CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter introduces background of the research, statement of the
problems, purposes of the research, significance of the research, scope and
limitation, and definition of the key terms.
1.1 Background of the Research
In broad terms, linguistics can be defined as the research of human
language. It is about how language works: how it is employed, how it is
structured, how it is formed, how it interacts human to communicate with one
another, how it is decoded by its users. The use of language reflects the nature and
character of people. Everyone is ease to employ the wording or diction which has
specific meanings so that the intent of the language use conveyed to others.
Language is a symbol of self-expression to convey ideas, concepts and feelings in
a human society for communication. Nowadays, global ages affect languages to
convey more information. The language can be in the form of spoken and written.
The spoken language is performed directly along interactions such as speech,
conversation, phone, and so on. While, the written language is the printed
information found in document including letters, novels, cards, books, and the rest
of it. Currently, the most widely used to express ideas and feelings are song lyrics.
Song lyrics certainly contain a number of sentences. “Sentence is a string of
words that begins in a capital letter and ends in a full stop, and is typically used to
Whether spoken or written, languages have a set of rules that combines
words into larger units known as grammar. “A grammar is the set of rules that
allow us to combine words in our language into larger units” (Greenbaum and Nelson, 2002: 1). A grammar can be explained as a set of devices that is made
available for the formation of sentences. It is traditionally divided into two
different but inter-related areas of research: morphology and syntax. Morphology
reviews the research of how words are formed out of smaller units. The smaller
unit of morphology is morphemes, while the larger one is words. The term
“syntax” comes originally from Ancient Greek sýntaxis and literally means “arrangement” or “setting out together”. “Syntax is the way words combine to form phrases and clauses” (Payne, 2011: 46). Humans need to communicate more than just using single words and gestures. By means of syntax, humans enable to
compose complex messages which can combine component words such as
phrases and sentences to be overall structured. One of the principal concerns of
syntax is the order of words. In English, the words cannot be stringed into a
sentence randomly. There will be a range of structures with different groups of
words that form the structure. “Syntax means ‘sentence formation’: how words
group together to make phrases and sentences” (Tallerman, 2011: 1). In addition, “syntax is the study of phrase and sentence structures” (Kroeger, 2005: xi). The syntax of any language provides speakers with an important structural dimension
that allows them to communicate meaning. To indicate as a final judgment, syntax
constitutes the combination of words by putting together to form a well-formed
syntax in analyzing the sentence patterns emphasize to comprehend the logic of
English sentences and lead to a better understanding of function and usage such as
how words are grammatically linked and how words are built together to form
larger units hierarchically. “A tree diagram is a unit with a group of lines that grow down or up based on the hierarchical organization in the underlying
structure of phrases and sentences” (Carnie, 2006: 63).
Music becomes very popular nowadays and affects human passions such
as gentleness, anger, courage, temperance, and opposites and other quality. When
people listen to the music that imitates a certain passion, they become imbued
with the same passion. If over a long time they habitually listen to the kind of
music that arouses ignoble passions, his whole character will be shaped to an
ignoble form. In the long and the short of it, if people listen to the wrong kind of
persons, they will become the wrong kind of persons. Rock songs are considered
as one of the best music that has big interests in the world, particularly in the
society of young people. The lyrics of rock songs often address provocative
subjects such as sexuality, violence and politic and social issues. Those make a lot
of people like rock songs because those songs can express their emotion. One of
the noted rock bands is Guns N’ Roses.Guns N’ Roses is generally considered as an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, U.S. in 1985.
This band consists of Axl Rose (vocalist), Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman
(keyboardist), DJ Ashba and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (lead guitarists), Richard
Fortus (rhythm guitarist), Tommy Stinson (bassist), and Frank Ferrer (drummer).
four American Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, and two World
Music Awards. The researcher is curiously interested to choose Guns N’ Roses’ songs because those songs are exceedingly famous, and spreading everywhere.
