i
REVEALING AFFECTIVE MEANING
THROUGH FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE USE
IN KILLING ME INSIDE’S “FRACTURED”
AND SCALLER’S “THE YOUTH”
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Bellarminus Viraditya Diony Harvinanda Junior
Student Number : 144214081
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA
YOGYAKARTA
2018
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I dedicate this thesis for my Father who is already
in Heaven, and also for my Mother who is always
there for me.
I am sorry, I could not make it earlier.
With love,
Diony Junior.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Firstly, I want to send my gratitude to Jesus Christ who always listens to my
prayers and hopes. I also want to send my love to my father who just left me
recently. I am sorry I could not make it on time. I just want you to know that this
all for you, have a good time there Pah. For my mother, who always be patient
with me every day, I can say that God has already sent me his best human being in
the form of my mother. I would also say thank you to my sisters, Mbak Debora
and Mbak Amda, also my brother Farrel Junior, my nephew Elodie for their
greatest supports during ups and downs of my life.
I want to send my gratitude to my thesis advisor, Fransisca Kristanti S.Pd.,
M.Hum for her patience in answering all the problems that I’ve been through and
also guide me to find the right direction that are very helpful for me to finish this
thesis. I would thank my co-advisor Arina Isti’anah, S.Pd., M.Hum., for her
corrections and suggestions that are very useful for me to improve the quality of
my undergraduate thesis.
Last but not least, I want to thank Tiga Dara: Yoswa Deua from
southmountain and Sanpedro the “Son of Zeus” for the time we spent and the
things we laughed. Japemethe friends from deBritto: Arayok, Temon, Bottom,
Dhemi, Kepong, Jombing, Ersin who are always there for good and bad times.
And for the last, Rischka Andjani Putri, the one who always gives me power,
caring, and loving despite every mistake that I did. I am proud of having you.
With love, Diony Junior.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ................................................................................................. i
APPROVAL PAGE ....................................................................................... ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE .................................................................................. iii
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ............................................................. iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI
KARYA ILMIAH ............................................................................................. v
MOTTO PAGE .............................................................................................. vi
DEDICATION PAGE ................................................................................... vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................... viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................. ix
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................... xi
ABSTRAK ........................................................................................................ xii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 1
A. Background of the Study ...................................................................... 1
B. Problem of the Study ............................................................................ 5
C. Objectives of the Study ........................................................................ 5
D. Definition of Terms .............................................................................. 5
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ............................................. 7
A. Review of Related Studies ................................................................... 7
B. Review of Related Theories ................................................................. 9
1. Semantics ......................................................................................... 10
2. Semantic Feature ............................................................................ 10
3. Figurative Language ....................................................................... 12
4. Meaning .......................................................................................... 16
C. Review of Related Backgrounds: History of Killing Me Inside and
Scaller .................................................................................................. 22
D. Theoretical Framework ........................................................................ 23
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ............................................................. 25
A. Object of the Study .............................................................................. 25
B. Approach of the Study ......................................................................... 26
C. Method of the Study ............................................................................. 26
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS (RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS) ................. 28
A. Types of figurative language are found in Scaller’s “The Youth”
and Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” .................................................... 28
1. Types of Figurat ive Language in Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured”
Lyric ............................................................................................... 28
2. Types of Figurative Language in Scaller’s “The Youth”
Lyric ............................................................................................... 44
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B. The Affective Meaning of Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured and Scaller’s
“The Youth” Lyric ............................................................................... 57
1. Affective Meaning in Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” ................. 57
2. Affective Meaning in Scaller’s “The Youth” ................................ 66
3. The Affective Meanings that are Found in The Lyrics .................... 71
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ..................................................................... 74
REFERENCES .............................................................................................. 77
APPENDICES ................................................................................................ 79
Appendix 1: Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” Summary’s Table ........... 79
Appendix 2: Scaller’s “The Youth” Summary’s Table .......................... 80
Appendix 3: Lyric of Killing Me Inside - “Fractured” ........................... 81
Appendix 4: Lyric of Scaller – “The Youth” .......................................... 84
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ABSTRACT
B. Viraditya Diony Harvinanda Junior (2018). Revealing Affective Meaning
through Figurative Language Use in Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” Lyric
and Scaller’s “The Youth” Lyric. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters,
Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.
Music has become an important object in the people’s life. Everyone can
enjoy music because it does not discriminate anybody. Music welcomes all
classes, races, and also all kinds of society for those who want to enjoy it. In
addition, music can also explain people’s feeling through their beats and lyrics.
Lyric has its own uniqueness because the writer/author use some expressions,
whether they are stated directly or indirectly, to make it more aesthetic or
meaningful. Meanwhile, not all singers express their thoughts through literal
meaning in the lyrics. Sometimes, the meaning of their lyrics cannot be defined
after we listen to the song for the first time because some expression in the lyrics
contain more than their literal meaning. There are also expressions that carry a
non–literal meaning. Based on Oxford Dictionaries, non-literal as an adjective is
defined as “not using or taking words in their usual or most basic sense.” As seen
from the dictionary, non-literal meaning of the lyrics cannot be understood in the
first time we read them, there must be a continuous action and certain analysis to
get the exact interpretation of them.
In this research, there are two problems that are discussed. The first one is
to find the figurative expressions applied in Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” and
Scaller’s “The Youth” song lyrics. The second one is to find the affective meaning
through the use of figurative expressions in the song lyrics.
This study uses semantic approach in order to limit the scope of the
analysis which aims to find the affective meaning of the selected song lyrics
through the use of figurative expressions in the lyrics. For data collection, the
method applied to collect the data is through the semantic feature analysis on each
phrase of the song lyrics.
In the analysis, there are 7 data of figurative expressions used in the
Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured”. From the total 7 occurrences which are
identified, 5 are categorized as metaphor while the other 2 are categorized as
personification. Meanwhile, in the Scaller’s “The Youth” lyric, there are 5 data of
figurative expressions used in the lyric. Three data are identified as metaphor, and
the rest use personification.
In the end, the use of figurative expressions in the selected song lyrics
could explain the affective meaning which is close to the deeper emotion of the
speaker towards the listener.
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ABSTRAK
B. Viraditya Diony Harvinanda Junior (2018). Revealing Affective Meaning
through Figurative Language Use in Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” and
Scaller’s “The Youth”. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas
Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Musik telah menjadi bagian penting dari kehidupan manusia saat ini.
Setiap orang dapat menikmati musik, tanpa mempedulikan darimana atau siapa
orang tersebut. Musik dapat dinikmati semua kelas, ras, dan juga semua jenis
masyarakat bagi mereka yang ingin menikmatinya. Selain itu, musik juga dapat
menjelaskan perasaan orang melalui nada dan liriknya. Lirik memiliki keunikan
tersendiri karena penulis/penyanyi menggunakan berbagai ekspresi, baik itu
dinyatakan secara langsung atau tidak langsung, untuk membuatnya lebih estetis
atau lebih bermakna. Sementara itu, tidak semua penyanyi mengekspresikan
pikiran mereka melalui makna literal dalam lirik. Kadang-kadang, makna lirik
mereka tidak dapat ditemukan ketika kita mendengarkan lagu untuk pertama
kalinya karena beberapa ekspresi dalam lirik mengandung lebih dari makna
harfiahnya. Ada juga ekspresi yang membawa makna non-literal. Menurut Kamus
Oxford, non-literal sebagai kata sifat didefinisikan sebagai "tidak menggunakan
atau mengambil kata-kata dalam pengertian mereka yang biasa atau paling dasar."
Seperti yang terlihat dari kamus, makna non-literal dari lirik tidak dapat dipahami
pada saat pertama kali kita membacanya, harus ada tindakan berkelanjutan dan
analisis tertentu untuk mendapatkan interpretasi yang tepat dari kata-kata yang
digunakan.
Dalam penelitian ini, ada dua masalah yang akan dibahas. Yang pertama
adalah menemukan ekspresi figuratif yang diterapkan dalam lirik lagu milik
Killing Me Inside berjudul "Fractured" dan Scaller dengan judul “The Youth”.
Yang kedua adalah menemukan makna afektif melalui penggunaan ekspresi
figuratif dalam lirik lagu tersebut.
Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan semantik untuk membatasi ruang
lingkup analisis yang bertujuan untuk menemukan makna afektif dari lirik lagu
yang dipilih melalui penggunaan ekspresi figuratif dalam lirik. Untuk
pengumpulan data, metode yang diterapkan untuk mengumpulkan data adalah
melalui analisis fitur semantik pada setiap frase dari lirik lagu.
Dalam analisis ini, ada 7 data ekspresi figuratif yang digunakan dalam lirik
"Fractured" dari Killing Me Inside. Dari total 7 kejadian yang diidentifikasi, 5
dikategorikan sebagai metafora sedangkan 2 lainnya dikategorikan sebagai
personifikasi. Sementara itu, dalam lirik “The Youth” dari Scaller, ada 5 data
ekspresi figuratif yang digunakan dalam lirik, 3 diidentifikasi sebagai metafora
sedangkan 2 lainnya menggunakan personifikasi.
Pada akhirnya, penggunaan ekspresi figuratif dalam lirik lagu yang dipilih
dapat menjelaskan makna afektif yang dekat dengan emosi yang lebih dalam dari
pembicara yang disampaikan kepada pendengar.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Music has become an important part of people’s life. Everyone can enjoy
music because it does not discriminate anybody. Music welcomes all classes,
races, and also all kind of society for those who want to enjoy it. Most people
spend their spare time while waiting for something or when they just take some
rest by listening to the music because they can do it in any situation, at any place,
and at any time. In addition, music can also explain people’s feeling through their
beats and their lyrics.
Lyric has its own uniqueness because the writer/author uses some
expressions, whether they are stated directly or indirectly, to make it more
aesthetic or meaningful. Meanwhile, not all singers express their thoughts through
literal meaning in the lyrics. Sometimes, the meaning of their lyrics cannot be
defined after we listen to the song for the first time because some expression in
the lyrics contain more than their literal meaning. There are also expressions that
carry a non–literal meaning. Based on Oxford Dictionaries, non-literal as an
adjective is defined as “not using or taking words in their usual or most basic
sense” (Oxford Dictionary, 2018, p. 1). As seen from the dictionary, non-literal
meaning of the lyrics cannot be understood in the first time we read them, there
must be a continuous action and certain analysis to get the exact interpretation of
them.
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Furthermore, song lyrics can be a good medium to develop ideas that the
singer wants to deliver to the listener. It can be either easy to listen or hard to
receive. Through the song lyrics, people also can reveal their background, and
many people use that as their medium to express their thoughts as in campaigns,
advertisements, youth movements and many others. As written in Reese (2015,
para. 2); the use of music as a medium to develop ideas in relation to social
change started around the 50s and 60s. In the past, music was used by the black
people as one of their tools to declare their position on the racial issues. Some
popular Caucasian singers such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez also lent both their
names and their musical talents to the American Civil Rights Movement at that
time to support the movement and it shows how the diversity can be blended by
the music.
Related to the songs, most of the expressed meaning carries the expression
of the feeling and attitude of the speaker, through the use of language. It means
that, the written text in the form of a song lyric can deliver the implied meaning
that we cannot get the first time we read or listen to it. The meaning of the song
lyrics can also be analyzed through many linguistic features, one of them is
through the analysis of figurative expressions.
In song lyrics, we can also see the use of figurative expressions in several
parts of the song lyrics. The use of figurative expressions can help us determine
the aims of the lyrics and also show the meaning of the lyrics. From that, we can
know how far the meaning of the song can be delivered to the listener.
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Actually, there are a lot of music groups that exist among the youth because
they express the youth spirit through the music and song lyrics that they sang. The
youth spirit is about the necessity that one person whom able to face the obstacles
of life that can ruin our life, as sometimes happen in the youth’s life, and they
sometimes still find difficulties in filtering the good and the bad things. The
freedom that these bands try to share to the youth is shown from the genre that
they use. It is not common in the Indonesian Music Industry. Not every music
group can bring this kind of genre as smoothly as they do and this can bring the
new way to
One of the bands that are famous with their campaigns on human right and
youth-oriented is Efek Rumah Kaca. In their songs, they criticize the
government's commitment in the investigation process of solving Munir’s case
that has not shown progress for more than 13 years. They also criticize the attitude
of the youth toward the “shopping behavior” that can inflict a financial loss in the
future. Other local bands that also carry the spirit of the youth are Elephant Kind,
Thirteen, Pee Wee Gaskins, Seringai, and also Scaller and Killing Me Inside.
From all those above, Scaller and Killing Me Inside are more productive in
producing this kind of music to the Indonesian Music Industry
Scaller is one of many indie bands in Indonesia that still has their own
uniqueness by writing their own songs. They try to provide the spirit of the youth
through their lyrics that use many wordplays by using figurative expressions and
it may not be easy to understand the first time we listen to it. Their existences in
music industry of Indonesia was also recognized by Rolling Stone Indonesia
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magazine, with their achievement in “Editor’s Choice Award 2017” as “Rookie of
the Year” (Rolling Stone Indonesia Magazine, 2017, para. 2). The genre that they
bring to Indonesian music industry from the first time they established is
progressive rock and there are not many players in this section. Therefore, they
still stay on the same genre until today. This band has just released their very first
full album entitled “SENSES” and one song titled ”The Youth” contains many
interesting figurative expression to be analyzed.
