FINAL PROJECT PROPOSAL

SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS ON THE IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

FOUND IN A MOVIE AND THE IMPLICATION TO ENGLISH
LANGUAGE SKILLS

Advisor: Intan Permata Hapsari

By:
Elvian Guptia Aldhi A
2201416055

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
UNIVERSITAS NEGERI SEMARANG
2018

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 ABSTRACT
Ardhaningtyas, Elvian Guptia Aldhi. 2018. Semiotic Analysis of the
Idiomatic Expressions found in a Movie and the Implication to English
Language Skills. Research proposal. English Department. Faculty of
Languages and Arts. Universitas Negeri Semarang. Advisor: Intan
Permata Hapsari

Keywords: semiotic Analysis, idiomatic expression, movie

The aim of this study is to identify the types of idioms found in a movie,
interpret the semiotic meaning (symbols) of the idioms found in a movie dialogue
and find the implication of semiotic analysis on idiomatic expressions found in
Suicide Squad film to the English language skills. The research use descriptive
qualitative which focus on the deep understanding to interaction between concepts
that is analyzed as it research method. The researcher used Roland Barthes‘
semiotic theory of two rates of signification to analyze the meaning of symbol
contained in the idiomatic expression found in a movie. The data are collected from
the dialog spoken in the movie and the method of collecting data were
documentation. From this study the researcher hope that this research may give
knowledge about idiomatic expression, the types and the meanings of idiomatic
expressions for English Foreign Language students. Moreover, this research may
become a method or a way for English teachers to conduct a process of studying
the English language by analyzing a literary work and gives some evidences about
the importance of teaching idiom. Lastly, by this research hopefully the universal
reader can understand the meaning of the idiomatic expressions in the movie, so
they become more understand about what’s the characters spoke in the movie.

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 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter contains background of the study, research problems,
objectives of the study, and the significances of the study.
A. Background of The Study
English is well known as an international standard language. In learning
English as a second language, an international student have to know the components
and the elements in English language well. (Armenuhi, 219) The English language
being very flexible, constantly enriches its vocabulary by making it more colorful
with idiomatic expression. Idiom share cultural and historical information and
broaden people’s understanding and manipulation of language. (Kounin, 1970)
define idiom as a stable combination of word fully or partially figurative meaning.
In order to understand a language especially English, we have to know the meaning
of the idiom in that language.
Idiom is a unit of words (phrases) or expression that is used the constant
meaning and structure. English language has many idioms. The meaning of idiom
cannot be predicted from word to word or it’s grammatical separately and cannot
be replace.
Idiomatic meaning is unit of speech in which the meaning is unpredictable from
the meaning of its elements.
Studies on meaning and idiomatic expressions has been carried out by number
of researchers before. The previous research about study of contextual meaning has
been conducted by Putri Destyanti (2013) she analyzed about contextual meaning
on the idiomatic expression in the Parent Trap Film script. She explained that the
meaning of idiom expressions is closely related with its context. The other research
is about semiotic analysis of idiomatic expressions found in the Hunger Games:
The Mockingjay Part 1 Movie and the implication to English language skills by
Sari Citra Dewi Arum (2017). She found that by analyze the symbol of the idiomatic
expressions we can get the meaning of the idiom. Moreover, from the result, the
researcher got some implications to English language skills
From the previous studies above, the researcher obtained the difference which
contain in this study. The difference was on the object of the study. In the previous

