B. Discussion
2. Semantic Features
As the fighting between Palestine and Israel risen, it attracts attention from people all over the world. People publicly express their disapproval of this ongoing war as it becomes a humanitarian crisis. The news article mentions about how the leveling of the al-Jalaa tower drew condemnations from across the world.
According to Oxford Dictionary, condemnation is the expression of very strong disapproval. The way it draws condemnations from the world shows that this war has reached its maximum level of brutality. The United Nations Secretary also expresses his concern of the violation of the international law by being deeply disturbed.
It can be concluded that the expressions of the communication mentioned in the text are used to express strong disapproval from public against the violence conducted by Israel. These expressions show how society perceive the war as cruel and brutal. The world at large realize that the war has become a humanitarian crisis.
It reveals the concerns from public face of the law crimes conducted by each party in the war.
a. Brutality
As the main concept of the study, the semantic features of the word brutality is needed to be described to avoid disambiguation in word meaning or interpretation.
This study found five brutality concepts of war: the killing of people, the destroying of buildings/facilities, the use of deadly weapon, the duration of attacks, and the expression of communication. The semantic features or components of brutality can be gathered from these concepts, which are [+ Death], [+ Destruction], [+suffering], and [+ sense of pain].
b. Verbs
Verbs are words used to refer to various kinds of actions and states involving people and things in events (Yule, 2020, p.94). The researcher finds 59 verbs that are associated with acts of violence in the news articles. These verbs reveal how brutal the war between Israel and Palestine can be.
Table 3: Table of Brutality Verbs
No. Verb Occurrences Percentage
(%)
1. Kill 26 44.0
2. Destroy 7 11.9
3. Fire 7 11.9
4. Strike 3 5.1
5. Throw 2 3.4
6. Hit 2 3.4
7. Bomb 2 3.4
8. Collapse 2 3.4
9. Fight 1 1.7
10. Raid 1 1.7
11. Pulverize 1 1.7
12. Die 1 1.7
13. Shoot 1 1.7
14. Slay 1 1.7
15. Attack 1 1.7
16. Wound 1 1.7
Total 59 100
The occurrence of the verbs in table 3 can be related to brutality. It is shown that the verb kill dominate the number by 26 occurrences, followed by destroy and fire for 7 occurrences. The high number indicates that the words are mentioned in the text many times. This means the writer use these words to inform the readers about the action of killing, destroying, and firing happened during the war in the news articles. The word kill is considered as brutal as it is an action of taking somebody’s lives. The high occurrences of the word kill in the text explains that killing happens many times during the war.
Table 4: Semantic Features of the Verbs
No. Concepts Verb Death Object
Animacy Instrument 1. Death
Kill + + ±
Die + + –
Slay + + +
2. Damage
Strike ± ± ±
Hit ± ± ±
Raid – – –
Attack ± ± ±
Fight ± ± ±
3. Throw
Fire ± ± +
Shoot ± ± +
Throw ± ± –
Bomb ± ± +
4. Destroy
Collapse – – –
Destroy – – ±
Pulverize – – –
5. Wound Wound – + +
Table 4 presents the componential analysis of the verbs that are associated with acts of violence. These verbs have common and distinctive features. The researcher
characterizes the features into three basic components of the word meaning: death, animate, and instrument. Death conveys whether the word causes death. Object animacy conveys whether the verb can be done to living things. Animate denotes an animate being or living creatures like human beings and animals. Lastly, instrument conveys whether the action is done with an instrument. Instrument is another entity used in order to perform an action. Usually, the noun phrase followed by the preposition with has the role of instrument.
First, the words kill, die, and slay are associated with the feature death as the action always cause the death of a person, animal, or other living thing. Kill does not necessarily need an instrument, but it could use one. For example, a person can be killed with a knife (with a knife as the instrument) and a person can be killed in an accident (without instrument). While slay requires an instrument to perform the action, die does not require one as it means to stop living. It can be said that die is the aftermath of kill and slay. Therefore, these words are described as [+ Death] and [+ Object Animacy] with a difference in the feature of instrument.
