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e-Journal Program Pascasarjana Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha

Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris (Volume 2 Tahun 2014)

SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS REPRESENTATION:


A CONTENT ANALYSIS ON AN EFL E-TEXTBOOK
FOR THE TWELFTH GRADERS IN INDONESIA

Candrawati, P., Nitiasih, P. K., Seken, I K.

Language Education Study Program, Postgraduate Program,


Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
Singaraja, Indonesia

E-mail: putu.candrawati@gmail.com, ketut.seken@pasca.undiksha.ac.id,


titiekjegeg@gmail.com

Abstract
This study aimed at analyzing representation of ten sociocultural sub aspects, namely:
age; gender; social distance and status; politeness strategies; genres; registers; major
dialects; and Background Knowledge of the Target Language Group (BKTLG) and
Crosscultural Awareness (CcA), in an e-textbook, Developing English Competencies
(DEC). Discourse Qualitative Content Analysis was the research method and DEC was
the data corpus. Data were gathered through e-textbook observation and were analyzed
quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings showed that: age group of >12-18 years
contributed 40% of the total 117 units; 1.098 units signified man, and 321 units were of
women; 71% of conversational texts showed intimate social distance and the rest 29%
indicated distant one; negative politeness strategies were employed most often
(40.12%); non-drama/prose/poetry genres occupied 66% of the entire units; informal
words and/or expressions were the most frequently appeared register; British English
dialects gained 70% of the total 197 occurred units; 62% of the texts were BKTLG-
related, leaving the rest 38% of them CcA-related. Qualitatively, all sub aspects were
interconnected, creating a tight sociocultural entity.

Keywords: e-textbook, Indonesia, representation, sociocultural aspects, twelfth graders

INTRODUCTION
Regardless the fact that e-textbooks not socioculturally appropriate yet.
made available online by the National It remained a question if they had
Education Department of Indonesia were articulated the sociocultural aspects.
claimed to have been evaluated by the There found indications of not
Indonesian National Board of Education comprehensively including sociocultural
Standard (hereafter, BNSP: Ind. abbr.) and referents of the learners and of their
that they were of adequate eligibility as surroundings in such a way that those
teaching learning materials of English as a referents did not fully empower them during
Foreign Language1, these e-textbooks learning English (viz. Ena, 2011).
would be construed as being both Simply put, there should be holistic
linguistically and textually suitable, as well inclusion of, and analysis on both linguistic
as functionally and socioculturally suitability and sociocultural appropriateness
appropriate (Bachman, 1996, as cited in to EFL textbooks and/or e-textbooks, while
Pawlikowska-Smith, 2002: 9). It was not so reality was still showing imbalance share of
far clear whether or not the claim of BNSP attention towards them two. It was this
does cover that prerequisite eligibility. existing discrepancy between das Sein and
Chances were these e-textbooks might be das Sollen that provoked this study.
both linguistically and textually suitable, but Consisting of six competencies
including sociocultural competence2, Celce-
1
As regulated by the Ministry of National Education
2
of Indonesia (latter named Ministry of Education and Celce-Murcia (2007: 45) has revised her model of
Culture of Indonesia) No.69, year 2008. communicative competence, by retaining socio-
e-Journal Program Pascasarjana Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris (Volume 2 Tahun 2014)

Murcia‘s model of communicative RESEARCH METHOD


competence (2007) has uniquely given Kirshenblatt-Gimblett (2006: 16)
special space for growing the sociocultural claims that research design is a logical
element through integrating culture into framework to ensure that the evidence
language teaching. In practical reality, collected enables researcher to answer
however, that special interest on integrating research questions as unambiguously as
sociocultural competence into ESL/EFL possible. The logical framework is intended
teaching is claimed Celce-Murcia (2007: 46) to lessen the chance of drawing incorrect
as in the state of ‗lacking sociocultural causal inferences from data. This particular
awareness‘, study also employed a research design that
framed the entire research process. Figure
The pedagogical challenge lies in the 2.1 accounts for the logical process of the
fact that second and foreign language study.
teachers typically have far greater
awareness and knowledge of linguistic
rules than they do of the sociocultural Theory: Celce-Murcia (2007) Proposition:
behaviors and expectations that There is ignorance of ignorance of
accompany use of the target language. sociocultural competence in Sociocultural aspects
most EFL and ESL teachers as was suspected to
well as in the learning appear in the e-
The sociocultural behaviors and materials textbook under study
expectations accompanying the use of the
target language can be synthesized into
one term, sociocultural competence. This is Collect data: Develop measures:
the competence that needs to be more 8 Matrices on Coding agendas on
Inference

