PERSONIFICATION IN ’S SONG LYRICS

Angelia Firstnov Siow. D.J Wowor. Rinny Rorimpandey English Education Department, Faculty of Language and Arts, Universitas Negeri Manado, Tondano, Indonesia Email: [email protected]

Abstract : The research is done in order to identify and describe the expressions of personification in Mariah Carey’s selected song lyrics. This study is only focuse on the personification expressions in the song lyrics of popular female singer Mariah Carey. Since there are a lot of albums populariz by Mariah Carey during her singing career, the researcher only took albums that consists of song lyrics with personification use to be the subject of the study This study has conduct in qualitative method or also call descriptive research. In this research, the data were collect from the song lyrics of Mariah Carey. The data is analyzing using the theory According to Miles and Hubermen (2007: 139-140). Based on the result, thirty personification data has found in Mariah Carey’s song lyrics. Language is fundamental to all social processes, and human do need language to communicate to each other. In social process, there are people who communicate more than the say the use language that indicate meaning more than the language does. This terms called figurative language (Samola and Maru; 2016:1). Figurative languages are used in the song lyrics. Specifically, personification is the figurative langugae found through this study. the function of using personifcation expressions is to beautify or decorate the songlyrics them selves so that it is effective in attracting public and the meaning is beautifully delivered to the song listeners. Language style can be help readers and listeners to better understand a meaning of songs, how composer use words in their lyrics, and how does that mean The composer use personification so that the meaning of the wors use become more touching and beautiful.

Keywords: Figurative Language Personification, Mariah Carey , Linguistics.

I. INTRODUCTION Language cannot be separate from emotion, and exactly used to communicate human life aspect. In every day each other. Language is used by everyone communication the tool that is often used with various purposes. According to to comunicate is language, both in the form language is the most important aspect in the if written language and oral language life of all human beings. Halliday & (Hampp, Paula L. 2019: 15). It allows Matthiessen (2004: 19), it is possible to people to express their messages, feelings, refer to language as text and as system, as

421 sound, as writing and as wording, as deviation from the language of structure as resource. As it can be seen, anapprehends as the ordinary, or standard, language can be referred to many things but significance or sequence of words, in order the most important function of language is to achieve some special meaning or effect. to create and express meaning. Language is According to Wolosky (2001), a resource of the construction of the personification is a figure of speech in meaning. With the help of lexical and which human qualities are attributed to an grammatical structures it is possible to animal, object, or idea. Personification express different meanings. refers to a figure of speech equating things with humans, inanimate objects can do, Language has a lot of functions. thinking, and so on like humans. It becomes One of the is expressive function. the type of figurative languages that According to Halliday and Hasan (1991: attaches attributes of human beings to 15), expressive function is the expressive things that are lifeless and abstract ideas. being language that orientation toward the self. It means that individual express their Basically, a song is a poem that is feeling by language. Sarah Kamagi, sung because both have similarities in D.J.Wowor, Elisabeth Z. Oroh (2018: elements such as sound, rhythm and rhythm 847)Language has a function as a tool of which are the formal elements of a poem. comunication used by human to expres In addition to these formal elements must their thoughts, feelings, desires, and action. also be considered when determining the Then, expressive function also expresses meaning of a song. According to F.B personal feelings, thoughts, ideas, and Sumigar, M.G Maru & I.J Tuerah opinions, with different choice words, (2019:107) “One of comunication is a song. intonation, etc. These expressions are Similar to a poem, a song apllies figutative submissive to social factors and to the languages. It is a language espression, nature of the expression as negative or whose meaning is differet from its literal positive. (Holmes, 1992: 255). Acording to one, it drives listeners to spend extra effort (Hampp, Paula L. 2019: 15) Language is a to understand the meaning of the song”. tool for expresing yourself, a Mariah Carey is female well-known singer communication tool, and a means for social that can be said a great diva because her control. career in international music industry. As most song lyrics, Mariah Carey’s song Figurative language is a language lyrics contain various figurative languages, used by poets to say things in an unusual including the use of personification. From way, namely indirectly to express their the reasons above, the writer is interested to meaning. The figurative language is a

