Nurul Puspita/0713042054

NEGOTIATION OF MEANING

(A PAPER OF SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION)

By

NURUL PUSPITA

0713042054

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
ARTS AND LANGUAGE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND PEDAGOGY
THE UNIVERSITY OF LAMPUNG
2011

Chapter I

Introduction

A.   Background of the study

A basic principle of second language learning is the need to negotiate meaning in any language-learning situation. Once meaning is established, comprehension follows. Clusters of meaning result in schemata, which serve as the basis for sustained communication and ultimately, permanence of language learning. The comprehension approach to second language learning assumes that learning can only occur when meaning is involved, and that meaning must be negotiated in any teacher-student interaction. Its methodology focuses on the optimum ways for meaning to be conveyed and internalized, and takes advantage of (1) appropriate involvement of brain hemispheres, (2) organization of language around semantic fields, and (3) the correct order of language skill development (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture). The teacher's job is to find the balance between what the student already knows and what the instructional materials make explicit. These principles can be applied in classroom instruction in such techniques as action demonstrations, paper-and-pencil demonstrations, and limited-speech exercises, use of audiovisual aids, writing exercises, conversation-building, simple story production, and use of prepared texts, depending on the skill level of the learner. The same principles can be used to provide focus in teacher training and supervision.

Chapter II

Theoretical Framework

A.   Negotiation of Meaning

1.      Definition of negotiation of meaning

Negotiation of meaning is defined as a series of exchanges conducted by addressors and addressees to help themselves understand and be understood by their interlocutors. In this case, when native speakers (NSs) and non native speakers (NNSs) are involved in an interaction, both interactants work together to solve any potential misunderstanding or non understanding that occurs, by checking each others’ comprehension, requesting clarification and confirmation and by repairing and adjusting speech (Pica, 1988).

2.      Negotiation of meaning interactions

By this real communication, learners practice the language in order to acquire the second language in the real situation. But, sometimes problem appear, some of the participants might actually confuse the learners due to the lack of information of the learners (information gap). We have to admit that native speaker has more power than non native speaker (the learners), both in turn taking and dealing with the topic. This is caused by the learners lesser ability in expressing their ideas and thoughts in the same way as a native speaker. That is why the native is required to modify the input they give in more comprehensible way so that the learner will get the exact meaning of the message. This will happen during negotiation of meaning.

Pica and Doughty (1985) and Gass and Varonis (1985) have stimulated some researchers to investigate the relationship between communication tasks and the patterns of interaction which have resulted from the activities. There are two models also suggest that in an interactional modification or negotiation, there ate at least two different moves” the move of signals and the move of reaction to the signal (repair or modification).Pica et al (1989) also suggest that negotiations of meaning basically consist of four interrelated moves. The moves are trigger, signal, response, and follow-up moves.

Based on Pica, these are the elements:

• Trigger (T): utterances followed by native speaker (NS) signal of total/partial lack of understanding.

• Signal (S): of total or partial lack of understanding. There are many types of signal. They are:

a. explicit statement or request for clarification

b. request for confirmation through repetition of the nonnative speaker (NNS)

c. request for confirmation through modification of the NNS

d. request for confirmation through completion or elaboration of the NNS

• Response (R): there are two responses, i.e.

1. NNS Response:

a. Switch to the topic

b. Suppliance of information relevant to the topic, but not directly responsive to NS signal

c. Repetition of the NS modification of trigger

d. Self modification of trigger

e. Repetition of NNS trigger

f. Confirmation of signal only

g. Indication of difficulty or inability to respond

2. Response to NNS:

a. Comprehension signal

b. Continuation move

• Follow up (FU): indication of understanding

Chapter III

Transcription and Coding

This chapter contains transcription of the interaction between native speaker and non-native speaker.

a.    Female-female

This conversation is done by two female. They stay in the same dormitory. The first female want to take something at their friend’s dormitory but she doesn’t know the address. So, the second female explains the direction for the first female.

