THE SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN SURFING

by

Ni Putu Yolanda Indiani

English Department, Faculty of Letters and Culture, Udayana University

Abstrak

Studi ini membahas teknikal terminologi yang digunakan dalan surfing. Tujuan dari studi ini adalah mengidentifikasi jenis makna dari teknikal terminology yang digunakan dalam surfing yang terdapat di skrip film “Soul Surfer”. Metode yang digunakan untk memilih data pada studi ini adalah metode obervasi dan teknik pengambilan catatan. Studi ini menganalisis secara kualitatif berdasarkan teori makna dari Ogden dan Richards (1923) dan teori jenis-jenis makna dari John Lyons (1996).

Hasil analisis dalam studi ini menunjukkan bahwa dari teknikal terminology dalam surfing yang terdapat dalam skrip film “Soul Surfer”dapat digolongkan ke dalam jenis referential (denotational) meaning, ideational (mentalistic) meaning, meaning-in-use meaning, ,dan behaviorist meaning. Namun tidak satupun dari teknikal terminology tersebut yangtermasuk ke dalam verificationist meaning dan truth-conditional meaning, karena teknikal terminology yang terdapat dalam skrip film “Soul Surfer” dalam bentuk kata dan frasa bukan dalam bentuk kalimat.

Keyword : Teknikal Terminologi, Makna, Surfing.

  • 1.    Background of the Study

English language is rich in vocabulary including the ways of expressing meaning. One word could have more than one meanings. Hornby (2010:920) stated that, meaning is the thing or idea that a sound, word, sign, etc. represents. A word could have a different meaning in different field and context.

Technical terms can be found in almost every field in our life with their own meaning and purposes. According to Webster (2000:531), ‘technical’ means, “having special knowledge especially of a mechanical or scientific subject, or relating to technique”, meanwhile, ‘term’ means “a word or expression that has a precise meaning in some uses or is limited to a particular subject or field”, Webster

(2000:534). So it can be conceptualized that ‘technical term’ is “a word or expression which is used in particular subject or field”.

In surfing, there are many terms found which are used as the name for every trick that is done by the surfer. Some of the terms have the same meaning as the words which are used in daily life. However, some of the terms have a totally different meaning from the common words. Based on this phenomenon, the technical terms used in Surfing which become the universal terms analyzed in this study. From the technical terms used in surfing, this study tried to figure out the meaning of the terms itself and explain the terms clearly.

  • 2.    Problems of the study

Based on the background mentioned above, there are two problems that are formulated in this study:

  • a)    What surfing technical terms are found in the “Soul Surfer” movie script?

  • b)    What types of meaning can be identified in the technical terms used in surfing?

  • 3.    Aims of the study

Based on the problems of the study, the aims of the study are:

  • a)    To find out the technical terms used in surfing found in the “Soul Surfer” movie script.

  • b)    To classify the types of meaning that can be identified in technical terms used in surfing.

  • 4.    Research Method

The data used in this study were obtained from the “Soul Surfer” movie script. The method and technique of collecting data are observation method and note taking technique. The data in this study were analyzed qualitatively based on the theory of

meaning proposed by Ogden and Richards (1923); and the six types of meaning proposed by Lyons (1996)

  • 5.    Result and Discussion

This part deals with the result and the discussion of the data. The data were divided into five sub-categorizations, they are: parts of surfboard, terms about the water, surfing technique, surfer’s utility, and surfer’s identity.

  • a)    Technical Terms Used in Surfing:

    Types of Meaning

    Term

    Referential

    Ideational

    Behaviorist

    Meaning-in-use

    Parts     of

    Surfboard

    Fin

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Leg Rop

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Rail

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Terms

    about the

    Water

    Barrel

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Bomb

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Flat

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Heat

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Impact Zone

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Inside

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Line-up

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Lip

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Outside

    ✓

    -

    ✓

    -

    Section

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Set

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    White Water

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Surfing

    Technique

    Air

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Surfing Technique

    Bottom Turn

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Carve

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Cut Back

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Drop in

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Duck Dive

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Off the Top

    -

    ✓

    -

    -

    Paddle

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Snap

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Take off

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

    Surfer’s Utility

    Board Short

    ✓

    -

    -

    -

    Surfer’s

    Identity

    Grom

    -

    -

    -

    ✓

  • b)    Types of Meaning of the Technical Terms Used in Surfing

  • -    Data 1: Alana is paddling into a big wave on the outside.

‘Outside’ means the area outside of the lineup or break line where surfers in the lineup initially observe sets of waves as they approach. Often a term used to warn other surfers in the lineup that a new set of waves is approaching. "Outside!" is the same as "out-the-back" (often used by Australian surfers.) According to Hornby outside is a noun which means “the outer side or surface of something” (2010:1044). For example, “The outside of the house needs painting.”

