Aty Tri Lestari (SLA)

NEGOTIATION OF MEANING

As the final assignment of

SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

By:

Ayu Tri Lestari

(0713042017)

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
ARTS AND LANGUAGE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND PEDAGOGY
THE UNIVERSITY OF LAMPUNG
2010

ACKNOWLEDGE

Second language acquisition is the study of how learning creates a new language system with only limited exposure to a second language (Yufrizal, 2007). By considering this, the writer believes that the language learner where English is as the second language will face some difficult things to acquire the language as well as native. The proficiency is not as good as people who live in the country who use it as their language. Therefore, they will create a new system so that they can master it.

In this opportunity, the writer tries to investigate how people communicate in English whether there are ways when they find difficulties in acquiring the meaning is used. Because each communicator will have their own strategies to negotiate when they don’t understand what people say to them?

This is also as the requirement in having semester test. But, before we elaborate it deeply, i must say thanks to Almighty Allah SWT who always gives us chance to learn everything in the world. Not only our God but we also thank to the greatest prophet Muhammad SAW as the leader of Moeslem. Honestly, we cannot comprehend this subject without our beloved lecture therefore we also thank to our best lecture Mr. Hery Yufrizal, M.A.,Ph.D as the Second Language Acquisition lecture who has given his merciful in teaching us this subject patiently. This whole material is taken from his book; the title is An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition.
 

INTRODUCTION

Since English is not easy, people try so many things in order to be able become proficiency in using it. Thus, they apply so many ways so that they are able to comprehend the meaning being said by the speaker. For example, it is the conversation between two speakers who have low ability in speaking English;

A : I bought a new car yesterday

B : You brought a new car yesterday

A : No, I bought a new car yesterday

B : sorry you bought or brought a new car yesterday?

A : I bought not I brought

B : Oooh,, You bought it

By observing this conversation, we can see that B has misunderstanding toward the words being said by A, and then B asks clarification from A. This way commonly happens in every circumstance where people try to communicate in English. That is what we call Negotiation of Meaning. But those errors are not totally broke the communication what the pioneer of education calls global errors. That ways is assumed as the technique to acquire the language by using the new system in order for easily to get the language.

It has been taken long time ago, people try to analyze how people negotiate the meaning when they found difficulties to grasp the meaning. Wagner (1996) in Yufrizal argues that interest in the study of interaction within the last two decades is partly due to consideration of the role of communication for second/foreign language acquisition. Second/ foreign language acquisition occurs especially when learners are engaged in the use of the language for communication. In this view interaction is treated as one of the most important aspects that influences the success or failure of second and/or foreign language acquisition. Pica, Kanagy, and Falodun (1993) claim that ‘language is best learned and taught through interaction’ (p.10). Long (1996) confirms that interactional modification leads to second language development and more active involvement in negotiated interaction leads to greater development.

Therefore I am also interested to record the conversations then finally identify the conversation where negotiation of meaning is occurred. As the language learner and teacher to be, this is going to be important to recognize how the negotiation is happened and to know whether it has bad implication in acquiring the language or not.

 
 
 

FRAME AND THEORIES

A. Input and Output

There are two important differences between comprehensible input and comprehended input. First, the former implies the speaker, rather than the hearer, controls the comprehensibility. With comprehended input, the focus is on the hearer (the learner) and the extent to which he or she understands. In Krashen’s sense of the word taken from Yufrizal (2007), comprehension is treated as a dichotomous variable; something is either understood or it is not. He was apparently using the most common meaning of the word, whereas in this sense we refer to comprehension as a continuum probabilities ranging from semantics to detailed structure analysis.

B. Intake

Yufrizal (2007; 76) states that intake is the process of assimilating linguistic material; it refers to the mental activity that mediates input and grammar. Gass (1998) refers to intake as selective processing. Intake is not merely s subset of input. It is the intake component that psycholinguistic processing takes place. That is, it is where information is matched against prior knowledge and where, in general, processing takes place against the backdrop of the existing internalized grammatical rules.

C. Integration

Gass and Slinker (1994) outlined four possibilities for the outcome of input. The first two take place in the intake component and result in integration, the third takes place in the integration component, and the fourth represents input that exist the system early in the process.

