STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF FIVE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC …
Transcript of STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF FIVE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC …
STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF FIVE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
MAGAZINE COVERS IN 2020
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
VINCENTIUS SETO ARIWIBOWO
Student Number: 174214151
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA
YOGYAKARTA
2021
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ii
STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF FIVE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
MAGAZINE COVERS IN 2020
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
jj
Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
VINCENTIUS SETO ARIWIBOWO
Student Number: 174214151
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA
YOGYAKARTA
2021
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
v
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been previously
submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that, to the best of
my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material previously written by
any other person except where due reference is made in the text of the undergraduate
thesis.
January 12, 2021
Vincentius Seto Ariwibowo
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
vi
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma
Nama : Vincentius Seto Ariwibowo
Nomor Mahasiswa : 174214151
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul
STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF FIVE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
MAGAZINE COVERS IN 2020
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian, saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan
dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data,
mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain
untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya maupun
memberikan royalty kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai
penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 12 Januari 2021
Yang menyatakan,
Vincentius Seto Ariwibowo
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my gratefulness to Jesus Christ, who has
given me strength and health so that I can finish my study and undergraduate thesis in
time. Secondly, I would also like to express my biggest gratitude to my thesis advisor,
Arina Isti’anah, S.Pd., M.Hum. for her support and advice towards writing this
research. I would also deliver my gratitude to my co-adviso, Almira Ghassani Sabrina
Romala, S.S., M. A., for the counsels, corrections, and suggestions towards my thesis.
I sincerely would like to thank my father, Emanuel Sumaryono, my mother
Prinsila Niken Mastuti, my older brother, Johanes tetuko Wahyuwibowo, and my
younger brother, Eduardo Noel Inderayana, for always praying, supporting, and
listening to me while conducting this research.
Lastly, for dear, all my friends, Hestu, Ing, Marcell, Milka, Brando, Jesse, Era,
Yohana, Gentha, Alinea, and Ivon, thank you for being my support system during these
wonderful university times. Thank you, everyone. May God bless you all!
Vincentius Seto Ariwibowo
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ........................................................................................................ ii
APPROVAL PAGE ............................................................................................. iii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ........................................................................................ iv
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY .................................................................... v
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA .................. vi
MOTTO PAGE ................................................................................................... vii
DEDICATION PAGE ........................................................................................ viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................. ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................... x
LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................. xii
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................ xiii
ABSTRAK ............................................................................................................ xiv
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1
A. Background of the Study ............................................................................. 1 B. Problem Formulation................................................................................... 4
C. Objectives of the Study ................................................................................ 5 D. Definition of Terms ...................................................................................... 5
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................... 7
A. Review of Related Studies ........................................................................... 7 B. Review of Related Theories ....................................................................... 11
1. Stylistics ................................................................................................ 11
2. Phonology ............................................................................................. 13
3. Graphology .......................................................................................... 15
4. Visual Grammar ................................................................................. 16
5. Persuasive Language Devices ............................................................. 21
C. Theoretical Framework ............................................................................. 23
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .................................................................. 25
A. Object of the Study .................................................................................... 25 B. Approach of the Study ............................................................................... 26
C. Method of the Study ................................................................................... 26 1. Data Collection .................................................................................... 26
2. Data Analysis ....................................................................................... 28
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS RESULT AND DISCUSSION ........................... 31
A. Language and Visual Features used in National Geographic Magazine
Cover of May-September Editions ........................................................... 31 1. Level of Phonology .............................................................................. 31
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
xi
xi
2. Level of Graphology ............................................................................ 39
3. Interactive Meaning ............................................................................ 44
B. Possible Effects Interpreted by The Language and Visual Features .... 51 1. Respondents Chose Persuasive Some What ..................................... 54
2. Respondents Chose Persuasive Very Much ...................................... 58
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION .......................................................................... 61
REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 63
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
xii
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF TABLES
No. Table Page
1. Table 1. Stylistics and Level of Language 12
2. Table 2. Distance 18
3. Table 3. Modality Makers 20
4. Table 4. Example of Likert Scale in a Magazine Cover 30
5. Table 5. Alliterations in National Geographic Magazine Cover 32
6. Table 6. Assonance in National Geographic Magazine Cover 34
7. Table 7. Consonance in National Geographic Magazine Cover 36
8. Table 8. Capitalization in National Geographic Magazine
Cover
39
9. Table 9. Typography in National Geographic Magazine Cover 41
10. Table 10. Interactive Strategies of May Edition 45
11. Table 11. Interactive Strategies of June Edition 47
12. Table 12. Interactive Strategies of July Edition 48
13.
14.
15.
16.
Table 13. Interactive Strategies of September Edition
Table 14. Interactive Strategies of August Edition
Table 15. The Result of Questionnaire
Table 16. Persuasive Strategies of 5 Magazine Covers
50
51
53
54
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
xiii
ABSTRACT
Vincentius Seto Ariwibowo, (2021). Stylistic Analysis of Five National Geographic
Magazine Covers in 2020.Yogyakarta: English Letters Department, Faculty of
Letters, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
National Geographic is one of the well-known magazine mass media globally.
It represents information and ideas about nature, travel, people, etcetera. Therefore, the
purpose is to provide information to the readers, and the target readers are people who
preserve nature, like to travel, and like to observe people's culture. Hence, to reach the
target readers, the magazine editor may use certain language and visual features in
attracting people to read the magazine.
There are two objectives formulated in this research. The first is to figure out
what the language and visual features are used in National Geographic magazine
covers of May-September 2020 editions. The second is to examine the possible effects
interpreted by language and visual features. Those problem formulations are explained
in this research. Stylistic approach is employed to analyze the first problem
formulation. Besides, to answer the second problem formulation, the researcher
distributes 20 questionnaires to English Letters Students of Universitas Sanata Dharma.
The result of the questionnaires, which are the respondents' assessments and answers,
are used to see the effects interpreted by the language and visual features found in the
magazine covers.
The result shows that there are several language and visual features used in the
magazine covers. Those are at the levels of phonology, graphology, and interactive
meaning of visual grammar. Those levels are proven to give persuasive effects, which
can be seen through the assessments and the respondents' answers. The language and
visual features indeed give significant persuasive effects to attract the viewer to read
the magazine, specifically the features of capitalization, typography, distance, and
modality, which can clearly be seen through the respondents' assessments towards
magazine cover. Therefore, the use of language and visual features on the National
Geographic magazine cover of May-September 2020 editions is successful in
attracting the consumer to choose the magazine as reading materials and references.
Keywords: Stylistics Analysis, Language Features, Visual Features, Persuasive
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
xiv
ABSTRAK
Vincentius Seto Ariwibowo, (2021). Stylistic Analysis of Five National Geographic
Magazine Covers in 2020.Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra,
Universitas Sanata Dharma.
National Geographic merupakan salah satu media massa majalah ternama di
dunia. Majalah ini mewakili informasi dan gagasan tentang alam, perjalanan, manusia,
dan sebagainya. Oleh karena itu, tujuan majalah National Geographic adalah
menginformasikan kepada pembaca, dan sasaran pembacanya adalah orang-orang yang
melestarikan alam, gemar berwisata, dan gemar mengamati budaya masyarakat. Oleh
karena itu, untuk menjangkau target pembaca, editor majalah dapat menggunakan
bahasa dan fitur visual tertentu untuk menarik minat orang membaca majalah tersebut.
Ada dua tujuan dirumuskan dalam penelitian ini. Yang pertama adalah mencari
tahu fitur-fitur bahasa dan visual apa saja yang digunakan pada sampul majalah
National Geographic edisi Mei-September 2020. Yang kedua adalah untuk mencari
tahu kemungkinan efek yang ditafsirkan oleh fitur-fitur bahasa dan visual. Rumusan
masalah tersebut dijelaskan dalam penelitian ini. Pendekatan Stilistika digunakan
untuk menganalisis rumusan masalah pertama. Selain itu, untuk menjawab rumusan
masalah kedua, peneliti membagikan 20 angket kepada Mahasiswa Sastra Inggris
Universitas Sanata Dharma. Hasil kuisioner yang berupa penilaian dan jawaban
responden digunakan untuk melihat efek apa yang ditafsirkan oleh fitur-fitur bahasa
dan visual yang terdapat pada sampul majalah.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat beberapa fitur bahasa dan visual
yang digunakan pada sampul majalah. Yakni pada tingkat fonologi, grafologi, dan
makna interaktif pada tata bahasa visual. Tingkatan tersebut terbukti memberikan efek
persuasif yang terlihat dari penilaian dan jawaban responden. Fitur bahasa dan visual
memang memberikan efek persuasif yang cukup signifikan untuk menarik pembaca
membaca majalah, khususnya fitur kapitalisasi, tipografi, jarak, dan modalitas, yang
terlihat jelas melalui penilaian responden terhadap sampul majalah. Oleh karena itu,
penggunaan bahasa dan fitur visual pada sampul majalah National Geographic Edisi
Mei-September 2020 berhasil menarik konsumen untuk memilih majalah tersebut
sebagai bahan bacaan dan referensi.
Kata Kunci: Stylistics Analysis, Language Features, Visual Features, Persuasive
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Chap1
A. Background of the Study
People are communicating with each other in order to share knowledge and
information. The information that originates in one place can easily be spread to other
places or societies through communication. Communication technology has steadily
increased the speed at which a given volume of information can be transmitted from
point to point (McQuail, 2010, p. 6). Especially these days, there are so many mass
media platforms that can be used as a medium to spread the information rapidly.
Mass media is a tool that is used to reach mass audiences. It shares and transmits
the information through either spoken text or written text. Mass media examples that
transmit the spoken text are television, radio, and the popular one nowadays, podcasts.
Besides, the examples of mass media that transmit the written text are newspapers,
blogs, and magazines. Some of those written media nowadays are using a digital
platform to reach the audiences. Information and communication technologies have
generated new platforms on which to read. The list includes desktop and laptop
computers, e-readers (such as Kindle and Nook), tablet computers (e.g., the iPad), and
handheld devices (e.g., the iPod Touch, mobile-phones) (Baron, 2013, p. 193).
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
2
The magazine is one of the written mass media that can be in the form of digital
and printed, which contains photographs, advertisements, articles, and other columns.