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studies is analyzed the contextual meaning on idiomatic expressions in Parent Trap
Film Script by Putri Destyanti(2013). Sari Citra (2017) who studied the semiotic
meaning of the Hunger Game movie. While this study choose “Suicide Squad”
movie which applied idiomatic expressions as the object of the study.
In this research, film becomes an object of the study. Nowadays, watching
movie has been one of the lifestyles of many people from around the world. It helps
increase their knowledge and imagination. Many people watch movie to spend their
time, as entertainment or learn. Based on Cambridge Advanced Learners’
Dictionary, Movie also known as film, is a series of moving pictures, usually shown
in a cinema or on television and often telling a story. (Hetami, 2016:27) Movie as
a communication media has an important role which is as a tool to deliver a moral
massage to the people. In the film (movie), there are some genres, each of the movie
or genre, of course have a moral message that can we take the advantage or benefit.
Teaching idiom can be done through analysis of a movie. The students can
enrich their knowledge of idiomatic expression by watching a movie. Movie is one
of some great media for learning English language. There are 5 benefits of study
English language by using movie media, those are: 1. It can increase listening skill;
2. Increase speaking skill; 3. Increase the ability on pronounce English vocabularies
correctly; 4. Increase more new English vocabularies; and 5. Applying theory on
practice, by watching a movie the students can know the applying of English
language on daily activities like what is shown in the movie
In his book, Biran (2006: 29) says that language in the film has very important
role and function. Without language, film will lose its strength because language is
an effective element in conveying the information. Moreover, film often applies an
idiom in it, of course each idiom that appears in the conversation have a certain
meaning.
Based on the explanation above, the researcher choose Suicide Squad movie to
be analyzed which is focused on contextual meaning of the idiomatic expression
found on the dialogs. The researcher choose this film because there are many idiom
expressions can be found in the film. Moreover, in this movie many cultural
knowledge which give an impact to the statement of conversation in the film. So
they need a contextual explanation to define the meaning of it. Due to the reason

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above, this study is very interesting and important to be conducted. Therefore, the
researcher tend to conduct a study entitled “Semiotic Analysis of The Idiomatic
Expressions in “Suicide Squad” Movie and the Implication to English Language
Skills.

B. Research Problems
Based on the backgound of the study, research problems are formulated below
:
1. What types of idioms are found in Suicide Squad film?
2. What is the meaning of the symbols in the idioms expression found in
Suicide Squad film?
3. What is the implication of the semiotic analysis on idiomatic expressions
found in Suicide Squad film to the English language skills?

C. Objectives of the Study

The objectives of this study based on the research problems above are
formulated below:
1. To identify the types of idioms found in Suicide Squad film
2. To interpret the meaning of the symbol in the idioms expression found in
Suicide Squad film
3. To find the implication of semiotic analysis on idiomatic expressions found
in Suicide Squad film to the English language skills .

D. Significances of the study

From the research problem of this research proposal, this research gives some
benefit, as follow:
1. Theoretical Benefit
The study is focuses on understanding the meaning of the idiomatic expression
which is spoken in the dialog of the movie, so the result of the study might be
knowledge about the meaning of the idiomatic expression from the movie.

2. Practical Benefit

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 a. Readers
The readers can understand the meaning of the idiomatic expressions in the
movie, so they become more understand about what’s the characters spoke in the
movie. moreover, from this research the readers can gain more examples of
idiomatic expressions.
b. Other Researchers
The result of the research can be used as further information for other
researchers that have related discussion about the analysis of idiomatic expression
on some literary work especially movie.
c. English Teacher
This research may become a method or a way for English teachers to conduct a
process of studying the English language by analyzing a literary work which in this
case analyzing the idiomatic expression that used in the movie. furthermore, it gives
some evidences about the importance of teaching idiom.
d. EFL Students
This research may give knowledge about idiomatic expression, the types of
idioms and it meanings for English Foreign Language students.