D. Negotiation of Meaning in Interaction

Yufrizal (2007; p.80) states Negotiation of meaning is defined as a series of exchange 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).

Varonis and Gass (1985) proposed a simpler model for the exchanges that create negotiation of meaning. The model consists of four primes called:
a. Trigger (T) Which invokes or stimulates incomplete understanding on the part of the hearer.
b. Indicator (I), which is the hearer’s signal of incomplete understanding.

c. Response (R) is the original speaker’s attempt to clear up the unaccepted-input, and,
d. Reaction to the response (RR), which is an element that signals either the hearer’s acceptance or continued difficulty with the speaker’s repair. The model was elaborated into the following figure and excerpt that follows:

E. The Roles of Negotiation of Meaning in Second Language Acquisition

Every researcher will have their own definitions and description of negotiation of meaning. It shows that interest in the study of negotiation of meaning has developed rapidly. Beside the forms and definition of negotiation of meaning, researchers also vary in their perception of the role of negotiation of meaning in second/foreign language acquisition. Pica (1996) admits that although there has been no empirical evidence of a direct link between negotiation of meaning and second/foreign language development, research studies in negotiation of meaning for the last two decades have shown that there are two obvious contribution of negotiation of meaning to second language acquisition. Firstly, through negotiation of meaning (particularly in interaction involving native speakers) nonnative speaker obtain comprehensible input necessary for second language acquisition much more frequently than in interactions without negotiation of meaning. Secondly, negotiation of meaning provides opportunities for non native speakers to produce comprehensible output necessary for second language acquisition much more frequently than in interactions without negotiation of meaning.

ANALYSIS

1st Dialogue
This conversation was take place in one of the gas station in Bandar Lampung between me and one of my new friend from Poland we were wait for the boys who filled up their motorbike’s gas, and as we all know that Poland have it’s own language (polish). So we both were speaking English.
Ayu        : let’s we wait in front.. it’s really crowded here..
Mariola    : okay, actually its really hot here..
(T) Ayu    : so, why are you wear mmmm…..(thinking) slayer?
(S) Mariola    : Do you mean scarf?
(R) Ayu    : yeah that’s what I mean, “scarf”, hoho

(FU) Mariola    : oooh, it’s because we ride motorcycle, and I can’t stand for the wind,

 that’s why I wear scarf…

Ayu        : oh I see.. hmm by the way you’re from Poland right?
Mariola    : yes
Ayu        : does Poland’s national language is English?
Mariola    : no, we have our own language, polish
Ayu        : oh, polish..
Mariola    : yeah
Ayu        : could you give me example of polish words?

(T) Mariola    : of course… #%$^$#^&$%^#$^ (she say her language which I couldn’t notice the transcription)

(S) Ayu    : pardon? Shizrqgu? (not the real word)

(R) Mariola    : yeah #%$^$#^&$%^#$^ (she repeats)

(FU) Ayu    : yeah and I’ am confused now, haha

Mariola    : haha, that the most difficult word which I notice..

Ayu    : what does it means then?

Mariola    : it’s kind of a Poland vegetable, sometimes I also have difficulties in saying that word..

Ayu    : so why are you give that word to me?

Mariola    : not a thing, just want to give the most difficult one to the newbie..

Ayu    : acceptable, hhoo look they have finished..

Mariola    : okay, let’s go

2nd Dialogue

This conversation was take place in my class, it’s English for children class, and most of the members are the 1st grader of elementary school students. As a teacher I use English as the language in the classroom.

Ayu        : good afternoon students

Students    : good afternoon miss

Ayu        : how are you today?

Students    : fine thank you and you?

Ayu        : I’ am very well thank you..

Ayu        : what day is today?

Students    : Friday miss..

Ayu        : good, and do you have had your lunch? (mime eating)

Student    : yes miss..

(T) Ayu    : okay, now open your pupils book..

(S) Amar    : upil book miss?

(R) Ayu    : nooo, pupil’s book Amar… not upil

(T) Students    : halaman berapa miss?

(R) Ayu    : page 60 (sixty)

(FU) Amar    : halaman enampuluh ya miss?

(R) Ayu    : yes amar, page sixty..

Daya        : excuse me miss, I want to go to toilet..