It plays an essential role in providing information as it is described as a storehouse of
information. This role is agreed by Dominick, who argued that the magazine was
described as ‘literally storehouse of material gathered from books, pamphlets, and
newspaper and bound together under one cover' (1996, p. 122). The content of the
information presented in magazines represents the information and ideas of specific
interests. Therefore, each magazine has its purposes and target readers. For example,
National Geographic magazine represents information and ideas about nature, travel,
people, etcetera. Therefore, the purpose is to inform the readers, and the target readers
are people who preserve nature, like to travel, and like to observe people’s culture.
National Geographic is one of the well-known magazine mass media globally,
aiming to ‘illuminate and protect.' To achieve its aim, National Geographic uses
several language styles that can be seen on its magazine front cover. The language
styles in National Geographic magazine’s front cover are essential to attract people to
read the magazine. The magazine editors and producers may use some language levels
such as graphological level, lexical level, and syntactic level in terms of style. These
allow the reader to understand the contents that are provided inside the magazine
without opening it. The editor of Tatler states that ‘A magazine’s front-cover image
and coverlines are persuasive selling tools. They motivated readers – confronted with
shelves of front covers competing for their attention – to buy our magazine rather than
another’ (McLoughlin, 2002, p. 5). It should combine persuasion and language style
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
3
when it discusses magazine cover that can attract people to read. Thus, the language
style on the magazine’s front cover is principal for the persuasive matter. Therefore, it
is worth studying.
This study focuses on the language style on National Geographic magazine’s
front cover. Therefore, the stylistic approach is suitable for conducting this research.
Stylistics is the study of ‘distinctive’ aspects of language and representation of its
purpose and effects (Verdonk, 2002, p. 4). With the stylistic approach, the purposes
and effects of the magazine's covers' language levels could be revealed. For example,
the noun “EVEREST” in National Geographic magazine’s cover aims to inform the
readers that the magazine's issue is about Mount Everest. The possible effect that can
occur is that it can trigger the reader's curiosity about what happened to Everest.
Magazine covers must correlate with the picture. Therefore, visual grammar is
needed in this research as the supporting theory. The same is true for 'grammar of visual
design. Like linguistic structures, visual structures point to a particular interpretation
of experience and forms of social interaction (Kress and Leeuwen, 2006, p. 2). With
the visual design grammar, the editor's purpose to set-up the picture on the magazine
cover can be examined. In the discussion of visual grammar, the size of the frame of
the old woman picture in National Geographic Magazine’s cover of June edition is a
medium shot. It can be implied that the editor uses that shot to show the ‘familiar’
social distance of the subject to the reader. Thereby, the possible effects are that the
picture can create readers' curiosity, triggering them to buy the magazine.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4
To make this research not too broad, the researcher limits this research by
focusing on its object. The object of the study is National Geographic magazine's cover
of May-September 2020 editions. These editions are chosen because these magazines
were the latest issue by the time the researcher writes this research. Besides, it is
because of the lack of stylistics analysis conducted by other researchers on the
magazine's cover.
The purpose of this research is figuring out the style reflected in language and
visual features and the pictures found in National Geographic magazine’s cover and
revealing the effects that are interpreted from the language and visual features. Based
on that statement, this research is expected to raise the reader's awareness that the use
of style in the magazine's covers could attract them to buy the magazines. This study
also benefits the other researcher as a reference for conducting other topic related to
this research.
B. Problem Formulation
Based on the background of the study above, the problems of the study are
formulated as follows:
1. What are the language and visual features used in National Geographic
magazine covers of May-September 2020 editions?
2. What are the possible effects interpreted by the language and visual features
used in the covers?
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
5
C. Objectives of the Study
Based on the problem formulation above, the researcher would like to achieve
two objectives of the study. The first objective is to figure out the language and visual
features used in National Geographic magazine’s covers of May-September 2020. The
researcher figures out the language and visual features found in each National
Geographic magazine’s covers published on May-September. The researcher later
classifies the language and visual features found in the magazine's cover based on their
levels.
The second objective is to examine the possible effects that are interpreted by
the language features used in the covers by spreading the questionnaires to the internet
users who are the students of Universitas Sanata Dharma as the respondents. The
researcher figures out the purposes of the language features found in National
Geographic magazine’s cover published on May-September 2020. Moreover, the
researcher analyzes the magazine's covers based on the most attractive language and
visual features found in the cover.
D. Definition of Terms
The researcher uses several terminologies related to the objectives of the study
to evade the misinterpretation and misunderstandings. Those terms are stylistics,
language features and Magazine’s cover. The first term is Stylistics. According to
Leech and Short, stylistics is defined as the linguistics study of style. Therefore,
stylistics is a branch of linguistics that focuses on the style of the language text.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
6
The second term is language features. Features, as described in linguistics, is
a term used to refer to any typical or noticeable property of spoken or written language
(Crystal, 2008). It presents that language features can be defined as a term used to refer
to a text's properties. According to Simpson, seven language levels can be studied.
Those are phonology, graphology, morphology, grammar/syntax, lexical analysis,
semantics, and pragmatics (2004, p.5). Therefore, language levels are essential in
stylistics analysis.
The third term is Magazine covers. According to Iqani (2011), Magazine
covers are considered prestigious sites for the appearance and promotion of the image
of people or products due to their cultural power as highly visible media spaces and the
luxurious tactility of glossy paper on which they are printed. Based on that, the
magazine's covers are essential to attract the reader's attention.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
7
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Chapter2
The following sub-chapters cover a review of related studies, a review of related
theories, and theoretical frameworks. The writer uses related studies beneficial for this
research; they are undergraduate theses and journal articles. These can give some basis
for the analysis. There are two main theories in the sub-chapter review of related
theories that are used to analyze the data. Those are stylistics and visual grammar. The
theoretical framework will explain the benefits and contributions of the related studies
and theories in solving this study's problem formulation.
A. Review of Related Studies
In this part, the writer has provided five studies from other researchers that have
similarities to support this study. Those studies consist of three undergraduate thesis
and two journals. Thus, the review of related studies will help the researchers to
develop ideas and give a
The first study is an undergraduate thesis by Anggadewi, K. N. F. (2020),
entitled “Stylistics Analysis in Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall”. The researcher
analyzed the language features in a poem by Robert Frost entitled "Mending Wall”.
The study aims to figure out the language features and the meaning of them in a poem.
To reach its goal, Anggadewi conducted a stylistic approach in this study to analyze
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
8
the meaning of the poem through style based on four language levels: phonology,
graphology, grammatical, and semantics. The meaning is analyzed by connecting the
language features with the poem, which concludes that the four language features are
linked to each other to deliver the poem's meaning: conflict and relationship in human
life. From the four language features, it reveals that semantic features contribute the
most in constructing the meaning. There is a similarity between this study and the
present study. Both studies use stylistic as their approach in analyzing the language
features.
The second study is an undergraduate thesis by Famila, A. C. (2016), entitled
“A Stylistic Analysis on The View Column in Vogue Magazine, April 2015, June 2015,
and December 2015 Editions.” It aims to identify lexical and discover syntactic features
used in the View column from Vogue magazine to be exploited for persuasive purposes.
The findings identify that Vogue magazine used some lexical and syntactic features
such as proper nouns, fashion terms, metaphors, simple sentences, and complex
sentences. It finds out that the features have possible effects to create persuasion for
the readers. There are several similarities between this study and the present study.
Both studies use stylistics as their approach and magazine as their object.
The third study is an undergraduate thesis by Angela, C. V. (2018), entitled "An
Analysis of the Linguistic Features and Persuasion Techniques Used in Written
Advertisements by Maybelline New York," which discusses the linguistic features and
persuasion techniques in the advertisement. This study aims to figure out the linguistic
features and persuasion techniques that influence consumers. The researcher proposed
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
9
a stylistic approach to analyze the linguistics features found in the catalog magazine:
hyperbole, potency, long noun phrase, present tense, and incomplete sentence. There
is a similarity between this study and the present study. Both studies use stylistics in
analyzing linguistic features.
The fourth study is a journal article by Isti’anah, A. (2017), entitled “Stylistics
Analysis of Maya Angelou’s Equality.” The researcher proposed stylistic analysis to
comprehend the meanings of the poem by observing the language device used. To
achieve the goals, the researcher observed four language levels; phonological,
graphological, grammatical, and semantic levels. The researcher concluded that the
stylistic analysis that pays attention to different language levels helps people
comprehend literary work better. In conducting the study, both this and the present
studies use stylistic to comprehend the meanings of language features.
The fifth study is a journal article by Ping, K. (2018), entitled “A Visual
Grammar Analysis of Lesaffre’s Website.” The researcher proposed visual grammar
analysis to examine the charming combination of language and pictures found on the
website page. There are three aspects of visual grammar examined; they are
representational meaning, interactive meaning, and compositional meaning. As regard
to Lesaffre Company's website, the researcher concluded it does not achieve much in
the aspect of information value because the home page does not provide new
information to the viewers. There is a similarity between this study and the present
study in which both studies use visual grammar in conducting them.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
10
The other study is a journal article by Ly, T. H., and Jung, C. K. (2015), entitled
“Multimodal Discourse: A Visual Design Analysis of Two Advertising Images.” This
paper aims to analyze the visual grammar of two advertising images. The researchers
proposed visual grammar and semiotic in examining the advertisement's visual
grammar and decoding their meaning potential. There are two aspects of visual
grammar examined in this study; they are representational and interactive dimension.
The objects of this study are two images from a Korean fashion magazine. The
researchers concluded that images have the potential to convey multileveled meanings.
In conducting the study, both studies use visual grammar analysis in examining the
pictures.
However, the present study has differences compared to the reviewed studies.
The differences rely on the data and the approach of the study. The reviewed studies
applied stylistics in different data: a poem by Robert Frost’s entitled “Mending Wall”
(Anggadewi, 2020), Vogue Magazine (Famila, 2016), Maybelline New York's
magazine catalog (Angela, 2018), a poem by Maya Angelou entitled “Equality”
(Isti’anah, 2017). Two reviewed studies applied different approaches: visual grammar
(Ping, 2018) and visual grammar (Ly and Jung, 2015). Therefore, those previous
studies give some contributions to the present topic such as data collection, data
analysis, the theories and the approaches. Nevertheless, this study aims to develop a
stylistic approach in different text, magazine covers. Linguistic and visual feature
analysis applied in the present thesis is expected to shed light on how linguistic is
closely related to various kinds of texts found in magazine covers.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
11
B. Review of Related Theories
In this part, the researcher uses several theories related to the problem
formulation to analyze the study. The researcher uses the theory of stylistics, linguistics
features, and visual grammar.
