FIGURES OF SPEECH IN
WESTLIFE’S SELECTED SONGS
A THESIS
Submitted to English Departement Faculty of Languages and Arts State University of Medan as Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Sastra
By:
Marito Portune Tambun
2103220028
ENGLISH AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A greatest thank to the Almighty Jesus Christ for the wonderful and never
ending blesssing and love especially for the strength and guidance during the
completion of this thesis.
This thesis is aimed to fulfill one of the requirements to obtain the S1 degree
of Sarjana Sastra at English Department in Faculty of Languages and Arts, 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 sincere gratitude, love and special thanks to:
Prof. Dr. Ibnu Hajar Damanik, M.Si., as the Rector of State University
of Medan.
Dra.Yunita Agnes Sianipar M.Hum.,as her Thesis Advisor.
Dr. Zainuddin, DIP, TEFL, M.Hum., Drs. Lidiman Sahat Martua Sinaga., M.Hum., as her Thesis Reviewers.
All the Lecturers throughout her academic years at State University of Medan that could not be mentioned one by one.
from her sisters, Miss Sartika Tambun , Gia Chessyah Tambun
,Trihartaty Tambun.
All her beloved classmates of Applied Linguistics Regular 2010 especially Gelora Septrina Girsang (Gelo), Novita Shara Capriaty
Naibaho (Nono), Kristellia Sirait (Amy) ,Tiur Simamora and also Pinta Panjaitan and Monic Luwiq and others that cannot be mentioned
all. Thank you for the support, information, encouragement, and beautiful
day spent together
Her churchmates in HKBP Indra Kasih Medan,who always prayer and support the writer.
Maam Euis, for helping the writer in preparing the files for the purposes
of this thesis.
Without their deep and sympathetic understanding, this thesis could not be
completed. Over all, the writer hopes this thesis can give a bit contribution to the
Applied Linguistics. Therefore, comments, critics, suggestions, and advice are
expected from the readers.All the errors are the responsibility of the writer.
Medan, July 2014 The writer,
ABSTRACT
Tambun, Marito Portune . 2014 . Figures of Speech in Westlife’s Selected
Songs. A Thesis. English and Literature Department. Faculty of Languages
and Arts. State University of Medan.
LIST OF TABLES
Page
Table 4.1 Simile inWestlife’s Selected Songs ... 30
Table 4.2 Metaphor inWestlife’s Selected Songs... 31
Table 4.3 Personification inWestlife’s Selected Songs ... 32
Table 4.4 Synecdoche in Westlife’s Selected Songs ... 33
Table 4.5 Metonymy in Westlife’s Selected Songs... 34
Table 4.6 Symbol inWestlife’s Selected Songs ... 35
Table 4.7 Hyperbole in Westlife’s selected Songs ... 36
Table 4.8 Paradox in Westlife’s selected Songs ... 37
LIST OF APPENDICES
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of the Study
Language can be defined as System of conventional spoken or written
symbols used by people in a shared culture to communicate with each other.
People need language to communicate, to interact and to get information from
other people. As human beings, we cannot separate ourselves from involvement of
social communication and interaction, which certainly makes ourselves
impossible to stay without language. Language is complex and subtle, capable of
expressing whatever its speaker need to express and capable of changing to meet
the changing needs of the speakers (CharlesW.Kreidler1998 :5) .Spoken is the
process of expressing ideas and feelings or giving information orally. Written is
done in writing activity, available in short story, article, poem, song lyrics, and
etc.
There are many ways for human to express the ideas or situations which
are happening. Literature is the art of written works. There are three major forms
of literature; prose, drama and poetry. Prose is the written expression of thought
which conveys some of point of view, such as novel, short story, and etc. Drama
is the specific mode of fiction by expression of imaginative thought and feeling.
Poetry is written expression that designed to convey experiences, ideas, or
emotions in a vivid and imaginative way, characterized by the use of language
short poem that expresses feelings in a form of song which could be
accompanied by music.
Figures of speech is a departure from the ordinary form of expression or
the ordinary course of ideas in order to produce a greater effect (Wren and Martin
1981: 488). Figures of speech important for listener to understanding the meaning
of song and also very important for composer to make song because without using
figures of speech the composer will difficult to express their feeling, thinking,
emotion. A figure of speech or (the letter word has a more specific use) is a
non-ordinary use of language employed to create an emphasis, amplify a meaning,
draw a comparison or contrast, or to make a rhetorical point. The figure may be
achieved by employing repetition of words or sounds in a specific pattern, making
an interjection, stating or implying a comparison, using synonyms, or using a
specific pattern of argument.
Song is a short poem or number of verses set to music and intended to be
sung (Hornby, 1974). Song is a tool or media for people to show their feeling,
idea, opinion, and emotion. Song gives people happiness and enjoyment when
they enjoy it. A song writer may use figure of speech in his/her song in order to
beautify the language.
Pop song is a modern popular music, usually with a strong rhythm and
simple tunes. Pop song has a focus commercial recording, often oriented towards
a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love
Westlife is an Irishboy band, formed in July 1998 and disbanded in June
2012. Originally signed by Simon Cowell and managed by Louis Walsh, the
group's final line-up consisted of Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and
Shane Filan. Brian McFadden was a member from 1998 until his departure in
2004.They have gone on to sell over 30 million records worldwide which includes
their studio, single, video, and compilation album. And in their songs we can find
so many figurative language : 'Coz in your eyes I see a love that burns eternally
(Metaphor - Swear It Again Lyrics) , When the world seems like its full of
strangers (Simile –the wings of love Lyrics) , I would die for you Lay down my
life for you (Hyperbole – angel’s wings Lyrics ), Figure of speech make the
language that uses words or expression 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. The writer interested to conduct this research because
generally the readers including the writer herself sometimes found some
difficulties in understanding the meaning from the song lyrics. The writer chooses
songs by Westlife because Westlife’s song are meaningful and enjoyable to be
B. The Problem of the Study
Related to the background of the study above, the problems of the study
are formulated as follows :
1. What types of figures of speechare used in Westlife’s selected Songs ?
2. What is the dominant type of figures of speech used in Westlife’s selected
Songs?
3. In what context, the figure of speech used dominantly in the lyrics of
Westlife’s selected Songs?
C. The Objective of The Study
The objectives of the study are :
1. To describe types of figures of speech which are used in Westlife’s
selected Songs.
2. To find out the dominant types of figures of speech used in Westlife’s
selected Songs
3. To find out in what context the dominant type occurs in the lyrics of
Westlife’s selected Songs.
D. The Scope of the study
This research is limited to the figures of speech used in Westlife’s selected
songs, There are the types of figures of speech that will be analyzed which are
E. The Significances of the Study
The significances of this study has theoretical and practical purposes :
1. Theoretically, this study adds the vocabulary of literary study in terms of
figure of speech. Then, this study uses as a literary for further study of
literature and can help to develop of the figure of speech theory.
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