FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN KARONESE POP SONGS.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN KARONESE POP SONGS
A THESIS
Submitted to Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Sarjana Sastra
By:
MEIRANI DEBORA BR GINTING
Reg. No. 2101220006
ENGLISH AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to the almighty GOD for the blessings and the protection that the
writer has been greeted that she finally completed this thesis in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra at English and Literature
Department of Faculty of Language and Arts in the state University of Medan.
In completing this thesis, the writer has received a lot of assistance and
academic support from some people. Therefore, the writer would like to express
her gratitude, love and special thanks to:
1. Prof. Dr. Ibnu Hajar Damanik, M.Si, the Rector of State University of
Medan
2. Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M.Hum, the Dean of Faculty of Language and
Arts, for her administrative help during her study in University Negeri
Medan.
3. Prof. Dr. Hj. Sumarsih, M.Pd, the Head of the English Department, for
their suggestion and administrative help during her study and conducting
this thesis.
4. Drs. Elia Masa Gintings, M.Hum, as her Thesis Advisor, for his advices,
constructive comments, supervisions, encouragements and his precious
time in making corrections to this thesis draft.
5. Dra. Meisuri, M.A, as her Academic Advisor, for the advice, guidance,
valuable knowledge that she given to the writer.
6. All of the Lecturers throughout her academic years at the State University
of Medan who have shared their knowledge to her.
7. S. Ginting and R. br Sinulingga her beloved parents, who have patiently
given moral and spiritual support including their endless love and prayers
for the writer. There are my bigger supporters.
8. The one and only my young sister Jeni Florida br Ginting for giving love
and support.
9. Erik Imanuel Sinuraya S.Pd her dearest friend who has patiently given
and prayers for the writer.
10. Rika Anastasia Sitepu, Eva Inriani Rajaguk-guk, and Monica Ghea
Luwiq her lovely friends who have given support for the writer.
11. All of my friends class “A” and “B” who given support and prayers for
the writer to finishing this thesis. The last but not the least thanks to
IMKA (Ikatan Mahasiswa Karo) FBS and IMKA Rudang Mayang
Unimed.
12. Many other writers’ colleagues and their precious moments during the
college years and their moral support in finishing this thesis.
Thanks for all of their supports in helping for finishing her thesis
Medan,
Juni 2014
The writer
Meirani Debora br Ginting
ii
ABSTRACT
Ginting, Meirani Debora. 2101220006. Figurative Language in Karonese Pop
Songs. A Thesis. English Department. Faculty of Language and Arts. State
University of Medan. 2014.
This study deals with the use of figurative language in karonese pop songs.
The objectives of this study are to describe what types of figurative language used in
karonese pop songs, and to derive the dominant type of figurative language used in
karonese pop songs. The data is song lyrics; there are ten songs from popular singer
nowdays. The data were analyzed and classified into the type of figurative language
based on Kennedy concept, they are: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Metonymy,
and Hyperbole, then the writer gave the description of figurative language. The result
of the analyzing the figurative language are Simile 14,2 %, Metaphor 10,7 %,
Personification 35,7 %, Metonymy 21,4 %, and Hyperbole 17,8 %. The most frequent
type of figurative language used in the lyrics of Karonese Pop Songs is
Personification.
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABSTRACT ..............................................................................................
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..........................................................................
iv
LIST OF TABLE ......................................................................................
vi
LIST OF APPENDICES .......................................................................... vii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...........................................................
1
A. The Background of the Study...................................................
1
B. The Problems of study .............................................................
7
C. The Objective of the Study.......................................................
7
D. The Scope of the Study ............................................................
8
E. The Significance of the Study ..................................................
8
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ........................................
9
A. Semantics .................................................................................
9
1. Meaning of Language ..........................................................
11
B. Figurative Language .................................................................
11
1. Factors of Figurative Language ........................................... 14
C. Types of Figurative Language.................................................. 14
1. Simile ................................................................................... 14
2. Metaphor .............................................................................. 15
3. Metonymy ............................................................................ 16
4. Hyperbole ............................................................................. 17
5. Personification ...................................................................... 18
D.Literature ...................................................................................