1. Stylistics
A language is a tool for transferring information to other individuals.
Therefore, the language in the magazine is used for delivering information to the
readers. However, the language in magazines is not only used to give the information
to the reader, but it is also used to affect and attract the readers. Each magazine uses a
different style to attract readers. For this study studies the style in the magazine, the
study is on the field of stylistics. Stylistics is the study of ‘distinctive’ aspects of
language and the representation of its purpose and effects (Verdonk, 2002, p. 4).
Therefore, stylistics' distinctive features can create more understanding of information
in literature, linguistics, and journals, including the magazine.
The distinctive features of stylistics have purposes of delivering messages
either exposed or hidden. The distinctive features can be seen in the language itself. It
is created by the writer and editor for purposes and located in various levels of
language. Language in its broadest conceptualization is not a disorganized mass of
sounds and symbols, but is instead an intricate web of levels, layers and links. Thus,
any utterance or piece of text is organised through several distinct levels of language
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
12
(Simpson, 2004, p. 5). Accordingly, stylistics can examine the writer’s purposes
through language levels, specifically the language features.
Analyzing the text through stylistics should be based on a coherent framework
of analysis. Thus, in order to organize the stylistics analysis of the text, a table of
language levels and their clarification are provided as follows.
Table 1. Stylistics and level of language (Simpson, 2004, p. 5)
LEVEL OF LANGUAGE BRANCH OF LANGUAGE STUDY
The sound of spoken language; the
way words are pronounced.
Phonology; phonetics
The pattern of written language; the
shape of language on-page.
Graphology
The way words are constructed;
words and their constituent
structures.
Morphology
The way words combine with other
words to form phrases and
sentences.
Syntax; grammar
The word we use; the vocabulary of
language.
Lexical analysis; lexicology
The meaning of words and
sentences.
Semantics
The way words and sentences are
used in everyday situation; the
meaning of the language in context.
Pragmatics; discourse analysis.
Based on the previous table, there are some language levels on stylistics However, in
approaching the language style of the magazine cover, several language levels are
needed. Those are phonology, and graphology. At the phonological level, the sound
pattern, such as alteration, assonance, and consonance, are discussed. Since the
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
13
magazine covers contain many patterns, and the shape of language, the language
features in graphological level such as punctuation, capitalization, and typography are
needed.
2. Phonology
Phonology is the description of the systems and patterns of sounds that occur
in the language. Simpson construes phonology as encompassing the meaning potential
of sound of spoken language (2004, p. 6). It involves studying a language to determine
its distinctive sounds, that is, those sounds that convey a different meaning. However,
in written text, the words that have similar sound can create a particular pattern of
sound, which is prominent. In the magazine covers, the pattern of sound has meaning
to attract the reader to read the magazine, which can be found in features of alliteration,
consonance, and assonance.
a. Alliteration
Alliteration is a condition when there are similarities between initial
consonants. When the initial consonant sound of some couples of words is repeated, it
is called alliteration (Madden, 2002, p. 70). In addition, according to Bradford,
alliteration is the repetition of the cluster of similar consonant sounds within individual
lines and across sequences of the lines (2005, p.15). In short, alliteration is a repetition
of consonant sounds in the initial position that occurs in the language text.
Alliteration has the function to emphasize particular ideas and meanings in the
repetition of the sound. It can give a strong effect to the reader. Other being pleasant in
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
14
the ears and sense of rhythm, those kind of sound effects are also adding the attention
aspect and memorable sense to the readers (Verdonk, 2002, p. 5). Alliteration can make
the reader more aware and realize the presence of the emphasized text. An example of
alliteration can be in the Robert Frost’s “Birches”, “As the stir cracks and crazes their
enamel”. The repeated sound, /cr/, is similar to the sound of ice breaking, which implies
that Frost tries to present the feeling of nature.
b. Assonance
Assonance is a condition when there are neighboring repeated vowels in a text.
According to McLaughlin, assonance is when the same vowel sound is repeated in
adjacent word (2000, p. 21). Besides, according to Bradford, assonance is the repetition
of the cluster of similar vowel sounds within individual lines and across sequences of
the lines (2005, p.16)
Assonance occurs when the vowel sound is repeated in the language text. For
instance, the vowels /aʊ/, /wi/, /ə/ are repeated in the phrases HOW WE LOST THE
PLANET, HOW WE SAVED THE WORLD found in National Geographic magazine
cover of April edition. The repetition of the vowels /aʊ/, /wi/, /ə/ are emphasized to
create a memorable effect on the reader, which can build the engagement.
c. Consonance
Consonance is a condition when the consonant sound is repeated in the
language text. When some couples of consonant sounds are repeated, it is called
consonance (Madden, 2002, p. 70). Also, Cuddon states that consonance is the close
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
15
repetition of identical consonant sounds after different vowel (2013, p. 153). In short,
the repetition of an adjacent consonant sound in the text is considered as consonance.
Consonance occurs when the consonant sound is repeated in the language
text. The example of consonance found in National Geographic magazine cover is the
phrases HOW WE LOST THE PLANET, HOW WE SAVED THE WORLD. The
consonant sounds /t/ and /d/ are repeated in above phrases. With the same sound at the
end of the word, the editor wants to create a special effect on the reader, which triggers
the reader to read the magazine.
3. Graphology
Graphology deals with the physical characteristics and patterns of handwriting
in an attempt to identify the writer's intention. As stated by Gomez, graphology is a
linguistic level of analysis that comprises the study of graphic aspect of language
(2005). Since it comprises graphic design, some language features related to writings
are examined in this study; those are capitalization and typography. Further, those
features are discussed below.
a. Capitalization
According to Bex, readers have learned to associate CAPITAL LETTERS with
extra significance. The reader will assume that the capitalized letter is more important
than any co-text which is not capitalized (1996, p. 100). In short, capitalization means
writing the letter or text in capital letters. Authors and editors use capitalization for
various purposes. One of the purposes is to emphasize the text. To illustrate, the
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
16
researcher takes an example of capitalization from the Vogue magazine cover. The
word “VOGUE," which can be found in every edition of the magazine front cover, is
uppercased or capitalized. It is italicized by reason of it is the brand, trademark, or the
name of the magazine itself, in which it has to be emphasized as the editor does.
b. Typography
Wong (2001) states that typography is the art and technique of arranging type.
Like a person’s speaking style and skill, the quality of our treatment of letters on a page
can influence how people respond to our message. It is an essential act of encoding and
interpretation, linking what we say to what people see (p. 277). Typography helps the
author to deliver the message to the reader. Therefore, the reader can relate and interpret
the messages in the text. The typography in this study focuses on typefaces and type
size. For example, the noun phrase “Working together to better nourish and better
planet” in Lesaffre website is written in large size of size, bold, and white color. This
size of type, bold, and white color has a purpose of emphasizing the phrase which
describes the picture.
4. Visual Grammar
Just as grammars of language describe how words combine in clauses,
sentences and texts, so our visual ‘grammar’ will describe the way in which depicted
elements – people, places and things – combine in visual ‘statements’ of greater or
lesser complexity and extension (Kress and Leeuwen, 2006, p. 1). In addition, visual
structures point to a particular interpretation of experience and forms of social
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
17
interaction (Kress and Leeuwen, 2006, p. 2). Therefore, visual grammar is described
as a rule of elements of the image are depicted based on experience and social forms
of social interaction. There are three aspects that can be examined by visual grammar;
those aspects are representational meaning, interactive meaning, and compositional
meaning. The table that exhibits the framework of visual grammar can be seen below.
Figure 1. Visual Grammar (Ping, 2018, p. 39)
Based on the diagram, each aspect is branched into several points. However,
this study focuses on interactive meaning. Interactive meaning is associated with the
social relations between actors and the evaluative orientations that participants adopt
towards each other and to the represented world (Kress and Leeuwen, 2006, p. 110).
Visual Grammar
Representational Meaning
Narative Process
Conceptual Proces
Interactive Meaning
Contact
Attitude
Distance
Modality
Composirtional Meaning
Information Values
Framing
Salience
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
18
In interactive meaning, the researcher focuses on distance and modality. The distance
can identify the social relationship between the subject in the image and the reader, and
modality can help the researcher to analyze the color and contextualization.
a. Distance
Hall, as cited by Kress and Leeuwen (2006), describes how social relations are
determined by different fields of vision in images. In order to make it clearer, the
researcher includes the summary of social distance that can be seen in the table below.
Table 2. Distance (Ly and Jung, 2015, p.52)
Distance Field of vision Relationship between
represented participant
and viewers
Intimate distance Only the face of head is
visible
Intimate
Close personal
distance
The head and the
shoulders are visible
Intimate
Far personal
distance
The area from the head to
the waist is visible
Personal
Close social
distance
The whole figure is
visible
Impersonal
Far social
distance
The whole figure and the
space around it is visible
Formal and impersonal
Public distance The torsos of at least four
or five people are visible
Strangers
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
19
Hence, the researcher assumes that distance plays an important role in
analyzing the visual feature of the magazine cover since each distance has its own goal.
The researcher provides a column picture of Korean fashion magazine entitled ‘CeCi’
to give an example below.
Figure 2. Korean Fashion Magazine ‘CeCi’
The magazine column includes a picture of a young woman standing on the
decorated wall staring straight to the camera. In analyzing distance, the represented
participant's position, which is the young woman on the frame, is essential. As
described in the above table, the field of vision determines the distance and the
relationship between the presented participant and viewers or readers. The whole figure
of a young woman's picture and the space around is visible. Therefore, it can be
determined that the distance is far social distance. The relationship between the
represented participant and the readers is formal impersonal.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
20
b. Modality
According to Ping (2018), Modality refers to the validity and credibility of
statement that we make out to the world to which we pay attention. It includes high
level modality, medium level modality and low level modality. The elements which
are modality makers, such as color, contextualization, representation, depth and
brightness, can help to realize the modality meaning (p. 40). Below is the table of
modality makers according to Ly and Jung, (2015).