CHAPTER II

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 LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Review of the Previous Study
The previous studies that has been conducted related to this research are:
Siti Maimunah, (2013) in her thesis “An Analysis of Lexical and Contextual
Meaning on the Idiomatic Expressions Found in Jalaludin Rumi’s Poem”. Siti
conducted this study to find out the idiomatic expression of the poem and describe
the meaning lexically and contextually. This study focuses only on the idiomatic
expressions used in Jalaludin Rumi’s poem. This study found that there are 46 kinds
of idiomatic expression with their lexical and contextual meaning used in Jalaludin
Rumi’s poems. Siti as the researcher in this study suggest that for student who
learning vocabulary, this study can be alternative reference, because this study
presents various kinds of idiomatic expressions.
The similarity between Siti’s research and this research is the same way in
analyzing the idiomatic expression of literary work. While the differences between
Siti’s research and this research is Siti’s research focuses on idiomatic expression
of a poem while this research is focuses on idiomatic expression of a film. Siti
analyze the lexical and contextual meaning of the idiomatic expression while this
research only focus on the meaning of the symbols in the idiomatic expression. In
this previous study Siti only want to reveal the idiomatic expression and the
meaning of it lexically and contextually. While in this research not only study about
the idiomatic expression but the researcher also want to relate it with the implication
to the English Language skills.
Ryan Andhika Pratama (2016) in his thesis “An Analysis of Idiomatic
Expressions Translation in School of Rock Movie”. This research aimed to know
how the idiom expressions in School of Rock movie based on Larson’s theory of
translation translated. By using the theory by Larson (1984), this study analyze the
translation of idiomatic expressions with the criteria of ideal translation which are
A (accurate), C (clear) and N (natural). Ryan as a researcher found that 82, 5 %
translations of the idiomatic expressions are ideal and acceptable, although there
are a failure in the translation, but the translation is still acceptable because the
message from English culture was delivered well in Indonesian.

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 The relevance between Ryan’s research and this research is the same way
in analyzing the idiomatic expression of a movie. Whereas the differences between
Ryan’s research and this research is in Ryan’s research is focuses on how the
idiomatic expression is translated with the criteria of ideal translation stated by
Larson, while this research is analyze the meaning of the symbol on the idiomatic
expression spoken in the movie . Ryan’s research is only want to reveal how
acceptable the idiomatic translation of the movie. While this research is try to reveal
the meaning of the symbols in the idiomatic expression and the implication to the
English language skills.

Citra Dewi Arum Sari (2017) in her thesis “Semiotic Analysis of Idiomatic
Expressions Found in the Hunger Games: The Mockingjay Part 1 Movie and the
Implication to English Language Skills” In this research, the researcher wants to
analyze the meaning of idiomatic expression in the dialogue spoken by the
characters of this movie, especially idiomatic expression which contains symbol by
using semiotic approach. Semiotic (semiotics) is the science of symbol. Beside
analyze the idiomatic expression of the film the researcher also relate it with the
implication to English language skills. From the result of the semiotic analysis of
idiomatic expression found in this movie, the researcher got some implication of
this analysis to English language skills. The implication of it is also based on the
result of interview toward some lectures of 4 main skills of English: speaking;
listening; reading; and writing.
The relevance between Citra’s research and this research is the same way in
analyzing the idiomatic expression of a movie and it’s implication to the English
language skills.
B. Theoretical Framework
a. Idiom
Idioms have traditionally been defined as expressions whose meanings are
non-compositional, that is, their meanings are not the functions of the meanings of
their individual parts (Chomsky, 1980 & Fraser, 1970). The figurative interpretation
of shoot the breeze (to have an informal chat), for instance, cannot be determined
through the analysis of its individual word meanings. Idioms are dead metaphors –

