Y ALVIN NOPAN S. 0743042047 "NEGOTIATION OF MEANING"

SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
NEGOSIATION OF MEANING
ASSIGNMENT

By
Y. ALVIN NOPAN S.
0743042047







ENGLISH EDUCATION
LANGUAGE AND ART DEPARTMENT
TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY
UNIVERSITY OF LAMPUNG
BANDAR LAMPUNG
2010

ACKNOWLEDGE

English is a foreign language in some countries around the world. It is difficult to use English as well as the native of english in countries where it is being learned as foreign language for example in Indonesia. People in Indonesia who belong to many tribes and culture often find the difficulties in acquire English, eventhough they have already mastered their mother tongue well.
Second Language Acquisition is the study of how second language is learned. It is the study of how learning creates a new language system with only limited exposure to a second language (Yufrizal, 2007). Considering this, the writer try to observe how the use of english in non- native speaker like in Indonesia. How they produce their own style in using English and their way to negotiate when they can not understand well what their partner means.
This paper is the requirement in having semester test for Second Language Acquisition subject. In this chance, the writer also thank to Mr. Hery Yufrizal, M.A.,Ph.D as his lecturer in this subject.












INTRODUCTION
English is hard to understand in some countries for example indonesia. People of Indonesia try so many things in order to become fluent in using english. When they have a conversation in english, they try many ways to understand the meaning being said by their partner. Take for example from this conversation between two speakers, we can see how every speaker catch the meaning from their partner;
A : where is the grocery store?
B : what?
A : where is the grocery store?
B : grocery store?
A : yes, grocery store
B : oh yes, it is in the end of this street

By observing the conversation above, we can see that B is trying to understand what A said by give a signal, “What?”. Then A try to respond by repeating the question. B give the signal again by repeating the words “grocery store?”. It means that B try to make sure himself to what A means. In the last there is a follow up from B “oh, yes it is in the end of this street”, it means that B have catched what A wanted to say.
That is what we call the Negotiation of Meaning. Every signal and respond produced by the speaker is a negotiation to understand what their partner said. That ways is assumed as the technique to acquire the language by usig the new system in order for easily to get the language.
Until now, people are still trying 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 parthly due to consideration of role of communication for second/ foreign language acquisition. Second/ foreign language acquisition occurs especially when learners are engaged in the use of language for communication. In this view interaction is treated as one of the most important aspects that influences the success or failure of second/ foreign language acquisition.
By considering the reality and some theories above, the writer is interested to make an observation about negotiation of meaning by inviting some participants from Hi and Low level of English.

FRAME OF THEORIES

Negotiation of meaning is defined as a series of exchanges conducted by addressors and addresses to help themselves understand and be understood by their interlocutors. Both interactants work together to solve any potential misunderstanding 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 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
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.
We can see in this figure;

Trigger Resolution



In negotiation of meaning there are at least two different moves; the move of signal and the move of reaction to the signal (repair or modification ( Pica and Doughty, 1985 ). The move of signal consists of three concepts; confirmation check, comprekension check and clarification request. The repair move consists of self- and other- repetition , elaboration and justification.
Pica et al (1989) suggest that negotiation of meaning basically consists of four interrelated moves. The moves are Trigger (T), Signal (S), Response (R) and Follow- Up (FU) moves. To make it clear, see the transcript of conversation below:

A : where is the grocery store? ( T )
B : what? ( S1 )
A : where is the grocery store? ( R1 )
B : grocery store? ( S2 )
A : yes, grocery store ( R2 )
B : oh yes, it is in the end of this street ( Follow Up or FU )





















ANALYSIS

A. CONVERSATION I
This is a cconversation between two people, Adit and Silvy in the school taken from 1st grade of Junior High School. Both of them are in the same level in English, low and low;