Previous related studies on the syntactic analysis about sentences have
been carried out by a number of researchers. A research was conducted by
Rachmawati (2003) under the title on Analysis on Sentence Patterns Used in
David Foster’s Songs. From the result of analysis, she found nineteen sentence
patterns. The nineteen sentence patterns are presented as follows: 1) S consists of
NP +VP, 2) S consists of Conj + NP + VP, 3) S consists of ADV P + NP VP, 4) S
about the lyrics of Kelly Clarkson’s songs. From the result of analysis, she found eleven sentence patterns of Kelly Clarkson’s songs. The eleven sentence patterns are presented as follows: 1) S consists of NP + VP, 2) S consists of Conj + NP +
of ADV P + NP + VP, 6) S consists of PP + NP + VP, 7) S consists of S1 + Conj
+ S2, 8) S consists of NP1 + NP2 + VP, 9) S consists of ADJ P + PP + NP + VP,
10) S consists of VP1 + Conj + VP2, and 11) S consists of ADJ P + Conj + VP.
In addition, a research belongs to Purwata (2008) under the title on A
Syntactical Analysis on Sentence Patterns Used in Westlife’s Song Lyrics. The
researcher used the theory of transformational grammar using the tree diagram
suggested by Bornstein (1977). The researcher found that there were seventeen
forms of sentence pattern in the two selected songs: 1) S consist of NP + VP 2) S
consist of THAT + NP + VP, 3) S consist of CONJ + NP + VP, 4) S consist of
ADV P + NP + VP, 5) AUX consist of TENSE (PRES) + M (WILL) + NOT, 6)
AUX consist of TENSE (PRES) + HAVE TO, 7) AUX consist of TENSE (PRES)
+ HAVE + BEEN, 8) AUX consist of TENSE (PAST) + M (SHOULD) + HAVE,
9) AUX consist of TENSE (PAST) M (WOULD) + NOT, 10) VP consist of AUX
+ BE + PRED, 11) VP consist of AUX + BE + NOT + PRED, 12) VP consist of
ADV + VT + NP, 13) VP consist of AUX + BE + NP, 14) VP consist of AUX +
Vi + NP, 15) VP consist of AUX + Vt + ADV P, 16) VP consist of AUX + Vt +
PP, and 17) VP consist of AUX + Vt + NP.
Considering a variety of issues addressed in the topic, the researcher has
an interest to analyze sentence structures in the rock songs completely. This
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The researcher found a problem that can be appointed as the topic of
interest for further investigation.
1. What are the sentence patterns in the rock songs “Estranged” and “Street of Dreams” by Guns N’ Roses?
1.3 Purpose of the Research
The researcher conducted the research in order to achieve the following
objective:
1. To describe the sentence patterns in the rock songs “Estranged” and “Street of Dreams” by Guns N’ Roses.
1.4 Significance of the Research
The researcher certainly expects that this research provide benefits for
those who read it. Although this research has a lot of similar studies that discuss
sentence structures using tree diagrams, but the researcher is fairly optimistic that
this research presents something novel in the Syntax field. Firstly, this research
provides the distinct way of identifying and analyzing in the tree diagram such as
the structure ofto infinitive. Secondly, this research supplies to break down and to
label the parts of sentence. Once the readers identify and practice the sentence
patterns, they can diagnose the grammar and usage errors in the sentences
effectively. They begin understanding the logical English sentences especially for
the purpose of writing. Furthermore, the researcher has big expectations that this
1. As the worth contributions to the research of Syntax that can be useful
both as a reference for the following studies and as a means of
understanding further sentence patterns and formations.
2. As a trigger to encourage further studies in the Syntax field particularly
relate to songs using tree diagrams.
1.5 Scope and Limitation
The researcher concentrates this research to analyze the sentence patterns
found in the rock songs “Estranged” and “Street of Dreams” by Guns N’ Roses. In analyzing these structures, the researcher employs a method that is a tree diagram
proposed byRoberts. In addition, the researcher narrowly restricts this research in
the Guns N’ Roses’ songs from album Appetite for Democracy 3D: “Estranged“ and “Street of Dreams”.
1.6 Definition of the Key Terms
1. Syntactic analysis : A process of analyzing phrases and sentences (in
spoken or written language) by conforming to the
grammatical rules (Sag et, al, 2003).
2. Sentence patterns : A linguistic unit of one or more words that are
grammatically linked (Fabb, 2005).
