Experiencing and Understanding the Meaning of Poverty Through Language
(Mengalami dan Menghayati Makna Kemiskinan melalui Bahasa)
Abstract
Language can be a medium to express the joys and sorrows of life. This study examines the experience of poverty through language. This study was conducted using the framework of Sperber and Wilson (1986)'s Relevance Theory (RT). A total of nine lines from Usman Awang's (UA) poem entitled "Selembar Kamus Kemiskinan" that were identified as containing irony were analyzed. The process of determining the code, inferences and assumptions in RT help to complete the search for implicit meanings. RT allows extra information such as memories and so forth to set the context, and via code, inferences and assumptions which are as well allowed in RT analysis, the implicit meanings of the poem "Selembar Kamus Kemiskinan" are discovered. Further results show that UA succeeds in getting readers of this poem to feel the misery of living in poverty through poetic language. Sadness and sympathy are also detected in this poem.
Keywords: language, poverty, Relevance Theory, irony, Usman Awang
References
Caroll, D.W., 2008. Psychology of Language. Canada: Thomson Wadsworth.
Carston, R dan Seiji,U. (pnyt.), 1997. Relevance Theory: Applications and Implications. Amsterdam/Philadelphia. John Benjamin Publishing Company.
Carston, R dan Seiji, U. (pnyt), 1997. "Robyn Carston: Informativeness, Relevance and Scalar Implicature" dlm. Relevance Theory: Applications and Implications. Amsterdam/Philadelphia. John Benjamin Publishing Company.
Carston, R., 2002. Thoughts and Utterances: the Pragmatics of Explicit Communication. United Kingdom. Blackwell Publishing.
Darus bin Ahmad, 1974. Persuratan Melayu: Lama-Baru. Pulau Pinang: Sinaran.
Emeis, M.G., 1975. Bunga Rampai Melayu Kuno. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Fatimah Subet, 2010. "Interpretasi Makna Bahasa Figuratif Sebagai Cerminan Emosi: Satu Analisis Teori Relevans". Tesis Ph.D. Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Grice, H.P., 1975. "Logic and Conversation" dlm.Cole & Morgan (pnyt). Syntax and Semantics, hlm 41-58. New York: Academic Press.
Hasmidar Hassan, 2006. "Kata Hubung "Dan" dan "Tetapi": Satu Analisis Perbandingan Nahu dan Pragmatik". Tesis Ph.D. Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Hooykaas, C., 1965. Perintis Sastera. Terj. Raihoel Amar Gelar Datoek Besar .1981. Kuala Lumpur: Fajar Bakti.
Jamaliah Mohd. Ali, 1995. The Pragmatics of Cross-Cultural Communication In A Malaysian Context dalam Rules of Speaking. 1995. Zainab Abdul Majid dan Loga Baskaran (ed). Pelanduk Publications: Petaling Jaya.
Kamus Elektronik Dewan Eja Pro, 2009. Petaling Jaya. The Name Technology Sdn.Bhd.
Laporan Panel Anugerah Sastera- Puisi, 2004. Usman Awang Dalam Esei Dan Kritikan. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Laporan Panel Anugerah Sastera- Puisi, 1983. Dlm Puisi-Puisi Pilihan Sasterawan Negara Usman Awang. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Mohd. Taib Osman. (pnyt.), 1977. Pengajaran Bahasa Dan Kesusasteraan Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Nor Hashimah Jalaluddin. "Semantik dan Pragmatik dalam Teori Relevans" dlm. Dewan Bahasa, Jun, 450-59, 1990.
Nor Hashimah Jalaluddin, "Keimplisitan Ujaran: Satu Analisis Teori Relevans" dlm. Jurnal Dewan Bahasa 6: 474-83, 1991.
Nor Hashimah Jalaluddin, 1992. Semantik dan Pragmatik: Satu Pengenalan. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Nor Hashimah Jalaluddin. "Implikatur: Satu Aspek Seni Berbahasa Orang Melayu" dlm. Dewan Bahasa, Ogos: 676-690, 1992.
Nor Hashimah Hj.Jalaluddin, 1994. Bahasa Jual Beli dalam Perniagaan Runcit: Satu Analisis Semantik dan Pragmatik. Tesis Ph.D. Universiti Malaya.
Nor Hashimah Hj.Jalaluddin, 2003. Bahasa dalam Perniagaan: Satu Analisis Semantik dan Pragmatik. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Usman Awang, 1994. Puisi-Puisi Pilihan Sasterawan Negara Usman Awang. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Sperber, D. & Wilson, D., 1999. Relevans: Komunikasi & Kognisi. Diterjemah oleh Nor Hashimah Jalaluddin. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Sperber, D. & Wilson, D., 2006. Relevance Theory dlm. http://www. dan sperber.com/ relevance_theory.htm.[Capaian 24 November 2006].
Sperber, D. & Wilson, D., 2006. "Remarks on Relevance Theory and the Social Sciences" dlm. http://dan.sperber.com/rel-soc.htm.[Capaian 24 Jun 2006].
Sperber, D. & Wilson, D., 2006. Metaphor, Relevance and the 'Emergent Property' Issue dlm. http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/robyn/Wilson-Carston-Metaphor-2006.pdf [ Capaian 24 November 2009].
Tan Mek Leng, 1994. "Implikatur Perbualan: Satu Analisis di dalam Pertuturan". Tesis Sarjana. Fakulti Bahasa dan Linguistik, Universiti Malaya.
Wilkinson, R.J dan Winstedt, R.O., 1957. Pantun Melayu. Singapura: Malay Publishing House.
Yus, F., 2000a. "On Reaching the Intended Ironic Interpretation" dlm. International Journal of Communication 10(1-2): 27-78.Http://www.ua.es/personal/francisco.yus /rt.html#irony [Capaian 25 November 2009].
Upon acceptance of an article, Authors will be asked to transfer copyright. This transfer will ensure the widest possible dissemination of information. A notification will be sent to the corresponding Author confirming receipt of the manuscript. If excerpts from other copyrighted works are included, the Author(s) must obtain written permission from the copyright owners and credit the source(s) in the article.