Adit : hallo silvy (FU)
Silvy : hallo adit (FU)
Adit : how are you today? (FU)
Silvy : i am fine, thank you, and you? (FU)
Adit : i am fine too, silvy do you know where is the Mall? (T)
Silvy : mmm...aaa Mall... is in front of the mosque (FU)
Adit : mmm... are you sure? (R)
Silvy : yes i am sure hehe (FU)
Adit : and where is the church (T)
Silvy : what? (S)
Adit : church (R)
Silvy : ooo... church? (S)
Adit : yes (R)
Silvy : church is behind the game centre (FU)
Adit : where is the parking area? (T)
Silvy : mmm... the parking area is beside... eh... behind the school hehe (FU)
Adit : hehe really (FU)
Silvy : yes of course (FU)
Adit :mmm... do you know where the cinema? (T)
Silvy : aaa... what? (S)
Adit : cinema (R)
Silvy : mmm... what? (S)
Adit : cinema!! (R)
Silvy : owh cinema (S)
Adit : yes (R)
Silvy : cinema is behind the hotel (FU)
Adit : ooo... behind the hotel (FU)
Silvy : where is the post ofice (T)
Adit : mmm... the post office.... is mmm beside the school (FU)
Silvy : mmm... are you sure? (R)
Adit : yes i am sure (FU)
Silvy : where is the parking area (T)
Adit : what? (S)
Silvy : parking... area (R)
Adit : parking area? (S)
Silvy : yes (R)
Adit : it is behind the school (FU)
Silvy : really (R)
Adit : yes (FU)
Silvy : where is the public library (T)
Adit : the public library? (S)
Silvy : yes (R)
Adit : mmm... it is in front of the mall (FU)
Silvy : ooo (FU)
Adit : can you tell me where the sport stadium? (T)
Silvy : what? (S)
Adit : the sport stadium (R)
Silvy : ooo... the sport stadium is.... aaa... behind the police station (FU)
Adit : ok thank you (FU)
Silvy : you are welcome (FU)
Adit : see you, bye.. (FU)
Silvy : bye (FU)
*****
From the conversation above the observer find Signal (S) “What?” and Respond (R) which is the repeating of the Triger are mostly produced by the interactor. In producing words or utterance, they talked about ninety six (96) words per minute.
From the Conversation I above, we can conclude that there so many negotiations of meaning done by the speakers. We can see that from the numbers of signals and responses in that dialogue. In other words people who are low in english need many negotiations to understand what their partner said.
B. CONVERSATION II
This is a conversation between two people. Both of them are in the same level , high in english.
Lisa : good morning agung (FU)
Agung : morning lisa, (FU)
Lisa : agung i want to go to the cinema, can you tell me how to get there from post office? (T)
Agung : owh, first you must follow the main street, until you see a trisection you turn right then follow the street, cinema is in front of the police station (FU)
Lisa : and how to get to the mall from the cinema (T)
Agung : i’m sorry (S)
Lisa : mall!, how can I get there (R)
Agung : from cinema? (S)
Lisa : yes from cinema (R)
Agung : you may go right then follow the street, through the circle downtown and in the left side of the road you will find the mall (FU)
Lisa : how far from the cinema? (T)
Agung : pardon? (S)
Lisa : how far the mall from the cinema? (R)
Agung : mmm... its about three hundreds and fifty meters (FU)
Lisa : sorry (S)
Agung : three hundreeds and fifty meters (R)
Lisa : owh, so it is not too far (FU)
Agung : yes (FU)
Lisa : ok thank you (FU)
Agung : btw what are you looking for in the mall (T)
Lisa : oh i want to get a dress (FU)
Agung : address? (S)
Lisa : no, not address, but dress, something that i will wear in my birthday party (R)
Agung : owh, you will buy a dress (FU)
Lisa : yeah, that’s right, btw thank you for your direction (FU)
Agung : you’re welcome lisa (FU)

*****
From the conversation II above, the observer find some signals (S) and respons (R) but not many as in conversation I. Observer assumed that it is caused by the level in english, interactors in conversation I can understand better than the interactor in the previous conversation.
Eventhough the conversation happened fluently, the speakers still need some negotiations in order to avoid the misunderstanding. It is still happened in english conversation, especially in country which english is a foreign language like in Indonesia.