Nurul: dian,,,

(R) Dian  : yeah!!!

(T) Nurul : would you like to help me??

(S) Dian   : pardon!!

(S) Nurul : would you like to help me??

(F) Dian   : ohh.yes what can I do for you??

(T) Nurul : would you like to show me, where made’s home is??

(S) Dian   : made’s home??

(R) Nurul : yeah. Mades’s home.

(F) Dian   : of course!! Made’s home is in kampong baru.

(S) Nurul : pardon??kampung baru.

(R) Dian  : yeah kampung baru. From the railway you can go ahead, then turn  left. It’s about 500 metress. Then you will find her home.

(S) Nurul : 500 metress from the intersection???

(R) Dian  : yeah, you are right.

(T) Nurul : can you mention the characteristics of her home???

(F) Dian   : hmmm.her home is beautiful, with green paint and a lot of flower there.

(R) Nurul : ok.thanks dian. I will go there

(T) Dian   : you are welcome. By the way what will you do there???

(R) Nurul : hhee. I just want to take the catalogue.

(T) Dian   : shopie martin’s catalogue???

(T) Nurul : of course dian. You are right. How do you know???

(F) Dian   : I see in front of your face, you want shopping in that catalogue.

(F) Nurul : I just want to see it. I don’t want to buy something there.

(F) Dian   : I don’t believe you, I don’t believe that

(T) Nurul : how can you say like that???

(R) Dian  : hhaaa

(T) Nurul : did you buy something there???

(R) Dian  : yeah, I buy; I bought clothes and some t-shirt

(T) Nurul : it means you buy more than one???

(F) Dian   : yeah,,I buy. I bought 2 clothes.

(S) Nurul : 2 clothes???

(R) Dian  : 2 blouse!!!

(S) Nurul : hmm, 2 blouse. what kind of blouse do you buy there??

(S) Dian   : what kind,,

(F) Nurul : hmm, the kind or the style of the blouse I mean, like tunique or other style of blouse

(R) Dian  : yeah I bought tunique, with green colour.

(S) Nurul : green colour???

(R) Dian  : yes of course!!!

(T) Nurul : are you sure??

(R) Dian  : yes

(F) Nurul : it’s my favorite color too.

b.   Female-male

This conversation is done by one female and one male. They have a picture, in their hand. Then, the male explain what picture discuss about to the female.

 Rudy : hei nurul,

      Nurul : hai rudy,

(T) Rudy : look at this,

(S) Nurul : what??

(T) Rudy : I think the setting is in bakery right.

(R) Nurul: no, eh I think so deng, not in her home. I mean at the picture, there is a woman.

(F) Rudy : Yeah.no there are women, 1,2,3. Three women.

(R) Nurul: yeah,,

(F) Rudy :  and I think the girl will hope her birthday party

(R) Nurul: hmm, yeah.

(T) Rudy : do you think so???

(R) Nurul : yes. I think so,,,

(T) and how about, hmmm, that woman her mother???

(F) Rudy : yes I think,, because they use the same kind of gown right????

(F) Nurul : yes, but they use different color

(T) Rudy  : different color!!!Well, which one do you choose if you have probably to be a girl

(R) Nurul : I like a tart with chocolates, and then there is a strawberry over there!!

(S) Rudy  : this one!!!

(R) Nurul : no,this one.

(F) Rudy  : oww. This one. Beside the cheese cake.

(R) Nurul : yeah, hehe. I think it is very yummy,

(T) Rudy  : do you like sweat???

(R) Nurul : yes I like it so much,,

(F) Rudy  : both of them using sweat

(R) Nurul : ha’ha

(T) Rudy  : sugar!!

(S) Nurul  : sugar!! But there a lot of strawberry there. So, I like strawberry

(T) Rudy  : oww,,I saw tv yesterday, it talked about strawberry. Strawberry has many advantages for human body!!

(S) Nurul  : pardon???Advantage??

