ANALYSIS OF STUDENT’S ABILITY IN IDENTIFYING FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN MARIAH CAREY’S SONGS Viona br Sembiring1 Universitas Prima Indonesia,Medan,Indonesia [email protected] Ester Efita Sari Tamba2 Universitas Prima Indonesia,Medan,Indonesia [email protected] Gustia Hapsah3 Universitas Prima Indonesia,Medan,Indonesia [email protected] Putra Buulolo4 Universitas Prima Indonesia,Medan,Indonesia [email protected] Perius Gulo5 Universitas Prima Indonesia,Medan,Indonesia [email protected] Abstract Figurative language is one way of conveying words other than the normal way. This helps song writers compose and produce beautiful songs. Figurative language is part of semantics. Semantic is the study of meaning that is used to understand human expression through language. With semantic we can know the true or actual meaning in a song. This study aims to find student’s ability in identifying kinds of figurative language and their meanings in lyrics of Mariah carey selected song. Descriptive qualitative method is the method used in this study. The instrument for collecting the data was test questions which consisted of 12 questions. In this research, the subject was 11th grade class of SMA Swasta GKPI Padang Bulan which consisted of 28 students. The result of data analysis shows that the students mean score is 76,7 the highest score is 92, while the lowest score is 50. There were 4 student, (14,3%), belonged to the very good level and 21 students (75 %), belonged to the good level and there were 3 students, (10,7%), belonged to sufficient level.Kind of figurative language was found in Mariah Carey songs lyric are simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and personification. The dominant types of figurative language found in Mariah Carey song lyrics is metaphor.From an analysis ,the researcher concluded that most of the students of the second grade class of SMA Swasta GKPI Padang Bulan Medan got dificulties to different between metaphors and personifications in identifying figurative language in mariah carey’s songs lyrics. Keywords: Analysis; Figurative Language; song lyrics 1. INTRODUCTION Our system of communication before anything else is language. 101 | P a g e Humans cannot survive without language, song lyrics. As we know figurative because language has a very important language is very useful for making song role into all aspects of human condition, lyric of a song more beautiful and give for instance economics, technology, energy to a lyric that we are using in the politics, education, art, sciences, and so song. Many song writers create the song on. Every day, humans use language to which is inspired from poetry. This is communicate, argue, learn, negotiate, and because in creating a beautiful song, a legislate, elaborate, etc. Furthermore, in song writer tends to use figurative order to make the communication language to cover or convey the literal goes well, there must be a good meaning by using different way. For understanding between the two speakers everyone, listening to a song is very fun in catching the meaning that existed activity, but listeners cannot get pleasure behind the utterances uttered by these if they do not understand the figurative speakers by using their own language. language that commonly found in song. We must understand the intended Due to interest in the study of meaning first in order to receive figurative language, the writer will be information correctly. In fact, people do choosing Mariah Cary’s songs to be not only face difficulty in interpreting the analyzed. From many singers, Mariah meaning, but also in expressing their Carey is chosen because we found most thought, in which it makes of her lyrics contain figurative language, miscommunication occurs in a they are meaningful, simple and romantic. conversation. Those conditions then make Mariah Carey is an American singer and literature born. Literature is a medium of also song writer, she was born on March human being to express their ideas, 27, 1970. She is one of the most feelings, and emotions. Poem, drama, successful artists in the world, she was poetry, short story, and novel are formed selling over 200 million records product of literature work which most of worldwide. She is noted for her vocal those used figure of speech. strength, miasmatic type ,five-octave, and In English, “it means being is signature use of the whistle register. composes exact and figurative sense”. There are some of study which have Literal language means exactly what it done by previous researchers. First, says. For example: “it’s hot in here.” The Listiani (2015) entitled “An Analysis of literal, denotation meaning is simply a Figurative Language Found on the Song comment on the temperature. Conversely, Lyric by Taylor Swift’s song “Speak figurative language means that the word Now” Album”. The second review related that used don’t have a literal meaning, but to this study is “Figurative Language instead are meant to be imaginative, Analysis in Five John Legend’s Songs”, evocative and vivid. The example is "This which Arifah (2016), the student of weekend was