Second, the words strike, hit, attack, and fight are associated with the feature death. They have possibility to cause death when it is performed to living things.
These actions can be done either to animate or inanimate beings. For example, a person can hit something (a wall) and somebody (another person). They can also be performed at inanimate things such as facilities, buildings, homes, etc. In the news articles, these words are used to describe an action done to properties (37) which in some events cause people killed and injured. These words also can be performed with or without an instrument. Therefore, these words are described as
[± Death], [± Object Animacy], and [± Instrument]. The word raid, on the other hand, does not feature death, object animacy, and instrument.
(37) Israeli forces have struck homes, refugee camps, medical facilities and other buildings. (3/4/2)
The words fire, shoot, throw, and bomb can be considered as verbs of throwing because the action is performed with a gesture of throwing something. The word throw itself does not require an instrument as it means sending something through the air. While fire, shoot, and bomb require an instrument. For example, fire requires an instrument gun and shoot needs an instrument bullet to perform the action. These words have the possibility to cause death if they are performed directly at living things [± Death]. This also means that they could also be directed to both inanimate and animate things [± Object Animacy].
The words collapse, destroy, and pulverize are not associated with the feature death because they do not cause death directly. However, they can cause death as an aftermath or result of the action. They are also described as [– Object Animacy]
because these actions cannot be performed to animate beings. The kind of noun used with these verbs generally denote with a property such as building, homes, offices, etc. However, some words have a different meaning in different contexts.
Collapse can be defined both as a human collapsing and a building collapsing. In the news article (38), collapse denotes with property such as military facility and civilian house.
(38) “The underground military facility collapsed, causing the foundations of the civilian house above to collapse as well, causing unintentional casualties. The aim of the I.D.F. strike was military infrastructure.”
(1/4/2)
The word wound does not cause death, but it is only performed to animate beings as it means to injure part of a body. Wound requires an instrument. Therefor it describes as [– Death), [+ Object Animacy], and [+ Instrument].
From the componential analysis of verbs that indicate violent acts in the news article, it can be concluded that the action verbs generally can cause death to animate beings. These actions are often performed with an instrument. Most of the verbs have the feature death, animate, and instrument.
c. Nouns
Nouns are words used to refer to people, objects, creatures, places, qualities, phenomena, and abstract ideas as if they were all “things” (Yule, 2020, p.94).
The researcher finds 113 nouns that indicate brutality of war. The findings are dominated by nouns that are associated with an aggressive or violent action.
Table 5: Table of Brutality Nouns
No. Types of Affected People
Noun Occurrences Percentage (%)
1.
Sufferer (15/16%)
1. Civilians 6 6.3
2. Casualty 3 3.2
3. Refugee 2 2.1
4. Survivor 1 1.1
5. Victim 1 1.1
6. Protester 1 1.1
7. Demonstrator 1 1.1
2.
Instruments (22/23.3%)
1. Rockets 14 14.7
2. Weapon 3 3.2
3. Missiles 2 2.1
4. Fighter jet 1 1.1
5. Explosives 1 1.1
6. Artillery 1 1.1
3.
Action (50/52.7%)
1. Strike 11 11.6
2. Airstrike 9 9.5
3. Violence 8 8.2
4. Bombing 4 4.2
5. Attacks 4 4.2
6. Conflict 4 4.2
7. Fighting 3 3.2
8. Bombardments 2 2.1
9. War 1 1.1
10. Assault 1 1.1
11. Leveling 1 1.1
12. Battle 1 1.1
13. Invasion 1 1.1
4.
Aftermath (8/8.6%)
1. Death 2 2.1
2. Condemnations 2 2.1
3. Toll 1 1.1
4. Loss 1 1.1
5. Suffering 1 1.1
6. Injury 1 1.1
Total 95 100
The nouns are categorized into 4 categories: actions, people, sufferers, instruments, and other nouns with different feature in each category.
