THE USE OF MODALITIES IN BUSINESS COLUMN OF THE JAKARTA POST.

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KIWRIL, Registration Number: OSS010185. The Use of Modalities in Business Column of the Jaluuttl Post. A Thesis English Applied Linguistics Study Program, POST 6RADUATE School. State University of Medan. 2010

This study used the modalities which were applied in the Business Column of the Jakarta Post focused on types of modalities and the value of modalities. The study has answered four problems namely; the types of modality are used in the Jakarta post. The dominant types of modality, the dominant categories of value of modality, the pattern of the use of modality and value are used in business column and the last the contexts of the modality used. The sources of data are modalities and values of modalities used in business column. It started at April up May 2008. ]'be data were analyzed by kinds of methods, namely; descriptive quantitative and descriptive quantitative. This study shown that: (i) there are two types of modality namely; modalisation and modulation. The modalisation was 64 (30. 76%) and modulation was 144 (69.23%). The dominant types of modality are modulation. (ii) There are three points of the scale of modalisation and modulation, namely; high. median and low. Modalisation has been divided two sub-categories, namely; probability and usuality. Modulation has been divided two ~gories too; namely; obligation and inciiruuion. This study found 23 (11.05%) sentences use low probability, medium probability was 39 (18.75%) and high probability was 2 (0.96%). It was not found that low, medium and high usuality. In terms of obligation, there were 42 (20.19) low obligation, there was 91 (43.75%) medium obligation and there was 7 high obligation. Especially the use on inclination, in this study occurred only 4 low inclinations, but it was not found medium and high inclination. The most frequent types of modality were modulation and the most frequent value of modality was medium obligation. It found 91 (43.75%) used in sentences. The pattern of the use of modality and value are used in business column of the Jakarta Post was statement. It occurs because in the text of Jakarta Post. especially in Business column it found a proposition, the meaning of the positive and negative poles is prescribing and proscribing. In terms of the scales of modulation, the dominantly is medium obligation, because in business text shows the expansion or Man as predicator.

THE USE OF MODALITIES IN BUSINESS COLUMN

OF THE JAKARTA POST

A THESIS

BY

KHAIRIL

REG : 055010185

Submitted To

The

Englil• Applied Unguistie Study

Program

In

Partial

FulfiDment

Of

The

Reqoiremeat For T•e

Degree

Of Magister HIUDUiora

ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTIC STUDY PROGRAM

POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

~

•

STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN

A THESIS

THE USE OF MODALITIES IN BUSINESS COLUMN OF THE JAKARTA POST

BY

KHAIRIL

Registration Number : 055010185

ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUSITICS STUDY PROGRAM STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN

APPROVAL

This thesis was examined on list February 2010 by Board of Examiners

Board of Examiners

Prof. Amrin Saragih , MA.,Ph. D

Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning. M.Pd

Prof. Tina Mariany Arifin, M.A., Ph.D

Prof. D.P Tampubolon, Ph.D

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Praise to Allah, Lord of the world, the Beneficent Merciful, who gives me

health and safety to finish this thesis from beginning up to the end. And to the prophet

Muhanunad SAW, as well as his companions for the blessing and chances given to

completion of this thesis. One of the requirements to be fulfilled before finishing the

studies at Graduate Program in State University of Medan is to write a thesis. My

thesis is entitled "The Use of Modalities in Business Column of the Jakarta Post".

This study would have never

been

fully accomplished without the su port and

assistance of many peoples. It will be impossible to mention all. But some very

special persons deserve his deepest gratitude.

l. Prof. Amrin Saragih, M.A,Ph.D and Dr. Busmin Guming. M. d. as his first

and second supervisors, who provided me valuable suggestions,

encouragement, guidance and comment during the writing for this thesis.

2. Prof. Dr. Busmin Guming, M.Pd the Head of English Applied Linguistic

Program and as well as his secretary of the Program.

3. All of my lecturers in English Applied Linguistic PostGraduate Program for

their valuable knowledge during the academic years at State University of

Medan.

4. Administration staff of the Program and Librarian for their warm welcome in

facilitating my study.

5.

support, valuable help, sacrifice, prayer, love, and never

6.

Last

but not least, the writer would like to take this opportunity to thank all his

best

friends who have given various kinds of support or contribution writing

this thesis

in

good English it is full of completed.

Medan.