(R) Rudy  : yes, advantages. Beside that there are many vitamin, and has many,,eeeee

(S) Nurul  : what rudy??

c.    Male-male

This conversation is between two classmates. They are two boys. They talk about the picture at the book.

(T) Rudy           : dian, look at the picture. The topic is in this picture.hmm,,

(T) Dian           : what kind of picture is it??

(F) Rudy           : it is about size, a hat, it talks about hat. Well, do you think your size is 8.

(R) Dian           : I don’t know because I am not wearing hat. I don’t like hat.

(S) Rudy           : you don’t like hat.

(R) Dian           : yeah,,

(T) Rudy           : but you can guess, what size that appropriate for you!!!

(R) Dian           : may be 8, in the middle.

(R) Rudy          : yeah,, in the middle

(R) Dian           : yeahh,,

(F) Rudy           : oww, same with this boy

(R) Dian           : there is in picture, the size

(T) Rudy           : and who is the girl???

(R) Dian           : hmmm,,

(T) Rudy           : who is the girl???

(S) Dian           : the girl??

(R) Rudy          : yes,,

(F) Dian           : I don’t know, may be the fucking girl.

(S) Rudy           : it is like a sales girl, sales girl

(S) Dian           : shopkeeper you mean,,

(R) Rudy          : yeah,,

(T) Dian           :  something like that???

(T) Rudy           : but,, why this boy is look like ashamed???

(R) Dian           : hmm. May be he jajal hat, you know. (T) What is jajal in the English???

(R) Rudy          : fit

(S) Dian           : what???fit??

(R) Rudy          : yeah,,

(S) Dian           :oww,,fit!!!

(R) Rudy          : yeah,,

(T) Dian           : are you sure???

(R) Rudy          : he is fitting the hat

(S) Dian           : fitting

(F) Rudy           : yes. Try to make appropriate in his head and if it is appropriate. He will buy the hat.

(R) Dian           : oww..yes. so, jajal in English is fit

(F) Rudy           : like we go to the mall ,and we see the fitting room

(R) Dian           : oww,, yeah. I know, I know

(R) Rudy          : ok

(T) Dian           : ruang ganti, you know

(R) Rudy          : yeah.. in bahasa. But because my head is bigger than yours

(T) Dian           : are you sure???

(R) Rudy          : I think my size is 10

(F) Dian           : oww, what the big head

(R)Rudy           : no, you know the bigger the head volume the more clever the people

(T) Dian           : how do you know??? I don’t think so

(R) Rudy          : yes it is based on the research

(S) Dian           : I think your head is bigger than your brain.

(R) Rudy          : because I have scanned my head, and the doctor said. Woow,,you have a big.

(T) Dian           : are you sure???You don’t lie???

Chapter IV

Discussion and Analysis

This chapter is about the analysis of the transcription base on the conversation above:

a.    First conversation (Female-female)

In the first conversation there are 271 words that it is uttered by the speakers and recorded in 212 second. So, the length of the utterance is: 217 words: 212 second = + 1 word/second.

In this first conversation there are seven sequences of negotiation of meaning. The explanation is explained as follow:

·      The first sequence

(R) Dian  : yeah!!!

(T) Nurul : would you like to help me?? (It is signal of clarification request to the trigger)

(S) Dian   : pardon!! (It is signal of clarification request to the trigger)

(S) Nurul : would you like to help me?? (It is signal of clarification request to the trigger)

(F) Dian   : ohh.yes what can I do for you??

(T) Nurul : would you like to show me, where made’s home is??

(It is signal of clarification request to the trigger)

(S) Dian   : made’s home?? (it is signal for clarification check)

(R) Nurul : yeah. Mades’s home. ( it is response for confirmation check)

·      The second sequence

(F) Dian   : of course!! Made’s home is in kampong baru.