Table 3. Modality Makers (Ly and Jung, 2015, p. 52)
Modality Maker Maximum Scale Value Minimum Scale Value
Color saturation Full color saturation Black and white
Color
differentiation
Fully diverse range of colors Monochrome
Color modulation Fully modulated color (many
shades of a color)
Plain, unmodulated color
Contextualization Detailed background Absence of background
Representation Maximal representation of
detail of participants
Minimal detail of
participants (e.g. soft
focus)
Depth Deep perspective, strong
convergence of vertical lines
(e.g. fish-eye perspective)
Absence of depth
Illumination Full representation of light
and shade
Absence of light and shade
Brightness Maximal degrees of
brightness
Two brightness values of
the same color (e.g. dark
grey and lighter grey)
Through modality, the researcher examines the intention of the image through
color, contextualization, etcetera. Hence, modality is essential in analyzing the visual
feature in the magazine cover. Below is an example of the modality.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
21
Figure 3. Picture Taken from Lessafre’s Website
The presented picture is colorless. The picture shows the colorless or
monochrome image of Lesaffre’s building. The monochrome picture creates a feeling
that Lesaffre is a credible institution that has a long history, which also can create
trustworthy effect to their customer.
5. Persuasive Language Devices
According to Borchers (2005), persuasion is the co-production of meaning that
when an individual or a group of individuals uses language strategies and other symbols
to make audiences identify with that individual or group (p. 17). In addition, Perloff
(2003) defines persuasion as a symbolic process in which communicators try to
convince other people to change their attitudes or behaviors regarding an issue through
the transmission of a message in an atmosphere of free choice. It can be concluded that
persuasion is a strategy for anyone who wants to convince people's minds. However,
persuasion in this research focuses on the persuasive language.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
22
According to Khan, Adil, Shams, Fatima, and Khanam (2017), persuasive
language is used to attract a group of buyers so that they are easily convinced to buy a
certain product. In addition, they also add that the language is used to create a lasting
impact on memory (p. 472). Familiar language such as figurative language, slang,
slogan, simple word, statics, bold or italic words which are more attractive or eye-
catching; deictic such as she, there, today, etcetera.
a. Rhetorical Device
Khan, Adil, Shams, Fatima, and Khanam, state that rhetorical devices, which
are artful deviations that put a twist on the familiar, are frequently found in
advertisements and the purpose of advertisements is not only to inform but also to
persuade (2017, p. 471). There are several kinds of rhetorical devices; they are
alliteration, hyperbole, metaphor, parallelism etcetera. The examples are the terrible
tiger tore the towel (alliteration), he is running faster than the wind (hyperbole), like
dad, like son (parallelism).
b. Familiar Language
According to Khan, Adil, Shams, Fatima, and Khanam, familiar language is the
language used to show friendly attitude. It is also can said as language alteration or the
word play (2017, p. 472). The editor or writer may use certain familiar language to
make the language more attractive and eye-catching. There are some techniques used
in familiar language; they are catchphrases, figurative language, slang, slogan, static,
capitalization, italicization, bold words, and may more. The examples are
INTRODUCING (bold, italic, and capitalized), and 3 out of 6 judges (static).
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
23
c. Deictic
According to Khan et al, deictic indicates items in the immediate context (2017,
p. 473). The types of deictic are he, there, today, afternoon, and the others. The function
of deictic are to refer the person (who), place (where), time (when), situation (where)
that the speaker says. The examples are she is funny, south of French is a fancy place,
tomorrow is the day.
C. Theoretical Framework
The researcher applies several theories that have been reviewed previously to
solve the problem formulations. With a stylistic approach, the researcher figures out
the language and visual features used in National Geographic magazine covers of May-
September 2020 edition and the possible effect interpreted by the language and visual
features.
In order to solve the first problem formulation, the researcher uses the theory
of stylistics by Verdonk (2002) to figure out the language features on the magazine
cover. These two language levels are applied in this study; those are phonological level
and graphological level. In phonological level, the researcher uses theories of sound
pattern which occur in the magazine cover, for instance, alliteration, assonance, and
consonance. At the graphological level, the theories of language features used are
covering capitalization and typography. However, since the study uses magazine
covers that contain images as the object of the study, the theory of visual grammar is
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
24
needed to figure out the visual features of the magazine. The visual features are distance
and modality.
In order to answer the second problem formulation, which is to find out the
possible effects interpreted by the language and visual features, the researcher applies
a theory of persuasive by Bochers, (2005). The theory helps the researcher to
understand how language and features are used in the National Geographic magazine
cover as a persuasive tool. The effect will be examined through the responses of the
internet users who are the students of Universitas Sanata Dharma by the evaluation
score of each magazine cover. Hence, it can be detected whether the language and
visual features in the magazine cover have persuasive purposes or not.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
25
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
Chapter3
This chapter is divided into three parts; they are object of the study, the
approach of the study, and method of the study. In the object of the study, the researcher
describes the data for the analysis. In the approach of the study, the researcher explains
the approach applied in this study, and several theories that are needed to support the
approach. In the method of the study, the researcher defines how the data are collected
and analyzed.
A. Object of the Study
The object of this research is National Geographic magazine covers of May-
September edition. The magazine covers were taken from National Geographic official
website https://www.nationalgeographic.com/. There are several reasons why the
National Geographic magazine covers were chosen. The first reason was that National
Geographic is one of the largest and well-known media globally that is proven as it
was first found in 1888. Then, the second reason was that the issue of each edition of
the magazine is related to the world issue. The editions of May-September 2020 were
chosen because those are the recent magazine editions by the time the researcher took
the data. Moreover, those magazines are written in the English language so the
respondents can understand that.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
26
To make this study more comprehensive and easier to understand, this study
analyzed the language and visual features found in the National Geographic magazine
covers. The chosen magazine covers were observed based on three levels of language
and a level of visual grammar; they are levels of phonology, graphology, and
interactive meaning. Moreover, this research analyzed the effects created by language
and visual features in the magazine cover.
B. Approach of the Study
This study applied stylistic approach. Stylistics examines the purposes and
effects through language and visual features employed in a text. According to Verdonk,
the study of ‘distinctive’ aspects of language and the representation of its purpose and
effects is named stylistics (2002, p. 4). This study figured out the language and visual
features used in the magazine cover and reveal the possible effects created by them.
Therefore, stylistic approach was the most suitable approach for this study. Moreover,
by investigating the features found on National Geographic magazine cover, the
purpose and effect will be uncovered.
C. Method of the Study
1. Data Collection
The data were collected from National Geographic magazine covers which
were published from May to September 2020. However, the editions were chosen since
those are the recently published editions which are up to date to the recent issues.
Furthermore, this study aimed to examine the effect of language and visual features on
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
27
the magazine covers. To collect the data, the researcher did several steps that can be
seen as follows.
Firstly, the researcher collected the data from National Geographic magazine
cover. Purposive sampling method was applied in collecting the data. Creswell states
that purposive sampling can purposefully inform an understanding of the research
problem and central phenomenon in the study (2007, p. 5). In addition, he also states
that the purposeful sampling is used in qualitative research (p. 125). Purposive
sampling was employed by selecting the edition of the magazine cover. In this study,
the researcher chose the latest issues of the magazine. Therefore, purposive sampling
was the most suitable method applied in this study.
Secondly, the researcher chose language and visual features in the level of
phonology, graphology, and interactive meaning to reveal the writer’s purposes of
using them. However, to interpret the possible effect created by the language and visual
features employed in the magazine cover, the researcher determined the response of
the respondents through the questionnaire and then analyzed which features have
persuasive effect the most. The researcher distributed the questionnaire to 20 English
Letters students of Universitas Sanata Dharma. They were chosen since they are close
to technology and have English background.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
28
2. Data Analysis
Firstly, analyzing the language and visual feature on the magazine covers.
Language and visual features are important to be examined due to the fact that they are
found and dominating the magazine covers. Those language and visual features are
included in four levels of language and visual, which were analyzed. They are
phonology, graphology, and interactive meaning.
At the phonological level, the researcher analyzed the pattern of sound in the
magazine covers; they are alliteration, assonance, and consonance. At the
graphological level, the capitalization and typography were analyzed. However, since
the study employed magazine covers as the object of the study, the features in
interactive meaning were employed; they are modality and distance. Hence, the
writer’s purposes were uncovered.
Secondly, after analyzing the language and visual features, the researcher
investigated the possible effects interpreted by the language and visual features. The
effects were drawn from the respondent’s responses. The respondents were English
Letters Department students batch 2019-2017. They were chosen because students are
familiar with digital magazines and had enough knowledge of the English language.
Moreover, the researcher distributed the questionnaire to 20 to the respondent, and the
respondents were told to evaluate the magazine cover based on the graphic rating scale
in the questionnaire.
To make this study more comprehensive, the researcher applied a graphic rating
scale to measure the respondent's preference and opinion towards the magazine covers.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
29
By applying a graphic rating scale, the researcher revealed which covers brings the
strongest persuasive effects. Kothari states that the rating scale involves a qualitative
description of a limited number of aspects of a thing or a person (2004, p.78). The
respondent then evaluated the magazine covers from like very much to dislike very
much about which covers they like the most. Like very much is considered as 5, like
somewhat as 4, neutral as 3, dislike somewhat as 2, and dislike very much as 1. Hence,
the measurement of the graphic rating scale is provided in figure 1 below.
Figure 4. Graphic Rating Scale (Kothari, 2004, p. 79)
How do you like the cover?
Like very like some Neutral Dislike some Dislike very
Much what what much
After the evaluation was done, the researcher collected the evaluation data from
the respondents. The data were assembled into a table based on the score number of
each magazine cover. The table consists of the picture of the magazine cover, the
respondents, the respondent's score, and the total score of the magazine cover in
percentage. To measure the score, the researcher applies the theory of Likert Scale by
Neuman. According to Neuman, “Likert Scales are called summated-rating or additive
scale because a person’s score on the scale is computed by summing the number of
resposes he or she gives" (2014, p. 230). An example of Likert scale is presented in the
table below.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
30
Table 4. Example of Likert Scale in a Magazine Cover
No Magazine
Covers
Responses
Not
Persuasive
Very Much
Persuasive
Some
What
Neutral Persuasive
Some
What
Persuasive
Very
Much
1. June 2020
Edition
3 4 5 6 7
Total points of magazine cover of June edition: (1x3) + (2x4) + (3x5) + (4x6) +
(5x7) = 85
Additionally, the researcher employed specific open questions in the
questionnaire. According to Dörnyei, specific open questions ask about concrete pieces
of information such as preference that can be answered in one line, which is marked
with dots in the questionnaire (2003, p.48). The specific open question assisted the
researcher in discovering the respondents’ preferences and opinions. It also contributed
to strengthening the respondent's reason in terms of scoring the magazine covers.