19
E. Song..........................................................................................
21
F. Karonese Pop Song ................................................................. 24
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHOD ............................................... 26
A. Research Design................................................................
26
B.Source of Data .................................................................... 26
C. The Technique for Collecting Data ................................... 26
D. The Technique for Analyzing Data................................... 27
CHAPTER IV: DATA AND ANALYSIS ...............................................
28
A. Data ............................................................................. 28
B. Data Analysis ..............................................................
29
C. Research Findings ....................................................... 38
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUDDESTION ...........................
40
A. Conclusion ..................................................................
40
B. Suggestion ...................................................................
41
REFERENCES ..........................................................................................
42
LIST OF TABLES
Tabel 4.1 The Data of each lyrics ...............................................................
28
Table 4.2 The Distributive Of Each Type Figurative Language In Karonese
Pop Songs ..................................................................................
30
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix I The Lyrics that Consist of Figurative Language in Karonese
Pop Song ................................................................................
44
Appendix II Karonese Pop songs Lyrics ....................................................
46
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of The Study
There is no one in this world that can live without the other. In this case
they form a relationship. This proves that humans are social beings. As social
creature, humans need to build a relationship with others to show their existence,
opinion, ideas and feelings. So, human require language as a means of
communication.
As social creature, humans need to build a relationship with others to show
their existence, opinions, ideas, and their feeling, giving information, etc. So,
humans require language as a means of communication. Communication is basic
feature of social life, and language is a major component of it.Language is human
needs; it is a system of signs (indices, icons, symbols) for encoding and decoding
information.Language can combine with art in order to find various kind of
communication or to entertain people with messages contain in it. Language is an
inseparable part of human life to express thoughts, feeling, desires and intension
both in spoken and written way. Spoken is the process of expressing ideas and
feelings or giving information orally, song, speech, and conversation. Written is
done in writing activity, available in short story, article, novel, newspaper, poetry
letter, magazine poem, song lyrics, and etc. The word meaning is commonly
found in spoken or written language.
Language is a subtle and complex instrument used to communication with
an incredible number of different things, but for these purposes here people can
reduce the universe of communication to four basic categories: information,
direction, emotion, and ceremony. The first and the second are often considered
same because they express cognitive meaning while the later two commonly
express emotional meaning.
Tarigan (1990:2) written that the use of language as means of
communication, both in oral and written form, varies according to the knowledge
of language competence owned by the users. Language may refer either to be
specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems as
communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex
communication. The scientific study of language in any of its senses is called
linguistics.
The study of meaning scientifically is called semantics. In our practical
language sometimes people find sentence or phrases could have meaning. If
people want to make the definition clear, it is, therefore, necessary for them to
redefine semantics into more spesific definition, the one that limit semantics into
the the study of more specific types of meaning only. simply semantics is the
study of linguistics meaning. These more specific definitions have led people to
an important basic assumption that meaning is the part of speaker’s knowledge
about their language. The speakers of a language have different types of linguistic
knowledge, including how to construct sentences, and about the meaning of
individual words and sentences.
Language and culture are two major things that can be separated in human
life. It means that language as means of communication, which is used in human
life to interest another.
Indonesia is a big country, and has many tribes as well as their languages.
One of the tribes in Indonesia is Bataknese. The batak’s society consists of a few
sub tribes, such as Simalungun, Karo, Pak-pak, Toba, Angkola, and Mandailing.
The karo language is one of the regional languages in Indonesia. They use this
language for their daily activity or other culture ceremony. Karonese people
mostly live in Karo high land (Berastagi, Kabanjahe, etc).
Language can be expressed into two form, they are: written and spoken.
Written language can be found in the novel, newspaper, poetry, letter, magazine,
and spoken language can be found in the song, speech, and conversation.