Ayu        : okay, please..

Rafi        : miss, mau buang sampah…

Ayu        : later on ya rafi, wait for hadaya first..

Rafi        : huuuuuuuu, lamaa miss..

Ayu        : okay, have you open the book? Now look at the picture, what can you see

 from it?

Keysa        : motorbike

Raka        : bus

Rafi        : helicopter

Ayu        : good, what else kids? Intan what else?

Intan        : car

Ewin        : plane miss

Ayu         : great, look, what is the name for the yellow one? Anybody know?

Students    : gak tauu miss..

(T) Ayu    : okay, it’s lorry

(S) Students    : apa miss?? LARI?

(R) Ayu    : LORRY, okay repeat after me “lorry”

(FU) Students    : lori

Ayu        : (write on the white board)

Students    : ooooh, lorry

Ayu        : okay students repeat after me, LORRY

Students    : LORRY

3rd Dialogue

This conversation is take place in karaoke room, it’s between me and my new friend from Africa, he speaks 3 languages (African, France, English) but not really fluent in English.

Ayu        : so what song that you wanna sing?

Prince        : hmm, linkin park song, new divine..

Ayu        : okay I will reserve it..

Prince        : but I want somebody sing with me, because I can’t sing this song alone…

Ayu        : why? I guess you can sing it by yourself..

Prince        : no, someone have to accompany me singing this song,

Ayu        : rio will. okay rio? (to rio)

Rio        : hah? Noooo I can’t

Prince        : how about you?

Ayu        : okay then..

Prince        : good

Ayu        : hey you want to sing MCR’s song? Do you know MCR?

Prince        : yes, but not all the song..

Ayu        : do you know teenager song?

Prince        : no

(T) Ayu    : I don’t love you?

(S) Prince    : what do you mean?

(R) Ayu    : oh sorry I mean the title of MCR’s song “I don’t love you”

(FU)Prince    : oh I think you said that you don’t love me at our first meeting..

Ayu        : ridiculous, haha

NOTES

Trigger        (T)    : Sound that can make misunderstanding

Signal        (S)    : Confirmation Check, Clarification Request

Response    (R)    : Repetition

Follow up    (TU)    : statement showed understanding

Explanation of the Analysis

Based on the dialogue above we can see that there are 2 ways of communication where everyone gives feedback to other. And they’re trying to understand what their speaking mate’s saying resulting in the using of the negotiation of meaning. They tried to clarify the difficult word in order to avoid the misunderstanding. May be in my assignment the gap of misunderstanding is not really that much. For example when I and my Poland friend speaks, we don’t have so much problems in communicating because we both can speak English quite fluent, and I guess it’s also because we are as the non native speaker, so the speed of our speaking is not really fast and we try pronounce the words clearly, that’s resulting in the flow of our communication runs well.

While in second dialogue which is taken from my class in one of the English course in Bandar lampung, and that’s between me and my students there. Because they are still 1st and 2nd grader of elementary school students, some of them are not really fluent in using the language so they keep answer or ask in Indonesian language. But since I teach in English course I keep speak in English and a little Indonesian language or action to make them understand what I was saying.

On the third dialogue may be the same as the first, we both are the non native speakers and he also poor in speaking in Indonesian, so we use English as the communication language. The negotiation of meaning in this dialogue may be not at the misunderstanding of words, but at the meaning. Because when I say the title of the song, he thought that I really say the word for him.

Hence, the writer believes that this is not only happening in English as foreign language circumstance but also happening in the place where English has become the second language. Therefore, the writer assumes that negotiation of meaning is naturally happen for the people who are speaking in not their mother tongue. It is the way to clarify the meaning when they find the gap in the conversation so that it can run well.

Conclusion

1.      This paper discuss about the role of interaction in second language learning. Both input and output have certain function in helping second language of learners to improve their ability.
2.      Throught the modification of input, native speakers provide the comprehensible input. With comprehensible output, learners gain three advantages:

2.1  the advantage of noticing their weaknesses

2.2  the advantage of testing hypothesis o the rules they have learned

2.3  the advantage on talking about language.

3.      To get comprehensible input and produce comprehensible output is through negotitaton of meaning, which also provide learners opportunity to use the target language as much as possible.