Meanwhile, Killing Me Inside was established more than 10 years ago in
Indonesia Music Industry and they have experienced some changes of members in
their group formation, thus, it contributes to the variations in their music and leads
to their current situation, where they are always get booked to perform every
week. Killing Me Inside has just released their breakthrough album in 2016 titled
“REBIRTH” and it acquires good feedbacks from their audiences, mostly the
youth, because of their valiancy to get back to their roots in post-hardcore and
modern rock genre. From that new album, they start to produce new kind of music
that can give a positive vibe to the listener. In 2017 they decided to let go their
vocalist, Savira Razak, because she wants to focus on her new family and
business. Then, Killing Me Inside recruited a new vocalist, the former vocalist of
Garasi Band, Aiu Ratna; but they do not add her as the fix member of the band but
as the featuring member. They produced a new single last July titled “Fractured”
and this one has many interesting figurative expressions that can be analyzed.
This research aims to discuss the relation between the figurative expressions
used in Scaller’s “The Youth” and Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” with the
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meaning that they want to deliver. The reason behind the songs selection is the
writer found those both songs’ lyrics are containing the implied meaning that not
every person can understand when the person listen to the lyrics for the first time.
Based on that, the writer would like to analyze the songs’ lyrics to find the
implied meaning that the bands want to be delivered to the listener through the use
of figurative expressions in each part of the lyrics.
B. Problem Formulation
To restrict in order to focus the research, the inquiry would be guided by the
following questions,
1. What types of figurative language are found in Scaller’s “The Youth” and
Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured”?
2. How do the figurative expressions in the song lyrics express the affective
meaning?
C. Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this study are to identify the types of figurative
expressions that exist in the selected song lyrics and after it can be identified, the
data will be analyzed to see the relation of each figurative expressions and relate
them into the affective meaning of the songs.
D. Definition of Terms
Related to the figurative language and affective meaning, some terms need
to be defined in order to avoid misunderstanding on the reader.
Figurative language is language in which figures of speech (such as
metaphors and metonyms) freely occur, contrast with literal speech or language.
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(Norquist, 2017, para 1). Figurative language refers to a way of using description
to create a special image and bring out one's emotions (Sweeney, 2017, Para 1).
Affective meaning means that the language or words are used to express
personal feelings or attitude to the listener or to the subject matter of his discourse
(Leech, 1974. p.14). It means that the language used by the author or the writer
has aims that can be delivered to the listener or the readers.
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
This chapter discusses some previous studies and research that share
similarities to this study. This chapter elaborates the theories that will be used in
the research. In part A, it discusses the studies which having similarities with the
research that the writer conduct in this thesis. In part B, it reviews the theories that
the writer uses in this research. In part C, it summarizes the theories that the writer
uses in this thesis.
A. Review of Related Studies
This part reviews the studies that have similarities to this study. There are
two undergraduate theses and two journal articles reviewed in this part. According
to Asmara (2016) in her thesis entitled “Lagu Anggun C. Sasmi dalam Dua Versi
Bahasa: Analisis Semantik”; she tried to find out the meaning of Anggun C.
Sasmi’s song through semantic analysis in two languages that she use in the song,
English and French. In this thesis, the author tries to find the songs’ meaning by
following Leech’s theory about 7 different types of meaning. She finds that the
use of two different languages can give different interpretations of meaning
because of each language can give different interpretation of meaning.
The second thesis focusing on the meaning of the song lyrics was done by
Septiana (2017) in her thesis entitled “An analysis of lexical and contextual
meanings in Christina Perri’s song lyrics.” In this thesis, the researcher found that
sociolinguistic study can be used to reveal the lexical meaning and contextual
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meaning of the song’s lyric. As the objectives of the study that the writer and the
researcher want to find on the research are similar: to find the meaning of the song
lyrics. Approach that the writer used in this study is completely different from the
one that Septiana used in her thesis.
Another study on Figurative Language was done by Kronrod (2016) in her
article entitled “ “Wii Will Rock You!” The Use and Effect of Figurative
Language in Consumer Reviews of Hedonic and Utilitarian Consumption ”. This
article studies the use of figurative language in advertisements and reveals that
they use persuasive text and relate the findings to the social behavior of the
society. She explains how the figurative expression in those advertisements can
affect data of consumers’ attitude towards the product. This research is similar to
Kronrod’s in finding figurative expression use in the text.
Another article that uses linguistic aspect as the focus of the research was
written by Ekaningrum (2015) entitled “The Analysis of Meanings and Forms in
The A.T Mahmud’s Song Lyrics”. In this article, Ekaningrum analyzes A.T
Mahmud’s song lyrics by its linguistic aspect and also its musical aspect. Because
the writer of this study only focused on the linguistic aspect of this journal, the
researcher chose to pay attention on the result of the music analysis from the use
of figurative expression that applies on the song lyrics.
From Asmara’s thesis, we can conclude that the meaning of the words or the
song’s lyrics is analyzed through semantic approach. While the writer would like
to find the affective meaning of the song lyrics through the use of figurative
expression on the lyrics by using semantic analysis, the other tries to find the
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meaning of the song’s lyrics through semantic analysis in two languages that the
singer has used.
Septiana in her thesis applies sociolinguistic approach as her approach of the
study while this study chooses semantic approach as the approach of this study.
However the focus of the analysis is the same which is the meaning of the song
lyrics. The difference is on the types of meaning that she found and the writer
would like to find.
From Kronrod (2016) journal article, the difference is, this study that the
writer conducted would like to find the relation of the figurative expressions are
used in the selected song lyrics to the affective meaning of the song, which can
give the indirect message to the listener. While, Kronrod identifies the effect of
the figurative speeches in the advertisement toward the consumer behavior, which
is more effective than the other advertisement.
From Ekaningrum (2015) article, the writer found two focuses: the linguistic
aspect and musical aspect. However, the journal article still discusses the
linguistic aspect to analyze. The writer found that the use of figurative expression
is similar with the one used in this study.
B. Review of Related Theories
The theories that the writer would like to use in this research are under the
discussion of semantics especially on semantic properties or semantic features as a
tool to analyze the affective meaning of each selected song lyrics through the
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figurative languages used in the lyrics, on meanings, and on figurative languages.
The theories that writer uses as follows:
1. Semantics
Based on Fromkin, Rodman & Hyams (2011) semantics, as the study of
meaning, focuses on the text form, in this case is the sentences or words use.
Semantic theory is a philosophical and scientific study of meaning in natural and
artificial languages. Semantics can be counted as “sub-theory” from whole
linguistic theory. This theory deal with the cognitive input/output and it is also the
center if the study of human mind – thought process, cognition, conceptualization.
In communicating, people tend to deliver their thought in two different
ways, literal or non-literal. Through the semantic theory, we can find that the
words has meanings. Meanings of words can be explained through its own
properties or features. By finding the properties of each words, we can find the
reference of one word.
2. Semantic Features
Semantic Features are used as a tool from the semantic theory that aims to
help us to determine the classification of words. Based on Briton and Briton
(2010) Semantic properties or semantic features usually present as a matter of
opposition, pair positive and negative features, denote the presence or absence of
the particular feature in the meaning of the word by showing the tendency. The
determination of semantic features is a kind of “factoring out” of semantic
components. For example,
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Cabbage : [+Common], [+Count], [+Concrete], [-Animate]
Measles : [+Common], [–Count], [–Concrete], [-Animate]
Here the semantic features are showing the tendency of each noun. Both
cabbage and measles are sharing same trait as in +COMMON and –ANIMATE,
but they are contrary since cabbage is [+COUNT] whereas measles is [-COUNT]
and cabbage [+CONCRETE] whereas measles [-COUNT].
For noun, [CONCRETE] feature is related to the form of the object, whether
it abstract [-CONCRETE] or not [+CONCRETE]. [+COUNT] feature is related to
the form of object that can be pluralized and be counted, while [–COUNT] refers
to objects that exist in unspecified quantities, for example honey, milk, and some
other else. [COMMON] considers the status of the word, whether it is a common
noun or not. The last is [ANIMATE] feature. This feature is relating to status of
the noun, whether it is a living being or not. This feature also helps us to identify
the types of the word when it comes with a verb that only need the property of
animate being to operate the verb or only affects the animate being.
Semantic properties can also help us find what the words wanted to reveal to
the reader by showing the features of the word that can lead into the meaning and
what it references to another words. For example, the words ‘Cock’ and ‘Mister’,
share same traits such as [+ADULT], [+MALE]. ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’ can also
share same trait in [+ADULT] but the former is [+MALE] while the other one is
[–MALE].
Semantic properties is significant in determining the basic components
constituting the semantic content, or sense, of a word. These components,
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sometimes called semantic primitives, are assumed to be the most basic notions
expressed by linguistic meaning.
Semantic features also connect to the features of the verb that has been used
in a sentence. A verb can have some features like [+STATIVE], [+TELIC],
[+DURATIVE], and [+VOLUNTARY]. For [+STATIVE], it is [+STATIVE] for
dynamic verbs (situation which needs the input of energy) or [–STATIVE] for
static verb (situation that does not need the input of energy). For [+TELIC], it
relates to the presence of aims or goals. The verbs which have an aim or a goal is
assigned with [+TELIC], those which do not have either one is [-TELIC]. For
[+DURATIVE], it recognizes whether the verbs or activities go on in time or are
still happening. [+DURATIVE] is for the situation which still happens or ongoing
and [-DURATIVE] for those occurring only in the exact time. Finally,
[+VOLUNTARY] explains about whether the situation is happening under the
agent’s willful action or not. (+VOLUNTARY) for the situation that happens
under the agent’s willful action and [-VOLUNTARY] for the situation which does
not happen under the agent willful action.
3. Figurative Language
Brinton and Brinton (2010) share several types of figurative language that
are often used in everyday communication and in literary works. There are seven
types of figurative languages namely oxymoron (paradox), tautology, synecdoche,
synesthesia, personification, metaphor, and metonymy. The explanation is as
follows.
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a. Oxymoron
Oxymoron (paradox) based on Brinton and Brinton (2010) refers to
expressions which contain an explicit contradictions (J. Brinton, 2010, p.176).
This kind of figurative language often use to show something explicit by combine
two common words that contrary. Like in living death, it is totally contrary as
living is still alive while death is gone, and it can define as living a bad life. Here,
death is used as the word to show the misery. Such expressions as “delicious
torment, living death, sweetest sin, silent scream, cold comfort, good grief, and
pleasing pain” are the examples of oxymoron.
b. Tautology
In Brinton and Brinton (2010), tautology refers to expressions which are
“true by definition”, offering no new information, such as parents are having kids
or an orphan is a parentless child (J. Brinton, 2010, p.176). Most dictionary
definitions are considered as tautologies because it explains something as it is.
Other examples of tautologies can be found in exclusive prerogative as in “boys
will be boys”, new innovation as in “business is business”, past history as in “he is
his father’s son”, end result as in “what will be will be”, main protagonist as in “it
ain’t over till it’s over”, scrutinize carefully as in “his moustache is on his upper
lip”.
The purpose of a tautology such as free gift seems to be to emphasize or
highlighted by the feature [+FREE] that is inherent in the word gift by expressing
it in a separate word. However, in the case of an expression such as “boys will be
boys”, it appears not to have a true tautology, but an apparent tautology since the
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second instance of boy is not understood in respect to its core inherent features
[+HUMAN], [+MALE], [–ADULT], as is the first instance of boy, but in respect
to certain behavioral characteristics of boys, for example, childish, loud, rowdy,
careless, and so on.
c. Synesthesia
Synesthesia refers to expressions which combine a word from one sensory
domain with a word from another sensory domain to give a further impact to the
listener or the reader (J. Brinton, 2010, p.177 ). Some expressions of synesthesia
are “cold response”, “sweet sound”, “cool reception”, “sharp rebuke”, “flat note”,
“quiet color”, or “soothing color”.
A common type of synesthesia is the use of color terms (from the visual
domain) in conjunction with an emotional states (blue/black with mood, green
with envy, yellow with cowardice or food or attractiveness, red with anger, pink
with something sweet and so on) to give a little imagination about the emotion
itself. For example, black expresses the idea about sadness and bad things, yellow
with happiness or foods, and some other else.
d. Synecdoche
Synecdoche refers to expressions which refer to a thing by naming part of it,
such as a new face or new blood (= a new person, freshmen) (J. Brinton, 2010,
p.177). A typical kind of synecdoche is the naming of something by naming the
material of which it is composed, such as a cork as an iron because of its material
that made by solid iron, and a glass for tools for drinking because it made by glass
material.
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e. Metonymy
Based on Brinton and Brinton (2010) metonymy refers to expressions which
denote a thing by naming something associated with it such in “the law” that
refers to the police (J. Brinton, 2010, p.177). This can happen because this
profession is the one who run and use the law as their guidelines while working.
Another example is “the church” that is closely related to religion, it becomes
something sacred when it is spoken by the people and automatically refers to a
particular religion. It also applies on some words like the word “throne” that refers
to king, the “bench” that refers to substitution players in sports or the judiciary in
law and many more.
f. Personification
When the writers of the literary works use personification as a figurative
expression, they are giving human qualities to something which is non-human.
Personification in Brinton and Brinton (2010) refers to expressions which attribute
human qualities to non-human or inanimate objects to be able to operate
something to someone or things (J. Brinton, 2010, p.177). Personification is an
effective way to add interest to your writing and can truly bring your descriptions
to life, such as:
“The idea grabbed me.”