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expressions that have lost their metaphor over time and now exist as frozen
semantic units, perhaps in a special phrasal lexicon (Gibbs, 1993).
b. Type of Idiom by Charles F. Hockett
1) Anaphoric Substitutes
In each language there are certain patterns which are most favored in the
formation of new idioms. A few channels for idiom formation are either widespread
or it may be universal, others are quite specific to one or a few languages. Anaphoric
substitutes are almost by definition forms which turn up in each new context with
a new idiomatic value.
2) Proper Name
In all human communities there are certain recurrent idiom-creating events
called naming. People are named, places are named, sometimes certain individual
animals, spirits, or vehicles are named. There are various formally prescribed
ceremonial activities in connection with naming, the details of which are of interest
to the anthropologist, but here we must concentrate on the purely linguistic aspect.
3) Abbreviation.
One widespread mechanism of idiom formation is abbreviation which is the
use of a part for a whole. Behind abbreviation lies the fact that, whenever any
grammatical form is actually used by a speaker, some of its connections with the
circumstances of use, and with the grammatical forms used with it, adhere to it, and
turn up as more or less forceful connotations whenever the form is used again.
4) English Phrasal Compounds
Type of phrasal compound the structural signal has no particular meaning save
precisely that of marking the form as idiomatic. In the ordinary course of speaking,
people freely produce new phrasal compounds, particularly those of the first type,
though usually when there is some special meaning to be signaled.
5) Figures of Speech
Students of rhetoric are dealing with idioms, and with patterns of idiom
formation, when they talk of figures of speech. The traditional classification of
figures of speech into "hyperbole," "litotes," "oxymoron," "irony," and the like, is
based primarily on the literary usages of classical Greek and Roman authors. Some

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of these figures are found in the more recent literature of the West because of its
classical heritage.
6) Slang
It is not certain whether slang is universal or even widespread, but, wherever
it is found, its idiomatic nature is clear. Slang depends for its effect on the striking
and far-fetched nature of its semantic overtones and its secondary associations.
With constant use, the special effect of a slang expression becomes dulled. As this
happens, the expression is either abandoned or retained in the "respectable" non-
slang vocabulary of the language. This accounts for the short average life of most
slang, and for the rapid rate of replacement.
c. Teaching Idiom Expression
(Hossein. 2014: 73) Idioms are fixed expressions the constituents of which
cannot be replaced by similar words, it seems that a combination of both implicit
and explicit techniques would be the best method for EFL learners. It also seems
that an inclination toward the explicit end of the continuum can be more productive,
because there is no regular pattern to idioms, that is, the words in an idiom cannot
be changed. Of course, the emphasis on the explicit instruction of idioms should
not be taken to mean that the implicit techniques are not effective. It would certainly
not go amiss if material developers drew the learners’ attention to the target
language forms through highlighting, underlining and italicizing. This way, they
would provide the grounds for implicit instruction to come about. Including tips on
the etymology of the idiomatic expressions in question and having a sufficient
number of exercises involving the constituent parts of the idioms in question, on
the other hand, could also dramatically strengthen the acquisition of this most
ubiquitous component of language. It seems that the fact that idiomatic language
and proverbs are so semantically opaque can be taken into account by having them
included in a problem-solving approach which would call for the explicit attention
of the students.
Semiotic theory by Roland Barthes

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In 1956, Roland Barthes read Saussure: Cours de linguistique générale sees the
possibility of applying semiotics toother fields. He has a contrary view Saussure
concerning linguistic position as part of semiotics. According to him, on the
contrary, semiotics are part of linguistics because the sign-marks in other fields may
be seen as language, which is express ideas (meaning, meaningful), are elements
former from the markers, and is contained in a structure. In Barthes's
semiology,denotation is a system of level significance first, while connotation is the
second level. In this case denotation it is more associated with the closure of
meaning. As a reaction to fight the oppressive inheritance of denotation, Barthes
tries to get rid of and reject it. For him there is only connotation. He further said
that the meaning of "literal" is something of a known nature with significance
theory. This theory is based on the theory of the sign stated by Ferdinand de
Saussure, only the expansion of meaning was carried out with the meaning that
takes place in two stages, as appears in the following chart

Based on that chart, the meaning takes place in two stages. Sign (markers and
markers) in the first stage and fused together so they can form a marker in the
second stage, then in the next stage a marker and these unified markers can form
new markers which is an extension of meaning

Movie
Based on Cambridge Advanced Learners’ Dictionary film is a series of moving
pictures, usually shown in a cinema or on television and often telling a story the In
the end on the twentieth century, it is impossible to neglect film as a semi-textual
genre both influenced by exerting influence on literature and literary criticism in
spite of their differing form and media, are often categorized under the heading
performing art because it use actors as their major means of expression. The
visualization of the action is not left merely to the imagination of the readers, but
rather come to life in the performance, independent of the audience. Film is very