(S) Nurul : pardon??kampung baru. (It is signal of clarification request to the trigger)

(R) Dian  : yeah kampung baru. From the railway you can go ahead, then turn  left. It’s about 500 metress. Then you will find her home.

(S) Nurul : 500 metress from the intersection???

(R) Dian  : yeah, you are right.

( it is response for confirmation check)

·      The third sequence

(T) Nurul : can you mention the characteristics of her home??? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(F) Dian   : hmmm.her home is beautiful, with green paint and a lot of flower there.

(R) Nurul : ok.thanks dian. I will go there

·      The fourth sequence

(T) Dian   : you are welcome. By the way what will you do there??? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(R) Nurul : hhee. I just want to take the catalogue.

(T) Dian   : shopie martin’s catalogue??? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(T) Nurul : of course dian. You are right. How do you know??? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(F) Dian   : I see in front of your face, you want shopping in that catalogue.

(F) Nurul : I just want to see it. I don’t want to buy something there.

(F) Dian   : I don’t believe you, I don’t believe that

·      The fifth sequence

(T) Nurul : how can you say like that??? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(R) Dian  : hhaaa

(T) Nurul : did you buy something there??? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(R) Dian  : yeah, I buy; I bought clothes and some t-shirt

(T) Nurul : it means you buy more than one???

(F) Dian   : yeah,,I buy. I bought 2 clothes.

(S) Nurul : 2 clothes??? (it is a signal repettion from the trigger)

(R) Dian  : 2 blouse!!!

·      The sixth sequence

(S) Nurul : hmm, 2 blouse. what kind of blouse do you buy there?? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(S) Dian   : what kind,,

(F) Nurul : hmm, the kind or the style of the blouse I mean, like tunique or other style of blouse

(R) Dian  : yeah I bought tunique, with green colour.

(S) Nurul : green colour??? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(R) Dian  : yes of course!!!

(T) Nurul : are you sure?? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(R) Dian  : yes

(F) Nurul : it’s my favorite color too

b. Second conversation (female-male)

In this conversation there are 204 words that is uttered by the speakers and recorded in 159 second. So, the length of the utterance is 204 words: 159 second= + 1 word/second.

In this first conversation there are four sequences of negotiation of meaning. The explanation is explained as follow:

·           The first sequence

(T) Rudy : look at this, ( it is a signal that stimulate misunderstanding)

(S) Nurul : what?? ( it is a signal of clarification request)

(T) Rudy : I think the setting is in bakery right. ( it is a signal that stimulate misunderstanding)

(R) Nurul: no, eh I think so deng, not in her home. I mean at the picture, there is a woman. ( it is a signal of self expansion)

(F) Rudy : Yeah.no there are women, 1,2,3. Three women.

(R) Nurul: yeah,,

(It is response of comprehension signal through additional information)

·           The second sequence

(F) Rudy :  and I think the girl will hope her birthday party

(R) Nurul: hmm, yeah.

(T) Rudy : do you think so??? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(R) Nurul : yes. I think so,,,

(T) and how about, hmmm, that woman her mother??? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(F) Rudy : yes I think,, because they use the same kind of gown right????

(F) Nurul : yes, but they use different color

·           The third sequence

(T) Rudy  : different color!!!Well, which one do you choose if you have probably to be a girl. ( it is a signal that stimulate misunderstanding)

(R) Nurul : I like a tart with chocolates, and then there is a strawberry over there!!

(S) Rudy  : this one!!!

(R) Nurul : no,this one.

(F) Rudy  : oww. This one. Beside the cheese cake.

(R) Nurul : yeah, hehe. I think it is very yummy,

·           The fourth sequence

(T) Rudy  : do you like sweat???

(R) Nurul : yes I like it so much,, (It is response of comprehension signal)

(F) Rudy  : both of them using sweat

(R) Nurul : ha’ha(It is signal of clarification request to the trigger)

(T) Rudy  : sugar!!

(S) Nurul  : sugar!! But there a lot of strawberry there. So, I like strawberry

(T) Rudy  : oww,,I saw tv yesterday, it talked about strawberry. Strawberry has many advantages for human body!!