Song is a tool or media for people to show their feeling, idea, opinion, and
emotion. Almost people in the world love songs, because by singing the song,
people can be entertained. Songs also give people happiness and enjoyment when
they listen it. A song writer may use words figuratively in his/her song in order to
beautify the language, a songwriter intends to say something cynically, but
indirectly so that the lyrics of the song look like beautifully and the listener more
interest to hear it. A song may express happiness, disappointment, or criticism, to
the government.
Douglas (2012)states that a song is a short piece of music with words that
are sung. The words in a song are called lyrics that many consist of an
intro, verses, choruses, bridges, and a coda. Lyric derives from the Greek
word for a word for a sung by the lyre, “Lyrikos” and came to be used for
the “words of a song”.
Kempson (1977: 47) states that the meaning of a linguistic form has to be
analyzed in terms of the important elements of the situation in which the speaker
utters it.
There are two kinds of language that studying in semantics, they are
literal and non-literal (Saeed, 2004:15). The following discussion will be about
non literal uses of language are traditionally called figurative language. The
meaning can be literal and figurative, this is the important thing for the writer to
describe because the focus of the research is figurative meaning. Figurative
language is used in any form of communication, such as in daily conversation,
articles in newspaper, advertisements, novels, poems, song lyrics, etc. Literature is
one of arts, which has its own language. In other words, literature is writing which
expresses and communicates though feeling and attitude toward life. Song is one
example of literature.
According to Meyer (1997:1), literature is a term used to describe written
texts marked by careful use of language, including features such as creative
metaphors, well-turned phrases, elegant syntax, rhyme, alliteration, which are
aesthetically read or intended by the author to be aesthetically read and are
deliberately somewhat open in interpretation.
There are some similarities between a song and a poem. A song has to be
rhythmic and so does a poem. Rhythm is one of the important elements in both
songs and poetry. In fact, there is even a form of poetry which is made into music
called a lyric poem. They can be used in songs to express the thoughts and
feelings of the author. Music without words is poetry, only not in the generalized
sense.
Semantics is the study of linguistics meaning. It is concerned with what
sentences and other linguistics objects express. Semantics is the scientific study of
the meaning of words. While from the advanced learner’s Dictionary of current
English’ (1972).
Figurative language is language that uses words or expressions with a
meaning that is different from the literal interpretation”, when a writer uses literal
language, he or she is simply stating the facts as they are. Figurative language, in
comparison, uses exaggerations or alterations to make a particular linguistics
point. “Figurative language seeks to clarify and accentuate meaning by
referencing a word or phrase in terms of something familiar to the audience,
usually to achieve special meaning. The writer uses figurative language in order to
beautify their language, so that the reader feels interesting to read it,and especially
the reader knows about the types of figurative language such as simile, metaphor,
personification, etc.
Based on the explanation above, the writer analyzed the use of figurative
language in Karonese Pop Song. The writer takes some Karonese Pop Song as her
sample of the study. Analyzing figurative language in song lyrics is important for
some reason. First, singing a song and knowing the meaning of the lyrics is better
than singing without an adequate understanding concerning the lyrics. We can
also gain some lesson learning and fruitful information when we understand the
non- literal meaning contained in song lyrics. Second, analyzing figurative
language provides us more practices to better understand non-literal expression.
Based on the above reasons, it is interesting to analyze the use of the figurative
language.
The figurative language in karonese pop songs is different from each
other. Some figurative expressions contained in those songs require a deep
analysis. Each song conveys different message. One is about struggle and the rests
are about love in different situations. Therefore, their songs were chosen as data
source in this study.
Karonese are the indigenous people of the Karo plateau in North
Sumatera, Indonesia. They tend to belong the Batak people but often consider
themselves as separate. They speak the Batak Karo language. There are six Bataks
in North Sumatera: Batak Karo, Batak Toba, Batak Mandailing, Batak
Simalungun, Batak Angkola and Batak Pak-Pak.Tanah Karo locates in one of the
highlands of Northern Sumatera in Indonesia, and it is not far from Medan City. It
takes two hour drives from Medan City to Tanah Karo. Karonese people are often
called as Kalak Karo.