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close to drama. The stage of a film, though film covers a wider and looser space.
However, when discussed in term of its product, film can be regarded as a written
text, and may consequently be enjoyed and treated as a prose fiction (Hetami,
2017:28).
d. Suicide Squad movie
Suicide Squad movie is a 2016 American superhero movie based on DC
comics supervillain team of the same name, distributed by Warner Bros. this film
is written by David Ayer and stars an ensemble cast featuring Will Smith, Jared
Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez,
Adewale Akinnuoye, Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood and Cara Delevingne. This
movie shows a story about a secret government agency led by Amanda Waller
recruit imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions and save
the world from the power of threat, in exchange for reduced sentences.
e. Implication of Studying Idiomatic Expression
Idiomatic usage of language has become very common in English that it can
allow the learner to speak or write fluently by using idioms. Therefore, learning of
idioms can be considered as an integral part of vocabulary learning. Idioms can be
added to the vocabulary being learned by including them in dialogues and stories
which are created to supplement regular materials (Nation, 2001). Idioms are
always something special about any language, they build up some distinctive
features which differ one language from another. In order to understand a language,
students must know what the idioms in that language mean. Idiom help language
learners understand English culture, penetrate into customs and lifestyle of the
English people, and gain a deeper insight into the English history. To conclude, it
can be say that the number of idioms and their high frequency in discourse make
them an important aspect of vocabulary acquisition and language learning in
general.

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 CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Research Design
This study is a descriptive qualitative research. Qualitative research is done
without give priority in numbers, but focus on the deep understanding to interaction
between concepts that is analyzed (Semi, 2012: 28). It is mean that the qualitative
research focuses on the understanding in the concept of the research.
There are 5 characteristics of qualitative research according to Alwasilah
(2002: 107-109) which are understanding the meaning, understanding the particular
context, identification the phenomena and the effect that unexpected, existing
grounded theory, understanding the theory. The research here used descriptive
qualitative method because the data is in the form of words rather than number.
B. Technique of Collecting the Data
According to Widyoko (2012:33) collecting the data in the research is
intended to get the data, explanation, fact, and accurate information. So, the purpose
of collecting the data is to find the data and to get explanation and information about
the research. In collecting data, the researcher will use observational method by
using non participant and participant observation (Surdayanto, 1988:32).

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 The researcher divided the sources of the data into two types, they are primary
data and secondary data. Primary data found in the dialog spoken in the movie. The
method of collecting data is documentation. The secondary data were collected
from internet, from some references and book in relation to this study to support the
subject matter. To get information about analyze a literary work, the researcher
found some articles from internet that explain about how to analyze a literary work.
Moreover, the researcher look for several books about literature. These can help the
researcher to analyze the idiomatic expressions in “Suicide Squad” movie.
Besides of using document study, the researcher also use interview to collect
data about the implication of contextual analysis of idiomatic expression in movie
to English language skills. Interview is the companionship of two persons to change
the information and ideas by questioning, so it can be constructed the meaning on
the certain topic. Sugiyono (2013: 231).

C. Technique of Analyzing Data

Analyzing data is very important part of scientific study because without
doing this technique we cannot gather the data. Because an analyze data is very
important, so the researcher applied the qualitative method.
The data present in a descriptive method is by describing the fact about the movie,
focus on those quotations reflecting the idiom expressions. To analyze the data, the
researcher used five steps. The first steps is collect the idiom expressions from the
movie, the second steps is classifying the idiom, the third step is finding the
meaning based on Semiotic theory by Roland Barthes, the forth steps is find the
implication of the idiomatic expression to English language skills, and the fifth
steps is drawing conclusions based on the analysis result.
The technique of analyzing data for the interview is using qualitative
approach which describe the result of the interview into a paragraph to describing
the information from the informant about the implication of contextual meaning of
idiomatic expressions

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