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ADVERB OF DEGREES IN JOSEPH CONRAD’S

“THE RESCUE” NOVEL

By

PUTU BAGUS WAHYU DHYATMIKA DUSAK

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LETTERS AND CULTURE UDAYANA UNIVERSITY

Abstrak

Kalimat adalah aspek penting dalam berbahasa, karena kita berbahasa dalam bentuk kalimat dan berkomunikasi satu sama lain menggunakan kalimat. Dalam kalimat terdapat sekelompok kata yang digabungkan untuk membentuk sebuah makna yang dapat mengekspresikan pernyataan, permintaan, perintah, seruan, dan lain lain. Dalam membuat sebuah kalimat yang baik, aspek yg paling penting untuk diperhatikan adalah tatabahasa, tatabahasa mengatur kata untuk berubah bentuk dan bergabung satu sama lain untuk membentuk satu kalimat utuh yang baik. Dalam sebuah kalimat terdapat kata kerja, kata benda, kata sifat, adverbia, dan lain lain. Dari sekian banyak aspek kata, adverbia adalah salah satu elemen untuk didalami dan dipahami, karena adverbia dapat secara langsung maupun tidak langsung merubah ekspresi dan struktur kalimat berbahasa inggris dari segi tata bahasa. Adapun dari sekian banyak adverbia yang ada, dalam penelitian ini hanya terfokus pada adverbia tingkatan yang mana menggunakan novel dari Joseph Conrad yg berjudul The Rescue sebagai sumber data, dalam tujuan untuk menganalisa bentuk, fungsi dan posisi dari adverbia tingkatan yg dapat muncul dalam sebuah kalimat.

Kata kunci: adverbia tingkatan, bentuk, posisi, fungsi.

  • 1.    Background of the Study

There were many aspects to be notified in composing one good sentence, such as: tenses, verb, noun, adjective, adverb, etc. From those aspects, adverb is one of the elements to be comprehend, since adverb can affect the expression and structure of English sentence grammaticaly. Adverbs have various types. Morphologically, adverb can be classified into three parts; they are: simple adverb, complex adverb, and compound adverb. Eckersley (1965 : 252) stated that “adverb can be divided into eight, such as: adverb manner, adverb of place,

adverb of time, adverb of frequency, adverb of degree, adverb of affirmation, relative adverb, and interrogative adverb”. And this study focuses only on adverb of degree.

Adverb of degree can be devided into two types: Derivational form and Non-Derivational form, and have several function such as: modifier of adjective, adverb itself, noun phrase, determiner, prepositional phrase modifier, and etc. The position is also important, since the adverb of degree can be found in various positions; the position of adverb in sentence will affect the function of adverb itself. Therefore, it is important to analyze the form, function, and position of the adverb of degree, so we can use it properly and corectly in all forms of communication. Those are the main reason why adverb of degree is chosen to be topic of this writing.

  • 2.    Problem of the Study

  • 1.    What forms of adverb of degree occuring in sentences in Conrad’s The Rescue Novel?

  • 2.    What functions of adverb of degree in sentences found in Conrad’s The Rescue Novel?

  • 3.    What positions of adverb of degree in sentences occuring in Conrad’s The Rescue Novel?

  • 3.    Aim of the Study

Related to the problems mentioned above, the specific aim of of the this study is to identify the forms, to describe the function, and to trace the position of adverb of degree occuring in Joseph Conrad’s “The Rescue” Novel.

  • 4.    Research Method

Research method is the methodology of doing a specific study of a subject, it’s the way or the steps to be taken in writing a scienctific research, how the study is designed and conducted, in

order to produce new knowledge or information and give deeper understanding of a study.

  • 4.1    Data Source

The data of this study were directly taken from the novel entitled “The Rescue” written by Polish writers Joseph Conrad. This novel was written by Conrad based upon his experience as a mate on a steamer boat. Although it’s not his most noticable work the rescue has a good review by many readers around the world, and it provides all the data the writer needed for the research especially adverb of degree.

  • 4.2    Method and Technique of Collecting Data

The method used in this study is documentation method. Documentation method is a method of collecting data in which the data are collected from the source and noted systematically by using intensive reading and note taking through the novel. Intensive reading was done by reading the data source very carefully, and adverb in the sentence, especially adverb of degree. Note taking data was done by noting down and all the possible data related to the topic were classified and form, position, and function were identified and classified. Suitable data were quoted, unnecessary data were eliminated.

  • 4.3    Method and Technique of Analyzing Data

All the collected data of this study were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively and then all the collected data were systematically analyzed to solve the problem based on appropriate

theories applied in this study.

  • 5.    The Analysis of Adverb of Degrees in Joseph Conrad’s “The Rescue” Novel

    • 5.1    The Forms of Adverb of Degree

Adverb of degree can also be devided into two types: Derivational form and Non-Derivational form:

  • 5.1.2    Non-Derivational Forms

  • a.    She seemed quite surprised by that view. (Conrad, 1920 : 129)

  • b.    It can’t be very late yet, “he said”. (Conrad, 1920 : 262)

  • c.    They would have trusted me quick enough. (Conrad, 1920 : 215)

In sentences (a),(b) and (c) the non-derivational adverbs of degree were formed from pure single words, no suffixes or other distinguishable markings differentiate them from other parts of the sentence.