sociocultural aspects socialcultural


appraised and represented. aspects
The so far insufficient discussion on
language appropriateness in EFL learning
drove the researcher into delving Analyze data: Implications for
proposition:
sociocultural aspects in EFL context. As Procedures of
Ten sociocultural
content analysis
such, problem was suspected to arise in the subaspects appeared in
representation of sociocultural aspects in an the e-textbook and each
was uniquely presented
e-textbook published nation-wide by the
government of Indonesia-Ministry of
Education and Culture.
One major question of this study was Figure 2.1 The logic of the research
how sociocultural aspects were represented process
in the e-textbook. Thus, to serve the major From the grounding theory, proposition
query of this study, the researcher projected could be deduced into a claim that assumed
the major question into three minor ones: ignorance of sociocultural aspects
1) What social contextual factors appear appeared in the e-textbook understudy.
in the e-textbook and how they are Afterwards, coding agendas were
represented? developed to measure occurrences of
2) How is stylistic appropriateness sociocultural aspects.
represented in the e-textbook? After the employment of coding
3) What cultural factors appear in the e- agendas to observe occurrences of these
textbook understudy and how they are aspects, data were finally collected into
represented? eight different matrices. The eight different
matrices dealt with ten sub components of
sociocultural aspects. This phase was the
cultural; discourse; and linguistic competence, while starting point of theory building.
adding formulaic and interactional competence. Procedures of content analysis
Strategic competence, which was used in the earlier were, then, employed to address the issues
model (Celce-Murcia,1995) has served the later of what sociocultural aspects appeared in
version model as an interweaver of the five
components of communicative competence. the e-textbook and how they were
e-Journal Program Pascasarjana Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris (Volume 2 Tahun 2014)

presented. The study was open both for given. Finally, interpretations of all aspects
evidence that supported the root theory and were developed.
supporting theories, and for evidence that
competed these theories. It was this open
treatment that led the study into a proposal FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
of new theory that might become Findings on the first four
subsequent proposition for future research. subcomponents are parts of the e-
Evidence that were found as in line with the textbook‘s socio-contextual factors. The
previously drawn proposition became the second three subcomponents are those of
implications of the proposition, which were stylistic appropriateness, and the last three
inferred from the starting theory. subcomponents belong to the cultural
The design in Figure 3.1 was started factors.
by a theory of Celce-Murcia (2007) that
posits the so far ignorance of sociocultural Participants’ Age
competence in most EFL and ESL teachers Participants‘ age were classified into
as well as in the learning materials. This is age groups. Adopting the age groups
the starting point of theory testing. theorized by Erik Erikson (19503). The
In accordance with the research participants‘ age appeared in the e-
questions posed in the introduction, the textbook, subtly or explicitly, were classified
data of this study were obtained from into such age groups. Figure 3.1 below
materials in an EFL e-textbook, namely quantifies number of appearances of each
Developing English Competencies (DEC). group and the respective percentages.
DEC consists of 9 chapters, each of which
has different topic. Both text and context
are sourced from DEC e-textbook. The nine
chapters were here regarded as the text.
The remainings, i.e. the following glossary,
tape script, and answer key were,
respecrively, the context. The texts of this
study (the verbal phenomena in the
readings and activities of the e-textbook)
were investigated in terms of variables of
the three aspects.
By applying procedures of content
analysis (Krippendorf: 2004), data were
collected unobtrusively, with no intrusion
into the naturally occuring course of events Figure 3.1 Frequencies of participants’ age
(Fraenkel & Wallen, 2006: 134). No specific in the e-textbook
instrument was required but only some form
of record keeping. Therefore, data were The total number of appearances of
collected in observation sheets recording all age groups was one hundred and
occurences of sociocultural aspects in DEC. seventeen times. Two dominant age groups
Eight different matrices had been (in terms of number) were: (a) from older
developed as observation sheets. Collected
3
data were, then, classified and tabulated It could hardly be mentioned that there was a single
into tables and charts. To analyze the data year of Erikson‘s theory on psychosocial
development, since Erikson worked on his theory
from the specified e-textbook, both from 1950 until 1987. 1950 was yet the year where he
qualitative and quantitative approaches published his major work Childhood and Society,
were employed. First, the frequencies of within which the eight stages of psychosocial
each categorized occurrence of the development had already been featured. This
sociocultural aspects were counted. information was sourced from Wikipedia pages
(2012) at
Afterwards, descriptions of all aspects were http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Erikson#Early_life
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood_and_Society
e-Journal Program Pascasarjana Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris (Volume 2 Tahun 2014)

