CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1Background of the Study
Language is a communication system which is very important for humans. As an element that is dynamic, language always analyzed and assessed using a variety of approaches to studying it. Between approaches that can be used to assess the meaning of language is approach. Semantics is one of the areas to learn about the meaning. Semantics is learning about the meaning of which is used by humans to express themselves through language. In linguistics, semantics is the subfield that is devoted to the study of meaning, the meaning is attached to the words, phrases, sentences, and larger discourse units (referred to as texts).
As quoted by Lyon (1995:139), Semantics concern with aspect of meaning in language, work in semantic deals with the description of word and sentence meaning. There are certain kinds of meaning or certain aspects of meaning in linguistics such as connotation and denotation.
Connotation and denotation are either: in basic semantics and literary theory, the figurative and literal meanings of a word, or in philosophy, logic and parts of linguistics, the intension and extension of a word.
often referred to as a figurative meaning of the term. Furthermore, the connotation of meaning can be translated as meaning given to the word or group of words as a comparison to what was meant to be clear and attractive. While the meaning of denotation is the true meaning contained in the word or in brief the meaning of denotation is defined as the actual meaning.
Connotation is the figurative cultural assumptions that the image implies or suggests. It involves emotional overtones, subjective interpretation, socio-cultural values, and ideological assumptions. Connotation also involves the semantic structure of both individual words and texts. Therefore, it deals with complex semantic relations working at the level of microsemantics. Connotation in words, expressions and texts expounds both the expressive and the emotive aspects of language and as such it seems that all connotative words and expressions verge on the vague and stand midway between symbolism and ambiguity.
Semantics is the study about meaning. It is a wide subject within the general study of language. An understanding of semantics is essential to the study of language acquisition (how language users acquire a sense of meaning, as speakers and writers, listeners and readers) and of language change (how meanings alter over time). It is important for understanding language in social contexts, as these are likely to affect meaning, and for understanding varieties of English and effects of style. It is thus one of the most fundamental concepts in linguistics. The study of semantics includes the study of how meaning is constructed, interpreted, clarified, obscured, illustrated, simplified negotiated, contradicted and paraphrased.
Component of semantic or components of meaning (semantic features, semantic properties, or semantic markers) taught that every word or lexical item consists of one or several elements which together constitute the meaning of the word or the meaning of lexical items. This analysis assumes each lexical item has or does not have a feature that distinguishes it from other elements (Chaer, 2009:115). Understanding the components is the whole meaning of a word, consists of several elements, which include elements with one another having different characteristics (Aminuddin, 2008:128).
Mental process is a process of preparing semantic code, grammatical code and phonological codes on the speaker, and the decode process phonological, grammatical and semantic codes in the listener. In other words, both the speaker and the listener in the process of interpretation. About the meaning of semantic matter. Based on this description it can be concluded that the semantics are talking about the meaning of linguistic subdisciplines. The object of semantic is meaning (Pateda, 2001:7).
(Katz & Fodor:1963) mengusulkan bahwa semantik adalah komponen dari tata bahasa generatif, dan bahwa interpretasi semantik (indra) yang ditugaskan untuk struktur sintaksis dengan aturan proyeksi yang memiliki
beberapa sifat transformasi formal.
It means that semantics is a component of generative grammar and that semantic interpretation (senses) is assigned to syntactic structure with projection rules that have some formal properties of transformations).
Reading a novel is very advantageous. People can get a better view of thing that happens in people’s mind. In a novel, the reader can find explorations of human behavior. These things can educate them and enable the readers to know the way to cope and understand other people’s thoughts.
In line with the above description, this research examines the meaning of literary works that are unique and challenging. Literary work in question is
Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk, which created by Ahmad Tohari. This novel was first
written in Indonesian. And then this novel was translated into many languages. In the creative process, in line with a deep attention to the Javanese version dialects
Banyumasan, Ahmad Tohari then periodically poured his work in Javanese dialect
Banyumasan, through serialize in the daily Suara Merdeka, finally his work was
completely translated in local languages which together with the context cultures rose in this work.
All the explanations above convince us that connotative meaning play an important role especially in novel which may have unique characteristic. Therefore, the researcher is interested in analyzing connotative meaning found in novels.
Here, the researcher will analyze the meaning of connotation and that there are many words or compound word that contain the connotative meaning. This study will use two primary data source that is novel Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk Javanese (RDPJ, Banyumasan Javanese dialect) translated by Ahmad Tohari and The Dancer (TD, English) translated by Rene T. Lysloff .
1.2Problem of the Study
How are the connotative meaning in “Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk” novel of Javanese and English versions?
1.3Objectives of the Study
This study has goals in line with the focus problem in the previous section. This objective is:
To describe the connotative word or compound word in Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk novel of Javanese and English versions.
1.4. Significance of the Study
The findings of this research will give valuable contributions on the study of semantics especially those who are interested in investigating connotative meaning in novels. It is expected to give contribution to the lectures teaching of semantics and the students of Linguistics at Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto who want to study about this specific topic. In other words, this study will give explanation more detail to everyone who wants to study connotative meaning found in novel.
1.5Limitation of the Study
Considering the time, place and the ability of the researcher, this study focuses on the analysis of the novel.