  • 5.1.3    Derivational Forms

  • a.    They were mysterious, but she felt certain they were absolutely true. (Conrad, 1920 : 131)

  • b.    Its approaches are extremely difficult for a stranger. (Conrad, 1920 : 61)

In sentences (a),(b) above are adverb of degree in derivational forms, using suffixation process by adding –ly to the adjectives so they all belong to derivational forms.

  • 5.2    The Function of Adverb of Degree

    5.2.1    Adverb of Degree as Adjective Modifier

  • a.    They were mysterious, but she felt certain they were absolutely true. (Conrad, 1920 : 131)

  • b.    .., quite natural in a girl so young and elevated to such a high

position. (Conrad, 1920 : 233)

In the sentence above there are adverbs of degree functioning as adjective modifiers and both pre-modifies adjectives.

  • 5.2.2    Adverb of Degree as Adverb Modifier

  • a.    .., clad in spotless white suit, came just then from forward where he had been busy with the anchors. (Conrad, 1920 : 54)

  • b.    .., and had noted the lay of the land and the position of the dangers so carefully that, though at... (Conrad, 1920 : 74)

In sentence (a) the non-derivational adverb of degree just pre-modifies adverb of time then. And (b) adverb of degree so pre-modifies adverb of manner carefully.

  • 5.2.3    Adverb of Degree as Prepositional Phrase Modifier

  • a.    But even far into the present century they have had successors. (Conrad,1920 : 15)

  • b.    You stranding just on that spot of the whole coast was my bad luck. (Conrad, 1920 : 42)

In sentence (a) the adverb of degree far pre-modifies prepositional phrase into the present century. And in (b) the adverb of degree just pre-modifies prepositional phrase on that spot of the whole coast.

  • 5.2.4    Adverb of Degree as Determiner Modifier

a....was profoundly troubled about those very things though she, too, felt desperate enough to welcome almost any solution. (Conrad, 1920 : 310)

  • b. D’Alcacer was a man of nearly forty, lean and sallow, with hollow eyes and a dropping brown moustache. (Conrad, 1920 : 110)

In sentence (a) the adverb of degree almost pre-modifies the determiner any, and in sentence (b) the adverb of degree nearly pre-modifies cardinal numeral forty,

  • 5.2.5    Adverb of Degree as Noun Phrase Modifier

  • a.    The silence in the cabin lasted only a few seconds. (Conrad, 1920 : 42)

  • b.    It stayed there for quite a long time. (Conrad, 1920 : 347)

In sentence, (a) the adverb of degree only pre-modifies the noun phrase a few seconds, in (b) the adverb of degree quite pre-modifies the noun phrase a long time.

  • 5.3    The Position of Adverb of Degree

    5.3.1    Initial Position

  • a.    Nearly right, I think, sir. (Conrad, 1920 : 24)

  • b.    Too hard for our common fearful heart. (Conrad : 374)

In example, (a) and (b) above, the adverb of degree occurs in the initial position, at the very beginning of the sentence, initiates the other part of the clause.

  • 5.3.2    Medial Position

  • a.    He had come up only for a moment, (Conrad, 1920 : 20)

  • b.    The coast was completely deserted to all appearance. (Conrad,1920:37)

In sentence, (a) above, the adverb of degree appear in the middle of the sentence after the verb come. And in (b) the adverb of degree appears in the middle right before the main verb deserted.

  • 5.3.3    Final Position

  • a.    Wouldn’t he treat a stranger fairly? (Conrad, 1920 : 46)

  • b.    Mrs Travers nodded at him slightly. (Conrad, 1920 : 269)

In example (a) and (b) above, the adverb of degree appears in the final position, after the main verb, and appears at the very end of the sentence.

  • 6.    Conclusion

Based on the analysis above, there are several significant adverbs of degree in Joseph Conrad “The Rescue” novel that can be drawn as a conclusion .

There are two forms of adverb of degree occuring in the novel, non-derivational form which is formed from pure word, and drivational form, formed mostly by simply adding suffix –ly to the adjective. Based on the function, in Joseph Conrad’s novel, the adverb of degree is commonly used to modify other part of speech such as noun, prepositional phrase, adjective, determiner, cardinal numeral, and other adverbs. In terms of position, the adverb of degree can be found in all positions of the sentences: initial position, medial position, and final position, and in each position of adverb have their own functions.

  • 7.    Bibliography

Conrad, Joseph. 1920. The Rescue. Penguin Books Ltd, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England

Eckersley, CE and J.M Eckersley. 1965. A Comprehensive English Grammar for Foreign Student. London: Longman Green and Co. Ltd.

Huddlestone, Rodney. 1984. Introduction to the Grammar of English. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

Quirk, et al. 1985. A Comprehensive English Grammar of The English Language. New York: Longman Group Limited.