As a Karonese, the writer interst to analyze about Batak Karo, There are so
many interesting cultures in Karonese. For example : the traditional dance,
wedding ceremony, ancient calendar, funeral ceremony, songs etc. and in this
paper the writer will explain about “The Figurative Language in Karonese Pop
Song ”. It is very important to know, especially for Karo people, to know about
the meaning of each the song.
Some previous researches have been conducted on “Figurative Speech”
Sihombing (2009) studied “AnAnalysis of Figurative Speech on The Headline of
The Jakarta Post”, in his thesis, he found that Hyperbole is most dominant
Sihombing, Yoko (2010) studied “Figurative Language in Michael Jackson
Selected Songs’, Mariana (2010) studied “Figurative Meaning in Charles
Simbolon’s Song Lyrics’.
B. The Problems of the Study
Based on the background above, the problems of the study are formulated
as the followings:
a) What types of figurative languages are used in Karonese pop songs?
b) What type of figurative language is dominantly used in the karonese
pop song?
C. The Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study arerelations of the problems are:
a) To describe what types of figurative language as found in Karonese
pop song
b) To derive the most dominant type of figurative languageused in the
karonese pop song
D.
The Scope of the Study
The main concern of this research focuses on the 5 ways of the types of
figurative language based on the concept proposed by Kennedy (1987) they are
simile, metaphor, metonymy, hyperbole, personification. Thiscase, the writer
analyzes the figurative language in ten Karonese pop songs.
E.
The significance of the Study
The findings of the study can be used to increase the knowledge of the
people who are interested in figurative meaning of language in language in
general and song lyrics, and as ass additional knowledge to improve the figurative
speech for learners who study English. The finding will be useful for:
1)
The readers who are interested in studying figurative language and can
give them a clear and better understanding about figurative, especially
for them who is not understand about Karonese song so by this
findings the reader can catch the meaning of the song
2)
The student who are majoring English in studying listening and
meaning in sentences.
3)
The students who want to get many examples of figurative language
from the song lyrics.
4)
For people who do not understand the karonese language, by reading
this thesis they can understand the meaning and message of a song.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusions
After analyzing all the 28 data of song lyrics that have types of figurative
language, the writer drawn the conclusions as follows:
1. There were 28 song lyrics in ten songs of Karonese pop songs contain
figurative language, which are divide into 10 lyrics of personification
(35,71 %), 6 lyrics of hyperbole (21,42 %), 4 lyrics of metaphor (21, 42
%), 4 lyrics of simile (21,42 %), 4 lyric of metonymy (21,42 %).
2. Personification is the dominant type of figurative meaning found in
Karonese pop song lyrics, which is 10 data from 28 data or 35, 71 %, then
it follows by Hyperbole which is 6 data or 21,42 %, Metaphor is 4 data or
21,42 %, Metonymy is 4 or 21,42 %, and Simile is 4 data or 321,42 %.
3. Karonese used Personification dominantly in each song lyrics to beautify,
to make the lyrics more flowery so it can interest the listener to hear the
song because of the used of expressive meaning from the song lyrics.
Therefore, personification means a figure of speech where animals, ideas
or inorganic objects are given human characteristics. By giving human
characteristics to things that do not have them, it makes these objects and
their actions easier to visualize for a reader or hearer. These attributes may
include sensations, emotions, desires, physical gestures, expressions, and
power of speech, among others.
40
B. Suggestion
Based on the conclusion above, the would like to purpose some
suggestions as follows:
1. to the listeners of Karonese Pop Songs to have background knowledge
about figurative language, since it has been found that there are many
lyrics containing of figurative language in Karonese Pop Songs.
2. to everyone who wants to learn about writing songs lyrics to study about
the use of figurative language to see that the figurative language can give
vigor and style of language in communication between the writers and the
listeners.
