PATTERNS OF CODING IN CONVERSATION
TEXTS OF THE ENGLISH ZONE TEXTBOOK
A THESIS
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistic Study Program in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Magister Humaniora
By:
ERWIN ASHARI
Registration Number: 08106111011
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
PATTERNS OF CODING IN CONVERSATION
TEXTS OF THE ENGLISH ZONE TEXTBOOK
A THESIS
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistic Study Program in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Magister Humaniora
By:
ERWIN ASHARI
Registration Number: 08106111011
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
i
ABSTRACT
Erwin Ashari, Registration Number: 8106111011, Patterns of Coding in Conversation Texts of the English Zone Textbook: A Thesis of English Applied Linguistics Study Program, State University of Medan 2013.
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, the writer would like to express his greatest gratitude
to Allah SWT, the Almighty that has given his the ability, health, and safety to
finish this thesis completely.
In completing this thesis, the writer would like to express his biggest debt
is therefore to some persons. They are:
First, the writer would like to record his gratefully acknowledge to Prof.
Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd as the Head of English Applied Linguistics and as the
second advisor of the writer who has kindly assisted him in guiding, directing,
revising and correcting the systematic or the concept of this thesis and also Dr. Sri
Minda Murni, M.S as the Secretary of English Applied Linguistics in UNIMED
and also the writer would like to record his gratefully acknowledge to Prof. Amrin
Saragih, M.A., Ph.D , as the first advisor and of the writer who has also kindly
assisted his in guiding, direction, revising and correcting the systematic or the
concept of this thesis May Allah SWT bless them.
Second, the writer also would like to express his gratitude expression to
the reviewers and examiners in examinations; Dr. Eddy Setia, M.Ed, TESP, Dr.
Didik Santoso, M.Pd, Dr. Siti Aisyah Ginting, M.Pd right from Proposal Seminar
up to Green Table Examination. God Allah SWT bless them.
Third, the writer also would like to thank to all lecturers and tutors,
classmates belonging to Regular class A.1 INTAKE XVIII for giving his the
valuable knowledge during the study in English Applied Linguistics of
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Fourth, the writer also would like to express his thanks to the head master
of SMA Negeri 2 Padangsidimpuan; Drs. Zulbakti and the dean and the head of
foundation of Al-Iman, STKIP “Tapanuli Selatan” Padangsidimpuan”, to Drs.
Mahyuddin Hs, M.Hum and to all lectures and the English lecturers and staffs for
their helps , support during conducting this study.
Fifth, to his beloved parents; Mara Soli and Eltina Rosmala Harahap and
his eldest sister and brother in law ; Netti Rominda, S.Pd, and Agusrin
Sikumbang, S.Pd, and his niece and nephew: Gustimar Indra Yanti (Gusti),
Ahmad Riyadi Saputra (Rady), and Rizky fadly (Ai). His eldest brother and his
sister in law; Ali Hasbin, S.Pd, and Sauli Riati Siregar, and his lovely niece and
nephew; Syukron Anjas Mara, Siti aisyah, Fadil, and Rayhan Anugrah and also to
his elder brother and his sister in law; Ali Hasnan and Riyadul Jannah,and his
nephew; Muhammad Rafa Al Hasri. To His elder brother and his sister in law; Edi
Supandri, M.Pd, and Himmanora and his nephew; Rafael, Rafaiz and Razry. His
elder brother and his sister in law; Rudi Anjas Khoir and Hasnah Sitompul and his
nephew and niece; Aimar Lavezzy and Refsyah. And also to his elder sister and
brother in law; Anni Elisa,S.Pd.and Gory and his nephew; Jalil for their supports
and advices to him until he finished this thesis.
Next, to his buddies; Ridho Shiroth Alfarist, S.Pd, Ahmad Rusli, S.Pd
Ahmad Rifai, M.Hum, Hamka M.Hum, Habib Rahmansyah, M.Hum, Abdul
Rahman Siagian, M.Hum. who provided the writer some advices on how to
approach his work and gave his the confidence boost and most of all thank you
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Finally, the writer has lost his wise words to pray to Allah SWT, to give
them proper reward. Amin.
Medan, march 16th 2013
The Writer,
Erwin Ashari
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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Background of the Study
In students‟ English textbook, conversation text takes a part. Conversation
text patterns are not always written in natural patterns or congruent coding but in
various patterns; some of which can be in metaphor coding. The diversity of the
conversation text patterns make students misinterpret the meaning or information.
In listening section, the students are asked answer the questions about the
conversation that they heard or read. In reading section, the students will answer
some questions from the conversation texts. It means that if they do not
understand the conversation, they will not be able to answer those questions. One
of the important things in understanding conversation texts is through
understanding the structure of the conversation. If they cannot understand the
structure of conversation or exchange they will not be able to get the meaning of
the conversation texts. These weaknesses make students fail to learn English
effectively.