Hence, the questionnaire was used to figure out which magazine covers have the
persuasive effect the most.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
31
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Chapter4
This chapter is divided into two sections based on the problem formulations.
The first section is to answer the first problem formulation, which is to figure out the
language and visual features used in National Geographic magazine cover of May-
September editions. The second section is to answer the second problem formulation,
which is to find out the effects interpreted by the language and visual features used in
the covers.
A. Language and Visual Features used in National Geographic Magazine
Cover of May-September Editions
This part is conducted to answer the first problem formulation, which is to
figure out the language and visual features found in National Geographic magazine
cover. There are seven language levels in stylistics according to Simpson (2004, p. 5),
however, this study only uses two levels of language; they are phonology and
graphology. In visual grammar, the theory of interactive meaning by Kress & Leeuwen
is employed. In interactive meaning, this study only focuses on distance and modality.
1. Level of Phonology
The magazine cover is constructed from writings and pictures. The writings are
made to give the information contained in the magazine. In magazine cover, the
analysis of language features can be examined through the level of phonology. In the
magazine cover, the researcher finds some rhymes such as alliteration, assonance, and
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
32
consonance used. Those rhymes are sound features in the level of phonological.
Nevertheless, this study examines those rhymes found in the magazine. The analysis
of the sound features assists the researcher in figuring out the effects interpreted by the
language features.
a. Alliteration
Firstly, the researcher analyzes the alliteration found in the magazine covers.
When the initial consonant sound of some couples of words is repeated, it is called
alliteration (Madden, 2002, p. 70). In addition, according to Bradford, alliteration is the
repetition of the cluster of similar consonant sounds within individual lines and across
sequences of the lines (2005, p.15). Therefore, alliteration is a repetition of consonant
sounds in the initial position that occurs in the language text. The alliterations found in
the National Geographic magazine covers from May-September 2020 Editions are
displayed as follows.
Table 5. Alliterations in National Geographic Magazine Cover
No Magazine
Edition
Repeated
Sound
Data Line
1 May /ð/ That could be disastrous for the
planet.
Line 8,9,10,
&11
YOU’LL MISS THEM WHEN
THEY’RE GONE
Line 12, 13,
& 14
2 June /b/ Betty Webb, British Intelligence,
Bletchley Park
Line 4, 5, 6,
7, & 8
/s/ survivors share their stories. Line 18 &
19)
/w/ THE LAST VOICES OF
WORLD WAR II
Line 9, 10,
11, 12, 13,
& 14
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
33
No Magazine
Edition
Repeated
Sound
Data Line
3 July /ð/ JOURNEY TO THE ROOF OF
THE WORLD
Line 7, 8, &
9
/w/ WHY WE WEREN’T PREPARE
FOR THE CORONAVIRUS
Line 2
4 August /w/ What we’ve learned from
history’s deadliest outbreaks
Line 6 & 7
5 September /m/ Will smart machines make our
lives better?
Line 5 & 6
In the May edition, the researcher finds only two alliterations occur with the
same consonant sound. The consonant sound is interdental voiced fricative /ð/. It can
be seen through the words “That” and “the” in line 8 and 10, and “THEM” and
“THEY'RE" in line 13 and 14. In the June edition, there are three alliterations found.
They occur in consonants bilabial voiced stop /b/, alveolar voiced fricative /s/, and velar
voiced glide /w/. These can be seen through the words "Betty”, “British”, and
“Bletchley” in lines 4, 5, and 7, "survivors” and “stories" in lines 18 and 19, and
WORLD WAR in line 13 and 14.
In the July edition, there are two alliterations found. They are interdental voiced
fricative /ð/ and velar voiced glide /w/. The examples can be seen through the words
"THE" and "THE" in line 8 and 9, and "WHY", "WE", and "WEREN'T" in the second
line. In the August edition, there is only one alliteration found. It is the consonant velar
voiced glide /w/. It can be seen in the words "What" and "we've" in line 6. In the
September edition, there is only one alliteration which is occurred in the bilabial voiced
nasal sound /m/.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
34
Verdonk states that alliteration has the function to emphasize particular ideas and
meanings in the repetition of the sound. It can give a strong effect to the reader. Other
being pleasant in the ears and sense of rhythm, those kind of sound effects are also
adding the attention aspect and memorable sense to the readers (2002, p. 5).
Alliterations found in the National Geographic magazine give strong memorable
effects to the readers, in which, those can make the words more highlighted and
attractive.
b. Assonance
Secondly, the assonances found in National Geographic magazine covers are
analyzed. According to McLaughlin, assonance is when the same vowel sound is
repeated in adjacent word (2000, p. 21). On the other hand, according to Bradford,
assonance is the repetition of the cluster of similar vowel sounds within individual lines
and across sequences of the lines (2005, p.16). In conclusion, assonance is a condition
when there are neighboring repeated vowels in a text. The assonances found in the
National Geographic magazine covers from May-September 2020 Editions are
displayed on the following table.
Table 6. Assonance in National Geographic Magazine Cover
No Magazine
Edition
Repeated
Sound
Data Line
1 May /ɪ/ Insects are disappearing at
alarming rates.
Line 4, 5, 6,
& 7
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
35
No Magazine
Edition
Repeated
Sound
Data Line
2 June /e/ Betty Webb, British Intelligence,
Bletchley Park
Line 4, 5, 6,
7, & 8
75 years after the end of history’s
deadliest war,
Line 15, 16,
& 17
/ɪ/ Betty Webb, British Intelligence,
Bletchley Park
Line 4, 5, 6,
7, & 8
3 July /ə/ JOURNEY TO THE ROOF OF
THE WORLD
Line 7, 8, &
9
4 September /ə/ Will smart machines make our
lives better?
Line 5 & 6
In may edition, there are two assonances found; they are the front high vowel
/ɪ/ and central mid /ə/. Those two assonances can be seen in the words “disappearing”
and “alarming" in lines 5 and 6, and "could” and “disastrous" in lines 8 and 9. In the
June edition, the researcher found two assonances which are occurred in the vowels
front-mid / e / and front high / ɪ /. The sound / e / can be seen through the words “Betty”,
“Webb”, “Intelligence”, and “Bletchley” in lines 4, 6 and,7, and “end” and “deadliest:
from line 16 to 17. /. The sound /ɪ/ can be seen in the words “Betty”, “British”, and
“Bletchley”. The assonance in the July edition only occurred one time in central mid
/ə/. It can be seen through the words “THE” and “THE” in line 8 and 9. The last is the
assonance found in the September edition. It occurs in central mid /ə/. It can be seen
from the word “machines” and “better” which can be found in line 5 and 6. Assonances
in this study are used to emphasize the language text in order to create a memorable
effect on the reader, which can build the engagement between the magazine and the
readers.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
36
c. Consonance
Thirdly, the researcher analyzes the consonance found in the magazine covers.
Consonance is a condition when the consonant sound is repeated in the language text.
When some couples of consonant sounds are repeated, it is called consonance (Madden,
2002, p. 70). Also, Cuddon states that consonance is the close repetition of identical
consonant sounds after different vowel (2013, p. 153). To conclude, the repetition of
an adjacent consonant sound in the text is considered as consonance. The consonances
found in the National Geographic magazine covers from May-September 2020
Editions are presented as follows.
Table 7. Consonance in National Geographic Magazine Cover
No Magazine
Edition
Repeated
Sound
Data Line
1 May /ŋ/ Insects are disappearing at
alarming rates.
Line 4, 5, 6, & 7
/r/ Insects are disappearing at
alarming rates.
/s/ Insects are disappearing at
alarming rates.
/t/ Insects are disappearing at
alarming rates.
That could be disastrous for
the planet.
Line 8, 9, 10, &
11
2 June /t/ Betty Webb, British
Intelligence, Bletchley Park
Line 4, 5, 6, 7,
& 8
/s/ 75 years after the End of
history’s deadliest war,
survivors share their stories
Line 15, 16, 17,
18, & 19
/r/ 75 years after the End of
history’s deadliest war,
survivors share their stories
/d/
75 years after the end of
history’s deadliest war,
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
37
No Magazine
Edition
Repeated
Sound
Data Line
/t/ 75 years after the end of
history’s deadliest war,
3 July /r/ WHY WE WEREN’T
PREPARE FOR THE
CORONAVIRUS
Line 2
/n/ WHY WE WEREN’T
PREPARE FOR THE
CORONAVIRUS
4 August /t/ What we’ve learned from
history’s deadliest outbreaks
Line 6 & 7
/d/ What we’ve learned from
history’s deadliest outbreaks
/s/ What we’ve learned from
history’s deadliest outbreaks
5 September /t/
Meet the robots Line 4
Will smart machines make
our lives better?
Line 5 & 6
/r/ Will smart machines make
our lives better?
/s/ Will smart machines make
our lives better?
There are four consonances found in the National Geographic magazine cover
of May edition; they occurred in consonants velar nasal-voiced /ŋ/, alveolar voiced
fricatives /r/, alveolar voiced fricative /s/, alveolar voiceless stop /t/. Those
consonances can be seen in the words “Insects are disappearing at alarming rates" in
lines 4, 5, 6, and 7. The last occurs in consonant alveolar voiceless stop /t/, which can
be found in the words "That could be disastrous for the planet" in lines 9, 10, 11, and
12. There are five consonances in the June edition in the consonant alveolar voiceless
stop /t/, alveolar voiced fricative /s/, alveolar voiced fricatives /r/, and alveolar voiced
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
38
stop /d/. They can be found in the word “Betty Webb, British Intelligence, Bletchley
Park" in lines 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, and “75 years after the end of history’s deadliest war,”
in line 15, 16, and 17.