(S) Nurul  : pardon???Advantage??

(R) Rudy  : yes, advantages. Beside that there are many vitamin, and has many,,eeeee. (It is response of comprehension signal through additional information)

(S) Nurul  : what rudy??

c. Third conversation (male-male)

In this conversation there are 283 words that is uttered by the speakers and recorded in 178 second. So, the length of the utterance is, 283 words: 179 second= + 2 word/second.

In this first conversation there are four sequences of negotiation of meaning. The explanation is explained as follow:

·           The first sequence

(T) Dian : what kind of picture is it?? (It is signal of request for clarification)

(F) Rudy : it is about size, a hat, it talks about hat. Well, do you think your size is 8.

(R) Dian : I don’t know because I am not wearing hat. I don’t like hat. (it is signal of response modification indicator)

(S) Rudy : you don’t like hat. ( it is signal of response for clarification check)

(R) Dian : yeah,,

·           The second sequence

(T) Rudy           : but you can guess, what size that appropriate for you!!!

(R) Dian           : may be 8, in the middle.

(R) Rudy           : yeah,, in the middle(It is response of comprehension signal through additional information)

(R) Dian           : yeahh,,

(F) Rudy           : oww, same with this boy

(R) Dian           : there is in picture, the size

·           The third sequence

(T) Rudy           : and who is the girl???

(R) Dian           : hmmm,,

(T) Rudy           : who is the girl???

(S) Dian           : the girl??

(It is signal of clarification request to the trigger)

(R) Rudy           : yes,,

(F) Dian            : I don’t know, may be the fucking girl.

(S) Rudy           : it is like a sales girl, sales girl

(S) Dian           : shopkeeper you mean,,

(R) Rudy           : yeah,, (It is response of comprehension signal through additional information)

(T) Dian           :  something like that???

·           The fourth sequence

(T) Rudy           : but,, why this boy is look like ashamed???

(R) Dian           : hmm. May be he jajal hat, you know. (T) What is jajal in the English??? (It is signal of request for confirmation through modification)

(R) Rudy           : fit

(S) Dian             : what???fit?? ?? (It is signal of clarification request to the trigger)

(R) Rudy           : yeah,,

(S) Dian           :oww,,fit!!!

(R) Rudy           : yeah,,

(T) Dian           : are you sure???

(R) Rudy           : he is fitting the hat

(S) Dian           : fitting

(F) Rudy           : yes. Try to make appropriate in his head and if it is appropriate. He will buy the hat.

(R) Dian           : oww..yes. so, jajal in English is fit

(F) Rudy           : like we go to the mall ,and we see the fitting room

(R) Dian           : oww,, yeah. I know, I know

(R) Rudy           : ok

(T) Dian           : ruang ganti, you know

(R) Rudy           : yeah.. in bahasa. But because my head is bigger than yours

·           The fifth sequence

(T) Dian           : are you sure???

(R) Rudy           : I think my size is 10 (It is response of self modification trigger through giving synonym)

(F) Dian            : oww, what the big head

(R)Rudy            : no, you know the bigger the head volume the moreclever the people

(T) Dian           : how do you know??? I don’t think so

(R) Rudy           : yes it is based on the research

(S) Dian           : I think your head is bigger than your brain.

(R) Rudy           : because I have scanned my head, and the doctor said. Woow,,you have a big.

(T) Dian           : are you sure???You don’t lie???

Chapter V

Conclusion

After doing the analysis in each conversation, I can conclude that the length of time in each sequence of negotiation of meaning depends on the interactants. In every conversation (male-male, female-female, and male-female) there are the components of negotiation of meaning.

From each analysis we also can see that signal and response are mostly dominated in the conversation. Especially signal response for clarification and signal response for confirmation. And we can see that non-native speaker usually switch into their language bahasa Indonesia in order her/his friends understand what they mean.