a dependent element to an
independent element. The sign of independent that the predicative adjectives have is their
ability to take complements.
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c. In the Postpositive Position
The postpositive adjectives are adjectives that can immediately follow the noun or
pronoun they modify. They are divided into three types. First, the postpositive adjectives
required by the head of an NP include indefinite pronouns ending in -body, -one, and
-thing and adverbs wh-forms, for example:
(15) everything metal
(16) nothing extraordinary
(17) we're not going anywhere very exciting.
Second, the postpositive adjectives that are required by complementation of
adjectives include adjective phrases having a prepositional phrase or to-infinitive verb
phrase as complement, for example:
(18) I know an actor suitable for the part.
(19) The boys easiest to teach were in my class.
The first and second types of the postpositive adjectives are always regarded the reduced
relative clause.
Third, the postpositive adjectives that are required by particular noun-adjectives
combinations such as The President elect and blood royal (Quirk et al, 1985: 1293).
2. The Elements of the Adjective Phrases
Like the other types of phrases, an adjective phrase may also have five phrase
elements. They are a head, complement, attribute, adjunct and specifier. They have
certain function in their occurrences within the adjective phrase that is explained in the
following part.
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a. A complement is an element which a head needs to complete its meaning. According
to Leech and Svartvik, a complement plays a significant role in a grammatical
construction to complete the meaning of the head. The absence of a complement in
certain phrase may cause an ill-formed construction (1979: 220). An adjective may need
or not need a complement. The adjectives angry and different need a complement.
(20) Mr Smith is angry with some students.
(21) Mary is very different from her sister.
The complement of angry is the prepositional phrase with some students, and the
complement of different is the prepositional phrase from her sister. The heads need the
complements semantically. With some students is needed to show the direction of Mr
Smith's anger, and from her sister is needed to show who Mary is very different from.
The complement is not present explicitly in a sentence when it may be understood
from context or probably not important for the message exchange.
(22) Mr Robinson was very angry in the meeting
(23) The new manager is very ambitious.
The complements of angry and ambitious are not stated since the speaker of the sentences
only want to give the fact that Mr. Robinson was very angry and the manager is
ambitious.
A complement can not be separated from the head because of their close
relationship. The proposing of the complements results in the ungrammaticality of the
sentences.
(24) *With some students, Mr Smith is angry.
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(25) *From her sister, Mary is very different.
An adjective may take several phrase categories as its complement. The first
category of adjective complement is prepositional phrase.
(26) good at mathematics
(27) responsible for the refreshment
Good takes at mathematics and responsible takes for the refreshment as their
complement.
There are three tests to identify a prepositional phrase as the complement of an
adjective (Dwijatmoko, 2002: 23). First, the noun phrase, which functions as the
complement of preposition, can be replaced with what or who to form a question.
(28) Mary is responsible for the refreshment. ⇒ What is Mary responsible
for?
(29) Tina is angry with Mark. ⇒ Who is Tina angry with?
The refreshment is replaced by what and Mark is replaced by who form a question.
Second, the noun phrase, which functions as the complement of preposition, can
occur as the focus in a cleft sentence.
(30) It is the refreshment that Mary is responsible for.
(31) It is Mark that Tina is angry with.
The refreshment and Mark become the focuses of (30) and (31) respectively.
Third, the noun phrase, which functions as the complement of preposition, can
occur in a pseudo-cleft sentence.
(32) What Mary is responsible for is the refreshment.
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(33) Who Tina is angry with is Mark.
The refreshment and Mark become the focuses of (32) and (33) respectively.
The second category of adjective complement is a to-infinitive verb phrase.
(34) Mary is eager to study abroad.
(35) The children are ready to swim.
To study abroad and to swim are complements of the adjectives eager and ready. Those
three tests that are used to identify a prepositional phrase as the complement of an
adjective are also applicable for a to-infinitive verb phrase. First, a to-infinitive adjective
complement can be identified using a what question.
(36) What is Mary eager to do?
(37) What are the children ready to do?
To study abroad and to swim are the answers of questions (36) and (37).
Second, a to-infinitive adjective complement is the focus in a cleft sentence.
(38) It is to study abroad that Mary is eager.
(39) It is to swim that the children are ready.
To study abroad and to swim are the focus of the cleft sentences.
Third, a
to-infinitive adjective complement is the focus in a pseudo-cleft
sentence.
(40) What Mary is eager is to study abroad.
(41) What the children are ready is to swim.
To study abroad and to swim are the focus of the pseudo-cleft sentences.
The third category of adjective complement is a clause; a that clause or a whether
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clause. The adjectives like sure, certain, and doubtful take a whether clause as their
complement.
(42) Rita is still doubtful whether she will join the club or not.
(43) The kids are afraid that their parents leave them.
Whether she join the club or not is the complement of doubtful and that their parents
leave them is the complement of afraid. A clause adjective complement also can be
identified using those three tests. First, a clause adjective complement is an answer to a
what question.
(44) What is Rita doubtful of?
(45) What are the kids afraid of?
Whether she join the club or not and that their parents leave them are the answer of
questions (44) and (45) respectively.
Second, a clause adjective complement is the focus in a cleft sentence.
(46) It is whether she join the club or not that Rita is still doubtful.
(47) It is that their parents leave them that the kids are afraid.
Whether she join the club or not and that their parents leave them are the focus of the
cleft sentences.
Third, a clause adjective complement is the focus in a pseudo-cleft sentence.
(48) What Rita is still doubtful is whether she join the club or not.
(49) What the kids are afraid is that their parents leave them.
Whether she join the club or not and that their parents leave them are the focus of the
pseudo-cleft sentences.
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The last category of adjective complement is a noun phrase. A noun phrase
adjective complement can be identified using a paraphrase; the noun phrase is changed
into the prepositional phrase.
(50) context-free ⇒ free from the context
(51) gender-sensitive ⇒ sensitive to gender
Free in (50) takes context as its complement, and sensitive on (51) takes gender as its
complement.
Not all adjectives needs a complement. The adjectives long, wide and expensive
do not need any complement.
(52) very long
(53) fairly expensive
b. An attribute is an element that shows the characteristics of the head. There are four
types of phrases that can be attributes (Dwijatmoko, 2002:27). The first phrase is an
intensifier phrase. The intensifiers are very, quite, rather, fairly, and too.
(54) The book is very easy.
(55) The dress is quite expensive.
Very and quite are the attributes of adjectives easy and expensive.
The second one is an adverb phrase.
(56) The workers are physically tired.
(57) The girls are emotionally mature.
Physically and emotionally are the attributes of adjectives tired and mature.
The third one is a noun phrase.
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(58) Bobby is two years old.
(59) His explanation is crystal clear.
The noun phrases two years and crystal are the attributes of the adjectives old and clear.
The last category of an adjective attribute is an adjective phrase.
(60) Her dress is light blue.
(61) The hair of the woman is reddish brown.
Light and reddish are the attributes of blue and brown.
An adjective attribute is identified by using how or in what aspect question.
(62) How easy is the book?
(66) In what aspect is the book easy?
(63) How tired are the workers?
(67)In what aspect are the workers tired?
(64) How old is Bobby?
(68) In what aspect is Bobby old?
(65) How blue is her dress?
(69) In what aspect is her dress blue?
c. An adjunct in an adjective phrase makes the condition or state or gives circumstantial
information on the state or condition. An adjective may take several categories as its
adjunct (Dwijatmoko, 2002:29). The first category of an adjec