than year twelve to year eighteen. This age age group because of fairly similar reason
group appeared forty six times, contributing to that of older than 55/65 years to death.
to 40% of the total make up; (b) from older Lesser percentages were
than year fifty five or sixty five to death. This contributed to the rest five age groups: from
age group appeared twenty three times, birth to year one point six; older than year
which occupied 20% of the whole pie chart. one point six to year three; older than year
The eight age groups were three to year five; older than year five to
distributed unevenly that it resulted in the year twelve; and age group of older than 18
dominance of three age groups, namely: years to 35 years.
age group of older than 12 to 18 years
(collecting 40% of the total composition);
age group of older than 55/65 years to Participants’ Gender
death (collecting 20%); and age group of Celce-Murcia (2007) suggests that
older than 35 years to 55/65 years the second sociocultural aspect is gender.
(collecting 15% of the entire findings). However, as the nature of this study is
The fact that age group of older than quantitative, on one part, and qualitative, on
12 to 18 years was the greatest contributor the other, sex was taken so as to ease
of all was reasonably because the e- quantitative measurement of the aspect
textbook was itself for senior high school occurrences throughout the e-textbook.
students aged around 16-18 years. Gender, on the other hand, was believed to
Age group of older than 12 to 18 be qualitative in nature.
years appeared in almost all chapters, The global layout of gender
except for chapter nine—a chapter within distribution in the e-textbook found that
which novel, play script, movie review, and female references appeared 321 times
short story dominated. This age group was (23%), while their male counterparts were
employed at most in chapter three—where shown 1098 times (77%). Findings
discussions on central, controversial, and revealed that females were depicted less
popular issues were at hand. The author than one third of the total shares. It had also
was presumably trying to make the e- been mentioned that the male references
textbook as a learning material that was as outnumbered female references in all
close as possible to learners. This was also chapters.
supported by the inclusion of topics related The findings demonstrate how
to youth culture. prevalent the issue of gender in the
The second biggest at frequency analyzed e-textbook was. In terms of
was age group of older than 55/65 years to distribution, gender dichotomies appeared
death that appeared twenty three times in in all chapters in the e-textbook, starting
five different chapters. A classic author from chapter one to chapter nine, with
identified as positing this age group was differing numbers in each chapter.
Shakespeare. The date of Shakespeare's Differences between female and male
birth was unknown. Yet, he was baptised on references that appeared in each chapter
April 26 1954, and died on April 23. 1616. keep showing that male references
This age group gained popularity in surpassed the female ones.
the e-textbook, especially in chapters Besides tracking references from
seven, eight, and nine, because these pronouns and including references chains
chapters were mostly contained of novel analysis was also done through tracking
and movie reviews, narrative poems, and gender attribution, for instance by
short stories having authors who were acknowledging symbolic resources in
identified as older than 55/65 years to names, use of diminutives and/or
death. endearments (e.g. dear, sweetheart) in
Age group of older than 35 years to times parents speak to girls rather than to
55/65 years appeared eighteen times and boys, and use of direct prohibitives (e.g.
became the third most frequently employed don’t do that!) to boys rather than to girls
(Eckert & McConnell-Ginet, 2003: 17).
e-Journal Program Pascasarjana Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris (Volume 2 Tahun 2014)

Quite in contrast to what Eckert and and in turn is created to, at least implicitly,
McConnell-Ginet claim, the e-textbook support gender ideology (Eckert &
employed direct prohibitive to a girl, rather McConnell-Ginet, 2003: 34).
than to a boy. Furthermore, gender order can also
Back to frequency of both gender, be viewed from the perspective of division
imbalanced shares mostly appeared in of labor. It is asserted by Eckert and
short stories, play script, and some McConnell-Ginet, (2003: 38), that the
conversations. Nevertheless, there were gendered division of labor involves
also cases where feminine references differential power and status. Traditional
slightly outnumbered the male ones view of labor division provides more access
Male and female in the e-textbook to positions of public power and influence is
were ordered differently in terms of order of available for men, compared to that
mentioning. There were two versions of accessible for women. The e-textbook
order: first, the case where women were employed quantitatively more male
mentioned before men (see extract 3.1); references and seemed to be less
second, the case where it worked appreciative to female‘s existence in the
conversely (see extract 3.2). division of labor. See extract 3.3 for an
instance of the case.
[Extract 3.1]
… [Extract 3.3]
… …

Extract 3.3 is an excerpt from a speech


In extract 3.2, Ladies and Gentlemen were campaigning vaccination move to battle
employed three times. These expressions avian influenza in the United States. A male
seemed to grant privilege to women. name was mentioned (Dr. David Nabarro)
Gender ideology that is presumably behind as having a position of public power, i.e.
the case is the system of belief that gender being a coordinator in the United Nations.
order can or should be maintained without Labor division was as well projected
inequality (Eckert & McConnell-Ginet, 2003: in educational setting. In contrast to what
35). The use of ladies before gentlemen has been portrayed in extract 3.3, where
proved that there was an attempt to work access to public power was granted to
‗out of the convention‘. male, the view of female as nurturant was
However, the second version of described to be possessed by male. The
gender order was also tracked in the e- view that women are more nurturing than
textbook. In extract 3.2, it is illustrated that men, and thus are more suitable to work as
men preceded women and thus affirming teachers (Eckert and McConnell-Ginet,
male superiority4. Instead of saying Mrs. 2003: 46) seems to be out of the case in the
and Mr. Jones, saying Mr. and Mrs. Jones studied e-textbook.
appeared to be a more practical convention. In conclusion, changing practices do
likely result in changing ideologies and so
[Extract 3.2] does it works with changing of gender
ideology. Eckert and McConnell-Ginet
asserted the dynamic state of dominant
ideology and linguistic conventions. They
The convention is engendered by gender believed that both ideology and convention
ideology that rules these particular texts, are constructed, maintained, elaborated,
and changed in action and in talk (ibid: 53).
4
Eckert & McConnell-Ginet claim that male Participants’ Social Distance and Status
superiority is established from convention, time after Social distance and social status
time. The case of mentioning males before females is
a form of linguistic convention (2003: 34).
account for explaining the reasons people
e-Journal Program Pascasarjana Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris (Volume 2 Tahun 2014)