A THESIS
Submitted to Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Sarjana Sastra
By:
MEIRANI DEBORA BR GINTING
Reg. No. 2101220006
ENGLISH AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to the almighty GOD for the blessings and the protection that the
writer has been greeted that she finally completed this thesis in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra at English and Literature
Department of Faculty of Language and Arts in the state University of Medan.
In completing this thesis, the writer has received a lot of assistance and
academic support from some people. Therefore, the writer would like to express
her gratitude, love and special thanks to:
1. Prof. Dr. Ibnu Hajar Damanik, M.Si, the Rector of State University of
Medan
2. Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M.Hum, the Dean of Faculty of Language and
Arts, for her administrative help during her study in University Negeri
Medan.
3. Prof. Dr. Hj. Sumarsih, M.Pd, the Head of the English Department, for
their suggestion and administrative help during her study and conducting
this thesis.
4. Drs. Elia Masa Gintings, M.Hum, as her Thesis Advisor, for his advices,
constructive comments, supervisions, encouragements and his precious
time in making corrections to this thesis draft.
5. Dra. Meisuri, M.A, as her Academic Advisor, for the advice, guidance,
valuable knowledge that she given to the writer.
6. All of the Lecturers throughout her academic years at the State University
of Medan who have shared their knowledge to her.
7. S. Ginting and R. br Sinulingga her beloved parents, who have patiently
given moral and spiritual support including their endless love and prayers
for the writer. There are my bigger supporters.
8. The one and only my young sister Jeni Florida br Ginting for giving love
and support.
9. Erik Imanuel Sinuraya S.Pd her dearest friend who has patiently given
and prayers for the writer.
10. Rika Anastasia Sitepu, Eva Inriani Rajaguk-guk, and Monica Ghea
Luwiq her lovely friends who have given support for the writer.
11. All of my friends class “A” and “B” who given support and prayers for
the writer to finishing this thesis. The last but not the least thanks to
IMKA (Ikatan Mahasiswa Karo) FBS and IMKA Rudang Mayang
Unimed.
12. Many other writers’ colleagues and their precious moments during the
college years and their moral support in finishing this thesis.
Thanks for all of their supports in helping for finishing her thesis
Medan,
Juni 2014
The writer
Meirani Debora br Ginting
ii
ABSTRACT
Ginting, Meirani Debora. 2101220006. Figurative Language in Karonese Pop
Songs. A Thesis. English Department. Faculty of Language and Arts. State
University of Medan. 2014.
This study deals with the use of figurative language in karonese pop songs.
The objectives of this study are to describe what types of figurative language used in
karonese pop songs, and to derive the dominant type of figurative language used in
karonese pop songs. The data is song lyrics; there are ten songs from popular singer
nowdays. The data were analyzed and classified into the type of figurative language
based on Kennedy concept, they are: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Metonymy,
and Hyperbole, then the writer gave the description of figurative language. The result
of the analyzing the figurative language are Simile 14,2 %, Metaphor 10,7 %,
Personification 35,7 %, Metonymy 21,4 %, and Hyperbole 17,8 %. The most frequent
type of figurative language used in the lyrics of Karonese Pop Songs is
Personification.
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABSTRACT ..............................................................................................
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..........................................................................
iv
LIST OF TABLE ......................................................................................
vi
LIST OF APPENDICES .......................................................................... vii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...........................................................
1
A. The Background of the Study...................................................
1
B. The Problems of study .............................................................
7
C. The Objective of the Study.......................................................
7
D. The Scope of the Study ............................................................
8
E. The Significance of the Study ..................................................
8
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ........................................
9
A. Semantics .................................................................................
9
1. Meaning of Language ..........................................................
11
B. Figurative Language .................................................................
11
1. Factors of Figurative Language ........................................... 14
C. Types of Figurative Language.................................................. 14
1. Simile ................................................................................... 14
2. Metaphor .............................................................................. 15
3. Metonymy ............................................................................ 16
4. Hyperbole ............................................................................. 17
5. Personification ...................................................................... 18
D.Literature ...................................................................................