The writer conducted a conversation with the students, firstly the writer
conducted a daily conversation, but several of their answers were far from the
writer‟s meant. The the writer continued the conversation where the conversation
taken from their textbook. Students have difficulties in comprehending and
interpreting the meaning of the conversation texts found in the English textbooks.
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students‟ English textbook “English Zone” on page 134.
A : Do you know the greatest adventure story ever? B : Is it Indiana Jones story?
A : No. It‟s Gulliver and the little people. Have you ever heard before
something about it?
B : Oh, I see. It is someone whose ship was broken in a storm and accidently landed on an island resided by small people, right?
The conversations show marked or unusual conversation, because the
question is answered by the question. If it is analyzed through move and speech
function and its realization in mood, it is found that almost all of the clauses are in
metaphorical coding. For example, the first B‟s utterance in answering the first
A‟s question “Is it Indiana Jones story?”, B is expected to answer the question in
unmarked or usual answer, that is statement by using the declarative mood. But
here B answers A‟s question by giving statement through interrogative mood. In
addition, if it is analyzed through move, it can be found the A‟s question is
answered by B by making a confirmation, while B is expected to answer by
giving statement.
A study conducted by Dalimunthe (2010) indicated that the function of
grammatical metaphor used in English textbook of Senior High School
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the text, but in reality it makes students confused in understanding
information. Their failures in comprehending and interpreting the massages or
information provided in the conversation can be predicted because there are
various type of the exchange structures of information and goods and services in
the conversation text.
After observing some conversations in the students‟ textbook: English
Zone by Astuti (2010), it is found that the book consists of some metaphor
coding. The metaphorical coding in conversation can lead the students to be
misunderstanding or interpreting the aims of the conversation. The students‟
absence in mastering coding pattern of conversation will result their
misunderstanding.
There are two factors that influence students‟ achievement in studying
English, they are; internal and external factors. Internal factor means the factors
that come from the students themselves, such as; motivation, interest, curiosities,
etc. While external factor is the factors that come from outside of the students
themselves, such as; the use of the textbook, teachers‟ strategies or methods,
facilities, etc.
One of the external factors which makes the class has weakness is the use
of the textbook. The book predicted is not so relevant or it is so complicated,
especially in conversation section where it has some differences in exchange
structures of information and goods and services from the usual one. It makes the
students face some difficulties in understanding the conversation texts in the
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Wooffitt (2005; 13) states that conversation examines language as social
action. It means that everybody cannot avoid it in daily life. To share experience
or knowledge we can conduct a conversation as the purpose of conversation is to
exchange information, establish and maintain the relationship between people
(Zhang, 2008: 60). The addresser and addressee in a conversation always follow
certain principles to understand each other. Conversation analysis has provided an
invaluable tool to dissect the most mundane, everyday social action, talk, and
explicate its orderliness and meaningfulness. A conversation will run well when
the addressee comprehends addresser‟s expression.
Meanwhile, According to Becker and Meier (1999: 19) in Lepschy (2008:
315), conversation means verbal and non-verbal human acts aimed at mutual
understanding. Understanding here must be understood in the broad sense of
establishing common meanings for practical goals. It means that the most
important is about the comprehending meaning.
The recent language education is focused on communicative competence.
It means in education, the students are expected to be able to understand and
comprehend conversation in the textbook. A conversation involves at least two
persons. They conduct conversation to share the knowledge, opinion, feel,
experience, suggestion etc, through the speech function. Furthermore, Harmer
(1991: 83) states that Communication between humans is an extremely complex
and ever-changing phenomenon.
Talking about the conversation, it relates to the speech function and mood.
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are; statement, question, command and offer while moods are declarative,
imperative and interrogative. When students are reading a conversation in a
textbook, sometimes they misinterpret the meaning or the theme of the
conversation. It is caused of the coding of the mood in the text is not congruent or
it is called metaphor (Saragih: 2006: 201)
Conversation has certain structure. So do the conversation texts in the
students‟ textbook: English Zone. The conversation structures in the textbook
are not always in usual or congruent patterns. The pattern in the textbook is
very various. The diversity of the coding patterns make the students become
fail in understanding the purposes or the aims of the conversation texts,
because most of the students focus on the lexical meaning of th e word rather
than the coding patterns, meanwhile the coding pattern plays important role in
transferring the message in the text. So that the students only know the lexical
meaning of the text without looking the meaning based the context of the
coding patterns.
Therefore, the understanding of conversation coding plays important
role in understanding conversation texts to comprehend the conversation itself.
In other words, reading conversation texts are shaped by the understanding the
coding, whether the coding in the level of move, speech function and mood. It
illuminates the exchange structure of conversation text of the students‟
textbook.
The purpose of this study is therefore to investigate coding patterns of
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understanding meaning, information, message which is conveyed in
conversation texts.
In this study, the researcher analyses the conversation texts in order to
see whether conversation texts of students‟ English textbook serves the best
coding patterns development systematically by analyzing move, speech
function and mood. In conclusion, the researcher wants to see the process of
the analysis of Coding patterns in Conversation texts in Students’ English
Textbook: English Zone
1.2 The Problems of the Study
Based on the explanation in the background, the problems are
formulated as the following.