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conduct a research on personification d. Identify song lyrics that contain expressions in Mariah Carey’s song lyrics. personification . e. Note the song lyrics that contain to RESEARCH METHOD persinificatin f. Recheck the song lyrics that have Research Design been collected. This study is conduct in qualitative g. Grouping the songs lyrics based research or also call descriptive research as on the theory that I used belong. stated by Bogdan and Biklen (1992:30) ‘Qualitative research is descriptive. The Data Analysis data is collect in the form of words or In analyzing the qualitative data of pictures rather than numbers. The written this research, according to Miles and results of the research contain quotations Hubermen (2007: 139-140) the steps were from the data to illustrate and substantiate used as follows: the presentation”. It means that the data of this qualitatif research 1. Data Reduction

do not deal with numbers, diagram, Data reduction is done by or formula but in form of words prase and summarizing and separating the sentence or quotation. The data is collect in points that relating to this the form words and sentence of song lyrics. research problems, and then it is arranged systematically to Data Collection describes and to make easy the In this research, data is collect from reasercher to reduction the data the song lyrics of Mariah Carey, particularly searching if sometime it is the song published in Caution and her needed. Not all the obtain data another album. In accordance with the in this research are important. It statement above, the writers collecting and means just take the important identifi the data of the research. information and unimportant In collecting the data, the writers following information should be ignored. these steps below: In this process of data reduction,

a. Listening to the songs of Mariah the researcher selected, focuses Carey and abstracted the data in the b. download song lyrics of Mariah notebook. The data reduction is Carey done during research activities. c. Read the song lyrics while listen and on this case, the researcher the song

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reduce the information during DATA ANALYSIS the activities of research, so resercher migth befound the 1. Data Reduction data that not support the reaserch that researcher’s In Mariah Carey’s Song lyrics, the needed. researcher found out that there ware many words that are in form of figurative 2. Data Display languages. The researcher reduced the data and took only personification The Data display is use to expressions as presented below. There are represent the result othe 30 personification expressions as found in research. After the data has been Mariah Carey’s Song lyrics. finished, and researcher can able to check and verify it to be 1) He had eyes that said, "Girl, meaningful data. it means I'll save you" (With You, line describing data in the form of 10) writing text or spoken words. As 2) And once we lit this towering the second step to analyzing data, inferno this step is use in arranging the The flame is burning higher, hotter we go information, description, or And the temperature is rising, narration to make conclusion. By crack a window (One Mo’Gen, presenting this conclution or line 16) result the researcher has decide 3) Thursday wake up and now it's what the step will be. The data Sunday then were categorized using Everyday she help me, got no theory by Wolosky(2001:96) money (Stay Long Love You,line 37) 3. Conclusion and Verification 4) Bought her diamonds if they mess with the Chanel pearls The result or conclusions is We stay together and we can taking out from the course of the take over the whole world (Stay study. The researcher colect the Long Love You,line 39) 5) Here beyond the looking glass data from her interpretations as Somewhere off the beaten path she goes along. The researcher (Portrait, line 3) wrote up not the only things that 6) Let the moonlight kiss your she found each day but also her skin interpretation of those findings. When you dance like that, your jeans so tight

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Oh, you’re killing me, baby do But it don't strike me as funny it again (Beautiful,line 23) (Bethca’Gon Now,line 18-21) 7) You’re beautiful , and your 17) So I pulled to the side mind is fucking beautiful Of the road to fix my face (Beautiful,line 26) But I can't cover with make up 8) But your love rained down upon What my tears want to erase me (Bethca’Gon Now,line 38-41) Washing away uncertainty (I 18) Boy, you remind am Free, line 20-21) me of a love that seemed so 9) Soft heavenly eyes gazed into sublime. me Your kisses told me oh so many Transcending space and time lies (Standing O,LINE 6-8) (When I Saw You,line 1) 19) 'Cause lighting don't strike the 10) You are the one for me same place twice And it's evident When you and I said goodbye I And your eyes told me so felt the angels cry And your eyes let me know... (Angels Cry,line 12-13) (When I Saw You,line 24-27) 20) And we sat close enough 11) Sinking in the memories That we just barely touched Shadows of you keep washing While roman candles over me Went soaring above us and (Long Ago,line 20-21) baby (Fourth of July, line 8-11) 12) A flower taught me how to pray 21) Thunder clouds But as I grew, that flower Hung around changed So threateningly (Petals, line 5-6) Ominously hovering (Fourth of 13) Everytime I try to leave July, line 33-36) Something pulls me back baby 22) Guardian angel I (Irresistible,line 1-2) Sail away on an ocean 14) Gypsy, sittin lookin pretty With you by my side A broken rose and laughin' Orange clouds roll by eyes (Bringing on the They burn into your image Heartbreak,line 1-2) And you're still alive 15) We clickin' glasses, (Close My Eyes, line 31-36) Compliments of the club, 23) I wanna be your babydoll Raise they status, Wrap me up nice and tight So you know they show us love Love me all through the night (Migrate,line 42-45) Come lay me down 16) I'm going bout a hundred Enfold me in your arms Mascara runnin (Babydoll, line 11-15) Laughing out of anger 24) A full moon (yeah yeah)