Februari 2010

[image:7.516.44.473.70.596.2]

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 List of Modality Persentage ... 45

Table 2 List of Sub Categories ofModalization and Modulation ... 46

Table 3 List of Sub Categories Value of

Modalizatioo and Modulation ... 48

[image:8.535.41.471.67.587.2]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEOOEMENTS ...

i

ABSTRACT ...

iii

LIST OF TABLES ... iv

TABLE OF CONTENl'S ... v

1.2 Research Problems ... .

1.3 Objectives ofThe Study ... ..

1.4 The Scope ofThe study ... .

1.5 The Significance ofThe study ... .

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL ORIENT A TION ... .

2.1 Discourse Analysis ... .

2.2 Description of Language

in

the Newspaper ... .

2.3 Description of Functional Grammar and Modality ... ..

2.4 Modality ... .

2.4.1 Modality and Polarity ... .

2.4.2 Types of Modality ... .

2.4.4 Modal Responsibility ... 24

2.4.5 Modality in Text ...•... 34

2.5 Value of Modality ... 36

2.6 Realization of Modality ...•... 38

2.7 Coverage of Modality... 39

2.8 Modality, in Business Column ···-··· 40

CHAPTER III MEniOD OF RESEARCH ... ... 42

3.1 Research Design ...•... 42

3.2 Source ofData ...• ... 42

3.3 Technique for Collecting Data ... .

3.4

Technique of Data Analysis ... .

CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS ... : ... .

4.1 The Dsecription OfData ... .

4.1.1 Modalities and Value ofModalities in the

Business Column ... .

4.2 Data Analysis ... .

4.3 Research Findings ... .

CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ... 53

5.1 Conclusions ... 53

5.2 Suggestions... 54

1.1 Background of the Study

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCfiON

Human beings, as social creatures, always interact with one another. In this

interaction, a means of communication allows pe£1ple to say things to each other and

expresses their communicate needs. Dming the communication, it is important to

analyze word uttered by speaker.

In

the way the listener can understand the idea he

wants to convey. Therefore, in communicating or interacting with others One must

one use a language that is understood by the speaker and the listener.

Beside, language is the means of self- expression. It is through l~e the

humans express their thoughts, desires, emotions and feeling. It is through it they

store knowledge, transmit massage, transfer knowledge and experience from one

person to another, from one generation to another. Most of the activities in the world

are carried on through or by language. It is through it that humans interact or relate to

each other.

There are some important function of language, namely; firstly, language is used

or the purposes of communication and social cooperation. In this function language

enables us to influence people's behavior in detail, thereby makes communication and

social cooperation possible. Secondly, language can also function as an instrument of

thought. A philosopher, for example, uses language to clarify and develop his ideas on

subject, so here language is used as an instrument of thought. Thirdly, language can

also be used for a expressive purpose. Halliday (1994: 10) asserts there are fUnCtions

of language in human life: ideational, interpersonal, and textual function. These are

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the representation of experience. The user of language is representing experience by

using a clause.

Many people get some problems when they read and write English. For example;

they fmd difficulties in comprehending many texts such as; newspaper, magazines,

books, tabloids, letters, etc. the difficulties will be clear for us, as Indonesia readers

when we try to understand the content of the English text. The general impression

among English language newspaper readers in that the standard of the language used

bas grown up last.

Along with the technological progress made by

the

newspapers and magazines,

writing is a means to convey one's ideas to others; it should be simple and

unambiguous. The readers must comprehend the meaning readily and precisely. To

comprehend the English language newspaper, readers should prepare their knowledge

and definitely be direct so that they will not waste their time trying to guess the

meaning of the English newspaper text; one of the readers; interests in reading a

newspaper is Business column.

Business activity.

This study addresses the use of modalities and values in Business column of the

Jakarta post. There are some reasons for selecting the topic as the subject matters. Firstly. This research is a first attempt by English students, especially, the students

at English applied Linguistics Post Graduate Program State University of Medan.

Secondly, modality is one of important points to be discussed because through

studying modality and values one know a personal judgment on, opinion, 'flavor' or '

seasoning' to an experiential content or a speech function by the addresser, {S;gagih,

2005 : 21 ).Further, Thompson ( 1992 : 56) states the finite expresses not only tense

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polarity. Thirdly, modality is common

used

in spoken and written texts. But without doing research, we do not know how the modality

used

in texts, as well as the values of modality, especially the used of modality and values used in the Jakarta Post at business column.

Thirdly, the writer choose The Jakarta Post was chosen as the object of research because the Jakarta Post is one of the media that

used

to present many topics, such as: Editorials, business, city, social, politics, culture, science, technology, health and sports. So in this study the writer selects one of column is business column. Because by learning this column he can get many experiences and knowledge. Sucli as the writer will study some news how the development of business in Indonesia as well as world business. Besides the writer learns how language of business used in the newspaper. Further, through analyzing business column he will get many iitformation about business problems and he will find how business applied in some countries. Another reasons is business column is one of interesting column for him to be discussed.