(1)What patterns of coding are used in conversation texts of the English Zone
textbook?
(2)How are the patterns of coding structured in conversation texts of the
English Zone textbook?
(3)Why are the coding patterns used in conversation texts of the English Zone
textbook?
1.3 The Objectives of the Study
In relation to the problems, the objectives of the study are
(1)to investigate how coding are structured in conversation texts of the English
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(2)to formulate patterns of coding used in conversation texts of the English
Zone textbook, and
(3)to reason why the coding techniques are used in conversation texts of the
English Zone textbook.
1.4 The Scopes of the Study
This study deals with conversation texts in students‟ English textbook:
English Zone, where in those conversation texts, the author uses congruent and
metaphorical coding of move, speech function and its realization in mood. This
study is also restricted to cover three points, they are (1) coding as the analysis
of exchange structure in conversation texts in the students‟ English textbook,
(2) various patterns by considering coding in conversation texts in the
students‟ English textbook, and (3) reasons why the patterns are used with
reference to social contexts in conversation texts of the English Zone textbook.
1.5 The Significances of the Study
Findings of the study are expected to be relevant and useful
theoretically and practically. Theoretically, the findings of this study are
expected to justify the use of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) theories.
Negotiation is applicable to the conversation in textbook which are used in to
other disciplines such as Teaching English as a Foreig n Language (TEFL).
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(1)the students themselves as the users of the book to improve their ability to
understand and to comprehend a conversation text effectively,
(2)the teachers who also apply the textbook to guide the students to learn
English and to analyze the contents of a conversation text,
(3)the Head Master, who frequently selects the text books which will be the
handbook for use, should be more considerable to the content analysis of
the English textbook, so it is a relevant textbook,
(4)the book publishers, in order to publish the textbooks, which are really
suitable and good to meet the students‟ needs and linguistic perspective,
and
(5)other researchers who want to use the findings of this research as the
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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusions
After analyzing the data, conclusions are drawn as the following.
(1) Conversation texts of students’ English textbook: English zone consist of
two coding patterns, they are congruent and metaphorical coding. The two
coding occur in move and speech function and its moods and dominated
by the congruent coding rather than metaphorical coding, and complete
mood and residue (at least using mood) dominates elliptical mood pattern.
(2) The two coding occur in move and speech function and its moods refer to
the mood system in conversation texts of students’ English textbook:
English zone. They are proposal and proposition. Proposition mood system
is more dominant, where proposition system means the conversation texts
involve the statement and question.
(3) The usage of mood and residue pattern is caused by the system of the
conversation is dominated by Proposition system. It means the conversation
texts involve the statement and question, or it can be said that the
conversation texts dominantly content asking and answering the questions,
in another word, the content of the conversation dominantly is about giving
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5.2 The Implication for Teaching
Congruent coding in the pattern of coding in conversation text can help the
teacher of English and students to understand the purpose or meaning of the
conversation texts easily. They understand well as what the writer of the textbook;
English Zone does. It also gives some implications for teaching to make teaching
and learning process be better. It is caused by; first, the teachers of English and
students familiarize with the coding pattern of move and the realization of speech
function to its mood in clauses in the conversation texts and also the elliptical
linguistic element of clauses which deal with social context in order to apply the
better teaching and learning process. Second, coding patterns are very useful to
comprehend in order to understand the context of the conversation texts. So, it is
very important for teachers of English and students to comprehend coding pattern
in move and speech function and its mood of conversation texts. Third, English
teachers can apply the metaphorical coding in conversations in daily life that it is
possible to face by the students in their lives, it makes the teaching and learning
process runs well, but it is needed to understand that in daily life, the coding
pattern is not always in congruent pattern but more in metaphorical coding either
in move or speech function and its moods.
5.3 Suggestions
In relation to the conclusions, suggestions are staged as the following.
(1) It is suggested that the students should be aware of the coding patterns of
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The coding patterns may be congruent or metaphorical coding, In daily life
metaphorical coding is more often as it caused of the cultural context, and
culture cannot be separated from the language.
(2) It is suggested that teachers should play their have important roles in
teaching learning process to introduce and to give attention to the
Indonesian and foreign conversation cultures especially the coding pattern
of conversation texts. It is caused in daily conversation, addresser and
addressee use cultural context in conversation where it will involve more
metaphorical coding and elliptical mood, it is caused of the their
understanding of discourse, pragmatic and context of the language being
used.
(3) The writer of English textbook, especially in the part of the conversation
texts, should be consistent and intense to the theory of discourse and
pragmatics and social context of language itself. Because conversation text
coding should be exposed from the congruent coding pattern then it is
developed to the metaphorical one. It is caused it in daily life,
metaphorical coding more often found rather than congruent coding.
(4) Further it is suggested that other researchers should do more detailed
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