do not speak the same way all the time. home alone, she or he might apply several
Within the two aforementioned terms, there alternatives like mum, mummy, mom, ma,
are four useful components that help or by her or his mother‘s first name. The
determine their degrees. Holmes develops mother addressed her son by using you. It
scales on the four components, namely: (a) was not clear from the conversation in
social distance scale; (b) [social] status extract 3.4 how the son was called most of
scale; (c) formality scale; and (d) functional the time. It was clear, however, that the
scales5. (Holmes, 2000: 8-9). The scales mother was not feeling affectionate to her
were used to help describe and analyze son at the particular time of the
interactions employed in the e-textbook, conversation (she used no nickname or
which resulted in varying numbers of the endearment), she was feeling rather
scaled components and several interesting surprised and anxious (she showed her
cases on social distance and status. apprehensiveness to her son‘s idea by
With seventy one percent of the total saying Travelling? Alone? That sounds
measured units counted as employing dangerous! and suggested a better idea for
intimate social distance (high solidarity), the her son‘s safety in You ought to go with
e-textbook managed to show intimate your friends; And you’d better talk to your
relationships among participants. father first.).
Nevertheless, attempts were also made so Extract 3.5 contains indication of low
as to show distant relationships among degree of solidarity, hence distant social
participants (low solidarity). Showing both distance among participants. The use of
cases might have been thought as crucial in deference sir instead of first names (by
order to provide the e-textbook users with Dadi to the teacher) as well as the formal
samples on both instances. Relationships nuance in the eighth move (I do apologise,
among participants with high solidarity are Sir) suggest that the utterance was from a
shown in extract 3.4 and 3.5 subordinate to a superior (Holmes, 2000:
Extract 3.4 shows high degree of 14).
solidarity, hence intimate social distance
among participants. The first clue is the way [Extract 3.5]
the son addressed his mother. The second
clue is the way the conversation flowed with
expressions showing the mother‘s concern
about her son.

[Extract 3.4]

Distant participants‘ relationship did


appear in the e-textbook. Distant
participants‘ relationship was signaled by
The son addressed his mother as mom. He
the use of formal transaction in a formal
addressed her just the way he should.
setting (a transaction between a student
Holmes (2000: 13) claims that when
and a teacher, probably, in his office or in a
someone addresses her or his mother at
classroom), e.g. I’m afraid that isn’t true (cf.
I’m afraid that ain’t true in a colloquial
5
Holmes (2000:10.) mentions that the functional language) and in I do apologise, Sir.
scales are consisted of two scales, i.e. referential Intimate participants‘ relationship,
function scale and affective function scale, both of where the participants shared high solidarity
which serve two basic linguistic functions.
e-Journal Program Pascasarjana Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris (Volume 2 Tahun 2014)

with no disparity in terms of social status, B:


were indicated by: the choice of first name
among classmates (Adi; Dian); use of The utterance also contained
informal linguistic codes like I’ll, thanks, referential information on Tiresias‘ gift (i.e.
and; a rather informal response like anytime regardless his blindness, he knew the killers
to thanks a lot6. These all showed low of King Laius). These killers were also
formality was involved in the context. portrayed by Oedipus as the pestilence in
Anytime was presumably chosen by the Save everything that the pestilence
speaker as a response to the preceeding (deadly disease) defiles simultaneously
informal thanks. conveyed both objective information of a
To determine participants‘ social referential kind and the speaker‘s feeling
distance and status, level of formality helps about those referred to. Tiresias‘ utterance
decide the degree of solidarity and status, in (b) literally7 conveyed goodwill toward the
as had been illustrated in extract 3.4 and interlocutor, thus it appeared to be more
3.5. affective in function.
In addition to seeing the formality The scales of social components
context, function of interaction should aid outlined by Holmes (2000: 9-10) proved
decision whether the conversation was of important in describing and analyzing
intimate or distant relationship, and whether interactions in the e-textbook and that
there were indications of superiority and deviation from the general rule was well
subordination in the exchange. Extract 3.6 supported by the claim of cultural variability8
is an example of exchanges with differing (ibid, 2000: 13).
function of interaction.
In extract 3.6, judgment about the Politeness Strategies
relationship between the speakers can be There found four politeness super
seen from the addressing style (Therefore, strategies, namely: Off-Record (Off-R)
Tiresias, do not begrudge your skill; politeness (making up 8.38 % of all
Oedipus, let me go home.) Except for strategies), Bald on Record (BoR) that
Oedipus‘ utterance Save everything that the appeared twenty five times (14.97 % of all
pestilence defiles that employed a formal strategies), Positive Politeness (PP) and
word ‗defile‘, the use of personal pronouns Negative Politeness (NP).
like I and you, rather than passive Two dominant strategies were NP
grammatical structures showed low that appeared sixty seven times, making up
formality was involved in the context. to 40.12 % of all strategies, and PP that
Extract 3.6 shows both referential appeared sixty one times, taking the rest
and affective functions. In You know, blind 36.53 percent of all strategies.
though you are, the plague that ruins The e-textbook employed thirty out
Thebes, the plague referred to the killers of forty sub strategies proposed by Brown
of King Laius. and Levinson (1987): six Bald on Record
(BoR) strategies, ten Positive Politeness
[Extract 3.6] (PP) Strategies, seven Negative Politeness
A: (a) (NP) strategies, and seven Off-Record (Off-
R) Strategies. In terms of variation, the e-
textbook had sufficiently made used of
politeness strategies variety.