In the July edition, two consonants undergo consonance; they are consonants
alveolar voiced fricatives /r/ and alveolar voiced nasal /n/. Those repetitions of sound
can be seen in the words “WHY WE WEREN’T PREPARE FOR THE
CORONAVIRUS” which is located in line 2. In the August edition, there are three
consonants that undergo consonance. Those consonants are alveolar voiceless stop /t/,
alveolar voiced stop /d/, and alveolar voiced fricative /s/, which occurred in the words
“What we’ve learned from history’s deadliest outbreaks". That words can be found in
lines 6 and 7. Lastly, there are three consonant sounds that undergo consonance in the
September edition; the sounds are alveolar voiceless stop /t/, alveolar voiced fricatives
/r/, alveolar voiced fricative /s/. Those consonances occurred in the words "Meet the
robots” in line 4, and “Will smart machines make our lives better?” in line 5 and 6.
Based on the previous discussion, four out of five magazine covers apply
alliterations, assonances, and consonances. Alliteration, assonance, and consonance
which are the sound pattern indeed give the memorable effect to the readers. The
phrases and sentences that have certain sound pattern can be more attractive. Therefore,
the features in the levels of phonology have a function to make the text get more
attention.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
39
2. Level of Graphology
As discussed in the previous chapter, Graphology deals with the physical
characteristics and patterns of handwriting in an attempt to identify the writer's
intention. According to Gomez, graphology is a linguistic level of analysis that
comprises the study of the graphic aspect of language (2015). However, at this level of
graphology, this study attempts to figure out the capitalization and typography.
a. Capitalization
Capitalization means writing the letter or text in capital letters. Authors and
editors use capitalization for various purposes. One of the purposes is to emphasize the
text. Stated by Bex, readers have learned to associate CAPITAL LETTERS with extra
significance. The reader will assume that the capitalized letter is more important than
any co-text which is not capitalized (1996, p. 100). Therefore, the capitalized letters
found on the National Geographic magazine cover of the May-September 2020 edition
are fundamental in this study. Below is the table of the capitalized letter found on the
magazine cover.
Table 8. Capitalization in National Geographic Magazine Cover
No Magazine
Edition
Capitalized Data Line
1 May NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Line 2 & 3
YOU’LL MISS THEM WHEN
THEY’RE GONE
Line 12, 13, & 14
2 June NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Line 2 & 3
THE LAST VOICES OF WORLD
WAR II
Line 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,
and 14
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
40
No Magazine
Edition
Capitalized Data Line
3 July WHY WE WERE PREPARE FOR
THE CORONAVIRUS
Line 2
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Line 3 & 4
EVEREST Line 5
SPECIAL ISSUE Line 6
JOURNEY TO THE ROOF OF
THE WORLD
Line 8 & 9
4 August NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Line 2 & 3
STOPPING PANDEMICS Line 4 & 5
5 September NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Line 2 & 3
There are several capitalizations found on each edition of the National
Geographic magazine cover of May-September 2020. In May edition, there are two
texts which are capitalized; they are "NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC" which can be
found in line 2 & 3, and YOU'LL MISS THEM WHEN THEY'RE GONE" in line 12,
13, and 14. In the June edition, there are two capitalizations found in lines 2 & 3
"NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC", and lines 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 "THE LAST
VOICES OF WORLD WAR II”. In July edition, there are four capitalized text found;
they are “WHY WE WERE'T PREPARE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS” in line 2,
“NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC” in line 3 and 4, “EVEREST” in line 5, “SPECIAL
ISSUE" in line 6, and "JOURNEY TO THE ROOF OF THE WORLD" in line 8 and 9.
In the August edition, there are two capitalizations found in lines 2, 3, 4, and 5; they
are "NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC" and "STOPPING PANDEMICS". Lastly, in the
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
41
September edition, there is one capitalized letter found; it is "NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC" which can be found in line 2 and 3
b. Typography
Wong (2001) states that typography is the art and technique of arranging type.
Like a person’s speaking style and skill, the quality of our treatment of letters on a page
can influence how people respond to our message. It is an essential act of encoding and
interpretation, linking what we say to what people see (p. 277). Typography helps the
author to deliver the message to the reader and the reader to relate and interpret the
messages in the text. Therefore, the typography found on the National Geographic
magazine cover of the May-September 2020 edition is essential. The table of
typography found on the magazine cover can be seen in the following discussion.
Table 9. Typography in National Geographic Magazine Cover
No Magazine
Edition
Data Size Thickness Color Line
1 May YOU’LL MISS
THEM WHEN
THEY’RE GONE
largest Bold Black Line 12,
13, & 14
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
2nd
largest
Bold Gray Line 2 &
3
Insects are
disappearing at
alarming rates. That
could be disastrous
for the planet.
3rd
largest
Bold Black Line 4,
5, 6, 7,
8, 9, 10,
& 11
05.20 Smallest Nonbold Red Line 1
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
42
No Magazine
Edition
Data Size Thickness Color Line
2 June LAST VOICES,
WORLD WAR II
Largest Bold White Line 10
11, 13,
& 14
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
2nd
largest
Bold Black Line 2 &
3
THE, OF 3rd
largest
Bold White Line 9 &
12
75 years after the
end of history’s
deadliest war,
survivors share their
stories.
4th
largest
Nonbold White Line 15,
16, & 17
Betty Webb, British
Intelligence,
Bletchley Park.
5th
largest
Nonbold White Line 4,
5, 6, 7,
& 8
06.2020 Smallest Nonbold Red Line 1
3 July EVEREST Largest Bold White Line 5
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
2nd
largest
Bold White Line 3 &
4
JOURNEY TO THE
ROOF OF THE
WORLD
3rd
largest
Bold White Line 7,
8, & 9
WHY WE
WEREN’T
PREPARE FOR
THE
CORONAVIRUS
4th
largest
Nonbold White Line 2
SPECIAL ISSUE 5th
largest
Bold Yellow Line 6
07.2020 Smallest Bold Red Line 1
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
43
No Magazine
Edition
Data Size Thickness Color Line
4 August NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
Largest Bold White Line 2 &
3
STOPPING
PANDEMICS
2nd
largest
Bold White Line 4 &
5
What we’ve learned
from history’s
deadliest outbreaks
3rd
largest
Bold White Line 6 &
7
08.2020 Smallest Nonbold Red Line 1
5 September Meet the robots Largest Bold Black Line 4
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
2nd
largest
Bold Gray Line 2 &
3
Will smart machines
make our lives
better?
3rd
largest
Bold Gray Line 5 &
6
09. 2020 Smallest Nonbold Red Line 1
In analyzing typography, all the texts are observed and analyzed as presented
in the table above. The analysis includes the size of the text, the thickness which is bold
or nonbold, and the color of the text. For instance, the words "YOU'LL MISS THEM
WHEN THEY'RE GONE" in May edition line 12, 13, and 14 are written in the largest
font-size, bold, and Black color. The other discussion on typography can be seen in the
previous table.
The use of capitalization and typography have a purpose to highlight the text.
The application of them in the text on every National Geographic magazine cover
indeed make them more eye-catching compared to the other text. Therefore, the
features of capitalization and typography at graphological level can attract the reader
to read the text that undergo capitalization and typography.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
44
3. Interactive Meaning
Interactive meaning is associated with the social relations between actors and
the evaluative orientations that participants adopt towards each other and to the
represented world (Kress and Leeuwen, 2006, p. 110). In interactive meaning, the
researcher focuses on distance and modality. The distance can identify the social
relationship between the subject in the image and the reader, and modality can help the
researcher to analyze the color and contextualization.
Hall, as cited by Kress and Leeuwen (2006), describes how social relations are
determined by different fields of vision in images. The shorter the distance between the
participant and viewer, the more intimate the relationship becomes. Hence, distance
plays an important role in analyzing the visual feature of the magazine cover since each
distance has its own goal in terms of relation.
Modality is a branch of Interactive meaning in visual grammar analysis.
According to Ping (2018), modality refers to the validity and credibility of the
statement that we make out to the world to which we pay attention. The elements, such
as color, contextualization, representation, depth, and brightness, can help to realize
the modality meaning (p. 40). In addition, Kress and van Leeuwen describe modality
judgements as "social and dependent on what is considered real in a social group for
which the representation is primarily intended" (2006, p. 156). Therefore, through
modality, the validity and credibility of the images found in National Geographic
Magazine can be determined. The distances and modality on the National Geographic
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
45
magazine cover of May-September editions 2020 are observed and explained in the
next discussion.
The picture of National Geographic magazine cover of the May 2020 edition
that contains distance and modality is presented as follows.
Table 10. Interactive Strategies of May Edition
Description Insects are creeping in
the same direction
Distance Public Distance
Modality High Modality
The first image that is provided above is the National Geographic magazine
cover of the May edition. The cover shows the picture of colorful insects creeping on
the yellow frame and grey cloth background. In terms of distance, the insects which
are the participants of this picture, are seen in full body or whole figure. Besides, there
are a lot of insects that are presented in the picture which is more than five insects
shown. Based on those fields of visions, the cover of the May edition has a public
distance in terms of distance, and the relationship between the represented participants
and the viewers is strangers. According to Kress and Leeuwen, at public distance, we
can see the torso of at least four or five. In addition, they state that ‘Public distance’,
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
46
finally, is anything further than that, ‘the distance between people who are and are to
remain strangers’ (2006, p. 125). In the presented picture, there are more than five
insects are seen. Therefore, it is clear that the distance is the public distance. In terms
of modality, the scale value of color saturation is full-color saturation since it has many
colors on it, and the scale value of the contextualization is detailed background since it
has the cloth as a background of the image. According to Ping, the elements, such as
color, contextualization, representation, depth, and brightness, can help to realize the
modality meaning (2018, p. 40). Based on those elements which are the scale value,
the picture qualifies the criteria of high modality since the colors and the
contextualization exist.
The following picture is National Geographic magazine cover of the June 2020
edition that contains distance and modality.