19
E. Song..........................................................................................
21
F. Karonese Pop Song ................................................................. 24
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHOD ............................................... 26
A. Research Design................................................................
26
B.Source of Data .................................................................... 26
C. The Technique for Collecting Data ................................... 26
D. The Technique for Analyzing Data................................... 27
CHAPTER IV: DATA AND ANALYSIS ...............................................
28
A. Data ............................................................................. 28
B. Data Analysis ..............................................................
29
C. Research Findings ....................................................... 38
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUDDESTION ...........................
40
A. Conclusion ..................................................................
40
B. Suggestion ...................................................................
41
REFERENCES ..........................................................................................
42
LIST OF TABLES
Tabel 4.1 The Data of each lyrics ...............................................................
28
Table 4.2 The Distributive Of Each Type Figurative Language In Karonese
Pop Songs ..................................................................................
30
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix I The Lyrics that Consist of Figurative Language in Karonese
Pop Song ................................................................................
44
Appendix II Karonese Pop songs Lyrics ....................................................
46
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of The Study
There is no one in this world that can live without the other. In this case
they form a relationship. This proves that humans are social beings. As social
creature, humans need to build a relationship with others to show their existence,
opinion, ideas and feelings. So, human require language as a means of
communication.
As social creature, humans need to build a relationship with others to show
their existence, opinions, ideas, and their feeling, giving information, etc. So,
humans require language as a means of communication. Communication is basic
feature of social life, and language is a major component of it.Language is human
needs; it is a system of signs (indices, icons, symbols) for encoding and decoding
information.Language can combine with art in order to find various kind of
communication or to entertain people with messages contain in it. Language is an
inseparable part of human life to express thoughts, feeling, desires and intension
both in spoken and written way. Spoken is the process of expressing ideas and
feelings or giving information orally, song, speech, and conversation. Written is
done in writing activity, available in short story, article, novel, newspaper, poetry
letter, magazine poem, song lyrics, and etc. The word meaning is commonly
found in spoken or written language.
Language is a subtle and complex instrument used to communication with
an incredible number of different things, but for these purposes here people can
reduce the universe of communication to four basic categories: information,
direction, emotion, and ceremony. The first and the second are often considered
same because they express cognitive meaning while the later two commonly
express emotional meaning.
Tarigan (1990:2) written that the use of language as means of
communication, both in oral and written form, varies according to the knowledge
of language competence owned by the users. Language may refer either to be
specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems as
communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex
communication. The scientific study of language in any of its senses is called
linguistics.
The study of meaning scientifically is called semantics. In our practical
language sometimes people find sentence or phrases could have meaning. If
people want to make the definition clear, it is, therefore, necessary for them to
redefine semantics into more spesific definition, the one that limit semantics into
the the study of more specific types of meaning only. simply semantics is the
study of linguistics meaning. These more specific definitions have led people to
an important basic assumption that meaning is the part of speaker’s knowledge
about their language. The speakers of a language have different types of linguistic
knowledge, including how to construct sentences, and about the meaning of
individual words and sentences.
Language and culture are two major things that can be separated in human
life. It means that language as means of communication, which is used in human
life to interest another.
Indonesia is a big country, and has many tribes as well as their languages.
One of the tribes in Indonesia is Bataknese. The batak’s society consists of a few
sub tribes, such as Simalungun, Karo, Pak-pak, Toba, Angkola, and Mandailing.
The karo language is one of the regional languages in Indonesia. They use this
language for their daily activity or other culture ceremony. Karonese people
mostly live in Karo high land (Berastagi, Kabanjahe, etc).
Language can be expressed into two form, they are: written and spoken.
Written language can be found in the novel, newspaper, poetry, letter, magazine,
and spoken language can be found in the song, speech, and conversation.