3. Song : A number of verses that is generally performed
with the accompaniment of musical devices
4. Guns N’ Roses : An American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, U.S, in March 1985 (Simon
A SYNTACTIC ANALYSIS ON SENTENCE PATTERNS IN THE
ROCK SONGS“ESTRANGED” AND “STREET OF DREAMS”
BY
GUNS N’ ROSES
THESIS
Compiled by:
Dia Nur Aida
201110100311310
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF TRAINING TEACHING AND EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG
A SYNTACTIC ANALYSIS ON SENTENCE PATTERNS INTHE
ROCK SONGS
“ESTRANGED” AND “STREET OF DREAMS”
BY
GUNS N’ ROSES
THESIS
This thesis is submitted to fulfill one of the requirements to achieve
Sarjana Degree in English Education
Compiled by:
Dia Nur Aida
201110100311310
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF TRAINING TEACHING AND EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG
This thesis written by Dia Nur Aida was approved on November 12, 2015
by:
Advisor II, Advisor I,
This thesis was defended in front of the examiners of the Faculty of Teacher
Training and Education of University of Muhammadiyah Malang
and accepted as one of the requirements to achieve
Sarjana Degree in English Education
on November 12, 2015
Approved by:
Faculty of Teacher Training and Education
University of Muhammadiyah Malang
Examiners:
1. Rinjani Bonavidi, S.Pd., M.Ed., Ph.D.
2. Riski Lestiono, S.Pd., M.A.
3. Dra. Erly Wahyuni, M.Si.
ORIGINALITY DECLARATION
The undersigned:
Name : Dia Nur Aida
Student ID Number : 201110100311310
Program of Study : English Department
Faculty : Faculty of Teacher Training and Education
I acclaim that the work presented in this thesis was accomplished by myself and do
not incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a
degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my knowledge this thesis does not
include any material previously published or written by another person except where
due reference is made in text.
Malang, November 12, 2015
Dedicated with love to
my dear parents, Nursiono and Yuliani,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Praise be to Allah who has given blessing and mercies so that the researcher is
able to finish this thesis. Shalawat and salam may be granted to our noble prophet
Muhammad SAW herewith family, friends, and followers who has brought Islam
until this present. As an ordinary human who has the weakness, the writer realize that
the thesis by the title “A Syntactic Analysis on Sentence Patterns in the Rock Songs “Estranged” and “Street of Dreams” by Guns N’ Roses“ cannot be finished without support, guidance, and help from the other people. For that, by the honor of this, the
writer wants to say thank you very much to the honorable:
1. Dra. Erly Wahyuni, M.Si. and Drs. Soeparto, M.Pd. who have been very
helpful, warmhearted, and patient in giving advises, ideas, and valuable time
during the process of this thesis writing.
2. The researcher’s beloved parents Mr. Nursiono and Mrs. Yuliani and the
researcher’s sister Ms. Nurma Yunita who always support me with du’a and
material to finish this thesis.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... i
APPROVAL ... ii
LEGALIZATION ... iii
ORIGINALITY DECLARATION ... iv
DEDICATION... v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... vi
ABSTRACT ... vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS... viii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ... 1
1.1 Background of the Research ... 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem ... 6
1.3 Purpose of the Research ... 6
1.4 Significance of the Research... 6
1.5 Scope and Limitation ... 7
1.6 Definition of the Key Terms ... 7
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE... 9
2.1 Syntax ... 9
2.2.1 Word Classes ... 10
2.4.1 Auxiliary and Tense... 30
2.4.2 Transformations... 31
2.4.2.1Inversion in Yes-no questions... 31
2.4.2.2Wh movement... 32
2.5 Song... 33
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY... 34
3.1 Research Design... 34
3.3 Research Instrument... 35
3.3.1 Researcher Herself ... 35
3.3.2 Document ... 36
3.3.3 Classifications of Documents ... 37
3.4 Data Collection ... 38
3.5 Data Analysis ... 39
CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ... 42
4.1 Findings ... 42
4.1.1 TheSentence Patterns in the Rock Songs by Guns N’ Roses... 42
4.1.1.1 Subject + Intransitive Verb (S + VI) ... 43
4.1.1.2 Subject + Transitive Verb + Direct Object (S + VT + DO) 46 4.1.1.3 Subject + Transitive Verb + Direct Object + Object Complement (S + VT + DO + OC) ... 48
4.1.1.4 Subject + Linking Verb + Subject Complement (S+VL+SC)49 4.2 Discussion ... 53
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION... 57
5.1 Conclusion ... 57
5.2 Suggestion ... 58
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