Table 11. Interactive Strategies of June Edition
Description Old Woman Sitting on the
Chair
Distance Far Personal Distance
Modality High Modality
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
47
The second image is the National Geographic magazine cover of the June
edition. In this cover, there is a picture of an old woman in red sitting on a chair, holding
a brown purse, staring straight at the camera. In terms of distance, the picture of this
old woman has a spacious headroom, space on the left and right sides, and waist is seen
colliding with the frame of the magazine cover image. From those fields of vision, it
can be determined that the distance of this cover is the far personal distance, and the
relationship between represented participant and viewers is personal. In terms of
modality, the picture has many colors, which can be seen through the old woman's suit,
purse, and etcetera, which indicates it has a scale value of full color saturation. The
scale value of the contextualization is detailed background since it has an old-peeling-
wallpaper as a background of the picture. Ly and Jung, states that high modality
(realism) in this orientation is achieved with amplified modality marker values (e.g.
full-color saturation) that makes an image appear 'more than real' when compared to
the standard naturalistic coding orientation (2015, pp. 54-55). Based on those scale
values, it can be determined that the modality of the magazine cover of the June edition
is high.
The picture of National Geographic magazine cover of the July 2020 edition
that contains distance and modality is presented as follows.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
48
Table 12. Interactive Strategies of July Edition
Description Mount Everest under
the Starry Sky
Distance Public Distance
Modality High Modality
The third image is the National Geographic magazine cover July edition. There
is a picture of white brown colored mount Everest under the dark-blue-starry sky. In
terms of distance, the whole picture of mount Everest is visible, and it has a spacious
background. Based on those fields of visions, the cover of the July edition has a public
distance in terms of distance, and the relationship between the represented participants
and the viewers is strangers. In terms of modality, the scale value of color saturation is
full-color saturation since it has many colors on it, and the scale value of the
contextualization is detailed background since it has the dark-blue-starry sky as the
background of the image. Based on those scale value, it can be determined that the
modality of the magazine cover is high.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
49
The following picture is a National Geographic magazine cover of the July
2020 edition that contains distance and modality.
Table 13. Interactive Strategies of August Edition
Description Handling the Covid-19
Distance Personal Distance
Modality Medium Modality
The fourth image is the National Geographic magazine cover of the August
edition. There is a monochrome picture of a person wearing personal protective
equipment for covid-19. In terms of distance, the head to the waist of the person is seen.
Based on those fields of vision, the cover of the August edition has a public distance in
terms of distance, and the relationship between the represented participants and the
viewers is personal. In terms of modality, the scale value of color saturation is
monochrome since it is monochromatized, and the scale value of the contextualization
is detailed background since it has the dark-blue-starry sky as the background of the
image. As it is explained by Ly and Jung, if the picture has a detailed background in
contextualization, therefore it has maximum scale value which can be used to
determine modality (2015, p. 52). Based on those scale values, since it has a minimum
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
50
scale value of color saturation, and the maximum scale value of contextualization can
be determined that the modality of the magazine cover is medium.
The picture of National Geographic magazine cover of the September 2020
edition that contains distance and modality is presented as follows.
Table 14. Interactive Strategies of September Edition
Description Robot and the flower
Distance Close Distance
Modality Medium Modality
The last picture is the National Geographic magazine cover of the September
edition. On this cover, there is a picture of the hand of the robot holding the flower
holding a flower. From the picture, the whole figure of the robot's hand and the flower
are visible, and there is a lot of space between them. Those field of visions indicates
that the distance of this cover is the close social distance, and the relationship between
represented participants and the viewer is impersonal. According to Ly and Jung, at a
close social distance, the relationship between represented participant and viewer is
impersonal (2015, p. 52). In terms of modality, the picture has many colors which can
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
51
be seen through the robots' color complexity, and the flower which indicates it has a
scale value of full-color saturation. The scale value of the contextualization is the
absence of background since it has no background behind the picture. Based on those
scale values, it can be determined that the modality of the magazine cover of the June
edition is medium.
B. Possible Effects Interpreted by The Language and Visual Features
After analyzing the language and visual features that are done in the previous
discussion, this part answers the second problem, which is to find out the effects
interpreted by the language and visual features used in the National Geographic
magazine covers.
The language and visual features grant some effects in making the magazine
cover more persuasive that can attract people’s attention more. National Geographic
is one of the well-known magazine mass media brands globally. It is familiar among
common people, specifically English-speaking students, since the magazine is
originally published in English. Hence, in conducting this study, the researcher chooses
twenty English Letters students to fill the questionnaire related to the National
Geographic magazine cover.
There are twenty online questionnaires were distributed and filled by twenty
English Letters Department students of Universitas Sanata Dharma batch 2017-2019.
They were asked to rank each National Geographic magazine cover from May to
September Editions, whether they have ever read the magazine or not. The rank is
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
52
divided into five scales. Scale 1 (points 1-20) is utilized to point out that the magazine
cover is not persuasive very much. Scale 2 (points 21-40) is utilized to describe that
the magazine cover is not persuasive somewhat. Scale 3 (points 41-60) is used to
classify that the magazine cover is neutral. Scale 4 (point 61-80) is utilized to point out
that the magazine cover is persuasive somewhat. Lastly, Scale 5 is used to describe that
the magazine cover is persuasive very much. The result of the questionnaire is
presented in the table below.
Table 15. The Result of the Questionnaire
No Magazine Cover Responses Total
points
Category
1 2 3 4 5
1 National Geographic
Magazine Cover of
May Edition
0 0 9 6 5 67 Persuasive
some what
2 National Geographic
Magazine Cover of
June Edition
0 4 3 6 7 76 Persuasive
some what
3 National Geographic
Magazine Cover of
May Edition
0 5 5 4 6 71 Persuasive
some what
4 National Geographic
Magazine Cover of
August Edition
0 0 2 7 11 89 Persuasive
very much
5 National Geographic
Magazine Cover of
September Edition
0 4 4 7 5 73 Persuasive
some what
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
53
Based on the table of the result of the questionnaire above, there are two
categories that occurred from the assessment of the respondents. Those categories are
persuasive some what (PSW) which the point is 61-80, and persuasive very much
(PVM) which the point is 81-100. The result of the questionnaire determines which
National Geographic magazine cover is the most persuasive. According to Booth-
Butterfield, “persuasion is the skill of using words to change the way others think, feel,
and behave” (2009, p. 13). In addition, according to Seo, Dillard, & Shen, Images are
at least as complex as language, but one simple function that they can perform is to
amplify the verbal portion of a persuasive message (2013). To support this argument,
the study applies persuasive strategies from the linguistic point of view based on the
rhetorical device, familiar language, and deictic. Those are discussed in the table below.
Table 16. Persuasive Strategies of 5 Magazine Covers
No Magazine Cover Edition Persuasive Strategies
RD FL D
1 May ✓ ✓ ✓
2 June ✓ ✓ ✓
3 July ✓ ✓ ✓
4 Augustus ✓ ✓ ✓
5 September ✓ ✓ ✓
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
54
The table shows three indicators of persuasive strategies; they are rhetorical
device (RD), familiar language (FL), and deictic (D). Surprisingly, the data shows that
each edition of National Geographic magazine covers applies RD, FL, and D.
Therefore, all editions of the magazine cover can have a strong persuasive effect.
1. Respondents Chose Persuasive Some What
Referring to the table above, there are four magazine covers that can be
categorized as persuasive somewhat; they are the cover of May, June, July, and
September edition. In the next part, the discussion towards the scale of each magazine
cover is explained.
a. National Geographic Magazine Cover of May 2020 Edition
Based on the result of the questionnaire, picture number 1 is the lowest score,
which has 67 total points. The picture contains the language and visual features of
phonology, graphology, and interactive meaning. In phonology, there are alliteration,
assonance, and consonance. In graphology, there are capitalization and typography. In
interactive meaning, there are distance and modality. However, among 20 respondents,
there are 5 people who chose picture number 1 as persuasive the most. The reasons are
because the cover is full-color and has a title or headline and illustration that is eye-
catching.
In terms of language, the picture applies persuasive strategy rhetorical device
which is alliteration, the familiar languages which are bold and capitalization, and
deictic which are person deixis. Based on the reason derived from the open question
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
55
on the questionnaire, the headline is eye-catching. It is eye-catching since the words
“YOU’LL MISS THEM WHEN THEY’RE GONE” are undergoing rhetorical device
alliteration which occurs in the sound /ð/. When the initial consonant sound of some
couples of words is repeated, it is called alliteration (Madden, 2002, p. 70). The words
also undergoing familiar language capitalization and bold, person deixis you and they.
According to Yule, a deictic expression is a linguistic form used to accomplish this
'pointing' via language (1996, p. 9).
In terms of visual, the respondents are agreeing that the magazine cover is full
color. They consider it full color since it has a public distance and high modality. The
public distance allows the viewers to see surrounding things on a picture, which can
appear more colors from other things; but in this cover, the things are the insects.
b. National Geographic Magazine Cover of June 2020 Edition
Picture number 2 is the second-highest point which gets 76 total points. The
picture applies alliteration, assonance, and consonance at the phonological level. In
graphology, there are capitalization and typography. There are distance and modality
in interactive meaning. Hence, among 20 respondents, there are people who chose
picture number 2 as persuasive the most. Most of them point out the headline, the color,
and the image of an old woman in the picture. According to them, the image of an old
woman in the picture as though she wants to tell everything about World War II without
telling directly, and the color tone of the picture is natural and match.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
56
The picture uses persuasive strategy rhetorical devices which are alliteration,
the familiar languages which are bold and capitalization, and deictic which are person
deixis. According to the open question by the respondents, the headline of the
magazine cover is pointed as persuasive. It is pointed because the words “THE LAST
VOICES OF WORLD WAR II” apply rhetorical device alliteration which occurs in
the sound /w/. It also uses capitalization and bold which are familiar language. The
deixis is also applied in the word “their” that is found in the words “75 years after the
End of history’s deadliest war, survivors share their stories.”
In terms of visual, the picture of the old woman who wants to tell her witnesses
about World War II is in line with the distance of the image, which is far personal
distance. In the far personal distance, the relation between the represented participant
and the viewer is personal. In a personal relationship, there is an intimate atmosphere
that the woman wants to tell her personal experience about World War II.
c. National Geographic Magazine Cover of July 2020 Edition
Based on the result of the questionnaire, picture number 3 is the fourth-highest
score which has 71 total points. The picture contains alliteration, assonance, and
consonance in the level of phonology. Capitalization and typography have also
occurred in graphology. In interactive meaning, there are distance and modality. Turns
out, among 20 respondents, there are 6 people who chose picture number 3 as
persuasive the most. The reasons why they chose it as the most persuasive are because
the headline is big and clear, which is easy to recognize, and the picture is simple.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
57
In terms of language, the picture applies persuasive strategy rhetorical device
which is alliteration, the familiar language which are bold and capitalization, and
deictic which are person deixis. Based on the reason taken from the open question on
the questionnaire, the headline is big and clear, which is easy to recognize. The headline
is easy to recognize since the word "EVEREST" applies capitalization and bold which
is familiar language. However, it is also the largest text size on the magazine cover.