Song is a tool or media for people to show their feeling, idea, opinion, and
emotion. Almost people in the world love songs, because by singing the song,
people can be entertained. Songs also give people happiness and enjoyment when
they listen it. A song writer may use words figuratively in his/her song in order to
beautify the language, a songwriter intends to say something cynically, but
indirectly so that the lyrics of the song look like beautifully and the listener more
interest to hear it. A song may express happiness, disappointment, or criticism, to
the government.
Douglas (2012)states that a song is a short piece of music with words that
are sung. The words in a song are called lyrics that many consist of an
intro, verses, choruses, bridges, and a coda. Lyric derives from the Greek
word for a word for a sung by the lyre, “Lyrikos” and came to be used for
the “words of a song”.
Kempson (1977: 47) states that the meaning of a linguistic form has to be
analyzed in terms of the important elements of the situation in which the speaker
utters it.
There are two kinds of language that studying in semantics, they are
literal and non-literal (Saeed, 2004:15). The following discussion will be about
non literal uses of language are traditionally called figurative language. The
meaning can be literal and figurative, this is the important thing for the writer to
describe because the focus of the research is figurative meaning. Figurative
language is used in any form of communication, such as in daily conversation,
articles in newspaper, advertisements, novels, poems, song lyrics, etc. Literature is
one of arts, which has its own language. In other words, literature is writing which
expresses and communicates though feeling and attitude toward life. Song is one
example of literature.
According to Meyer (1997:1), literature is a term used to describe written
texts marked by careful use of language, including features such as creative
metaphors, well-turned phrases, elegant syntax, rhyme, alliteration, which are
aesthetically read or intended by the author to be aesthetically read and are
deliberately somewhat open in interpretation.
There are some similarities between a song and a poem. A song has to be
rhythmic and so does a poem. Rhythm is one of the important elements in both
songs and poetry. In fact, there is even a form of poetry which is made into music
called a lyric poem. They can be used in songs to express the thoughts and
feelings of the author. Music without words is poetry, only not in the generalized
sense.
Semantics is the study of linguistics meaning. It is concerned with what
sentences and other linguistics objects express. Semantics is the scientific study of
the meaning of words. While from the advanced learner’s Dictionary of current
English’ (1972).
Figurative language is language that uses words or expressions with a
meaning that is different from the literal interpretation”, when a writer uses literal
language, he or she is simply stating the facts as they are. Figurative language, in
comparison, uses exaggerations or alterations to make a particular linguistics
point. “Figurative language seeks to clarify and accentuate meaning by
referencing a word or phrase in terms of something familiar to the audience,
usually to achieve special meaning. The writer uses figurative language in order to
beautify their language, so that the reader feels interesting to read it,and especially
the reader knows about the types of figurative language such as simile, metaphor,
personification, etc.
Based on the explanation above, the writer analyzed the use of figurative
language in Karonese Pop Song. The writer takes some Karonese Pop Song as her
sample of the study. Analyzing figurative language in song lyrics is important for
some reason. First, singing a song and knowing the meaning of the lyrics is better
than singing without an adequate understanding concerning the lyrics. We can
also gain some lesson learning and fruitful information when we understand the
non- literal meaning contained in song lyrics. Second, analyzing figurative
language provides us more practices to better understand non-literal expression.
Based on the above reasons, it is interesting to analyze the use of the figurative
language.
The figurative language in karonese pop songs is different from each
other. Some figurative expressions contained in those songs require a deep
analysis. Each song conveys different message. One is about struggle and the rests
are about love in different situations. Therefore, their songs were chosen as data
source in this study.
Karonese are the indigenous people of the Karo plateau in North
Sumatera, Indonesia. They tend to belong the Batak people but often consider
themselves as separate. They speak the Batak Karo language. There are six Bataks
in North Sumatera: Batak Karo, Batak Toba, Batak Mandailing, Batak
Simalungun, Batak Angkola and Batak Pak-Pak.Tanah Karo locates in one of the
highlands of Northern Sumatera in Indonesia, and it is not far from Medan City. It
takes two hour drives from Medan City to Tanah Karo. Karonese people are often
called as Kalak Karo.