a rollercoaster." The Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic weekend wasn't actually roller-coaster, University of Malang. but it felt as chaotic as a rollercoaster can The third review related to this make one feel. study is “An Analysis of Students Ability One way that can help students and Difficulties in Writing Descriptive understand figurative language through Texts” which has been researched by 102 | P a g e Juanita Siahaan (2013), on the basis of students don't really understand figurative English Learning Study Program of language, how to categorize and explain Indonesia University of Education. The the denotative meaning of each figurative search showed that the students meaning. representing the middle and high Based on the reasons mentioned achievers had a good control about the above, the author decides to conduct schematic structure of descriptive text. research about figurative language, They also were able to use appropriate entitled : “Analysis of Student’s Ability linguistic features. On the other hand, it in identifying Figurative Language in was also revealed that the low achievers Mariah Carrey’s Songs”. The researcher were still confused in identifying the hopes that the problem can be easily schematic structure of descriptive text. identified by the existence of this The fourth review related to this research, so that this research has a good study is An Analysis of semiotic influence in teaching English. Riffaterre in Walt Whitman selected Poem. This has been researched by 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Sipahutar & Arianto (2019) on the 2.1. Semantic Journal Basis of English Department Knowing the meaning of each word Putera Batam University. The method is important for us. Semantic is the that used in this research was descriptive important branches of linguistics ,and qualitative method. That means the deals with interpretation and meaning of method of data collection by analyzing words, sentence structure and symbols. and interpreting also described to Semantic is the study of meaning that is understand the theories contained in the used to understand human expression poem. In this qualitative research, through language. researcher used the Semiotic theory by According to Griffiths (2006), Michael Riffaterre in his book Semiotic semantic is the study of the sentence of poetry as a basic concept and meaning coded in the overall sentence framework of thinking. Arianto (2018) in based on the elementary meaning of the analyzing Walt Whitman Poem by using sentence units. Pragmatics, in ordered romanticism approach also explained that side is about the interaction of semantic the representation of romantic ideas knowledge with our knowledge of the originating from Western Europe of the world, taking into account context of use. 18th century has penetrated into the 19th It is incorrect to say that semantic sees century America in that poem. meaning of a sentence without including In this study, the writer presents an the context, whereas pragmatics takes analysis of student’s ability in identifying context into consideration. figurative language in Mariah Carrey’s song lyrics. The writer focuses on 2.2. Figurative language denotative and connotative meaning of Figurative language is a word or figurative language in Mariah Carey phrase that departs from every literal songs because the song uses many language which is very difficult to be figurative languages that can be analyzed understood by people even students by the students. In actually, many because it has differentiation from its 103 | P a g e context and reality in meaning, in order to spring board for integrated skills work know that figurative language formed and to stimulate reading, speaking, and based on comparison and similarity writing skills”. It also includes activities .Keraf (2009) in “Diksi dan Gaya which are designed to improve the Bahasa”. From the definition above , it students‟ overall language awareness and can be concluded that is to compare one to encourage them to use English more thing with other things, means try to confidently and imaginatively. The most discover the features which showed the important thing in using figurative comparison and similarity of both. It must language is that the students have an need fully understanding for people about essential aesthetic purpose to widening figurative language when translating the and deepening the range of perception content in its meaning that can be and response to the word of objects and found from communication or writing ideas to be discussed. In other words, products that conveyed by the people. figurative language serves to convey The aim of understanding the figurative thoughts, feelings, and perceptions that language in writing is human beings are cannot be adequately expressed in in able to cultivate and color the words literal language. It is declared also by beautifully in the content of writing. For Keraf (2009) that figure of speech communication, it has a function for has function to explain, strengthen, a live, avoiding bad assumption or stimulate, decorate an object.