“The vending machine ate my money.”
For those two sentences, the word ‘idea’ and ‘vending machine’ both get
human quality as both are modified by the verb ‘grabbed’ and ‘ate’ that show that
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the ‘idea’ and ‘vending machine’ are doing something of a human properties
while in fact they are not living beings.
g. Metaphor
According to Brinton and Brinton (2010) metaphor refers to expressions
which transfer a word from one conceptual domain to another, it also compares
the word directly by putting the target word right after the comparison word (J.
Brinton, 2010, p.178). Metaphor is a figurative expression which makes implicit,
implied, or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated, but share
some common characteristics. There are some examples that show how metaphor
could be used in daily conversation or in literary works.
Stock prices are falling.
The bell sang out when
struck.
He flew into a rage.
The bad news shattered her.
She was away a long time.
He eagerly drank up the new idea
A typical type of metaphor is the use of body parts to name the parts of
other entities:
lip of a glass
mouth of a river
eye of a storm
heart of a problem
ribs of a ship
head of a committee
neck of a bottle
guts of a machine
In metaphor, the words are interpreted separately as in “he eagerly drank up
the new ideas”, it showing that drank up if it interpret literally it will be
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swallowing something, but in here, it develops a different meaning as
“understanding” or “receive”.
4. Theories of Meaning
Meanings are the interpretation of something that can affecting someone’s
perspective or point view. Leech (1974) categories meaning into seven types. The
seven types of meaning according to Leech are conceptual or denotative meaning,
connotative meaning, social meaning, affective meaning, reflected meaning, and
collocative meaning.
a. Conceptual or Denotative Meaning
Based on Leech (1974) conceptual meaning is defined as the literal meaning
of the words. The meaning of the words are likely similar to the meaning from the
dictionary. Conceptual meaning deals with the core meaning of expression. The
aim of conceptual meaning is to provide the appropriate semantic representation
to a sentence or statement. Conceptual meaning is the essential or it can be called
as the core meaning, while others six are completing it. Leech gives primacy to
the conceptual meaning because it has hierarchical structure and also sophisticate
organization from the principle of contrastiveness.
For example:
Girl : [+Human], [+Female], [-Adult]
Here, the feature of the word ‘Girl’ is [+Human], [+Female] and [–Adult].
The use of the word would fit for someone who is still underage (under 18)
because it has been a common use in society communication, meanwhile,
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The hierarchical structure of ‘Girl’ = [+Human] [-Male] [–Adult]
The [–Male] would be more general to this word, because it belongs to female sex
appeal. [+Human] would be included into the feature because this noun usually
refers to human being. [–Adult] has the meaning that this noun is a proper noun
for a teenager rather than an adult person.
b. Connotative Meaning
Connotative meaning is the meaning which has communicative value of an
expression over and above its conceptual content (Leech, 1974, p.12). This
meaning goes beyond the literal meaning or the real attributes in the real world
because it expresses meaning more than what the dictionary tells us.
For example in the word ‘Girl’ can be explained as [+Human], [+Female], [-
Adult]. Yet, in the Connotative Meaning, it also can be explained as [+Active],
[+Puberty], [+Playful], and other attributes. From that, connotative meaning itself
can also reflecting the attributes of the words only by looking from the choice of
the word.
c. Social Meaning
In Leech (1974) social meaning is the meaning of the words spoken that can
be related to the social background of the speakers and also the social context of
its use. Our interpretation of this meaning depends on our knowledge of stylistic
and other variations of language. Social Meaning deals with social circumstances
of the use of linguistic expression.
For example, some dialectical words inform us about the social background
or the regional background of the speakers.
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“I ain’t done nothing.”
From those words, we can conclude that the speaker might be a black
American that lives in a circle that consist of the same races as them. Those kind
of style has been a trademark for them to talk even with the people outside their
circle. The use of words ‘ain’t’ is common in the African-American society and it
is slang word from ‘am not’ or ‘are not’.
d. Affective Meaning
For some linguists, affective meaning refers to emotive association or
effects of words evoked in the reader, or the listener. It is what is conveyed about
the personal feelings or attitude towards the listener.
For example, the word ‘home’ for a sailor/soldier or an expatriate and
‘mother’ for a motherless child, a married woman (especially in Indian context)
will have special affective, emotive quality. Here, the affective meaning is
showing the deeper or the further meaning of a word to the other. The word
‘home’ can be a common word for some people. However, for some people who
lived abroad, or working far away from home as a sailor or soldier, which are
mostly spend their time outside their home, ‘home’ could be more precious for
them cause it can show the warmest place, happiness, family, comfort and some
others else that related to it because they rarely can feel it. Yet, the word ‘mother’
for the motherless children could be really important because it may bring warm
for them as they never feel the way they live with the ‘mother’ figure in person, or
it may trigger sadness because of they were abandoned or their mother has already
passed away.
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In affective meaning, language is used to express personal feelings or
attitude to the listener or to the subject matter of the discourse (Leech, 1974,
p.15). This kind of meaning usually used as the tool to deliver the message in such
a way, as we have to pay a lot of attention and to search it harder to find how it
supposed to be told.
For Leech (1974), affective meaning refers to what is conveyed about the
feeling and attitude of the speaker through use of language (Leech, 1974, p.15).
Affective meaning is often conveyed through conceptual, connotative content of
the words used, for example,
“You are a vicious tyrant and a villainous reprobation and I hate you”
“I hate you, you idiot”.
(Leech, 1974, p.15)
In this example, we are left with a little doubt of what the speaker means to the
listener. Here, the speaker seems to have a very negative attitude towards his
listener. Nevertheless, we can also see that the expressions also include the
speaker put the words ‘vicious tyrant’ and also ‘a villainous reprobation’ right
after ‘you’ to make a direct comparison between ‘you’ and the two words that
were mentioned before, to make a hidden message that the person does not like
‘you’. This is called affective meaning. However, very often we are more discreet
and convey our attitude indirectly
For example, “I am terribly sorry but if you would be so kind as to lower your
voice a little”
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The statement above conveys the person’s irritation in a scaled down manner for
the sake of politeness. Intonation and voice quality are also important to make
sure that the message is perfectly delivered to the listener. Thus the sentence
above can be uttered in sending a sarcasm opinion and the impression of
politeness maybe reversed while, “Will you belt up?” can be turned into a playful
remark between intimates if said with the intonation of a request. Words like
darling, sweetheart or hooligan have inherent emotive quality and they can be
used neutrally. This affective meaning could reveal what the people means in
deeper sense rather than something that appears on the surface.
e. Reflected Meaning
In reflected meaning, Leech (1974) states that this meaning carries multiple
conceptual meaning. In church context, for example, ‘the comforter of the Holy
Ghost’ refers to the Third Trinity, but it can also be related to another meaning as
the word ‘Ghost’ that closely related to something ‘awesome’ or might be
something ‘dreadful’ while the word ‘comforter’ can be related to something
comforting and nice.
In poetry, reflective meaning can also be applied, as seen in following lines
form,
Futility
By Wilfried Owen
Move him into the sun—
Gently its touch awoke him once,
At home, whispering of fields half-sown.
Always it woke him, even in France,
Until this morning and this snow.
If anything might rouse him now
The kind old sun will know.
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Think how it wakes the seeds—
Woke once the clays of a cold star.
Are limbs, so dear-achieved, are sides
Full-nerved, still warm, too hard to stir? Was it for this the clay grew tall?
—O what made fatuous sunbeams toil
To break earth's sleep at all?
In this poetry, the author uses ‘dear’ in the sense of expensiveness, but the
sense of beloved still eluded from the word ‘dear’ as it always appear to
emphasize someone special or someone we love (Line 3-4. Stanza 2).
f. Collocative Meaning
Collocative meaning is the meaning where words can be related to other
particular words (Leech, 1974, p.16). For example for the word ‘man’ and ‘boy’
indicate ‘male’. Another example is ‘pretty’ and ‘handsome’ that indicates ‘good
looking’. From those, one word can be related to indicate the presence of the
concept of words. However, those words are slightly differ from each other
because of its usual or habitual co-occurrence. The word ‘man’ collocates with
adult male and humankind, while ‘boy’ collocates with little kid, teenagers,
sometimes also use for our pet. For ‘pretty’, it collocates with girl, scenery,
situation, flowers. Meanwhile, ‘handsome’ collocates with boys or man.
g. Thematic Meaning
Thematic meaning refers to something communicated by the way in which a
speaker or a writer organizes the message in terms of ordering focus and emphasis
(Leech, 1974, p.19). This thematic meaning helps us to understand the message
and its implication properly. For example,
“Mrs. Dawson donated the house.”
“The house was donated by Mrs. Dawson.”
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In the first sentence, the person who gave the house would be more important than
the house itself, but in the second sentence, the house is the important one. Thus,
the change of the focus can also change the meaning also.
C. Review of Related Backgrounds: The Journey of Killing Me Inside and
Scaller
Killing Me Inside was established more than 10 years ago in Indonesia
Music Industry and they have experienced some changes of members in their
group formation, thus, it contributes to the variations in their music and leads to
their current situation, where they are always get booked to perform every week.
They started from the bottom, from the small stages until they reached their big
name in the Indonesian Music Industry. Killing Me Inside has just released their
breakthrough album in 2016 titled “REBIRTH” and it acquires good feedbacks
from their audiences, mostly the youth, because of their valiancy to get back to
their roots in post-hardcore and modern rock genre. From that new album, they
start to produce new kind of music that can give a positive vibe to the listener. In
2017 they decided to let go their vocalist, Savira Razak, because she wants to
focus on her new family and business. Then, Killing Me Inside recruited a new
vocalist, the former vocalist of Garasi Band, Aiu Ratna; but they do not add her as
the fix member of the band but as the featuring member. They produced a new
single last July titled “Fractured” and this one has many interesting figurative
expressions that can be analyzed.
Scaller appears as a newcomer in the Indonesian Music Industry but they
were initiated their performance since early 2011. They try to provide the spirit of
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23
the youth through their lyrics that use many wordplays by using figurative
language and it may not be easy to understand the first time we listen to it. Their
existences in music industry of Indonesia was also recognized by Rolling Stone
Indonesia magazine, with their achievement in “Editor’s Choice Award 2017” as
“Rookie of the Year” (Rolling Stone Indonesia Magazine, 2017, para. 2). The
genre that they bring to Indonesian music industry from the first time they
established is progressive rock and there are not many players in this section.
Therefore, they still stay on the same genre until today. This band has just
released their very first full album entitled “SENSES” and one song titled ”The
Youth” contains many interesting figurative expression to be analyzed. Now, they
have been noticed by Indonesian Music Industry’s crowd, and their name have
regularly written in some famous music festival in this country.
D. Theoretical Framework
In this study, the theories that explained above are used to analyze the data
that the writer has collected from selected song lyrics. The first theory, Semantics
is being used in this research to limit the scope of the analysis and also to show
the thing that would be analyzed which is the phrase of each line of the lyric. The
second theory, Semantic feature, is the branch of the semantic theory which will
be used in this thesis to find the semantic feature of each phrase of the lyric that
can help the writer to find the figurative expression applied in the song lyrics. The
third theory, Figurative language, is being used in here to show which
expressions that match with the semantic feature of each phrase of the song lyrics.
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Semantic feature will be used again in the problem formulation 2 to help the
writer to find the emotive feature of each words that apply figurative expressions.
The seven theory of meaning by Leech here shows several types of meaning that
can be applied in this research. However, the writer only took one of them,
Affective meaning theory, to be used in this research in order to reveal the
affective meaning of the Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” and Scaller’s “The
Youth” song lyrics.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, the writer showed the object of the study used in the
research. Furthermore, this chapter also explains about the method of the study as
reflected in the data collection and data analysis sections.
A. Object of the Study
The object of this study was taken from Scaller’s song lyric entitled “The
Youth” and also Killing Me Inside’s song lyric entitle “Fractured”. Scaller’s was
established from 2011 and “The Youth” is one of their hits that they released right
after their first mini album “1991” out. This song’s lyric contains figurative
expressions that are interesting to be analyzed. Similar to Scaller, Killing Me
Inside released “Fractured” after the new vocalist joined. The reason behind the
release of the songs was to announce to their crowd that their existence is worthy
to be taken seriously. They wanted to deliver their youth spirit to their crowd
through their songs. They also want to deliver a new color of their existence
through that song. This study attempts to analyze figurative expressions in the
lyrics and find the hidden meaning of the song lyrics.
The reason behind the song lyrics selection is because both of them come
from different genre but the things that they want to express are the same.
Therefore, the writer would like to analyze each figurative expression used in the
lyrics.
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B. Approach of the Study
The approach that the writer used in this study is semantic approach. This
approach was chosen because this approach focuses on the role of the word to the
text meaning. As defined by Riemer (2010) “The job of semantics is to study the
basic, literal meanings of words as considered principally as parts of a language
system.” Semantic approach specializes to analyze the word through their basic
meaning and also their features analyzed by the semantic properties. As the writer
would like to find the role of each word through the figurative expressions that
applied on the words, the writer chose to use semantic approach to analyze the
words containing figurative expressions through finding features of each words
using semantic properties.
C. Method of the Study
1. Data collection
The writer applied the population study from each song lyric to get the
exact data. In population study, the writer has to find all the data from the object
of the study, and put all the result as the data that we have to analyze later.