Table 6: Semantic Features of Action Nouns
No. Noun Animate Instrument Damage/
Destruction Death
1. Strike ± + + ±
2. Airstrike ± + + ±
3. Violence + ± + ±
4. Bombing ± + + ±
5. Attacks ± ± + ±
6. Conflict + ± ± ±
7. Fighting + ± ± ±
8. Bombardments ± + + ±
9. Leveling – + + ±
10. Assault + ± + ±
11. Battle + + + ±
12. Invasion – + + ±
13. War + + + ±
Table 6 presents nouns that refer to an action or event. The researcher put four features that are connected with the nouns. The first feature, animate, convey whether the action is directed to animate beings (human and animals). The word leveling and invasion cannot be directed to animate beings [– Animate]. While violence, conflict, fighting, assault, battle and war are generally directed to animate beings [+ Animate]. Other words such as strike, airstrike, bombing, attack, bombardment, and barrage can be directed to either animate (people) or inanimate (building) things.
The second semantic feature is instrument. It is another entity used to perform an action. It is not always followed by the preposition with. In this case, the instrument is construed inside the word meaning. For example, bombardment is an attack performed with bomb or other missiles. It is understood that the instrument is bomb or other missiles. Therefore, it would not make sense to put the instrument in the sentence. Nouns that have the feature instrument are strike, airstrike, bombing, bombardment, leveling, battle, invasion, and war. While nouns that can be performed with or without an instrument are violence, attack, conflict, fighting, and assault.
The third feature is damage or destruction. It conveys whether the action cause damage or destruction. Almost every noun presented in table 6 has the feature.
However, conflict and fighting do not always cause damage or destruction as they can refer merely as a disagreement or argument. Lastly, the feature death conveys whether the action can cause death. All of the nouns in table 6 do not always cause
death, but there is a possibility that each action causes death. Therefore, each noun is described as [± Death].
Table 7: The Semantic Features of Sufferer Nouns
No. Noun Activity Suffering Completion
1. Civilian ± ± ±
2. Refugee – + –
3. Survivor – + –
4. Victim – + –
5. Protester + + +
6. Demonstrator + + +
Table 8 presents nouns that refer to those who suffer during the war. The researcher categorizes them into four features that are connected with the nouns:
activity, suffering, and completion. The feature activity tells whether the noun is active and doing something involving the war. The feature suffering describes whether the noun has suffered from the war. Lastly, the feature completion illustrates whether the noun still directly suffers from the war.
These nouns are presented as sufferers, or people who suffer from the war in many ways. Therefore, they all have the feature [+ Suffering]. The words refugee, survivor, and victim can be considered as a result of war. First, refugee means a person who has been forced to leave the country to escape war. Second, survivor is what we call a person who survives from an event in which others have died. Lastly, victim is a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime. They are considered as inactive because they are not involved in the situation anymore. As the results of the war, they are not directly suffered but still indirectly. For example, they have high possibility of suffering from a trauma. In conclusion, the words refugee, survivor, and victim are presented as [– Activity] and [– Completion].
The words protester and demonstrator are similar in a way that both publicly demonstrates objection or protest to something. They are considered as active as they are doing a protest or demonstration. They are also suffering from a situation in which resulted them to organize a protest. They still directly suffer from the attack or assault thrown at them by the officers to stop the protest. In conclusion, the words protester and demonstrator are presented as [+ Activity], [+ Suffering], [+ Completion].
The word civilian means a person who is not in the armed services or the police force. Therefore, all the other nouns can be a civilian. However, they can also be a non-civilian, for example, survivor and victim.
