UNDERSTANDING THE USE OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN THE SONG LYRICS OF COLDPLAY GROUP BAND USING ETHNOGRAPHY OF COMMUNICATION THEORY

Abstract

In the English as a foreign language teaching and learning, songs have been used as one of the materials that are able to make the teaching and learning process more relaxed and understandable. Besides, songs can make the learning activity varies. This research was done because the song lyrics sometimes are difficult to understand because it not only consists of literal language but also uses figurative language. However, the issue of figurative language in the lyrics of songs is an interesting issue to analyze since they are intended to send a certain message, and exposes the foreign language learners to the use of figurative language in the song lyrics. Figurative language is a kind of language that uses figures of speech as a way of saying something other than the literal meaning of the words. In addition, Figurative language is applied to create a stronger expression in the song lyrics itself, and to attract the listeners’ attentions. However, the issue of figurative language in the lyrics of songs is an interesting issue to analyze since they are intended to send a certain message, and exposes the foreign language learners to the use of the target language. There are six types of figurative language, which is commonly used, in written or spoken discourse, such as simile, metaphor, symbolism, personification, hyperbole, and synecdoche. Furthermore, this research was intended to identify and to reveal the intended meaning of the Figurative Language especially in the song 9 lyrics of Coldplay group band. Coldplay is an England group band whose songs are written with figurative language. In order to understand the use of figurative language in the song lyrics, the Saville and Troike Ethnography of Communication theory is used. As Saville and Troike (1982: 114) state that Ethnography of Communication analysis can be applied to know the general framework and values which guide cultural behavior in the community and be able to behave appropriately, both linguistically and culturally, within any given situation. Based on this theory, the ethnography of communication analysis is used to discover the norm or the moral message behind the song lyrics itself. The research design was qualitative. The type of data used in this research was Artistic Data, which consisted of 22 song lyrics of Coldplay group band. Data determination method was documentary study. The Data collection method was coding or labelling system and the analysis method to describe the literal and figurative meaning, some components of Ethnography of Communication were used. In conclusion, the research result shows that there were 168 figurative language found in the song lyrics of “Coldplay” with the total number of figurative language of simile is 2, metaphor is 100, symbolism is 47, personification is 1, hyperbole is 9, and synecdoche is 9. Each song has its own type of figurative language, such as in the song lyrics “Yellow”, the words “yellow” itself is a symbolism which has literal meaning as one of bright color, sparkle and shinning, and figuratively means the girl who is very beautiful and kind. The complete intended meaning of the figurative language in the song lyrics of Coldplay can be seen in chapter 4. Based on the result, it is suggested that both teachers and students used song lyrics as an alternative technique in teaching Figurative Language to improve the students’ understanding and the students’ motivation in language learning, besides giving alternative of the material of learning English.

Key words: Figurative Language, “Coldplay” song lyrics.