WOMEN’S LANGUAGE IN THE NOVEL ENTITLED “MANSFIELD PARK” BY JANE AUSTEN
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WOMEN’S LANGUAGE IN THE NOVEL ENTITLED “MANSFIELD PARK” BY JANE AUSTEN
Gek Wulan Novi Utami
Jurusan Sastra Inggris Fakultas Sastra Universitas Udayana
ABSTRAK
Bahasa wanita merupakan bahasa yang digunakan wanita untuk menekankan statusnya yang tergolong minoritas. Bahasa wanita dikatakan sebagai penanda khas yang dimiliki wanita (Lakoff:1975).Wanita berhati-hati dalam berbicara tergantung pada pembicara tersebut wanita atau pria dan bagaimana kedudukannya dalam kelas sosial. Wanita cenderung memberikan pernyataan yang memperlihatkan keraguan pada ucapannya sendiri. Selain memiliki ciri-ciri linguistik yang spesifik, wanita juga dikatakan lebih sering menggunakan bahasa dalam bentuk standar dengan tujuan tertentu dalam kehidupan sosial yang berkaitan dengan status sosial, latar belakang keluarga, dan sopan santun. Dalam hal ini disebutkan bahwa kecenderungan wanita yang lebih sering menggunakan bahasa standar daripada pria disebabkan oleh elemen yang berkaitan dengan status sosial, peranan wanita dalam menjaga nilai-nilai sosial, dan golongan minoritas atau kelompok subordinat. Elemen-elemen tersebut terdapat pada teori yang diajukan Holmes pada tahun 1992. Dalam penelitian ini data yang diambil merupakan percakapan dari novel yang berjudul “Mansfield Park” oleh Jane Austen. Data tersebut dicatat dengan metode dokumentasi dan dianalisis secara kualitatif. Novel Mansfield Park berperan besar dalam penelitian ini karena Jane Austen menceritakan dengan jelas kehidupan sosial di eranya dan status sosial memiliki peran yang sangat besar sehingga timbul suatu batasan atau kesenjangan yang ditunjukan antar karakter di novel tersebut.
Kata Kunci: Bahasa Wanita, kelompok subordinat, jenis kelamin dan kelas sosial
People interact in society through language when they are involved in conversation. This conversation involves men and women. Men and women have different ways in their conversations although they use the same language. According to Lakoff (1975:98), women use more polite language, because their status is inferior to men and this affects their languages. Linguists also stated that the topics of women’s conversation were considered trivial topics. Holmes claimed that women were more linguistically polite than men. Besides, women and men emphasize different speech function (1992:33). Women tend to talk grammatically and become
more polite than men. This study analyzes elements that cause women to use more standard forms than men. Jane Austen’s novel also has big role in this study because her novel is dominated by women’s life.
According to background above, there is problem that relates to the topic and will be discussed in this research. The problem is what elements cause women to use more standard forms found in the novel entitled “Mansfield Park” by Jane Austen.
There is an aim related to this study based on the problem formulated above. It is to find out the elements which cause women to use more standard forms in the novel entitled “Mansfield Park” by Jane Austen.
The data which were used in this study were taken from the women’s conversations in the novel Mansfield Park. This novel was chosen because the novel can represent the life of women in different social. It can tell what elements cause women to use more standard forms and also the features of women language in that novel.
In collecting data, the method of doing library research was applied. The data were noted by using data documentation. In this method, the data were collected in order to find out the elements that cause women to use more standard forms through the following steps. Firstly, the novel was read attentively. Secondly, women’s conversations which can explain the elements that cause women to use more standard forms were found. Thirdly, the data which had been found were identified.
This study was analyzed qualitatively and presented descriptively. The data were analyzed by giving description and explanation clearly. There were three steps in analyzing data. In the first step, the data were selected more specific. The second step, the data were classified into each of elements. The last step, the data were analyzed to explain the elements which caused the women to use more standard forms in the novel entitled “Mansfield Park” based on theory proposed by Holmes (1992).
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5. The Analysis of Women’s Language in the Novel entitled “Mansfield Park” by Jane Austen
Women use more standard forms than men because women are more aware about social status. They are aware of the fact that the way they speak indicates their social background or social status in the community. It causes women to use more standard forms than men. They think that the way of their speaking to others can show the social background. In this term, the occupations of women can not become a signal of social status.
1)"My dear Miss Price," said Miss Crawford, as soon as she was at all within hearing, "I am come to make my own apologies for keeping you waiting; but I have nothing in the world to say for myself--I knew it was very late, and that I was behaving extremely ill; and therefore, if you please, you must forgive me. Selfishness must always be forgiven, you know, because there is no hope of a cure." (Jane Austen 1814:61)
Miss Crawford stated that she apologized Fanny Price because she had used Fanny’s horse without asking permission to Fanny. Miss Crawford, Fanny Price, and Edmund Bertram were talking about riding horse which was done by Miss Crawford and Edmund Bertram the day before. Miss Crawford used standard forms when she apologized Fanny. According to Holmes, Women were aware of the fact that the way
they speak indicated their social background or social status in the community. The way of her speaking signaled to the addressee that she had different status. She signaled that indirectly. It could be noticed by the way of her speaking. She had not worked yet but she could signal her social status to addressee.
The second factor was women’s role in society. Women used standard forms indicated that they had better behavior than men. Besides, women had role as the model when they had children and their children learnt to speak from them. It happened in certain social groups. In this point, the factor that caused women to use more standard forms than men was that women had role to be the guardian of society values.
1)"Dear mama, only think, my cousin cannot put the map of Europe together-- or my cousin cannot tell the principal rivers in Russia-- or, she never heard of Asia Minor--or she does not know the difference between water-colours and crayons!-- How strange!--Did you ever hear anything so stupid?"
"My dear," their considerate aunt would reply, "it is very bad, but you must not expect everybody to be as forward and quick at learning as yourself." (Jane Austen 1814:15)
This conversation happened when Maria and Julia told Lady Bertram, their mother, that Fanny’s ability was not appropriate with her age. She could not learn well as fast as her cousin. They reported that to their mom and aunt because they thought it did not make sense. Mrs. Norris answered her nieces’ report politely. Mrs. Norris used standard forms in her statement, it meant Mrs. Norris still lead her niece to be the polite person. Mrs. Norris had role as woman who guard or lead the younger generation especially children to polite zone. That way could lesson indirectly to Maria and Julia about politeness.
Women as a subordinate group and people who are included in subordinate groups must be polite. It caused women to use more standard forms than men. Women must avoid the conflict when they were involved argument with men or women. They must
speak carefully and politely. The use of standard forms can help women to maintain their face or their image in social community. They did not want to damage their face or position in social community so that they avoid offence to others. Women also purposed to respect to addressee because they may meet the sensitive addressee especially women.
1)"Sir, it is a Moor Park, we bought it as a Moor Park, and it cost us--that is, it was a present from Sir Thomas, but I saw the bill--and I know it cost seven shillings, and was charged as a Moor Park."
"You were imposed on, ma'am," replied Dr. Grant: "these potatoes have as much the flavour of a Moor Park apricot as the fruit from that tree. It is an insipid fruit at the best; but a good apricot is eatable, which none from my garden are."
"The truth is, ma'am," said Mrs. Grant, pretending to whisper across the table to Mrs. Norris, "that Dr. Grant hardly knows what the natural taste of our apricot is: he is scarcely ever indulged with one, for it is so valuable a fruit; with a little assistance, and ours is such a remarkably large, fair sort, that what with early tarts and preserves, my cook contrives to get them all." (Jane Austen 1814:49)
This conversation happened when Dr. Grant, Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Norris talked about the tree which planted near the church. Dr. Grant did not know what kind of the tree was and he thought the tree just like ordinary plant which could produce fruit. He talked that the tree grew well but the fruits were not satisfied enough. Mrs. Norris offended and explained a Moor Park was expensive tree and Sir Thomas who she respected had bought it to her. Mrs. Grant reconfirmed to avoid misunderstanding. She did not want this discussion become problem because of misunderstanding. Mrs. Grant used standard forms when she reconfirmed to Mrs. Norris. It showed her politeness and also the way to avoid the conflict which may happen among them. According to Holmes (1992), the using of standard forms can help women to maintain their face or their image in social community. They did not want to damage
their face or position in social community so that they avoid offence to others. Women also purposed to respect to addressee because they may meet the sensitive addressee especially women.
There are three elements that cause women to use more standard forms. The first is social status which explains that women are aware of the fact that the way they speak indicates their social background or social status in the community. The second, element that cause women to use more standard forms than men is the women’s role as guardian of society values. Women had role as the model when they have children and their children learn to speak from them. The third is subordinate groups. In the third element women are called part of subordinate group and people who include in subordinate groups must be polite. It causes women to use more standard forms than men. It functions to avoid the conflict when they are involved argument with men or women.
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