Table 8: The Semantic Features of Instrument Nouns
No. Noun Discharging Moving
1. Rocket – +
2. Weapon + ±
3. Missile – +
4. Artillery + ±
5. Explosives – ±
6. Fighter jet + +
Nouns presented in table 9 are kinds of weapon used in the war mentioned in the news articles. All the weapons can cause death if it is performed to animate beings. They also cause destruction if directed to things such as infrastructures, buildings, etc.
The researcher categorizes the feature into two: discharging and moving.
Discharging means the instrument is activated or operated by discharging or firing it. The operation of rocket, missile, and explosives are launched, not discharged.
Therefore, these nouns are presented as [– Discharging]. On the other hand, weapon, artillery, and fighter jet are discharging weapons. They are presented as [+ Discharging]. The feature moving means the instrument is moving or in motion when it is being operated. Rocket, missile, fighter jet is moving instruments while weapon, artillery, explosives can be moving or not moving. Therefore, they are presented as [+ Moving] and [± Moving].
Table 9: The Semantic Features of Other Nouns
No. Noun Animate Sense of pain Death
1. Death + + +
2. Toll + – ±
3. Injury + + –
4. Loss ± + ±
5. Suffering + + ±
6. Devastation + + ±
Table 10 presents nouns that are connected as results of war. Death, toll, and injury are associated with animate beings as these words describe the death or injury of a person. Both death and toll have the feature death. The feature sense of pain conveys the sense of physical or mental suffering. Suffering and devastation are a state of feelings in which only animate beings can experience. While loss can be the loss of lives or property. However, death, injury, suffering, devastation, and loss have sense of pain and can be associated with death as suffering from devastation at someone’s death or physical suffering.
From the componential analysis of nouns that indicate violent or brutal actions in the news article, it can be concluded that the action nouns generally involve animate beings and can cause damage/destruction and death done with an
instrument. Nouns that refer to people involved in war vary from children to adult, to women and men. Nouns that refer to people who suffer from war can be still actively involved and directly suffer from war. Nouns that refer to weapons of war show they can be discharging and moving. They always cause destruction and might even cause death. Nouns that refer to the results of war show that they involve in animate beings, generally causing pain and death.
d. Adjectives
Adjectives are words used, typically with nouns, to provide more information about the things referred to (Yule, 2020, p.94). Adjectives can be qualities, quantities, or the description of the nouns (adjectives modify nouns).
The researcher finds 7 adjectives that indicate brutality of war. The adjectives have 3 components or features: animate, death, and negative. First, animate conveys whether animate beings are involved. Second, death conveys whether there is a connection to death. Lastly, negative tells whether the word is perceived or used in a negative sense.
Table 10: Table of Brutality Adjectives
No. Adjectives Occurrences Percentage
(%)
1. Deadliest 1 14.3
2. Disturbed 1 14.3
3. Homeless 1 14.3
4. Uninhabitable 1 14.3
5. Terrible 1 14.3
6. Surprised 1 14.3
7. Pleading 1 14.3
Total 7 100
Table 11: The Semantic Features of Adjectives
No. Adjectives Animate Death Negative Sense
1. Deadly + + +
2. Disturbed + – +
3. Homeless + ± +
4. Uninhabitable + ± +
5. Terrible + – +
6. Surprised + – ±
7. Pleading + – +
Table 11 presents adjectives indicate brutality of war. Deadly is an adjective that has the feature death. Deadly means able to cause death. The adjectives deadly, homeless, uninhabitable, terrible, surprised, and pleading have animate feature as they are connected to the conditions or feelings of an animate being. However, beside deadly, the other adjectives do not cause death, with an exception for the words homeless and uninhabitable. Both can cause death when the condition reaches to the worst level. The adjectives homeless, uninhabitable, terrible, surprised, and pleading can be perceived in negative sense. However, surprised can be used in positive sense.
From the componential analysis of adjectives that indicate brutality of war, it can be concluded that the adjectives generally involve animate beings. Most of them do not cause death. However, all the adjectives are generally perceived or used in a negative sense.
CHAPTER V