Refering to the semantic triangle, the word ‘outside’ cannot be directly connected to ‘the area outside of the lineup or break line where surfers in the lineup initially observe sets of waves as they approach’ nor to ‘the outer side or surface of something’. The word should be defined based on the concept that is associated in the mind of the speaker and the hearer. If the participants have a concept of surfing in their mind, the word ‘outside’ can be defined as the area outside the line up of the surfers. However, if the participants do not have a concept of surfing associated in their mind, it can only be defined as the outer part of something or other things 4

depending on the experience of the participants. The context of situation is also an important part in order to define the meaning of a word. The term ‘outside’ here is used in the context of surfing, so it can be defined as the area outside the line up.

From the definitions of the term above it can be seen that the meaning of theh term used in surfing has a different meaning from the term listed in the dictionary. However the meaning of the term used in surfing refers to the meaning of the term listed in the dictionary in terms of the position which both term means ‘in the outer side of something’. So it can be concluded that this term belongs to the referential (denotational) meaning. Moreover, because this term is used to warn the other surfers this term can also be categorized into the behaviorist meaning because it evokes a response from the other surfers.

  • -    Data 2: Big snap off the top!

‘Off the top’ is a technique where a surfer make a turn on the top of a wave, either sharp or carving. For example, “Gets a nice vertical off the top there as she kicks out to the challengers.”

The context of situation is an important part in defining the meaning of a word. The term ‘off the top here is used in the context of surfing, so it can be defined as a surfing technique. Referring to the semantic triangle, the term ‘off the top’ should be defined by the concept that is associated in the mind of the speaker and the hearer. It cannot be directly defined as a technique where a surfer make a turn on the top of a wave, either sharp or carving. It can only defined as a surfing technique if the concept of surfing is associated in the mind of the participants. If the participants do not have the concept of surfing in their mind, the term ‘off the top’ can only be defined based on the experience of the participants.

This phrase cannot be found in the dictionary because it is not commonly used in daily life. However, this term can be understood by the people who surf. That is why it can be concluded that this term belongs to the ideational (mentalistic) meaning.

- Data 3: It looks like the local groms have tracked down Hawaiian surfing

legend, Ben Aipa.

‘Grom’ or ‘grommet’ is a young surfer under the age of 16. As in “It looks like the local groms have tracked down Hawaiian surfing legend.” According to Hornby, grommet is a noun which means “a small metal ring placed around a hole in cloth or leather, to make it stronger” (2010:660) as in “I’ve asked the taylor to add the grommet”

Refering to the semantic triangle, the word ‘grom’ or ‘grommet’ cannot be directly connected to ‘a young surfer under the age of 16’ nor to ‘a small metal ring placed around a hole in cloth or leather, to make it stronger’. The word should be defined based on the concept that is associated in the mind of the speaker and the hearer. If the participants have a concept of surfing in their mind, the word ‘grom’ or ‘grommet’ can be defined as the surfer under the age of 16. However, if the participants do not have a concept of surfing associated in their mind, it can only be defined as a small metal ring placed around a hole in cloth or leather, to make it stronger; or other things depends on the experience of the participants. The context of situation is also an important part in order to defining the meaning of a word. The term ‘grom’ or ‘gromet’ here is used in the context of surfing, so it can be defined as the surfer under the age of 16.

The meaning of the term used in surfing does not refer to the meaning of the term listed in the dictionary because the meaning of the term used in surfing is defined based on its use in the context of surfing. Then, when it is compared to the meaning of the term in dictionary it raised up an in-depth understanding that this term belongs to the meaning-in-use meaning.

  • 6.    Conclusion

From the analysis above it can be concluded that the technical terms used in surfing mentioned in the “Soul Surfer” movie script can be categorized into the referential (denotational meaning), ideational (mentalistic) meaning, meaning-in-6

use meaning, and behaviorist meaning. However, none of the term belong to the verivicationist meaning and truth-conditional meaning because the technical terms used in surfing mentioned in the “Soul Surfer” movie script are in form of words and phrases, not in form of sentences.

  • 7.    Bibliography

Hornby, A.S. 2010. Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Lyons, John. 1996. Linguistics Semantics, An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Meriam-Webster. 2000. Webster’s New Dictionary of The English Language. New York: Popular Group.

Ogden,C. K. & Richards,I. A. 1923. The Meaning of Meaning. New York: Brace & World, Inc.

“Soul Surfer” Movie Script. 2011.. Resources: http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=soul-surfer

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