7
Tiresias‘ utterance was suspected as conveying
… literal goodwill toward Oedipus because as the play
Oedipus Rex enfolds, it is revealed that the hunted
(b) killer of King Laius is Tiresias.
8
See for instance when addressing style vary from
6
Oxford Online Dictionaries (2013) mentioned that culture to culture. Holmes (ibid.) notes that in some
the polite response for thanks is you’re welcome. culture, certain name may apply in the family but is
Variants of replies to thanks like don’t mention it/that, not used outside. In some other culture, a ceremonial
anytime would serve as less formal replies. name is given and is used on very formal occasion.
e-Journal Program Pascasarjana Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris (Volume 2 Tahun 2014)

BoR #1, showing little or no desire on a controversial issue employed positive


to maintain hearer’s face is visible in, for politeness strategy #11, i.e. including both
example, One of your classmates told me S and H in the activity.
you cheated. In this quotation, no attempt The strategy is marked clearly with,
was presumably made to save hearer‘s for instance, the use of pronoun ‗we‘
face. The speaker (a school teacher) overtly instead of singular pronoun ‗I‘, in (b)... [W]e
stated something (the action of cheating) can’t play God….We can never change
that plausibly would damage the face of the that. The use of ‗we‘ when the speaker and
hearer (the speaker‘s student). hearer were in disagreement means that
BoR #2, using task-oriented the speaker, without the hearer‘s direct
expression, can be seen in extract 3.7, consent, included the hearer to agree the
where a conversation between Peter speaker‘s proposition. The inclusion was
Quince9 and Nick Bottom who rehearsed a probably because the speaker thought that
play was set. the particular matter was taken for granted
as being consented by both parties, and
[Extract 3.7] that the speaker, in spite of debating,
wanted to maintain solidarity with the
hearer.
The following two sub strategies are
samples of NP. Minimizing the imposition
(NP#3) enables user to defuse the FTA.
As illustrated in extract 3.7, in the light of Thus lessens the seriousness of the
the relationship between Bottom and imposition, as illustrated in (a) Oedipus, let
Quince (troupe leader-troupe member), me go home. And you will bear your burden
Quince‘s Answer as I call you seems to be and mine, more easily. In (a), the speaker
linguistically appropriate. The second soothes the seriousness of the imposition
move, however, seemed to be very direct by saying let me go home, then you will
and blunt. Bottom used task-oriented bear your burden and I mine, more easily. A
expression to Quince, who was notably the phrase like bear X more easily lessens the
leader of the troupe. Assessment on intrinsic seriousness of the statements they
Bottom‘s politeness might have been entail.
influenced by the dimension of formality. Apologizing as an NP strategy is
Holmes (2000: 268) asserts that being also found in the e-textbook, as illustrated in
polite may also involve dimension of (b) I hate to mention it, but you seem to be
formality. The play rehearsal was in rather careless, and (c) I'm afraid I can't. I
Quince‘s house (unmarked setting) don't have it now. In (b), the speaker
where low formality was considered indicates his or her reluctance to impinge
on hearer‘s negative face by saying I hate
needed in the conversation, and
to mention it, but … before the speaker
therefore BoR #2 was chosen. proceeds and mentions the FTA you seem
The following two sub strategies are to be rather careless. In (c), the speaker
samples of PP. Being optimistic (PP#10) as partially redresses the impingement by
a politeness strategy is also often used for saying I’m afraid I can’t after refusing the
things having prospect in the future, as it is interlocutor‘s request—a refusal of which is
illustrated in (a) I'm sure you'll do better this an FTA.
time. Linguistic politeness is claimed to be
Including hearer in speaker‘s activity different across cultures. An excuse in
(PP#11) is also a positive politeness some culture can be of general vague
strategy. In the e-textbook, a conversation formula like I’m afraid I’ll be busy at that
time. The other way around might work well
9
Peter Quince is the leader of the troupe of players, with the Western culture, where more
including Bottom. Visit specific excuse is preferred (Holmes, 2000:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night%27s 275).
_Dream for accounts on characters and synopsis.
e-Journal Program Pascasarjana Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris (Volume 2 Tahun 2014)

The following quotations are Under PPP genres, lyric poems


illustrations where Off-R strategies were were the most frequently appeared genre.
employed. Being vague (Off-R #12) is Short stories appeared twelve times,
defined as employing words and phrases placing the second place. These two
that are not very exact or precise. In (a) I genres surpassed the rest five PPP genres
wish the law won’t be misused by some which were not much employed in the e-
irresponsible people, and (b) I oppose it for textbook. Novels were mentioned thrice.
many reasons. Play scripts appeared twice and Dramatic
In (a) the speaker decides not to be poem appeared once.
exact or precise by employing two vague Two most frequently appeared
quantitative phrases (i.e. many reasons; genres in the e-textbook, lyric poems and
some irresponsible people). The word many popular articles, are worth discussing. Lyric
(indefinite determiner) determines a large poem is meant to express the poet‘s
number of things. The word some (indefinite personal thoughts and feelings.
determiner) in (b) refers to certain members
of a group or certain types of a thing and
not all of them (Oxford Advanced Learners‘
Dictionary, 1995: 1132).
Displacing hearer (Off-R #14) is the
last discussed politeness strategy that
appears in the e-textbook. By displacing
hearer in (a) If I were you, I would buy this
novel, the hearer is moved or shifted from
the usual position. Instead of blatantly
forbids hearer to do a particular thing (Don’t
do that!), or overtly advices hearer to do
that particular thing (You’d better not do
that, or You shouldn’t do that), the speaker
chose to make his or her contribution off-
record in If I were in your position, I wouldn't Figure 3.2 Genre variations
do that.
The e-textbook employs several
Sense of Genres kind of lyric poetry: (1) the poetic personal
Genres identified in the e-textbook statement in the verse is made from the
were partitioned into two super genres, poet (or persona) to another person (e.g.
namely: those belong to Play/Prose/Poetry Dido‘s song lyric Thank You); (2) poems
(hereafter PPP) and those belong to Non- recounting a poetic personal statement
Play/Prose/Poetry (hereafter Non-PPP). from the poet (or persona) to someone
Non-PPP genres gained 66 percent of the who cannot hear him or her like Frost‘s
total units, leaving the PPP genres with the Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy
remaining 34 percent. Evening; (3) meditative lyric poems within
As illustrated in figure 3.2, the big which thoughts and sentiments are
three genres under Non-PPP are popular addressed to the poet or persona or to no
articles, advertisements, and book reviews. one were also employed in the e-textbook
Popular articles placed the most frequently (e.g. Emily BrÖnte‘s Love and Friendship).
used Non-PPP genre, followed by On the one hand, there arises a
advertisements that appeared ten times. mistaken conclusion that canonized
Book reviews emerged eight times. poetry10 is relatively less appealing than
Speeches appeared eight times. Film
reviews appeared six times. The least
appeared Non-PPP genre was advice
10
genre appearing thrice. Canonized here refers to such traditional poems
as the work of E mily Brönte, Emily Dickinson, Robert
Frost, and William Shakespeare.
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that of other recently popular ones11. On graduate students, article in extract 5.1 is
the other hand, Widdowson (1992:7) apparently written for students of senior
believes that students should be provided high, i.e. undergraduates.
with access to great literature. Appearing In terms of language it employs
sixteen times in the e-textbook (eight of field-specific language/ registers requiring
which are canonized poems and the rest readers to be sufficiently knowledgeable of
eight poems are popular ones), poetry that particular field (a). Although it employs
becomes a genre that is worth highlighting. several vocabularies like as laid out in the
The employment of poetry in the e- above extract, these vocabularies have also
textbook shows a balance of availability for been adjoined with explaining phrases13 (b)
both canonized and popular poetry. that would make the language of the text
Moving beyond PPP genres, the e- accessible to any generally knowledgeable
textbook employed non-PPP genres reader.
almost double the number of the PPP ones The text was not written based on
(65:33 occurrences). And the most an original research or new application of
frequently appeared genre of all is popular other‘s research and no research method
article. was explained. In terms of bibliography,
Although it is not shown in a the text cites Geographica’s World Pocket
complete format, which is highly likely Reference. Author or authors of the content
because of intentional page minimization including contact information were not
in order to fit e-textbook format, the short identified. Cited references were also
article in extract 3.8 is believed to possess unavailable in the text, of which are
ostensible characteristics of a popular ubiquitous in any scholarly article. In a
article viewed from such aspects as worse case, however, references were not
audience, language, research, and at all cited in a clip of seemingly a popular
bibliography 12. article.
[Extract 3.8] Sense of Registers
How the Water Cycle Works Registers in the e-textbook were
identified from the employed words and/or
(a)
expressions that belong to certain register
classification according to dictionaries both
in printed and online versions.
This study uses the term ―register‖
more narrowly to describe the specific
vocabulary associated with specific
situation of use, and there are twelve
distinct registers employed with varying
(b) frequencies in the e-textbook.
Starting with the big three, words
classified as informal appeared 60 times,
In terms of audience extract 5.1 is taking 54% of the total percentages of
perceived to be a popular article. While a registers. Informal words were the most
scholarly article is intended to be read and/ frequently appeared registers. Archaic
or refereed by professionals, professors, or expressions placed the second place with
twenty-time appearances, and was followed
by formal words at the third place, which
11
Popular poetry would cover poems/ song lyrics by appeared fifteen times (accumulating the
Bon Jovi, James Blunt, and Dido Amstrong.
12
Some characteristics of a scholarly journal and
13
popular magazine as well as of scholarly articles and Phrases that would assist readers‘ understanding
popular ones are sourced from the homepage of with, relatively, little effort or no need to refer to other
Wittenberg University Library, accessible in source of information include, for examples: stratified
http://www6.wittenberg.edu/lib/help/schol-pop.php. or layered grey cloud; billowing white or dark grey
The article was accessed in October 30. 2013. cloud—which refer to types of clouds.
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13% of all registers). Sexist words vulnerable of being sexist. The phrase
(appeared nine times) and derogatory cleaning woman [a woman that cleans
words (appeared eight times) subsequently something, in particular (Oxford Dictionary
placed the fourth and fifth place. Figure 3.3 online (OD))] in …the former cleaning
sums up contributions of all evidenced woman and plumber who won the lottery
registers. and left their life in Jackson Heights is
Seven other registers that regarded as sexist. The term shows a job
contributed less significantly were: technical title which refers exclusively to women (Lei,
words (appeared thrice; contributing 3 % of 2006: 93). Alternative terms for this sexist
the whole registers); dated words phrase are cleaning officer, or simply
(appeared twice; contributing 2% of the cleaner.
whole registers); euphemistic expression, Another case is the use of
slang, jocular expression, dated expression, chairman [a person chosen to preside over
offensive expression and ironic a meeting (OD)] in A speech by a chairman
expression—each of which contributed 1% in a teachers' meeting or seminar is
of the whole frameworks). considered sexist. The word is male-
orientated in that it contains the element ―—
man‖ while it can in fact apply to both sexes
(Lei, 2006: 88). The presence of archaic
words could be of advantage for learners.
Yet, the employment of sexist words and/ or
expressions should be handled with care in
order not to draw learners to a stereotyped
perspective.

Major Dialects
Discussion on Major Dialects
covered regional variation of English and
differences in two aspects, namely:
vocabulary differences; and grammatical
differences. However, the texts in the e-
textbook were observed to provide an
example of intracontinental variation and
Figure 3.3 Register variations examples of international variation.
In general, there are five major
Three points are worth highlighting: dialects that appeared in the e-textbook.
(1) by the employment of 49% informal The five major dialects were British English
words and/or expressions, contents of the (BE), Scottish English (SE), American
e-textbook were not solely of formal English (AmE), Australian English (AuE),
situations. Thus, the author managed to put and New Zealand English (NZE).
the e-textbook in somewhat an informal BE dialect outnumbered the rest
context; (2) the e-textbook language may four other dialects by contributing 70% (141
be stilted in the sense that archaic words appearances) of the total 197 items. The
appeared fairly frequently. The words 'tis second mostly used dialect was AmE which
[short form of it is] (Hornby, 1995: 1248, contributed to 27% (53 appearances). The
1255) and thy [second person possessive thirds in number was SE, AuE, and NZE,
determiner] are regarded as archaic each of which appeared once that
expressions. contributed to 3% of the total makeup.
The employment of archaic words An example of intracontinental
might add a tone of uniqueness to the e- vocabulary variation is the use of the word
textbook itself because those archaic bourn (noun). Bourn was found to be a
words, at most, were used in canonized word used in Scotland, with alternative
poems and play; (3) the e-textbook is spelling burn (noun). English variation for
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bourn is creek n.\ˈkrēk, ˈkrik\ and stream Nevertheless, several texts showed
\ˈstrēm\. The case for Scottish English was inconsistencies of using dialects of British
regarded as an example of intracontinental or American English at the same texts.
variation as well as international variation.
While variations of British English,
American English, Australian English and Background Knowledge of the Target
New Zealand English were regarded as Language Group (BKTLG) and
examples of the international variation. Crosscultural Awareness (CcA)
International vocabulary variation This study employed three cultural
would cover explanation for the words like perspectives developed by Tornberg (as
programme (a word which is chiefly British cited in Larsson & Karlsson, 2009: 14) are:
variant for program in North American a perspective viewing culture as a fact
English). In the e-textbook, programme fulfilled; a future competence; and an
appeared four times, while program encounter in an open landscape or a
appeared once. In British English, program meeting in the third place. The first
is used to refer to computer programs, and [consisting historical/geographical facts
programme refers to all senses of word (A1), artifacts (A2), and collective
outside computer programs. New descriptions (A3)] and the second aspects
Zealanders tend to prefer the British [consisting cultural preparation (B1), cultural
distinction. Australian English speakers comparison (B2)] view culture as a product,
have been using programme to refer to all while the third one [individual-centered
senses of word, and yet is adopting culture (C1) and youth culture (C2)]
program in the media and official concerns it as a process. In this study, the
publications. Instead of using programme, BKTLG refers to (A1), (A2), (A3) and CcA
Americans and Canadians prefer covers (B1), (B2), (C1), and (C2).
using program.14 In general, BKTLG-related items
Intracontinental grammatical were accumulated into 62% of the whole
difference was evidenced in the use of I pie chart, while CcA-related items added up
won’t [do] it expression rather than I’ll not the rest 38%. Artifacts collected 49% of the
[do] it expression, which is common in the total analyzed items, placing themselves as
Scottish English speakers15. In the e- that most frequently appeared BKTLG
textbook, however, there was only one aspects. The second most frequently
evidence of I’ll not [do] it expression and appeared aspect were those related to
several examples of I won’t [do] it cultural preparation, gaining 20% of all
expressions. items. The third most frequently appeared
International grammatical difference aspect were those related to individual-
between American English and British centred content.
English was evidenced in the use of have The rest 20% were shared by four
got to. Holmes (2000: 124) states that have aspects, namely: historical/ geographical
got to is typical traditional British English, facts (appeared seven times, 7%); youth
whereas Americans would rather say have culture related content (appeared four
gotten to + V1, as pointed below in extract times, 5%); collective description (appeared
3.9. thrice, 4%); and cultural comparison
(appeared twice, gaining 3% of the total
[Extract 3.9] make-up)
Historical/ Geographical facts (A1) in
have got to the e-textbook was exemplified in a text that
+ V1
advertised a book fair sale with a stated
social mission to help kids, senior citizens,
and the homeless people in Frangipani
14 street 213, in Montagne. This reading was
The information was sourced from
http://grammarist.com/spelling/program-programme/ classified as a historical/geographical fact,
15
Holmes (2000: 124) mentioned that a Scot is far since the text, as above mentioned,
more likely to say I’ll not do it than I won’t do it.
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recorded information on the time and venue questions, one of which asked students'
of the event. views on the poem (What is your view on
Artifact (A2) as BKTLG is love and friendship?). This would provide
exemplified in a short entitled The Farmer students with the opportunity to have their
and His Son. It belonged to artifacts own voices--nationality free, gender free,
because it is a cultural product. The and race free, hence an individual-centered
perspective of meeting in the third place culture (C1).
was also present in the text. The Similar to what governs text
character's nationality was not in focus in containing an individual-centered culture,
the text. The text was linked to a problem text containing youth culture takes no
many parents face in preparing for their significant consideration on the characters‘
children's future. nationality, gender, age, social distance and
There were three questions status and is not aimed at representing a
preceeding the short story: Question #1 Do group of people. A text entitled Mobile
your parents teach you to work hard? Phones: Good or Bad? focuses on a
Question #2: How do they teach you to recently popular media in youth subculture,
work hard? Question #3 do you think hard i.e. mobile phones. Eventhough mobile
work brings its own rewards? It is these phones were stated as used widely in all
questions that possibly enable a meeting ages, they were more of youth-related
between the students' own experiences and social media. Pervan (2009: 26) asserts
of the same or similar case. that texts in the textbook that employ this
A collective description of culture perspective, are claimed as supportive for
(A3) was portrayed in a text entitled learners to interpret the texts in many
Abortion: A Controversial Issue. Abortion as different ways, and to reflect on the texts
part of lifestyle is controversially collectively based on their own experience and values,
described (banned and approved) in thus engender an open area for polyphonic
several different countries, i.e. Russia, encounters of multination.
Ireland, New Zealand, Bangladesh, the
Phillipines, Indonesia, and Hongkong. Even CONCLUSION AND
though the text seems to compare traditions RECOMMENDATIONS
in varied places, the text was not followed Among eight evidenced age groups,
up with a task assigning students to age group of >12 yr. – 18 yr. appeared
compare those traditions, which leads the most frequently, contributing 40% of the
text into mere collective descriptions. total 117 encodings implying that the e-
The e-textbook also employed textbook is appropriate for almost all twelfth
several texts that served as touchstone graders in Indonesia (apropos of that
texts for cultural preparation (B1), and particular graders are mostly within the
cultural comparison (B2), like scripts range of that age group).
speeches delivered by different people on The apparent discrepancy between
different occasions. This kind of text served the males (77%) and female (23%) implies
as practice for future communication with that the e-textbook, whether driven
those speaking the target language and intentionally or not, was male-oriented.
hence prevented possible confusion/ Hence, characteristics of male and any
misunderstanding, aspects related to male as portrayed by the
Individ-centred macro theme (C1) is e-textbook, might impinged readers socio-
evidenced in a poem Love and Friendship contextually, to a greater or lesser extent.
by Emily BrÖnte. There are two pints that 71% of the e-textbook‘s analyzed
signify the text to (C1). Point one; love and conversational texts showed intimate social
friendship are two universal topics. Their distance among participants and the rest
ubiquitous characteristics enable them to be was of distant social distance. Texts
employed as a text with individ-centred containing indications of low social status
macro theme (C1). Point two; in the e- gained 42% of the entire analyzed texts,
textbook, the text was followed by a set of and the remaining 58% was that of
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participants‘ low social status. Whereas and (3) that the authors were not, at all,
findings on participants‘ social status might aware of these aspects.
lead readers into finding the e-textbook as Future research can certainly be
preachy, the findings on social distance done in the same area of sociocultural
entailed a conclusion that the e-textbook aspects, which, first, would need more work
was managed to be more reader-friendly. on range of age groups that would better fit
Whether or not it was employed on all ages employed. Other scale could be
purpose, British English dialects were of the used or set a priori. When persisting to use
authors‘ preference (contributing 70% of the that of Erik Eriksson‘s, further alteration
total 197 items). This is in line with the could be applied. Second, deeper research
highest frequency of occurrence of on which names belong to which gender
Negative Politeness, which showed authors‘ would be of help. Third, there should be
preference into using this particular developed a range within which
strategy. If it is generally believed that participants‘ social status will be well-
Americans prefer employing positive accommodated. Fourth, the term jocular
politeness strategies to the negative ones, would need redefinition. And fifth, more
then, the e-textbook‘s style would be more recent information on major English dialects
of what European English speakers prefer will do better to justify findings of dialects.
to use. Recommended to e-textbook
The inclusion of PPP genres over governmental issuers, and material
one thirds of the entire employed genres in developers in Indonesia, e-textbooks should
the e-textbook showed that English was be better scrutinized in terms of their
taught in a style where what sounds ‗less contents in order to avoid gender
academic‘ and ‗unscientific‘ were not misrepresentation and/ or cultural
deprived. This is in accordance to the stereotypes, before they are spread for EFL
employment of informal words, which learners nation-wide. E-textbooks should
signalled that the e-textbook was managed also be culturally better developed in order
to be more reader-friendly. However, not just to seize the idea of cross or
occurrence of sexist words, though not very intercultural understanding but also to really
significant in number, is worth giving make the idea workable.
attention to.
BKTLG-related items (especially REFERENCES
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