The rhetorical devices apply in this cover are alliteration and hyperbole which can be
found in the words “JOURNEY TO THE ROOF OF THE WORLD” in which the
sound /ð/ is repeated, and “WHY WE WEREN’T PREPARE FOR THE
CORONAVIRUS” in which the sound /w/ is repeated. The hyperbole is seen in the
phrase "ROOF OF THE WORLD" which means the top of Mount Everest. According
to Khan et al, 'hyperbole' means exaggeration which frequently uses of adjective and
adverbs (2017, p. 472). The Lastly is deixis, the deixis of time can be found in the word
"WERE" and the deixis of person can be found in the word "WE".
In terms of visual, the public distance allows the viewers to see surrounding
things on a picture such as the blue-dark sky, and the stars. Moreover, the use of
language and visual features in this may are prominent in giving persuasive effects.
d. National Geographic Magazine Cover of September 2020 Edition
Picture number 5 is the second-highest point, which gets 73 total points. The
picture also contains the language and visual features of phonology, graphology, and
interactive meaning. In phonology, there are alliteration, assonance, and consonance.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
58
In graphology, there are capitalization and typography. In interactive meaning, there
are distance and modality. However, among 20 respondents, there are 5 people who
chose picture number 5 as persuasive the most. Unfortunately, only one of them gives
the reason. The reason is that the simple color of the magazine makes it look classy.
Based on the open question in the questionnaire, the respondent pointed out the
simple color used in the magazine, which is related to modality. In terms of visual, the
respondents were agreeing that the magazine cover has full-color saturation since it
uses some colors. However, the absence of the background makes this picture has a
medium modality. Hence, the absence of the background creates a simple effect to the
picture which makes it is chosen by the respondent. Unfortunately, there is no reason
regarding the language in choosing picture number 5. However, the picture uses
persuasive language devices such as rhetorical devices, familiar language, and deictic.
2. Respondents Chose Persuasive Very Much
Based on table 15, there is one magazine cover that can be categorized as
persuasive very much; it is the National Geographic Magazine cover of August edition.
In the next part, the discussion towards the scale of the magazine cover of August is
explained.
a. National Geographic Magazine Cover of August 2020 Edition
Picture number 4 is the highest point which gets 89 total points. The picture
also contains the language and visual features of phonology, graphology, and
interactive meaning. In phonology, there are alliteration and consonance. In
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
59
graphology, there are capitalization and typography. In interactive meaning, there are
distance and modality. Turns out, among 20 respondents, there are 11 respondents
chose it as persuasive very much (PVM). The reasons why they choose it as the most
persuasive are varied. Started form the image is perfectly match with the headline, the
image, and the headline telling the same issue, and the image illustrates the struggle of
stopping pandemics.
The picture uses persuasive strategy rhetorical devices which are alliteration,
the familiar language which is bold and capitalization, and deictic which are person
deixis. According to the reasons derived from the open question on the questionnaire,
the headline really tells the situation that is seen from the picture. The words
“STOPPING PANDEMICS" apply familiar language which is capitalization and bold.
It also applies rhetorical device alliteration of sound /w/ which can be found in the
words “What we’ve learned from history’s deadliest outbreaks." Lastly, the picture
uses the deixis person "we". The picture is very simple to compare to the others, but it
has a strong persuasive effect on the reader since the magazine cover has the largest
scale.
In terms of visual, according to the respondents, the picture matched with the
headlines. They are telling the same issue which is the coronavirus global pandemic.
The picture shows the image of a person wearing personal protective equipment for
handling the coronavirus patient. The occurrence of the head and the waist of the person
indicates that the distance of the picture is personal distance. The modality of the
picture is medium modality since it has a background and the color of the image is
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
60
monochrome. The application of monochrome color makes the cover distinct from the
others, which makes it looks striking and persuasive. It is supported by the statement
by one of the respondents that say; the reason is that it has a black and white filter, there
are not many letters on it, and it has a simple headline that makes readers more curious.
Hence, by comparing the characteristics of the magazine cover containing PSW
and PVM, it is clearly seen that magazine cover containing PVM is simpler than the
others. The National Geographic magazine cover August edition which has score of
PVM, has a lower number of language and visual features than the others. Therefore,
people more likely choose the simpler cover as the most attractive and persuasive.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
61
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
Chapter5
This chapter concludes the analyzes and discussion of the first and second
problem formulations that have been done in the previous chapter. Based on the
analysis of the first problem formulation the researcher figures out the alliteration,
assonance, consonance, capitalization, and typography within the scoop of language,
and distance and modality within the scoop of visual. Those features are found in each
edition of magazine covers exceptionally assonance which does not occur in August
edition.
In the second problem formulation, the researcher employs twenty online
questionnaires that have been distributed and filled by twenty English Letters
Department students of Universitas Sanata Dharma batch 2017-2019. The result of the
questionnaire shows that there are two categories that occurred from the assessment by
respondents. Those categories are persuasive some what (PSW) which the point is 61-
80, and persuasive very much (PVM) which the point is 81-100. Based on the
questionnaire analysis, there is only one prominent magazine cover with PVM
category. It is picture number 4, National Geographic magazine cover of August
edition. Surprisingly, this implies that the absence of assonance, and the application of
personal distance, and medium modality gives the magazine cover more persuasive
effect and attractive than the others, which has 89 points. However, the other pictures
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
62
besides picture number 4 are also persuasive and attractive since none of them gets
than 60 points.
Thus, it can be concluded that picture number 4 which has a lower number of
language and visual features than the others is more attractive. This is proven by the
answer of the respondents that say the image and the headline are perfectly match and
telling the same issue which illustrates the struggle of stopping pandemics. Moreover,
according to one of them, the reason is that it has a black and white filter, there are not
many letters on it, and it has a simple headline that makes readers more curious.
Additionally, picture number 4 gains the highest point which gets 89 total points which
make it proven as the most attractive magazine cover analyzed in this study.
Thereby, the reasons and opinions of the respondents certainly give the view
about the purposes of language and visual features in the magazine covers. The
language and visual features indeed give significant persuasive effects which can
attract the viewer to read the magazine. Therefore, the use of language and visual
features on the National Geographic magazine cover of May-September Editions 2020
are successfully attracting the consumer to choose the magazine as reading materials
and references.
For the further researcher, it is prompted to re-develop stylistic and visual
analysis in different magazine covers. Furthermore, since this research discusses the
level of phonology, graphology, and the interactive meaning of visual grammar, further
researchers are suggested to conduct research based on the level of syntax, semantics,
and other features of visual grammar.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
63
REFERENCES
Anggadewi, K. N. (2020). Stylistics Analysis in Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall”.
(Undergraduate Thesis). Universitas Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta.
Baron, N. S. (2013). Redefining Reading: The Impact of Digital Communication
Media. Modern Language Association, Vol. 128, pp.193-200.
Booth-Butterfield, Steve. (2009). The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Persuasion. New
York: Penguin Group.
Borchers, T. A. (2005) Persuasion in the Media Age: Second Edition. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Burton-Roberts, N. (2016). Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English
Syntax (Learning about Language) (4th ed.). Routledge.
Cuddon, J. (2013). A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. West
Sussex: Wiley Blackwell
Crystal, D (2008). A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. Oxford: Blackwell
publishing.
Dominick, J. R. (1996). The Dynamics of Mass Communication. New York. The
Mac Graw Hill Companies.
Epure, Eisenstat, & Dinu. SEMIOTICS AND PERSUASION IN MARKETING
COMMUNICATION. Linguistic and Philosophical Investigations 13:592-
605.
Famila, A. C. (2016). A Stylistic Analysis on The View Column in Vogue Magazine,
April 2015, June 2015, and December 2015 Editions (Undergraduate
Thesis). Universitas Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta.
Iqani, M. (2012). Smooth bodywork: the role of texture in images of cars and
women on consumer magazine covers, Social Semiotics, 06 Vol. 22, 311-
331, DOI: 10.1080/10350330.2012.665261
Isti’anah, A. (2017). Stylistic Analysis of Maya Angelou’s Equality. Lingua Cultura,
11(2), 85. https://doi.org/10.21512/lc.v11i2.1602
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
64
Khan, Adil, Shams, Fatima and Khanam. (2017). The Persuasive Language of
Advertisement. International Journal of English Language, Literature,
and Translation Studies 4(1), 469-475.
Kress, G., & Leeuwen, T. V. (2006). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual
Design. The second edition. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Ly, T. H., & Jung, C. K. (2015). Multimodal Discourse: A Visual Design
Analysis of Two Advertising Images. International Journal of Contents,
11(2), 50-56. doi:10.5392/ijoc.2015.11.2.050
Madden, F. (2002). Exploring Poetry. London: Longman.
McLoughlin, L. (2002). The Language of Magazine. London: Routledge.
McQuail, D. (2010). McQuail's mass communication theory. London: SAGE.
Messaris, P. (2006). Visual persuasion: The role of images in advertising. Thousand
Oaks: Sage.
Perloff, R.M. (2003), The Dynamics of Persuasion: Communication and Attitudes
in the 21st Century, second edition, Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Ping, K. (2018). A Visual Grammar Analysis of Lesaffre’s Website. Advances in
Language and Literary Studies, 9(6), 38.
https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.9n.6p.38
Simpson, P. Stylistics. New York: Routledge.
Susanto, C. M. C. (2019) The Use of Pre-Modifiers and Post-Modifiers of Noun
Phrases in Revlon Lipstick Advertisements in Female Online Magazines
Editions (Undergraduate Thesis). Universitas Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta.
Seo, K., Dillard, J. P., & Shen, F. (2013). The Effects of Message Framing and
Visual Image on Persuasion. Communication Quarterly, 61(5), 564–583.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01463373.2013.822403
Simpson, P. Stylistics. New York: A Resource Book for Students (Routledge
English Language Introduction). London: Routledge.
Verdonk, P. (2002). Stylistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Wong, B. (2011). Points of view: Typography. Nature Methods, 8(4), 277.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth0411-277
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI