HYPERBOLE IN WHEN YOU BELIEVE AND HERO LYRIC BY MARIAH CAREY S SONG

HYPERBOLE IN WHEN YOU BELIEVE AND HERO LYRIC BY MARIAH CAREY S SONG Fitria Wulandari *) Mayuasti, M.Pd **) Melati Theresia, S.S, M.Hum ***) *) Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat Email: fitriawulandari212@gmail.com **) Staf Pengajar Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat Email: mayuasti@gmail.com ***) Staf Pengajar Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat Email: bukittinggi511@gmail.com Abstract This research is about analysis hyperbole that used in the lyric of song. The main problem in this research is about to find out the hyperbole that used in the lyric of Mariah Carey s songs that entitled are When You Believe dan Hero. In this research, the sources of data is by using qualitative method in content analysis. The researcher used the lyric of song as the sources of data. Technique of collecting the data is by reading. Based on this research, the researcher conclude that in analysis the literary work especially the lyric of Mariah Carey s songs that entitled are When You Believe and Hero, the researcher only focusses on hyperbole and the meaning that contain on it. Based on the result of the research, there are eight hyperbole that are found in the lyric of Mariah Carey s song that entitled are When You Believe and Hero. In When You Believe s lyric of song, there are four hyperbole and in Hero s lyric of song there are four hyperbole too. The theme of both songs is about motivation in life. Penelitian ini adalah tentang menganalisis majas hiperbola yang digunakan di dalam lirik lagu. Masalah utama dalam penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui majas hiperbola yang terdapat dalam lirik lagu dari Mariah Carey yang berjudul When You Believe dan Hero. Sumber utama data penelitian dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode kualitatif yang dirancang dalam content analysis. Peneliti menggunakan sumber utama data yaitu teks dari lirik lagu yang akan diteliti. Metode pengumpulan data adalah membaca. Berdasarkan penelitian ini, peneliti menyimpulkan bahwa dalam menganalisis karya sastra, terutama untuk lirik lagu When You Believe dan Hero, peneliti hanya fokus pada majas hiperbola dan makna yang terkandung di dalamnya. Berdasarkan hasil analisis, peneliti mengungkapkan bahwa ada delapan majas hiperbola yang ditemukan di dalam lirik lagu When You Believe dan Hero. Didalam lirik lagu When You Believe terdapat empat majas hiperbola dan dilirik lagu Hero juga terdapat empat majas hiperbole. Tema dari kedua judul lagu tersebut adalah tentang motivasi hidup. Key Words: Figurative language, Hyperbole, Song lyric. INTRODUCTION Many authors use figurative language to create a special effect or feeling. Figurative language can be characterized with language that compares, exaggerates, or means something other than what it first appears to mean. Spivey (2011) stated that, figurative language is used to describe an object, person, or situation by comparing it to or with something else. It is because figurative language has an art in language itself. There are many types of figurative language, they are simile, metaphor, personification, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, idiom, and clichés. In this case, the researcher only focuses on hyperbole. Hyperbole is belonging to one of the figurative language s types. In other words, hyperbole is an expression to make something looks bigger or greater than is really is. 1

For example: Dad drank a million gallons of water after his run. (Spivey: 2011) Based on the statement above, a million gallons is one of example of hyperbole. The people know that this is not possible. Usually, the people drink the water only some of glasses. However, in this case, the hyperbole statement shows that how very thirsty the father after his run. The exaggeration of million gallons is simply for emphasis to describe the large quantity of water Dad actually drank. The primary function of hyperbole itself is to intensify an utterance. Besides of that, hyperbole is also used to gain the people s attention. According to Ronald Carter (2004), hyperbole function is often used to mark solidarity and mutuality between speakers as well as to gain attention. It means by using hyperbole, it can gain the people s attention who read or hear the literary works. Now day, figurative language included hyperbole is uses in any form of communication, such as in daily conversation, articles in newspaper, advertisement, novels, poems, drama, and song. In this case, the researcher chose song as an object that the researcher want to analyze. Song is one kinds of currents development in literary works. Song is very beautiful things for hearing. Song consists of lyric with music and sound. According to Longman (2001), song is a genre designation, but a broad one. It indicates a literary text with a musical accompaniment. In other words, song is consist of text that called by lyrics and also sound. If lyrics accompanied by sounds, rhythm, and music instrument, it can be called as a song. Usually, some songs are related to someone experience in life. It means that the song s writer create a song based on their own experiences. Songs has a theme. Songs is also an effective way in delivering the message. It can be seen from the way people use the songs as a media to deliver their feeling to others. When someone listening to the songs that especially contains of hyperbole, they can get the depth feeling of that songs. It is because, by using figurative language, the author can deliver the message more deeply and makes the listeners and the readers become anxiety and touched. Usually, talking about songs, people get easily interested in. Song can easily interest the people because song not only consist of lyrics but also have rhythm and sound. However, listening to a song, it is not only listening to the music but also have to find out the meaning and message of the song itself. To understand the meaning and knows the messages of songs is not easy, especially when the lyric of song are full of figurative language such as hyperbole which have connotative meaning inside them. In this research, the researcher chose Mariah Carey s songs as the object. Mariah Carey is one of famous singer in the world. She is also a songwriter. Some of the songs are related to her experiences in life. She puts her feels into the songs to express her feeling or emotion. However, in this research, the researcher chose Mariah Carey s songs that entitled are When you Believe and Hero as the objects of this study. In this research, the researcher has some purposes, they are; to find out the hyperbole that are used in the lyric of Mariah Carey s songs that entitled are When You Believe and Hero and to know the meaning of hyperbole that are used in the lyric of Mariah Carey s songs that entitled are When You Believe and Hero. RESEARCH METHOD In this research, the researcher analyzed the hyperbole that used in Mariah Carey s song lyrics. This study was kind of qualitative research that designed in content analysis. According to Mayring (2000), the object of (qualitative) content analysis can be all sort of recorded communication (transcripts of interviews, discourses, protocols of observations, video tapes, documents). It means, the object or the data that can be taken is such as transcripts of interview, protocols of observation, video tapes, and documents. This research is appropriate with this design, because the 2

object of this research is text data or document script that is the lyric of Mariah Carey s songs. The object of this research was hyperbole that used in lyric of Mariah Carey s songs that entitled are Hero and When You Believe. Based on the researcher pre observation, the researcher chose that songs, because the song has the depth meaning, it is about motivation in life. In this research, source of data was the lyric of songs. Song that will be the data sources is the lyric of Mariah Carey s songs that entitled are When You Believe and Hero. Source of data will be taken from the internet by searching the lyric of songs. The technique of collecting the data in this research was by reading the lyric of song many times in order to understand the meaning of the song. According to Endraswara (2011), pengadaan data karya sastra, dilakukan melalui pembacaan secara cermat. Pembacaan berulang-ulang akan membantu peneliti mengadakan data. Reading carefully is needed to collecting the data. By reading the lyric of songs in many times, it will help the researcher get the data. In doing the research, the researcher collects the data that taken from Mariah Carey s song lyrics. Collecting the data is an activity which should be done before doing the research. In this research, the researcher did some steps in collecting the data. First, the researcher search the lyric of songs by searching in internet. After that, the researcher reads the lyric of songs carefully and learning the key words of the lyric in many times until the researcher understand what the songs about. The last, the researcher will classified the lyric of songs that contain of hyperbole. After collecting the data, the researcher analyzed the data to answer the research question and get the result of this research. Analyzing of the data was done by description each data according to Miles and Huberman (2014), which consist of three activities: data condensation, data display, and drawing and verification conclusion. 1. Data Condensation Data condensation is form of analysis that sharpens, short, focuses, discards, and organizes data in such way that final conclusion can be drawn and verified. In this stage, the researcher classified the data based on hyperbole and drew the conclusion. 2. Data Display Generically, a display is an organized, compressed assembly of information that permits conclusion drawing and action. It means that the researcher organized the information and displays the information in analysis form, so the object of the research can be seen. 3. Drawing and Verification Conclusion The third stream of analysis activity is conclusion drawing and verification. Conclusion is also verified as the analysis proceeds. Verification may be as brief as fleeting second thought crossing the researcher s mind during writing with a short excursion back to the field notes, or it may be thorough and elaborate, with lengthy argumentation and review among colleagues. It means that the researcher drew the conclusion based on organized information inductively and brief review to the field notes and got necessary data. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Research finding is important part in this research. Research finding is result by data analyzed activities. The findings must be appropriate with research questions. After the researcher presented and analyzed the data, the researcher has found eight hyperboles that contain on the lyric of Mariah Carey s songs that entitled are When You Believe and Hero. Based on the analysis above, the researcher chose When You Believe and Hero songs by Mariah Carey. The researcher found eight of hyperbole that contain on that songs. In When You Believe lyric, there are four hyperboles. They are; in our hearts a hopeful song, we were moving mountains; my hearts so full; and but when you re 3

blinded by your pain. Besides, in Hero lyric, the researcher found four hyperboles that contain on it. They are; there s a hero, if you look inside your heart; and the sorrow that you know, will melt away; when you face the world alone, and dream are hard to follow. Datum no 1: In our hearts a hopeful song, we barely understood Based on oxford dictionary, the word song is a short piece of music with words that you sing. Besides, in thesaurus dictionary, the word song is a short musical composition that is intended to by sung, ballad or collection of sounds made by a bird or other animal or poetry. On the other hand, in the lyric of song, there is a phrase in our hearts a hopeful song. That phrases is hyperbole, because the people knows that hearts can sing. But, in the lyric of song, the word song has different meaning depend on the context. The meaning of the word song is pray. It is useful to make the lyric more beautiful, in order to make the reader or listener interested. The phrase of in our hearts a hopeful songs means that a hope expression to the lord. Usually, the people called it by pray. In pray, the people express all of things that they want to say to the lord. It means, there is no reason to afraid of anything as long as you close with your lord. earth s surface that rises to a summit, hill. Based on the lyric above, the word mountain has different meaning. It is depend on the context. The phrase we were moving mountains, long before we knew we could means that we have to belief our self. Actually, the people can do something bigger or greater as they wants, as long as they belief to their self. All of the dreams can be true, if the people believe to their self. (When You Believe b Datum no 3: My heart s so full, I can t explain Generally, based on the dictionary, the word full is containing or holding as much or as many as possible, having no empty space. For example, the glass is full of water. Besides, in thesaurus dictionary, the word full is make fuller or complete capacity. In that cas e, it is the act that can be seen by the people. On the other hand, in that phrase of my heart s so full is impossible. It is exaggeration, because it cannot be seen by the people. The people do not know how to fill a heart. In this lyric, the phrase of my heart s so full is has different meaning inside on it. The word full means that all of the people s burdens or problems. The phrase of my heart s so full, it means that the people who confused and tired about their life. All of the people has a problem. Datum no 2: Datum no 4: Datum no 2: We were moving mountains, long before we knew we could Based on the lyric above, the phrase we were moving mountains is included of hyperbole. It is impossible to the people moving the mountains. The people know, mountain is very big thing. It is very impossible to move it to another place. In generally, based on the oxford dictionary, the word mountain is a large natural elevation of the earth s surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level, a large steep hill. In thesaurus dictionary, the word mountain is large elevated area on the But when you re blinded by your pain (When You Believe b In general, based on oxford dictionary, the word blinded is unable to see because of injury, disease, or a congenital condition. In thesaurus, the word blinded is make unable to see. Besides, based on oxford dictionary, the word pain is the feeling that you have in your body when you have been hurt or when you are ill or sick. In thesaurus dictionary, the word pain is sensation of physical discomfort (often due to illness or injury) or hurt cause pain. On the other hand, the word blinded and pain that used in the lyric of song has 4

different meaning. The phrase when you re blinded by your pain is hyperbole because usually pain is not possible to blinded. The people know that something can be blinded is only eyes. But in this lyric of song, the meaning of that word has different sense to make the lyric of song more interesting. It useful to make the people attention to that phrase and enciety to know the true meaning. The phrase when you re blinded by your pain is about feeling surrender. If you feel give in for your life, there is no hope for the better life. Datum no 5: There s a hero, if you look inside your heart The word hero, based on oxford dictionary, means that very brave person, one who has committed a courageous act, primary male character (of a story, play, etc). Based on thesaurus dictionary, the word hero means a person, typically a man, who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. In the lyric of the song, there is a phrase there s a hero, if you look inside your heart. That phrase is overstatement. It is because the word hero here is not someone who has a super power to protect the world or fight the enemy until died as the people know in novels or movies. It is not like that. The word hero in that phrase is has different meaning. It means the strengthness. The people know that each of them has the strengthness and the weakness. The people have to belief to their self. There must be something special of their self. In this lyric, the phrase there s a hero, if you look inside your heart means that the people have to know or understand about their self. The people have to know their self better than anyone else. Usually, each of the people are different. They have the weakness and also the strengthness inside of them. So that, as the people do not too focus on evaluate the weakness. The people also have the strengthness inside of them. The people have to find it and believe that the people can do all of that the people want to do. Datum no 6: And the sorrow that you know, will melt away In general, based on oxford dictionary, the word sorrow is a feeling of great sadness because something very bad has happened. Besides, based on thesaurus dictionary, the word sorrow is expression of suffering or sadness, grieving. Based on oxford dictionary, the word melt is to become or to make something become liquid as a result of heating. In thesaurus dictionary, the word melt is heat until liquid or be heated until turning to liquid. In this lyric, the phrase and the sorrow that you know, will melt away is overstatement. As the people know, The word the word hero, melt, based it on use oxford making dictionary, means that very b something solid become liquid such as ice. It is happen because there is a reason, for example by heating. On the other hand, in that lyric of song, the word melt is used for sorrow. As the people know, the word sorrow is a human feeling. It cannot be liquid. The word melt that use in the lyric of song is implies to go away or can be solved. So that, the meaning of and the sorrow that you know will melt away is about something trouble can be solved if you believe that you can. There are many problems in the people s life. Therefore, the people have to keep on to makes the dreams come true. Actually, the people do not ever think about the problem as the burden or obstacles, because the problem has the solution. The people have to believe on their self to make the dreams come true. Datum no 7: It s a long road, when you face the world alone The meaning of word world based on oxford dictionary is the earth, together with all of the countries and peoples. In thesaurus dictionary, the word world is planet or globe, particular part of earth. Besides, the word face based on oxford dictionary is the front part of a person s head from the forehead to the chin, or the corresponding part in an animal. In thesaurus dictionary, 5

the word face is front part of the head with the eyes, nose, and mouth; facial expression. In that phrase when you face the world alone is described as hyperbole. As the people know, world is something biggest that anyone could not see by easy way. On the other hand, the phrase above used the word world to make another sense. In this lyric, the word world means that something around you, included the environment, the people, and all of things that you can see. The meaning of that phrase is someone who alone. Actually, as the human society, each of the people must be held each others. As the people have to look around. If there is someone who needs a help, properly it cannot be the problem to help them. There is no one who can life alone. If the people feel alone and no one can help, stay focusses on looking for the identity and find out the strengthness. Datum no 8: Lords knows, dreams are hard to follow The meaning of the word dreams based on oxford dictionary is a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occuring in a person s mind during sleep. In thesaurus dictionary, the word dream is have thoughts and visions while sleeping. The meaning of the word follow based on oxford dictionary is usually included of someone or direction. Besides, in thesaurus dictionary, the word follow is go after, pursue, so along, drive along. The people know that the dream is something that cannot be true in the real life. It is only happen while the people sleeping. Because of that, the phrase dreams are hard to follow can be described as an expression of overstatement. The word dream is used to express a human hopes. In the real life, sometime all of things that the people want to happen is not working as they want. There are many obstacles to make it happen. But, do not let anyone make your hope is gone. There is another time to make it happen, just hold on and keep spirit. CONCLUSION After analyzing the lyric of Mariah Carey s songs that entitled are When You Believe and Hero in chapter IV, the researcher finally takes the conclusions. Regarding the first problem, the researcher wants to find out the hyperbole in the lyric of that song. After took the data, the researcher concludes that the lyric of songs using hyperbole. The researcher found eight hyperboles that contain in both of the lyric of songs. In When You Believe lyric, there are four hyperboles. They are: in our hearts a hopeful song; we were moving mountains; my heart s so full; and but when you re blinded by your pain. Meanwhile, in Hero lyric, there are four hyperboles that contain on the lyric. They are; there s a hero, if you look inside your heart; and the sorrow that you know, will melt away; when you face the world alone; and dreams are hard to follow. Lyric of song can be function as a media to learn about hyperbole. Hyperbole that used in the lyric of song, it is useful to make the lyric of song more beautiful and reach, in order to make the hearer or the reader pay attention in that phrase. Based on the theory in chapter II, one of function of hyperbole itself is to take the people s attention. Besides, in the lyric of Mariah Carey s songs that entitled are When You Believe and Hero, there is a good message contain on it. It is about motivation in life. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The researcher delivers a great thank and appreciation to the great advisors Mayuasti, M.Pd and Melati Theresia, S.S, M.Hum. Thank you for time, chance, support, guidance, patient, and advice that had given to the researcher in finishing this thesis. REFERENCES Carter, Ronald. 2004. Language and Creativity: The Art of Common Talk. London and New York: Routledge. Endaswara, Suwardi. 2011. Metodologi Penelitian Sastra: Epistemologi, Model, Teori, dan Aplikasi. Yogyakarta: FBS Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta. 6

Longman, Tremper. 2001. Song of Songs. United States of America: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Mayring, Philipp. 2000. Qualitative Content Analysis. Berlin. Forum: Qualitative Social Research Sozialforschung. Retrieved on August 2015 from http://www.qualitativeresearch.net/index.php/fqs/article/vie w/1089/2385 Miles, Matthew B et al. 2014. Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook. United States of America: SAGE Publications, Inc. Spivey, Becky L. 2011. Types of Figurative Language. Super Duper Publication. 7