According to Kartika (2006: 3) that in presenting the Editorials, an editor often uses stylist or variation of language in newspapers. An editor has used a simple, clear, short and intensive language. It is understood that and editor has to fulfill the 5 W + 1 H means that editors have to explain what, who, where, why and how, which to attraCt readers attention to make the editorials more interesting. In the editorial the editors also very often uses modality to describe their experience or opinion.

It is known that, modals can be found in articles or they can be found ·

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examples, utang pitih dllpek dibaia utang budi dibao mali, amllllh mutah den mancaliak parangai ang. Fajariah (2006 : 30) found some examples SBY 'Speech published in 2005 such as :

1) But I must remember

2) It is something that must be constructed 3) Indonesia too must constructed 1.2. The Research Problems

Based on the background of the study the problems are formulatea as in the following

1) What types of modalities are used in business column of The Jakarta Post ?

2) What values of modality are used in Business column of The Jakart Post ?

3) What is the pattern of modality used in Business Column of The Jakarta Post?

1.3. The Objective of the Study The objectives of this are to describe

1) Modalities used in Business Column of the Jakarta post. 2) The value of modality used Business Column of the Jakarta post

3) The pattern of the use of modality is used in Business Column of the Jakarta Post

1.4. The S<:ope of the Study

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limited to text of The Jakarta Post in business column which consisted of 6 editions.

1.5. The Significance of the Study

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CHAPTERV

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

5.1 Conclusions

After analyzing the use of modality and value of modality in business column of the Jakarti Post, conclusion are drawn as the following.

1. The dominant types is modulation. whereas its function of modality in Business Column is to express the speaker's attitude at the time of speaking and to show the speaker's present opinion the modality lies between two polar, niunely ; positive and negative polar. But dominant use of used modality replaces into positive polar or declarative meaning (statement).

The value of modality used in Business Column of the Jakarta Post is medium obligation. Modality used in Business Column is apart from a Modal Operator. 3. The pattern of the use of modality is used in Business Column of the Jakaffii Post is indicated by modal value. Such as, were, would, shall, should, may, might, can, could. But some time we had shown specific words such as expect or hope which indicated low value of modality.

By using modality and value of modality,

commitment the degree to which the speaker commits himself or herself to the validity of what slhe is saying.

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S.l Suggestions

In relation to the conclusions above, the suggestion are stated as the following 1. It is advisable that the teachers or lecturers should develop the whole

categories or types of modality to their students and introduce them the advantage of comprehending the value of modality in communication. 2. It is advisa6le that the readers should learn English for specific Purpose. So

the readers know some language varieties and find specific terms.

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REFERENCES

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Charles W. Kreidler. 1998. Introducing English Semantics. London and New York : Routledge.

Gerot, Linda. 1994. Making Sense of Frmclion Grammar. Sydney : Australia Haliday, M.AK. 1994. An Introduction to Functional Cirlumnar (2nd Ed). London :

Edward Arnold.

Jakarta Post. Business Column. Wednesday, June, 2007. John, J. Saeed. 1997. Semantic. China: Blackwell Publisher

Joss, Martin. 1964. The English Verb. Madison : University of Wiscousin Press. J.R. Martin. 1992. English text : System and Structure. Pbiladelphia/Amsterdam :

John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Karim, Abdul. 2006. An Analysis on the Use of Preposition in the Business Column of. the Jakarta Post. Medan : Skripsi. UMSU. Unpublished.

Kartika, Arisda. 2006. Experiental Function In Editorials of the Jakarta Post. Mediii : Skripsi. UMSU. Unpublish.

Kress. 1985. Ideological Structure in Discourse, In Van Difk T.A. (ed) Hand Book of Discourse Analysis Volume.

Lely, Fajariah. 2006. An Analysis on the Text of SBY's Speech Used of Modality.

Medan: Skripsi. UMSU. Unpublish.

Nawawi, H. 1997. Metode Pene/itian Bidang Sosial. Yogyakart : Gajah Mada University Press.

Nasir, Muhammad. 2006. An Analysis of Idiomatic Expressions Used in The Business Column of The Jakarta Post. Medan: Skripsi. UMSU. Unpublish.

Saragih. Amrin. 2004. Introducing Functional Grammar. Medan : Fakultas Keguruan dan llmu Pendidikan. Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara. (Unpublish). Syahputri. Diani. 2005. Language of Politics During General Election 200'1. Medan.

Thesis. English Applied Linguistics Graduated Program. The State Uni it)' of Medan.