Firstly, the writer used the text analysis using semantic properties to some
sentences in every line that could be contained figurative expressions. Here the
writer would analyze the word depends on its type (could be a noun or a verb or
anything else). After the writer found the features of each words, the writer used
seven types of figurative languages took from Britton and Britton (2010) to
categorize each sentences into the exact type of figurative expressions by looking
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27
on its features and find the correlation between one word to another word that has
been analyzed in the same line, whether it stands on the same domain or different
domain of words, or it could be the meaning of the words itself that are contrary to
each other. The features can help the writer to find the connotation of the words in
the line through finding its natural form and what the context of the words in the
line.
2. Data Analysis
The method of the study that the writer used in this research is qualitative
research. In the part A the writer analyzed each word in the phrases of the song
lyrics, using semantic feature analysis method from semantic theory. The
semantic features of each word are found by analyzed the use of the word in the
lyric by focused on the classification of words as nouns, verbs, or adjectives. The
process was done by looking on the use of the words which are not usual in the
phrase and from those, the writer would find the exact type of figurative
expression that matched with the phrase. In part B the writer ran the semantic
feature analysis to find the emotive feature of each word by focused on the word
meanings and also the figurative expression applied in the phrase. The emotive
features that are found in the words would help the writer to find what the words
bring in the phrases because it can reveal what the words are meant and also the
feeling that the bands want to deliver to the listener. After all the processes in part
B are finished, the writer used affective meaning theory from Leech (1974) to find
the affective meaning of both Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” and Scaller’s “The
Youth” song lyrics and find what the bands want to deliver to the listener.
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CHAPTER IV
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
This chapter presents a full explanation of the research in an attempt to
answer the research problems of this thesis. The first part presents figurative
languages applied in the song lyrics and the second part discusses about the
affective meaning of Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” lyric and Scaller’s “The
Youth” lyric.
A. Types of Figurative Language Found in Scaller’s “The Youth” and
Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured”
This part explains about the types of figurative language that are found in
Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” and also Scaller’s “The Youth” through semantic
features analysis applied on each line of the lyric. The result of the analysis of the
types of figurative language below would also lead into the identification of
affective meaning of the songs that the writer will discuss part B of this chapter.
1. Types of Figurative Language in Killing Me Inside “Fractured” lyric
In the section 1, the writer would discuss all the figurative language that
might be applied in the Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” lyric. Each line of the
lyric was analyzed using the semantic features and this helped the writer to
categorize it into the exact figurative language. Table 1 presents the lines from the
lyric that are contains figurative language.
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Table 1: Types of Figurative Language in Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” lyric
No. Words Classification
a. Hurling memories uncontrolled Metaphor
b. In this fractured reality Metaphor
c. Lost inside the wave Metaphor
d. Breaking all the ties Metaphor
e. Breeding words of lies Personification
f. Silence breaks our clarity Personification
g. Silence breaks our clarity Metaphor
In table 1, the writer found five metaphor and two personification figurative
language applied on the Killing Me Inside “Fractured” lyric. Here, the band put
some of the figurative language in the early part of the lyric and some in the
middle part of the lyric. Metaphor appears the most in this lyric and it would
shows about the use of one word to represents about something else.
a. Metaphors Found in Killing Me Inside “Fractured” lyric
Killing Me Inside’s uses some figurative language in their song lyric
entitled “Fractured”. Here, metaphor figurative language appears five times and
it appears the most, than the other figurative language which applied in this lyric.
Here, the writer would explain about the features of each lines that the writer has
found through semantic features analysis.
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i. Hurling memories uncontrolled
“Hurling memories uncontrolled” uses metaphor figurative language in it.
Hurling and memories have their own features which are not related to each other
and the word uncontrolled here stands to emphasize the words hurling memories.
According to Oxford Living dictionary, hurling as a verb means “throw
something (an object) with great force”. However, hurling in this line is not used
as a verb but it becomes participle adjective that modifies the noun memories.
Based on the definition, this word has the semantic features as follows,
Hurling (adj) : ⌈+FORCED
+DISRUPTION⌉
Here the word hurling is functioned as a participle adjective as it borrows
the word which naturally comes from verb category. This word appears in this
line to modify the word memories in order to show about the situation that
happens to the word memories. The word hurling brings two features that show
about what this word refers to. [+FORCED] shows that this word explains that the
word memories appears as something annoying that cannot be controlled by the
person that reflects in the word “uncontrolled”. This feature also shows that the
appearance of the word memories does not depended on the person’s need. In the
[+DISRUPTION] feature, it shows that this word hurling explains about
something that bother the person’s life in this lyric and it shows the unhappiness
about that moment.
For the word memories, according to Oxford Living dictionary, it means
“something that you remember {thought}”. This word is used to show about the
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31
thing that has value to the youth which modified by the word hurling. The
semantic features as follows,
Memories (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−ANIMATE
⌉
From the features above, memories as a noun has three main features based
on its semantic features analysis. The first one is [-CONCRETE] which define it
as non-count object and it does not have any concrete form. For the last feature,
[–ANIMATE], this feature would defines the word memories as the object that is
not having the ability of a living being and it only appears as an abstract object
which related to human mind.
Based on the explanation above, the writer concluded that this phrase
contained metaphor figurative language in it. It can be seen from the use of one
word that is transferred into a different domain of its first own domain which is
the used of the word memories as not-concrete object becomes concrete object
and also the appearance of the verb hurling which changed into participle
adjective to modify the word memories.
ii. In this fractured reality
From the line “in this fractured reality”, the writer took the words fractured
and reality to be analyzed through semantic features analysis, to find the exact
figurative language that are applied in this line.
From the analysis, the writer found that the first word, fractured, is used to
define the following word, reality. This word is originally categorized as a verb,
but in here it appears as participle adjective which Oxford Living Dictionary
defines it as ” split or broken and unable to function or exist.” Here, the writer gets
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32
several features from semantic feature analysis which explains the word fractured
as follows,
Fractured (adj) : ⌈+BROKEN
−SATISFACTION⌉
For the word fractured, the writer found two features through the semantic
feature analysis. This word appears in the line not as a verb but it appears as a
participle adjective which modifies the word reality. In here, it brings
[+BROKEN] feature. This feature shows that the word fractured, which originally
came as a verb with the meaning “to break something hard”, in this phrase it
appears as a participle adjective with the meaning as “split or broken and unable
to function or exist” and this word shows about something broken. The word
fractured also brings [-SATISFACTION] that shows the upset expression towards
something that happens in the word reality. This word would modify the word
reality and explains about the condition of the word reality.
Meanwhile, the noun reality stands as a term of situation. This word could
refer to our life which we might see as a thing that we do not want to be involved
in. From Oxford Living dictionary, it is stated that the word reality means “the
way things or situations really are and not the way you would like them to be”.
Through the semantic feature analysis, the writer found that this noun brings some
features as follows
Reality (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−ANIMATE
⌉
The second word, reality, has three features in it. As a noun, it does not have
any concrete form, therefore, [-CONCRETE] would fit to this word. This word is
being modified by the word fractured which in here appears as a participle
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33
adjective. The word fractured gives an imagination about the situation that
happened in reality. As a noun, the word reality appears as an object which is not
having any concrete form in it, and this word only relates to the situation which
the person lives in. In the last feature [–ANIMATE], it shows that this noun is
neither appears as animal nor living beings.
The word fractured, which naturally a verb, appears in this line as a
participle adjective. This word appears to modify the word reality that comes right
after the word fractured. Fractured brings some semantic features: [+BROKEN]
and [-SATISFACTION] that show about the connotation of the word fractured
towards reality. While in the word reality, it brings [–CONCRETE] and [–
COUNT] that showing that reality is cannot be modified by the word fractured in
a literal way because the word reality has no concrete form that can be broken by
the idea carried in the word fractured and it shows that fractured in here is getting
changed of used from a verb to a participle adjective which explains about
something broken. According to the explanation above, the writer concludes that
this phrase is contained metaphor figurative language because it combine word
that is explicitly contrary and also the use of the word in different domain.
iii. Lost inside the wave
In this lyric, the writer found a phrase, lost inside the wave, which come
right after the lines in this fractured reality – where all the sins collide. In here the
writer found that this line is still connected with the two lines which come earlier
and they share same connotation that defines about something “bad” in the youth
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34
life. From the phrase, the writer took the words lost and wave as the words which
might be applied a figurative language in it.
According to Oxford Living dictionary, the word lost has meaning as “not
knowing where you are or where you should go”. Based on the semantic features
analysis, the word lost in this lyric is having same features with the dictionary’s
meaning, as follows,
Lost (v) : ⌈
+STATIVE−DURATIVE−TELIC
−VOLUNTARY
⌉
From the analysis above, the writer found that the word lost here functions
as a verb and it has four semantic features such as [+STATIVE], [-DURATIVE],
[-TELIC] and [-VOLUNTARY]. The first feature is [+STATIVE] showing that
this verb does not need any input of energy to operate and it does not give any
impact to the words that come after it. [+DURATIVE] feature occurs on this word
features because this verb shows the action of the person in the lyric. This word is
also followed by [–TELIC] feature which shows that this verb does not have any
endpoints or goals to admit, because it only describes the situation of the person.
The last feature is [–VOLUNTARY] which shows that this activity does not
happen on the agent’s willful action.
Meanwhile, in the word wave, the writer found that this word is stated by
Oxford Living dictionary as “A long body of water curling into an arched form
and breaking on the shore.” However, the word wave in this lyric is reflecting
something different. This word is functioned to give a picture about something
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35
which is not appears literally. Based on that, from the semantic feature analysis,
this word is having a different features as follows,
Wave (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−ANIMATE
⌉
Depends on the features above, the word wave as a noun is having three
main features which are [-CONCRETE] and [–ANIMATE]. Here, the word inside
indicates about a preposition of the person that experiencing the lost verb.
In the word wave, the writer has analyzed this noun and found that it having
three main features: [-CONCRETE] and [–ANIMATE]. For [–CONCRETE], it
shows that this noun is not appear as a real object that can be seen visually since
wave does not represent the flow of the water in the ocean, but it likely refers to
the “problem” which happens around the youth. According to the meaning, wave
represents something that follows the flow of the sea, and it can be a threat for
human if they do not take aware of it while playing on the shore. This word can be
related to “problem” as they have some similar traits. Problem appears in the
human life because it follows the flow of the human life and it also can be a threat
for the human if we are not take a good care and solve it as soon as possible. Both
wave and problems share same characteristic as wave appears because of the flow
of the ocean and problems appears because of the flow of the human life. For the
last feature [–ANIMATE], it explained to us that this noun is not a living being
which cannot do anything by its own.
According to the explanation above, the writer found that this line uses
metaphor figurative language as it transfer one word from a different domain to
another domain. This is reflected in “lost inside the wave”. The underlined word,
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36
the wave, is not a literal wave in the sea, but it represents the situation of the time.
The writer was mentioned the word wave as the “problem” because they both
share the same characteristic that the person feel lost in it. The wave in here
describes the problems that happens in the reality that was mentioned in line, in
this fractured reality, and the following line, where the sins collide.
iv. Breaking all the ties
In this part, the writer took breaking and ties as the words that would be
analyzed through semantic feature analysis. This line still has a connection with
the line which was analyzed earlier, lost inside the wave. And in this phrase, it
explains about the next situation which happens after the line lost inside the wave.
For the first word, breaking, the writer found four main features contained in the
word. For the second word, ties, the writer found three main features contained in
the word.
As stated by Oxford Living dictionary, the word breaking means as “(with
object) separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain”. According to
that meaning, the writer found that the word breaking in this line uses the same
meaning as the dictionary has stated. From the semantic feature analysis, the
writer found that this word carries four main features as follows,
Breaking (v) : ⌈
−STATIVE+DURATIVE+TELIC
−VOLUNTARY
⌉
The word breaking has four main features based on what the writer found
from the semantic feature analysis. As a verb, the word breaking carries the
meaning of “separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain”. This word
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37
would exactly need an input of energy to be operated and it shows that this verb is
categorized as a dynamic verb. As a dynamic verb, the [-STATIVE] feature would
be included into its word feature. The second feature, [+DURATIVE] explains
that this verb goes in time because it uses present participle form to show that this
situation is still on going. For the next feature, [+TELIC], it explains that this
situation has endpoints or goals. The endpoint of this activity is stated in the word
all the ties as the target word. The last feature, [-VOLUNTARY] shows that this
action happens not under the agent’s willful action as this situation is the result of
the previous situation in lost inside the wave.
For the target word, ties, it stands as noun in this lyric. Oxford Living
dictionary defines ties as ”a relationship that connects you with place, person, etc
(connection)”. According to the definition, the writer found that the word ties in
this lyric has three main features as follows,
Ties (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−COUNT−ANIMATE
⌉
By looking on the features above the word ties which is a noun that is
mentioned in “Fractured” lyric refers to the bond between people. It also
supported by the idea from the line lost inside the wave that comes before this line
which represents about the problem inside the youth life. And as the young
people, relationship has been something precious because around this age many
young people are likely to build some new relations to everyone which has same
vision as them. Therefore, this noun appears as connection which relates to human
mind and it does not have a concrete form in it. Based on that definition, this word
carries [-CONCRETE] to show that this noun does not have a concrete form. The
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38
second feature [+COUNT] explains about the word ties as a noun which could be
counted. This noun appears as a plural noun which shows that it can be counted.
The last feature is [–ANIMATE] which explains to us that this noun is not a living
being.
The writer found that both breaking and ties words came from a different
domain of words. The verb breaking would only work on concrete things, while
in this line it is used to give an impact to an abstract object, ties. Ties, as a relation
that happens between people, cannot be seen visually because it relates to human
mind. Here, the word ties is pictured as a concrete object which can be broken by
the verb breaking. According to the analysis above, the writer found that the line
breaking all the ties is using metaphor as the figurative language.
v. Silence breaks our clarity
In this line, the writer took breaks our clarity as the part of this line which
uses metaphor figurative language. Both breaks and clarity carries three semantic
features according to their semantic features analysis.
For the first word, breaks, Oxford Living dictionary defines it as “to
separate into two or more pieces, or to make something separate into two or more
pieces”. According to that definition, the writer found that this word has semantic
features as follows,
Breaks (v) : ⌈
−STATIVE+DURATIVE+TELIC
+VOLUNTARY
⌉
Based on the features, breaks stands as a verb which needs an input of
energy in order to giving impact to the target words and it called as dynamic verb.
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39
Based on that, this verb carries [–STATIVE] feature in it. The next is
[+DURATIVE] which shows that this situation is a process, which can be seen
from the use simple present tense on breaks in that phrase. [+TELIC] feature is
also included into its feature because this situation has an endpoint or goals. This
verb aims “to separate into two or more pieces” the target word, clarity. The last
feature is [+VOLUNTARY], which shows that this situation happens under the
agent’s willful action. This can be seen in the lyric’s line, silence breaks our
clarity.
The word clarity is defined by Oxford Living dictionary as “the quality of
being coherent and intelligible”. Based on the use of this word in Killing Me
Inside’s ”Fractured”, this word reflects the same meaning as what it is defined by
the dictionary. According to the previous explanation, the writer ran the semantic
feature analysis and found that this word has a different features as follows,
Clarity (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−ANIMATE
⌉
The word clarity stands as a noun that has a similarity to the noun silence
which mentioned on the first part of the line. Clarity is a noun which does not
have any concrete form. It is related to the matter of situation and it would be seen
as something abstract. Clarity also appears as inanimate object as it does not have
any form and ability of a living being. Based on the analysis, clarity will carry [–
CONCRETE] and [–ANIMATE] semantic features.
Here, the part of the line, breaks our clarity, utilizes metaphor as a
figurative language from the word clarity which stands as the target word. The
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40
word clarity is transferred from an abstract domain to the concrete domain as it
gets impact from breaks verb.
b. Personification Found in Killing Me Inside “Fractured” lyric
In this lyric, personification figurative language is appeared two times.
Here, the writer explains for each lines which applied personification figurative
language in it.
i Breeding words of lies
In this part, the writer found breeding words of lies as the phrase that
contains figurative language. For the word breeding, which is a verb, it has four
main features that the writer found through the semantic feature analysis. For the
second word, the writer took lies from words of lies. Lies word in here have three
main features that contained in the word.
For the word breeding, following the explanation from Oxford Living
dictionary, this word as a verb means as “develop (a kind of animal or plant) for a
particular purpose or quality.” This verb is usually used by human for animal or
plant to show their maternal activity. In this phrase, this word is used by the band
to show the action of producing bad things in words of lies. From the analysis, the
writer found that this verb has some semantic features as follows,
Breeding (v) : ⌈
−STATIVE+DURATIVE+TELIC
+VOLUNTARY
⌉
Based on the features, breeding carries [–STATIVE] feature because it
stands as verb which needs an input of energy to do the activity. Therefore, this
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41
verb would be included into dynamic verb type. The second feature is
[+DURATIVE], which explains that this verb goes in time as it uses present
participle form in breed-ing to show that the activity is still ongoing. For the third
feature, [+TELIC], this feature shows that this situation having an endpoint or
goals. This word aims to produce a thing that reflected in the word words of lies.
In the last feature, [+VOLUNTARY], this feature shows that this situation
happened under the agent’s willful action. The line which comes after this line, is
this something that we try?, also explains that the action in the phrase breeding
words of lies happens under the agent’s willful action as those lines mentioned we
to questioning the action in the phrase breeding words of lies.
For the second word the writer analyzes the word lies which is counted as a
noun. The reason why the writer took this word instead of the word words of
because lies is what breeding aims to produce in this phrase. According to Oxford
Living dictionary, this word has meaning as “something that you say or write
which you know is not true”. This noun is used in this phrase by the band to show
about the bad thing that the verb breeding aims to produce. From the analysis, the
writer found that this word has semantic features as follows,
Lies (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−ANIMATE
⌉
From the analysis, the word lies brings two semantic features: [-
CONCRETE] and [-ANIMATE]. According to its dictionary’s meaning, this
word represents about a statement of something which is not true. Therefore, the
word lies in this phrase would not have any concrete form [-CONCRETE]. In the
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42
last feature, [-ANIMATE] shows that this word is not considered as a living
being.
The phrase breeding words of lies in this lyric applies personification
figurative language. It can be seen from the use of the word breeding that is
combined with the word lies. Here, the word breeding should belong to the living
being especially animals as it has meaning of “develop (a kind of animal or plant)
for a particular purpose or quality”. Meanwhile, the word lies in here is not
considered as a living being. The band has given human quality to the word words
of lies to show that this words of lies is equal to a living being which is worth to
be born. In fact, this phrase is followed by the line is this something that we try?
which questioning about the action that the person did in the breeding words of
lies.
ii Silence breaks our clarity
In this part, the writer took silence breaks from the line of the lyric because
it uses personification as a figurative language. The word silence stands as a noun
while the word breaks stands as a verb.
The first word that the writer has analyzed is silence. According to Oxford
Living dictionary, silence word carries meaning as “complete absence of sound”.
Based on that, this noun would appears as an abstract object in this phrase.
Furthermore, based on the semantic feature analysis that the writer conducted, this
word contains some features as follows
Silence (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−ANIMATE
⌉
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43
By looking on the features above, silence stands as a noun which has three
main features based on its semantic features analysis. Silence is a noun which
does not have a concrete form. Based on the dictionary’s meaning, it is related to
the situation which is no sound. Therefore, it would appear as something abstract,
which means that it does not have any concrete form [-CONCRETE]. Silence also
stands as an inanimate object and it cannot do any activities by its own. However,
in this lyric, it stands as a noun which does an activity breaks, but still the
characteristic of silence would be considered as [–ANIMATE].
The second word, breaks, is defined by Oxford Living dictionary as “to
separate into two or more pieces, or to make something separate into two or more
pieces”. According to that definition, the writer found that this word has the
features as follows,
Breaks (v) : ⌈
−STATIVE+DURATIVE+TELIC
+VOLUNTARY
⌉
Based on the features, the word breaks stands as a verb which needs an
animate object or a living being to operate the verb as it needs an input of energy
in order to give impact to the target words and it is called as dynamic verb. Based
on that, this verb carries [–STATIVE] feature in it. The next is [+DURATIVE]
feature which shows that this situation goes in time which can be seen from the
use of present tense breaks in the line. [+TELIC] feature is also included into its
features because this situation has an endpoint or goals. This verb aims to tear
apart or to crack the target word, clarity. The last feature is [+VOLUNTARY]
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44
which shows that this situation is happening under the agent’s willful action
which can be seen from the line, silence breaks our clarity.
Based on the semantic feature analysis that the writer conducted, the writer
found that silence breaks our clarity uses personification figurative language.
The noun silence changed from not-living being to a living being as it has given a
human quality to do an action in the verb breaks. This phrase would also show
about what the aim of the action of the word silence which appears in here to
breaks the noun clarity.
2. The Types of Figurative Language in Scaller “The Youth” lyric
In this second part, the writer presents the figurative languages that are
found in Scaller’s “The Youth” song lyric. Table 2 will show the types of
figurative language that are found in the song which the writer got from the
semantic feature analysis on each line of the Scaller’s “The Youth” lyric.
Table 2: Types of Figurative Language in Scaller’s The Youth lyric
No. Words Classification
1 My world is dying Personification
2 Bury all the pain that I can't stand Metaphor
3 there's no surprises my world is spinning Personification
4 The youth keep trying to break the fall Metaphor
5 Bury all the blame Metaphor
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In Scaller’s “The Youth”, metaphor figurative language appears five times in the
lyric. Here, the writer found that most of the figurative language are applied in the
early part of the lyric and in the middle part of the lyric. The use of metaphor
figurative language also shows that the band wants to picture something deeper
using another word in another different domain of word.
a. Metaphors Found in Scaller “The Youth” lyric
In this lyric, metaphorical expressions appear three times. Here, the writer
would explain about the features of each lines through semantic feature analysis,
which applied metaphor figurative language.
i. Bury all the pain that I can’t stand
In this first analysis, the writer analyzed two words which are bury and pain.
From the semantic feature analysis that the writer conducted, the word bury brings
four features, while the word pain contains three features.
Oxford Living dictionary defines bury as “Hide or try to forget (a feeling or
memory)”. The word bury in this phrase shows the action of someone to forget
something. Based on the semantic features analysis, the word bury carries some
features as follows,
Bury (v) : ⌈
+STATIVE+DURATIVE+TELIC
+VOLUNTARY
⌉
From the first word, bury, the writer found that this verb is used to give an
impact to an object that comes in the target word, the noun pain. According to
Oxford Living Dictionary, bury is defined as “Hide or try to forget (a feeling or
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46
memory)”. The word bury in here shows an action of someone which picture in
this phrase as “I” which does an action in bury to give impact to the something
that “I” suffered in pain. Related to the definition that is mentioned above, this
verb does not need any input of energy as it works on our mind and it would be a
static verb [+STATIVE]. For the second feature, [+DURATIVE] explains about
the situation which happens in time, as the word bury in here appears in the form
of simple present. The next feature is [+TELIC] which explains that this situation
has an endpoint or goal because it is followed by that I can’t stand right after the
words bury all the pain. For the last feature, [+VOLUNTARY] describes that this
situation happens under the agent’s willful action as it is operated by “I” that is
mentioned in the last part of the lyric’s line.
For the second word, pain, the writer found that this word is counted as a
noun which does not have any concrete form as it is related to the feel or the
emotion of someone about something. Pain is different from wound that is having
a visual proof, since pain is the representation of the wound that is connected with
the feeling in our mind. According to Oxford Living dictionary, pain could be
categorized into two types, countable and uncountable. For countable noun, it is
related to “Physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury”. As an
uncountable noun, it is related to “Mental suffering or distress”. The later
definition is the one reflecting the pain in the song lyric. Based on that, the writer
found that this word has the semantic features as follows,
Pain (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−COUNT−ANIMATE
⌉
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Pain could not be included in countable side because it only appears as
singular object and it would be [–COUNT]. Following on that, the writer sees that
this pain word would not appears as a concrete object as it only represents the
sensation, feel, emotion, that is only on mind matters, therefore this one would
carries [–CONCRETE] feature because of the form of the noun that cannot be
seen visually. The last feature, [+ANIMATE] is assigned because the pain only
could be experienced by a living being or an animate object because it relates to
the sensation and emotion that the living being only can feel through their mind.
I (n) : ⌈+CONCRETE−COUNT+HUMAN
⌉
For I, here it brings four main features such as [+CONCRETE], [-COUNT],
[+ANIMATE], and [+HUMAN]. Firstly, I refers to a pronoun for human being
which brings [+HUMAN] that describes about this noun which belongs to human.
As a human being, this noun would also has a concrete form based on its natural
form, but it cannot be counted in number because I is referring to a single person,
therefore [+CONCRETE] and [–COUNT] would be included into its features.
Then in the word stand which appears in the last part of the line that the
writer has analyzed in this section, the word stand is categorized as a noun.
Therefore, in this line, there are two phrases combined into one line and relates
between one another. Through the semantic feature analysis, the writer found that
this line is having some features as follows,
Stand (v) : ⌈
+STATIVE−DURATIVE−TELIC
+VOLUNTARY
⌉
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Then, the verb stand has four main features such as [+STATIVE],
[+DURATIVE], [-TELIC], [+VOLUNTARY]. For the [+STATIVE], this shows
that this situation does not need any input of energy to operate the verb. For
[+DURATIVE], this feature describes about the situation that goes in time that
can be seen from the use of simple present tense in the word stand. The next
feature, [-TELIC] tells us that this situation does not have any endpoints or goals
to be reach as this verb only explains about the result of something that I suffer in
the word pain. Last feature, [+VOLUNTARY] tells us that this situation happens
because of the agent’s willful action as it is operated by the noun I.
According to explanations above, this sentence bury all the pain that I can’t
stand contains metaphor figurative language. The phrase, bury all the pain, has
different features that are not connected from one to another. The word bury in
this phrase shows the action of I to put pain underground. Here the word pain is
transferred from an abstract thing to a concrete thing and it also shows that this
activity is not working on literal way. Bury in here means the action of ignoring
something which represented by the word pain. The phrase that I can’t stand
shows the result that caused by the word pain and also mention about I who is
operating the verb bury. The next phrase see if someone care shows the result of
the action that I conducted in the line bury all the pain that I can’t stand.
ii. Trying to break the fall
For section ii, the writer found the youth keep trying to break the fall phrase
applies metaphor. Here, the writer took the last part of the line, to break the fall,
and considers that this part carries a figurative language in it. In to break, this non-
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49
finite verb is used by the youth that is mentioned in the first part of the line lyric.
In the target word, the fall, here is the noun that would be analyzed by the writer
in this research to find the features of the word.
Here the word break is defined by Oxford Living dictionary as “separate or
cause to separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain”. Through
semantic feature analysis, the writer found that this word has the following
features
Break (v) : ⌈
−STATIVE+DURATIVE+TELIC
+VOLUNTARY
⌉
The first word, break has 4 main features such as [–STATIVE],
[+DURATIVE], [+TELIC], [+VOLUNTARY]. The word break is counted as a
dynamic verb because it needs input of energy to operate the verb. Therefore the
[–STATIVE] is assigned into its word features. The next feature, [+DURATIVE],
is telling us that this situation goes in time. This situation can be seen from the use
of the words the youth keep trying (which is still ongoing) to break the fall (the
thing that they still working on). [–TELIC] feature describes situations that do not
have endpoints or goals to reach that can be seen from the words to break the fall
which does not have any following words that explains where this situation is
going to. The last feature, [+VOLUNTARY], tells us that this situation happens
under the agent’s willful action and intentionally.
Meanwhile, the word fall is counted as a noun. As stated by Oxford Living
dictionary, the word fall is having meaning as “a defeat or downfall”. This word
shows about the situation and it would not appear as a concrete object. According
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50
to that definition, the writer found that this word brings two features in its word
features as follows,
Fall (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−ANIMATE
⌉
Based on the features above, the writer found that this noun could be related
to the situation that is happening in the world that we all lived on. This noun has
three main features which are [–CONCRETE] and [–ANIMATE]. In the first
feature, [-CONCRETE] describes that this noun is not a noun which has a
concrete form because this noun is related to the situation or moment. The last
feature, [-ANIMATE] tells us that this noun is not a living being. This noun
would represent about the problems which happen in the youth life in this lyric as
it share the same characteristic in the bad connotation that they bring in the word
fall and the word problems.
According to the explanations above, the writer found that this line uses a
metaphor as figurative language in to break the fall. This figurative language can
be seen from the use of word which is not in its natural domain, which is from the
word the fall. The fall is related to the situation where something is going down
and it can represent about the problems that the youth has suffered in the process
of their life. Here, it gets an effect from the word to break and becomes something
that cannot be broken (in literal way) to something that can be broken. The word
break also emphasizes the urgency of the action that the youth takes in order to
solve their problems that is reflected from the use of the word fall in this phrase.
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iii. Bury all the blame so I can say as a Metaphor
In section iii, the writer took bury all the blame as the line that contains the
figurative language in it and worth to be analyzed using semantic features
analysis. In this part, the writer found some similarities of the phrase bury all the
blame so I can say with the phrase bury all the pain that I can’t stand in section i.
Oxford Living Dictionary defines the word bury as “Hide or try to forget (a
feeling or memory)”. Bury itself brings four main features according to its
semantic feature analysis, as follows,
Bury (v) : ⌈
+STATIVE+DURATIVE+TELIC
+VOLUNTARY
⌉
The first word that the writer analyzed is bury. This word brings four main
features in it. The first feature of bury is [+STATIVE] shows that this verb does
not need and input of energy as it works on our mind. The second feature is
[+DURATIVE]. This feature tells us that this situation goes in time as it uses the
simple present tense in it. The next feature, [+TELIC] tells us that this situation
has an endpoint to reach as it is mentioned in the last part of the lyric, so I can say
and then the next line, no room for the frail. Therefore this situation happens in
order to give the youth a chance to pull out their weaknesses as it is drawn by the
word frail. The last feature, [+VOLUNTARY] describes that this situation
happens because of the agent’s willful action.
The second word is the word blame. According to Oxford Living
Dictionary, blame is defined as “responsibility for a fault or wrong”. Based on
that, this word can be defined as a noun which is related to the statement of
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52
someone, it could be the spoken word, or the attitude of someone toward the
situation that happened especially the fault. This word blame caries two main
features based on its semantic features analysis as follows,
Blame (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−ANIMATE
⌉
Based on the features above, the first feature is [–CONCRETE]. This one
matched to the word blame because of its characteristic as a noun. Blame is
categorized as a noun which has no concrete form because it is related to the
statement of someone. Therefore, this noun would not be appeared as an object
that has a concrete form. The last feature, [-ANIMATE] is included into the word
blame’s features because this noun is not considered as a living being. It does not
have any concrete form and have no ability as a living being.
From all those definition above, this line uses metaphor. In metaphor,
people can use it to deliver an idea implicitly and also a hidden comparison
between two things that could be totally different. Bury and blame stands on a
different path. Bury is a dynamic verb which would give an impact to the target
word, and it needs a concrete object to deal with. Meanwhile, blame stands as a
noun which is related to the statement of someone, could be the spoken word, or
the attitude of someone toward the situation that happened especially the fault.
Thus, blame cannot be considered as a concrete object and it is counted as an
abstract noun. Based on that, those words that are standing in a real different path,
is written as a tool to deliver an implied meaning.
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b. Personification Found in Scaller’s “The Youth”
In this lyric, personification appears two times. Here, the writer explains
about the features of each lines that the writer has found through semantic features
analysis, which applied personification.
i. My world is dying
Here, the writer found the first line of the lyric of The Youth applies a
figurative language. From the line my world is dying, the writer took world and
dying to be analyzed through semantic features analysis. Based on the semantic
feature analysis, the word world carries two main semantic features, while the
word dying carries four semantic features.
Based on the Oxford Living dictionary, this word world means as ”(one's
world) One's life and activities”. The writer found that this meaning could be
something that the band wants to use in this line and through the semantic feature
analysis, this word has semantic features as follows,
World (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−ANIMATE
⌉
From the word world, the writer found that this word has two main features.
As a noun, world is counted as an inanimate object, which means it does not has
the ability of living beings. As an inanimate object, this noun also would be
included in [–ANIMATE] feature. Based on its form, world is related to
someone’s life which appears as an abstract things [-CONCRETE] because it only
explains about the situation of someone’s life.
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For the second word, dying, this word is the present participle of the verb
die. Based on the Oxford Living dictionary it means as “nearly death”. Following
on that, the writer found that this word is having four features in it, as follows,
Dying (v) : ⌈
+STATIVE+DURATIVE+TELIC
−VOLUNTARY
⌉
For the word dying, it carries four main features which are [+STATIVE],
[+DURATIVE], [+TELIC], and [-VOLUNTARY]. The first feature,
[+STATIVE] is included into one of this word’s features because this verb does
not need any input of energy. For the second feature, [+DURATIVE], it tells us
that this situation goes in time and it is still happening, as it can be seen from the
use of present participle form. The next feature [+TELIC] tells us that this
situation has a goal as it has explained in the verb that this world is nearly death.
The last feature is [–VOLUNTARY] which explains to us that this situation is not
happening under the agent’s willful action.
Based on those features, this line my world is dying uses personification
figurative language. It can be seen from the use of the word dying for the word
world. In here, the word world is [–ANIMATE] which means that this word is an
inanimate object and it is not a living being. From that, we can assume that the
band, Scaller, gives a human quality to the world object by putting the verb dying
after it. This idea was brought to show about the urgency of the situation of the
youth life in the form of the word world. They chose to put the verb dying there
because it relates to ”approaching dead” or “nearly dead”, and the band want to
show the urgency of the situation to the listener.
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ii. There is no surprises, my world is spinning as a Personification
In this section ii, the writer found a line there’s no surprises my world is
spinning. Here the writer analyzes the line through semantic feature analysis and
took two words, world and spinning that contains figurative language in it.
From the word world, as the writer found that it matches with the meaning
that Oxford Living dictionary has stated: “A person's life and activities”. This
noun stands to show about the life of the person, not as the place of living.
Through the semantic feature analysis, it has two main features as follows,
World (n) : ⌈−CONCRETE−ANIMATE
⌉
Through semantic feature analysis, the writer found the word world is
having two main features which are [–CONCRETE], [-ANIMATE]. For the first
feature, [-CONCRETE], the writer found that this noun refers to the person’s life.
This world represents the idea of life that “my” character brings. Based on that, [-
CONCRETE] shows the realization of the object is not really clear and it also
does not have a concrete form. The last feature, [-ANIMATE] shows that this
noun is neither a living being nor inanimate object. This noun definitely does not
have the ability to operate a dynamic verb or giving impact to another things.
Meanwhile, in the verb spinning, Oxford Living dictionary states it as “Turn
or cause to turn or whirl around quickly”. Following on that, this verb would work
and operated by a concrete object. This word has the following four features
according on its semantic feature analysis
Spinning (v) : ⌈
−STATIVE+DURATIVE−TELIC
−VOLUNTARY
⌉
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From the features above, we can see that this verb brings some features like
[-STATIVE], [+DURATIVE], [-TELIC], and [-VOLUNTARY]. Spinning is the
verb which needs an input of energy to operate it, and it is called as a dynamic
verb. As a dynamic verb, [-STATIVE] shows the verb’s characteristic which
needs an input of energy to give an impact for the target word and to be operated.
[+DURATIVE] explains that this situation goes in time that can be seen from the
use of present participle form in is spinning. The next feature [–TELIC] tells us
that this situation does not have any endpoint or goals to reach as it does not have
any following explanation after it. In the last feature, [-VOLUNTARY], it
explains that this situation is not happening under the agent’s willful action. It
happens unintentionally and the agent itself cannot control it.
According to the explanation above, world as a noun does not have any
concrete form in this sentence terms. It explains about the imagination of the place
of life which “my” character brings into this line. The word world refers to the
state of mind, not a concrete object. However, it is followed by a dynamic verb,
spinning, that needs a concrete object yet an animate being to operate this kind of
verb. Here, the world noun is given a human quality to operate the dynamic verb
and personification fits into this line of the lyric.
In the next part, the writer would reveal the affective meaning of the Killing
Me Inside’s “Fractured” and Scaller's “The Youth” using theory of meaning by
Leech (1974).
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B. The Affective Meaning of Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” and Scaller’s
“The Youth” Lyrics through Figurative Language Use
This part discusses the affective meaning of Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured”
and Scaller’s “The Youth” by looking on the figurative languages applied in some
parts of the lyrics. The types of figurative language that the band used in the
Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” and Scaller’s “The Youth” song lyrics can help
the writer to reveal the affective meaning of the lyrics because each of the
figurative language carries meanings which could reveal the affective meaning of
the whole lyrics.
1. Affective Meaning in Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” Song Lyric
In part A, the writer conducted semantic feature analysis on each line of the
lyric of Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” to find the figurative language applied on
each line of the lyric. In part B, the writer used the findings from part A to find the
revealed meanings of the figurative language used in the phrase. According to the
analysis in part A, metaphor appears five times in this lyric, and personification
appears two times.
a. Affective Meaning in the Words that Applied Metaphor
Here the writer took some lines which contains metaphor figurative
language. From the findings found in part A, the writer tried to reveal the affective
meaning of each lines by finding the emotive feature of each word that applied
figurative language through semantic feature analysis. The writer uses affective
meaning theory from Leech and tries to elaborate the use of figurative language in
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each phrase with the semantic features of each words in the phrase that applied
figurative language to find the affective meaning of the whole lyric.
i. Affective Meaning in hurling memories uncontrolled
The phrase hurling memories uncontrolled in Killing Me Inside’s
“Fractured” applies metaphor in the words hurling memories. In the word hurling,
it appears in this phrase as a participle adjective which modify the word
memories. This word is defined by Oxford Living Dictionary as “throw something
(an object) with great force”. In this phrase, this word have two semantic features:
[+FORCED] and [+DISRUPTION]. In [+FORCED] feature, it shows that this
situation happens suddenly and it is not something that this person wanted to
happens in their life. [+DISRUPTION] shows that this situation gives a sign of
something unwanted and it distracts the person’s life. This word hurling gives an
explanation that it modifies the word memories as something that is not necessary
in the person life because memories indicates about something bad that happened
in the past which the person in this lyric want to avoid. The word memories is
defined by Oxford Living Dictionary as “Something remembered from the past”.
According to the meaning and the verb that modifies it, the word memories brings
[+PAST] and should contains [+BAD] semantic feature. [+PAST] shows that this
word represents about some things that happened in the past life of the person.
While, in the [+BAD] shows that the memory of the past that the person in this
lyric has, is having bad connotation indicated by the use of the word hurling
which shows about the action to throw, to wipe out something with a great force.
The word uncontrolled in the end of the phrase supported the idea that the
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situation happens in the hurling memories happens suddenly and it is unwanted.
The situation that happens in this phrase is also supported by the phrase that
comes right after this phrase, up against the wall which is an idiom that shows
about the situation that seriously difficult.
Based on the explanation above, the phrase hurling memories uncontrolled
shows an annoyance possibility through the use of the word hurling which
appears with the [+DISRUPTION] and [+FORCED] features. This word modify
the word memories that indicates about something that happen in the past. The
word memories brings [+PAST] which explains about the word memories that
represents about some things happened in the past, yet, memories also brings
[+BAD] that shows that this word is having bad connotation regarding on
something that happens in the past. The word uncontrolled in the last part of this
phrase also support the idea which the word hurling brings in this phrase because
this word defines the level of the situation of the word hurling. This phrase shows
about the annoyance that the person feels regarding on the situation that happens
in the past which come suddenly.
ii. Affective Meaning in in this fractured reality
The phrase in this fractured reality in Killing Me Inside “Fractured” applies
metaphor in the words fractured reality. The word fractured appears in this lyric
as a participle adjective which modify the word reality. Fractured brings a
semantic feature: [+BROKEN]. [+BROKEN] feature shows about the situation in
reality which is not well and functionless. [+BROKEN] also represents about the
upset expression towards the situation happens in the reality because something
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which is not well and functionless would affect the emotion of the person to
become unsatisfied. Fractured supports the idea where the real life that happens in
the reality, is not appear as what they want it to be. The word reality, is defined by
Oxford Living Dictionary as “The state of things as they actually exist, as opposed
to an idealistic or notional idea of them”. This word brings [+ACTUAL LIFE]
which shows that the life that the person in this lyric is contrary with what they
need in their mind. This phrase shows about something that happens in the youth
life which is contrary with what they want to feel. It can be seen from the phrases
which comes earlier, search for a new sanity – a place to feel alright which
indicates about the needs to find a peace in certain situation and the situation
shown by the phrase in this fractured reality – where all the sins collide which
proves that situation that they feel is not matched with what they need and it could
make the person feels upset.
iii. Affective Meaning in Lost inside the wave
The phrase lost inside the wave in Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” applies
metaphor figurative language. In this phrase, the band uses the word wave to
represent something that is not related to the wave. The writer found that this
phrase comes after the phrases in this fractured reality and where all the sins
collide, and both have a similar connotation to problems in human life. The writer
conducted an analysis on the lost inside the wave to find the semantic feature of
the word lost and wave, and from the analysis, the writer found that the word wave
in here represents about problems in the youth life.
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By finding the relation of the previous phrases with the phrase lost inside
the wave, the writer found that the word lost carries [+CONFUSED] and
[+AFRAID] features. [+CONFUSED] shows that the person feel confused about
something that happens in their life and it represent by the word lost. The idea of
the confusedness also lead to the possibility of being afraid, [+AFRAID], towards
the situation that happens in their life which in this phrase, the situation drawn by
the word wave. The word wave in this phrase represents about something that
relates to the fractured reality. The word wave would carry [+PROBLEM] and
[+THREAT] semantic features. [+PROBLEM] shows that this word represents
about the problems in the human life that can make them feel lost in their journey
of life if they do not solve it as fast they can. [+THREAT] explains that problems
can be a serious danger for the youth’s life if we do not treat it well.
The phrase lost inside the wave shows about the distraction towards the
youth’s life that represented by the word wave. This phrase also shows that the
word lost represents the effect of the problem that happens in the youth life and it
makes them upset and dissatisfied about the situation.
iv. Affective Meaning in Breaking all ties
The phrase breaking all the ties applies metaphor. The word breaking is
the present participle form of the word break. Break is defined by Oxford Living
Dictionary as “separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain”. For the
word breaking, it shows an action which aims to separate something and in this
phrase is the word ties. This word brings [+BROKEN] that shows the aim of this
word towards the word ties. [+BROKEN] shows that this word representing the
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result that ties gets from the situation that happens in the lost inside the wave. The
use of the word ties in here represents about the relation of the person in the lyric.
For the word ties, it brings [+RELATION] that shows about the thing that the
word ties is represented in this lyric. [+RELATION] shows about the bond that
the youth has built and brought in their life.
This phrase breaking all the ties likely shows about the result of the
problems that could affect every aspect in the youth’s life. The word breaking
represents the result of the situation that happens in the lost inside the wave and it
also shows that bad things can ruin everything including the relation that the
youth has built in their life that appears in the word ties.
v. Affective Meaning in silence breaks our clarity
In the phrase silence breaks our clarity, the writer found breaks our clarity
as the line which applied metaphor figurative language in it. In this line, the writer
separates it into two because this phrase contains two different figurative
expressions. In breaks our clarity, the word breaks as a verb is considered as a
dynamic verb which needs input of energy to operate and it also gives impact to
the target word. This verb is defined by Oxford Living Dictionary as “separate
into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain”. The word clarity is defined as
non-concrete object and it is related to a kind of situation. However, in this line,
the word clarity is transferred from not-concrete object to concrete object, as
similar with the previous analysis in breaking all the ties, to represent something
that can be break by the word breaks. The word clarity is defined by Oxford
Living Dictionary as “The quality of being coherent and intelligible”. From the
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definition, the word clarity brings [+CLEAR] and [+COHERENT] semantic
features that shows that this word represents about a situation of someone that is
clear [+CLEAR] and easy to understand [+COHERENT]. In the word breaks,
according to its definition, this word brings [+DAMAGE] semantic feature which
represents about an action which has damaging effect to the target word. Here,
breaks our clarity, shows about the action which aims to damage the coherence of
someone.
The phrase, silence breaks our clarity would show to the listener about the
annoyance expression in the form of the word silence which considered in this
lyric as a living thing which can operate the word break that can gives an impact
towards clarity. Here, the word clarity represents the situation of the youth which
is clear and it bothered by silence which indicates the situation of doing nothing
important and useful. Silence itself can be categorized as a threat for the youth as
being silent in term of doing nothing would be called as useless personality, and
this behavior might distracts the clarity of the youth.
b. Affective meaning in the words which applied Personification
In this part, the writer discussed the affective meaning in the phrase that
applied personification. The writer found that this song uses personification for
two times and those would also lead into the construction of whole meaning of the
lyric.
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i. Affective meaning in breeding words of lies
The phrase breeding words of lies in here indicates the use of
personification figurative language. It can be seen from the word breeding which
relates to the animate beings or living beings. However, in here it comes before
the word words of lies which is not categorized as a living being. It shows that the
band uses personification to give a spotlight to the words of lies in order to deliver
important things about this word to the youth life. From the word breeding, it is
defined by Oxford Living Dictionary as “develop (a variety of animal or plant) for
a particular purpose or quality”. According to the definition of the word breeding,
the writer gets [+PRODUCE] semantic feature from this word. [+PRODUCE]
shows about the aim of this word which is to develop something, and in this
phrase is words of lies. The use of the word breeding, which normally used by
animate beings, shows that the thing that this word trying to develop in this phrase
is as important as the animate beings existence. Lies is defined by Oxford Living
Dictionary as “An intentionally false statement” shows about something that is
not good for human life as it brings statement about something that is not true and
it happens intentionally. In the word lies, [-TRUE] semantic feature can represent
about the aim of this word. [-TRUE] tells us that this word does not talk about
something real and it cannot be trusted. The situation that happens in this phrase is
questioned by the phrase that comes after this phrase, is this something that we
try?
The phrase breeding words of lies indicates the disgust expression of the
person in the lyric. This situation is also questioned by the person in this lyrics
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which shows by the phrase is this something that we try? that comes after
breeding words of lies. The word breeding could shows the importance of this
situation, as this word usually used by living things, but in this phrase, it appears
to modify the word words of lies which is not categorized as living beings.
According to that, this phrase explains about the negative things that the youth
would do in the reality as the way to survive for everything that they have been
through.
ii Affective Meaning in silence breaks our clarity
In this phrase, the band applies personification in silence breaks. The noun
silence which naturally comes as non-human noun, here it given human quality as
it can operate the verb breaks in the phrase silence breaks our clarity. In this
phrase, the word silence which defined by Oxford Living Dictionary as “complete
absence of sound”, this word represents about the situation where nothing is
happening. The word silence, naturally comes as an abstract noun and in this
phrase it gets changed to non-abstract noun. It also be given human quality to be
able to do an action in the word breaks and give an impact to the word clarity in
the end of the phrase. The word silence shows the situation where nothing
happens and if we relate it into the human life, it could be an action of doing
nothing, because it does not involve any move that cause any sound. Depends on
that, the word silence brings [-ACTION] which shows that this word represents an
action that is not so important. In the word breaks, it brings [+DAMAGE] that
shows about an action to tear something apart in the target word and gives a
negative impact to the things.
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According to that, this band wants to encourage the youth to be more active
in their life, as in this phrase they stated that silence breaks our clarity, which
means that “being silent is not always good”. This phrase also shows the
anticipation expression as the band use something negative that can affect the
positive thing in our life, and it would makes us to be aware of that kind of
situation.
2. Affective Meaning in Scaller “The Youth” Song Lyric
In part A, the writer has conducted semantic feature analysis on each line of
the lyric of Scaller “The Youth” to find the types of figurative language applied
on each line of the lyric. In part B, the writer used the findings from part A to
reveal the affective meanings from the analysis of the figurative language.
According to the analysis in part A, metaphor appears three times in this lyric,
while personification appears two times.
a. Affective meaning in the words which applied Metaphor
In this part, the writer discussed the affective meaning that found in phrases
which apply metaphor figurative language. This Scaller’s “The Youth” applies
metaphor in their “Fractured” lyric for three times.
i. Affective Meaning in bury all the pain that I can’t stand
In the phrase bury all the pain that I can’t stand, it uses metaphor. It can be
seen from the use of the word bury over the word pain. Pain as a noun is defined
by Oxford Living Dictionary as “Mental suffering or distress”. According to the
definition, this word brings [+PROBLEM] semantic feature. [+PROBLEM]
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shows that this word appears as problems in the person’s life that they cannot take
on to as reflected by the sub clause that I can’t stand. For the word bury, here it is
defined by Oxford Living Dictionary as “Hide or try to forget (a feeling or
memory)”. Based on that, this word brings [+HIDE] and [+FORGET] semantic
features. [+HIDE] explains that this action aims to cover up the problems in all
the pain. [+FORGET] also explains that this action aims to pull the problems out
from the person’s life by forgetting it. The phrase that comes after this phrase, see
if someone care, also support the action in the phrase bury all the pain that I can’t
stand. So, the phrase see if someone care shows that the person whose did the
action in bury all the pain tha t I can’t stand, they want to find out whether
anybody still care about them or not. And the phrase that comes in the last part of
this stanza, my world is dying proves that the person’s life is nearly death or
becomes useless.
The phrase bury all the pain that I can’t stand shows that the band wants to
deliver an awareness to the youth in order to give an optimism spirit for them. The
word pain in here could represents about the obstacles in the youth life that might
be complicated in many ways. Based on that, the optimism spirit in this phrase
could shows the band concern towards the youth life nowadays.
ii. Affective Meaning in the youth keep trying to break the fall
The phrase the youth keep trying to break the fall uses metaphor figurative
language in to break the fall. In here, the word to break is the action that the youth
is trying to finish in this phrase. The word break brings [+DAMAGE] which
shows about the action that the youth take to take down their problems that
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reflected by the word the fall. The word fall here also brings [+PROBLEMS].
[+PROBLEMS] shows that this word represents about the problems that appears
in the youth life in this lyric. From that feature, it shows that this word represents
something that is not good, therefore, the youth take action in the form of the
word break in order to take down the bad things in the word fall.
This phrase brings the anticipation expression which indicates the optimism
of the youth, in order to solve the problems that appear in their life which is
reflected by the use of the word fall. The band also wants to show that the life of
the youth might be full of the problems in it, but, the optimism spirit could help
the youth to solve the problems without any hesitation.
iii. Affective Meaning in bury all the blame so I can say
In the phrase bury all the blame so I can say, it uses metaphor figurative
language. It can be seen from the use of the word bury over the word blame.
Blame as a noun is defined by Oxford Living Dictionary as “responsibility for a
fault or wrong”. According to the definition, this word brings [+MISTAKE]
semantic feature. [+MISTAKE] shows that this word appears as failures that the
person in this lyric wanted to forget by the use of the word bury. While for the
word bury, here it is defined by Oxford Living Dictionary as “Hide or try to forget
(a feeling or memory)”. Based on that, this word brings [+HIDE] and
[+FORGET] semantic features. [+HIDE] explains that this action aims to cover
the problems in all the pain. [+FORGET] also explains that this action aims to
wipe the mistakes that happen in the past out from the person’s life by forgetting
it. The phrase that comes after this phrase, no room for the frail shows that the
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situation that happens in the phrase bury all the blame so I can say need a result
that reflected in the phrase no room for the frail.
This phrase shows the anticipation expression which indicates the optimism
of the youth to face the obstacles of their life. Blame represents the mistakes
which can ruin the youth life. The action that is reflected in the use of the word
bury shows the optimism spirit of the youth in order to take down the things that
can bother their own life. The band wants to encourage the youth not to give up to
face all the bad things that appear in the process of their life.
b. Affective Meaning in the Words which Applied Personification
In this part, the writer discussed the affective meaning in the Scaller’s “The
Youth” lyric that applied personification. Scaller in their song entitled “The
Youth”, applied personification for two times. From the data that the writer found,
both of them use a similar word in the word “world” with the same connotation.
However, both of them show two different things in the thing that they wanted to
deliver.
i. Affective Meaning in my world is dying
The phrase my world is dying in Scaller’s “The Youth” uses personification
figurative language. It can be seen from the use of the word dying which stands as
a verb. In this phrase, the word world is defined by Oxford Living Dictionary as
”(one's world) One's life and activities”. By looking on the context, in this phrase
this word world refers to someone’s life. The word world brings [+LIFE] which
shows that this word refers to the life of the person in this phrase, not for the place
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to live. It also brings [+HOPE] that shows what the world word meant to be
someone’s life. And for the word dying, this word brings [-SATISFACTION]. [-
SATISFACTION] shows that dying representing the expression of dissatisfaction
towards the life that the person has been through on. This phrase also supported
by the next phrase, before my very eyes which shows that the situation of my
world is dying is happening on the person’s knowledge, while they cannot do
anything about it.
The phrase my world is dying shows the fear expression of the person. In
this phrase, the word world represents about the situation of the person life and
also something that they believe on. Here, the band wants to show that the youth
life has been stuck in a serious problem that represented by the use of the word
dying. From the use of the word dying which means as nearly death, the band
wants to encourage the youth to be more optimist about their own life because
their life is not totally end and there is still any chance to survive their own life by
their own way.
ii. Affective Meaning in my world is spinning
The phrase my world is spinning uses personification in it. It can be seen
from the use of the word spinning in here as a verb which explains about the
situation of the word world. Spinning which originally came from the word spin,
is stated by Oxford Living Dictionary as “Turn or cause to turn or whirl round
quickly”. According to the definition, the word spinning brings [+MOVE]
semantic feature. [+MOVE] explains about the situation in the word world which
always goes on. It also represents about everything that would change because it
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does not stand on the same place again. The word world is defined by Oxford
Living Dictionary as ”(one's world) One's life and activities”. This word shares the
similar feature with the word world in the section i which are [+LIFE] and
[+HOPE]. [+LIFE] refers to the person’s life and the situation which surround
him or her. For [+HOPE], it refers to something that the person tries to struggle
on. By looking on the use of the word spinning in this phrase, the band wants to
deliver an idea about something that is still having a chance in it.
From the discussion above, the phrase my world is spinning brings the
trust expression towards the life the youth. In this phrase, the band wants to show
the optimism in the form of the word spinning that shows that the youth’s world
still have any chances to struggle on as it is not stuck in the same place for over
and over again. Regarding on that, the youth have to still believe on what they are
trying to do for their own life.
3. The Affective Meaning that Are Found in The Lyrics
Based on the discussion in the part A and B, the writer found that both of
Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” and Scaller’s “The Youth” lyrics share a
similarity in the point that they wanted to deliver to the listener.
Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” lyric shows about the flow of the youth
life which always comes with any obstacles within. Here the band wants to show
the sadness, fear, and disgust expression of the youth towards the life that they
have been through. Some phrases like hurling memories uncontrolled, in this
fractured reality, lost inside the wave, breaking all the ties, breeding words of
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lies, and silence breaks our clarity shows about the situation that the youth have
to face in their own life.
Based on the use of some negative expressions in the Killing Me Inside’s
“Fractured”, the band uses the figurative language in some parts of the lyric to
show the importance of the situation that the youth have to face in their life. The
sadness, the fears, and all the mistakes should have been a trigger for the next
move that the youth should take. The band always put their figurative language in
some parts which having bad connotation in order to show to the listener that the
youth have to be prepared in any things that would come in their life and they
have to be ready with it.
In Scaller’s “The Youth”, this lyric shows the optimism of the youth to
anticipate all the bad things in their life. Scaller warned the youth regarding on the
situation of the youth life by the use of some phrases like my world is dying which
shows the urgency of the situation that happens in the youth life. Based on that,
the band applies some phrase which indicates the anticipation expression such in
bury all the pain that I can’t stand, bury all the blame so I can say, and the youth
keep trying to break the fall that aims to encourage the youth to stand and fight the
obstacles in their own life. This band also give a hope from the phrase there is no
surprises, my world is spinning because from that, they band told us that life
would always goes on and we have to be positive because there are still many
chances in the future.
This band put their figurative language in different places than Killing Me
Inside did. Scaller put some figurative language in the phrases which aim to warn
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the youth about what will happen in their life and they also put some in the
phrases which aim to encourage the youth to fight for their own life.
After all, the thing that both of the bands bring are more like the same as
they want to show the bad things that the youth would face in their life, and both
of them also want to encourage the youth to survive their life by their own action.
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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
The researcher found that the Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” lyric applied
metaphor five times and personification two times in each parts of the lyric. From
all of that, the writer found that this song lyric aims to show about fear,
dissatisfaction, and anger expressions toward the life that the youth suffered in the
lyric. In the other hand, this lyric also shows the need to go through all the bad
things that can be seen in each parts of the lyric which indicates the positive
attitude towards the situation that the youth suffered.
The researcher conclude that this lyric carries the need of the band to
encourage the youth to be able to survive their life through showing the bad things
that would happen in the youth life. The phrases hurling memories uncontrolled,
in this fractured reality, breaking all the ties, and silence breaks our clarity show
the focus of the band on the situation that happens in the youth life and also the
effects that the situation might give to the youth life. The use of metaphor in some
parts of the lyric, shows the urgency of the situation that the band wants to explain
to the listener, by giving imagination on the some words in the lyric. Meanwhile,
the use of personification in this lyric could give the further explanation about
something that the band wants to deliver to the listener through giving the human
quality to the things which are non-human.
Based on that, the band uses the figurative expressions in some parts of the
lyric to show the importance of the situation that the youth have to face in their
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life. The sadness, the fears, fear and all the mistakes should have been a trigger for
the next move that the youth should take. The band always put their figurative
expression in some parts which having bad connotation in order to show to the
listener that we have to be prepared in anything that would come in our life.
In Scaller’s “The Youth”, the researcher found that this band applied
metaphor and personification in some parts of the lyric. According to that, the
metaphor that applied in some parts of the lyric, aim to give the further
imagination from the natural word that has been used in this lyric. Meanwhile,
personification is giving the human quality to something which is non-human.
This lyric brings some fear, anger, dissatisfaction, and optimism expression which
are reflected from the use of figurative expression in some parts of the lyric.
Scaller through their song, “The Youth”, wants to encourage the youth to
not giving up on every things they face in their life. Similar with what Killing Me
Inside brings in their lyric, Scaller also wants to give a motivational support
through their song “The Youth” as it has explained the things that might distract
the youth life in the form of the word blame, pain, my world is dying, and the fall.
Yet, they give the spotlight on the phrase there is no surprises, my world is
spinning that shows that many bad things would not bother our way of life and the
youth life will always goes on.
This band put their figurative expressions more different than Killing Me
Inside did because Scaller put some figurative expressions in the phrase which
aim to warn the youth for their life and they also put some in the phrase which
indicates encouragement for the youth to fight for their own life. After all, the
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thing that both of the bands bring are more like the same, as they want to show the
bad things that the youth would face in their life, and both of them also want to
encourage the youth to survive their life by their own.
In conclusion, both of the band use the similar figurative expressions in
metaphor and personification. Both of them started their lyric by giving a picture
of misery in the phrases in this fractured reality and my world is dying.
The differences can be seen from the use of the figurative expressions in the
lyric. Killing Me Inside uses figurative expressions in their “Fractured” lyric to
highlight the bad things that could happens in the youth life. This band wants to
show the bad things that the youth would face, therefore it would be a reminder
and also the trigger for the youth to be able to survive their own life. While,
Scaller put their figurative expressions some in the phrase which expresses bad
things that are aiming to give a reminder for the youth to face their obstacles of
life. They also uses the figurative expressions in some phrases which aims to
encourage the youth to survive their life by their own.
In the end, the thing that they brings in their song lyrics are aiming the same
thing which want to remind the youth for all the things that they will face in their
life and also the positive attitude to go through that.
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REFERENCES
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Mada, Yogyakarta.
Briton, Laurel J & Donna M Briton. (2010). The Linguistic Structure of Modern
English. Philadelphia: John Benjamin Publishing Company.
Donaldson, Melisa. (2017). Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotion - 2017 Update.
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emotions/
Ekaningrum, Prastiana. (2015, July). The Analysis of Meanings and Forms in The
A.T. Mahmud’s Song Lyrics. Harmonia, 15(1), 9-15.
Fromkin, Victoria, Robert Rodman & Nina Hyams. (2011). An Introduction to
Language 9th Edition. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Kempson, Ruth M. (1977). Semantic Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Killing Me Inside. (2017). Fractured lyric. Retrieved from
https://www.musixmatch .com/lyrics/Killing-Me-Inside-feat-AIU/Fractured
Kronrod, Ann. (2014, January). “Wii Will Rock You!” The Use and Effect of
Figurative Language in Consumer Reviews of Hedonic and Utilitarian
Consumption. Retrieved from
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39616WiiWillRockYouTheUseandEffectofFigurativeLanguageinConsumer
ReviewsofHedonicandUtilitarianConsumption
Leech, Geoffrey. (1974). Semantics: The Study of Meaning. London: Penguin
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Musik, Lorong. (2017). Biografi Scaller. Lorong Musik. Retrieved from
http://www.lorongmusik.com/2017/04/biografi-scaller.html
Nordquist, Richard. (2017, April 25). Figurative Language Definition and
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Reese, Andrew. (2015). How can music inspire social change? Retrieved from
http://facingtoday.facinghistory.org/how-can-music-inspire-social-change
Riemer, Nick (2010). Introducing Semantics. Cambridge: Cambridge University
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Rolling Stones Indonesia. (2017). Rolling Stone Editors’ Choice Award 2017.
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Scaller. (2017). The Youth lyric. Retrieved from https://genius.com/Scaller-the-
youth-lyrics
Septiana, Vida (2017). An analysis of lexical and contextual meanings in
Christina Perri's song lyrics. (Undergraduate’s Thesis). UIN Sunan Ampel,
Surabaya.
Sweeney, Erica. (2017). The Definition of Figurative Language. Retrieved from
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semantics.html
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APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured” Summary’s Table
No Lyrics Figurative
Language
Semantic Features Affective
Meaning
1. Hurling
memories uncontrolled
Metaphor Hurling:[+Force],
[+Disruption]
Memories:[+Bad], [+Past]
Bad things from
the past time that
comes in their life
suddenly
2. In this
fractured
reality
Metaphor Fractured:[+Broken]
Reality:[+Actual Life]
The life that is
contrary with
what the youth
want it to be
3 Lost inside the wave
Metaphor Lost:[+Confuse], [+Afraid]
Wave:[+Problem],
[+Threat]
Feeling stuck in
the problems that
surrounding the
youth’s life
4 Breaking all the ties
Metaphor Breaking:[+Broken]
Ties:[+Relation]
The problems that
the youth suffered
can break the
relationship that
they have in their
life.
5 Breeding
words of
lies
Personification Breeding:[+Produce]
Lies:[-True]
Saying something
that is not true to
cover the truth.
6 Silence
breaks our
clarity
Personification Silence:[-Action]
Breaks:[+Damage]
Being silent is not
always good
7 Silence
breaks our
clarity
Metaphor Breaks:[+Damage]
Clarity:[+Clear],
[+Coherent]
Being silent is not
always good
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Appendix 2: Scaller’s “The Youth” Summary’s Table
No Lyrics Figurative
Language
Semantic Features Affective
Meaning
1. My world
is dying
Personification World:[+Life], [+Hope] Dying:[+End],[-Satisfaction]
The youth life is
getting
complicated and
becoming
something that
they are not want
it to be.
2. Bury all the
pain that I
can’t stand
Metaphor Bury:[+Hide], [+Forget]
Pain:[+Problem]
The youth trying
to forget the
problems in their
life that they
cannot solve.
3 There is no
surprises,
my world
is spinning
Personification World:[+Life], [+Hope]
Spinning:[+Move]
There is still hope
in the youth life
because life still
goes on.
4 The youth
keep trying
to break
the fall
Metaphor Break:[+Damage]
Fall:[+Problem]
The youth keep
trying to solve all
the problems in
their life
5 Bury all
the blame
Metaphor Bury:[+Hide], [+Forget]
Blame:[+Mistake]
The youth trying
to forget all the
mistakes and pull
out the
weaknesses
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Appendix 3: Lyric of Killing Me Inside’s “Fractured”
KILLING ME INSIDE - FRACTURED
suddenly I came to wake
conscious and denser
hurling memories uncontrolled
up against the wall
search for a new sanity
a place to feel alright
in this fractured reality
where all the sins collide
lost inside the wave
breaking all the ties
living in the system of our beliefs
Reff:
we're falling out from the game
until we learn to survive
we're falling over again
it's your time to realize
suddenly all came to waste
reset the system
connecting all into our tie
broke and torn away
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breeding words of lies!
is this something that we try?
push aside our clarity
and drift us away
Reff:
we're falling out from the game
until we learn to survive
we're falling over again
it's your time to realize
we're falling out from the game
until we learn that we are
all connecting doors of minds
silence breaks our clarity
searching for new sanity
BEYOND THE CURSE OF LIFE
revealing nothing but false salvation
take it! fake it! leave it! never gonna be it!
Reff:
we're falling out from the game
until we learn to survive
we're falling over again
it's your time to realize
we're falling out from the game
until we learn to survive
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we're falling out from the game
BEYOND THE CURSE OF LIFE
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Appendix 4: Lyric of Scaller’s “The Youth”
SCALLER - THE YOUTH
My world is dying
Before my very eyes
Familiar faces, Oh so far gone
Bury all the pain that I can't stand
see if someone care
My world is dying
Reff:
Everyone, I tell you what
there's no surprises my world is spinning
for everyone, I've had enough
I will keep dancing and stop you whining...
na na na na
The chain is broken
Before my very eyes
The youth keep trying to break the fall
Bury all the blame so I can say
No room for the frail
The youth keep trying.. HEY!
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Reff:
Everyone, I tell you what
There's no surprises my world is spinning
for everyone, I've had enough
I will keep dancing and you whining
Everyone, I tell you what
There's no surprises my world is spinning
for everyone, I've had enough
I will keep running and stop you saying...
na na na.. na na na na na na..
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