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Is waiting in the twilight as contributed by Maybe soon Wolosky (2001:96). He argued (Sweetheart, line 9-11) that there are two types of 25) You are the one for me personification namely direct And it's evident personification and indirect And your eyes told me so personification. Direct And your eyes let me know personification are consider to be (When I Saw You, line 26-27) direct because these 26) While roman candles personification involve Went soaring above us and something that usually baby happened, even though it’s being (Fourth of July, line 10-11) described in an unrealistic way. 27) Everyday crucial situation Direct personification tends to be wrackin' my mind more powerful than indirect one. Tryin' to break me down personification. On the other hand, indirect personification (Breakdown, line 40-41) needs readers’ more imaginantion and interpretation 28) Alone will tell to gain the meaning of the wors If you feel the way I feel personified by the writer or When I look in your eyes composer. (After Tonight, line 20-22) 29) Flower taught me how to pray The chart of the But as I grew, that flower persinification use is present changed below. She started failing in the wind (Petals, line 5-7) The chart is below: 30) All my life My love's been waiting for you All my life THE USE OF PERSONIFICATION IN My heart's been waiting too MARIAH CAREY'S SONG LYRICS (All my life,line 9-12) Indirect Direct 43.33% 56.66% 2. Data Display Having reduced and obtained the personification expressions in Mariah Carey’s 3. Data Conclusion and Verification Song lyrics , the researcher displayed the data by grouping After putting the entire the personification expressions personification data found in the based on their types songlyrics of Mariah Carey,

426 categorizing based on types, with 13 data (56.66%), whereas explaining the maning and context, indirect personification is the least the data were then interpreted as type with 11 data (43.33%). findings of the study. It is interpreted that the figurative languages were Song is one of the media to used in the songlyrics of Mariah channel ideas, messages, one's feelings Carey, distributed in many albums and creativity. In this connection, the popularized. There are twenty language used in song lyrics is an personifications in the songlyrics of interesting thing to study because in it Mariah Carey . Particularly, contain aesthetic and artistic values personification which signifies that are displayed through use various human abilities to non human types of language styles. The style of references is frequently used in the language used in a song can help the songlyrics. The personifcation is listener understand the ideas that are being conveyed, feel the emotions that functional since most frequently the expressions are used in the purpose of want to be raise, and see the creativity decorating and beautfying the words that wants display by its creator. chosen to be the lyric of the song. Figurative language is a typical Therefore, the meaning becomes way of expressing thoughts and more social, implied, more living and feelings in oral or written form. stronger. Language style is a way of expressing Dealing with the types of thoughts through language that personification, there are two types typically shows the soul of the personality of the language user. mainly used in the songlyrics of Mariah Carey, namely direct Each song must have a specific personifcation and indirect purpose to be conveyed to the public as personification. Based on the the listener. The song contains a line of findings, there are thirteen words that are arrange well with an personification expressions used in interesting style of language by the the different songlyrics of Mariah composer and delivered with a Carey. Indirect personification is also beautiful voice singer. This study found where there are eleven analyzes the lyrics of songs because personifcation expressions. In they have varying attractiveness. percentage,direct personification is the most frequest personification type Conclusion in the songlyrics of Mariah Carey

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1) Language style can be help decorate the songlyrics readers and listeners to better themeselves so that it is effective understand a meaning of the in attracting public and the songs, how composer use words meaning is beautifully delivered in their lyrics, and how does that to the song listeners. mean. Figurative languages are used in the song lyrics. Suggestion Specifically, personification is 1) Figurative language is an the figurative langugae found effective way to beautify word through this study. used in song lyrics since song Personification in the song lyrics lyrics have poower to bring of Mariah Carey are very message to people about live, frequent. The songwriter used love and many other aspects. By personification so that the using figrative language, meaning of the wors are become songwriter becomes more poetic more touching and beautiful. and the words become more Mariah Carey,in conclusion is the powerful. Personification is one singer whose song lyrics contain of the figurative languages personification that are very commonly used is capable to dominant compare things to human 2) There are twenty four qualities so that the words and personification data found in their meaning become more vivid Mariah Carey’s song lyrics. From and powerful. those expressions, there are 2) To the lecturers, the study result thirteen expressions that are that personifcation is commonly classifi as direct personification used in the song lyrics can be a (56.66%) which are easier to be suggestion that in the process of understoond by song listeners, teaching literature and linguistics while the rest are eleven may involve song lyrics as personifcation expressions are media or object since this is a grouping as indirect linguistic phenomenon. To the personification (43.33%) since it students, it is recommended to needs more interpretation of the use as reference and input so that song listeners. Mostly, the there will be interest to study or function of usin personifcation research eeply on semantics. To expressions is to beautify or the next researchers, there can be

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