As a Karonese, the writer interst to analyze about Batak Karo, There are so
many interesting cultures in Karonese. For example : the traditional dance,
wedding ceremony, ancient calendar, funeral ceremony, songs etc. and in this
paper the writer will explain about “The Figurative Language in Karonese Pop
Song ”. It is very important to know, especially for Karo people, to know about
the meaning of each the song.
Some previous researches have been conducted on “Figurative Speech”
Sihombing (2009) studied “AnAnalysis of Figurative Speech on The Headline of
The Jakarta Post”, in his thesis, he found that Hyperbole is most dominant
Sihombing, Yoko (2010) studied “Figurative Language in Michael Jackson
Selected Songs’, Mariana (2010) studied “Figurative Meaning in Charles
Simbolon’s Song Lyrics’.
B. The Problems of the Study
Based on the background above, the problems of the study are formulated
as the followings:
a) What types of figurative languages are used in Karonese pop songs?
b) What type of figurative language is dominantly used in the karonese
pop song?
C. The Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study arerelations of the problems are:
a) To describe what types of figurative language as found in Karonese
pop song
b) To derive the most dominant type of figurative languageused in the
karonese pop song
D.
The Scope of the Study
The main concern of this research focuses on the 5 ways of the types of
figurative language based on the concept proposed by Kennedy (1987) they are
simile, metaphor, metonymy, hyperbole, personification. Thiscase, the writer
analyzes the figurative language in ten Karonese pop songs.
E.
The significance of the Study
The findings of the study can be used to increase the knowledge of the
people who are interested in figurative meaning of language in language in
general and song lyrics, and as ass additional knowledge to improve the figurative
speech for learners who study English. The finding will be useful for:
1)
The readers who are interested in studying figurative language and can
give them a clear and better understanding about figurative, especially
for them who is not understand about Karonese song so by this
findings the reader can catch the meaning of the song
2)
The student who are majoring English in studying listening and
meaning in sentences.
3)
The students who want to get many examples of figurative language
from the song lyrics.
4)
For people who do not understand the karonese language, by reading
this thesis they can understand the meaning and message of a song.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusions
After analyzing all the 28 data of song lyrics that have types of figurative
language, the writer drawn the conclusions as follows:
1. There were 28 song lyrics in ten songs of Karonese pop songs contain
figurative language, which are divide into 10 lyrics of personification
(35,71 %), 6 lyrics of hyperbole (21,42 %), 4 lyrics of metaphor (21, 42
%), 4 lyrics of simile (21,42 %), 4 lyric of metonymy (21,42 %).
2. Personification is the dominant type of figurative meaning found in
Karonese pop song lyrics, which is 10 data from 28 data or 35, 71 %, then
it follows by Hyperbole which is 6 data or 21,42 %, Metaphor is 4 data or
21,42 %, Metonymy is 4 or 21,42 %, and Simile is 4 data or 321,42 %.
3. Karonese used Personification dominantly in each song lyrics to beautify,
to make the lyrics more flowery so it can interest the listener to hear the
song because of the used of expressive meaning from the song lyrics.
Therefore, personification means a figure of speech where animals, ideas
or inorganic objects are given human characteristics. By giving human
characteristics to things that do not have them, it makes these objects and
their actions easier to visualize for a reader or hearer. These attributes may
include sensations, emotions, desires, physical gestures, expressions, and
power of speech, among others.
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B. Suggestion
Based on the conclusion above, the would like to purpose some
suggestions as follows:
1. to the listeners of Karonese Pop Songs to have background knowledge
about figurative language, since it has been found that there are many
lyrics containing of figurative language in Karonese Pop Songs.
2. to everyone who wants to learn about writing songs lyrics to study about
the use of figurative language to see that the figurative language can give
vigor and style of language in communication between the writers and the
listeners.