METAPHORS AS A DYNAMIC ARTEFACT OF SOCIAL VALUES EXPRESSED IN LETTERS TO EDITORS

Abstract

Metaphor discussed in this paper is an expression formulated from metaphoric expressions used by the writer of letters to editors of Suara Merdeka daily newspaper. This paper aims at elaborating how metaphoric expressions used in letters to editors of Suara Merdeka Daily Newspaper become a dynamic artefact of social values. To achieve the goal, this research uses nonparticipant observation for collecting data and purposive sampling techniques for selecting and choosing samples. The samples are the metaphoric expressions found in the letters to editors of Suara Merdeka Daily Newspaper written in the period of general elections of House of Representative Members (Pileg) in 2009. To analyze the data, this research uses referential method and abductive inferencial technique. Referential method is used to show and interpret the concepts represented by the metaphoric expressions, while the abductive inferencial technique is used to show the social values formulated in the concepts of the metaphors. The result shows that the social values inferenced from the metaphoric expressions that became the artefacts are related with what people do or behave, perceive, and experience in the connection with the general elections conducted, House of Representative candidate‘s personality and behavior, the role of the political parties, the fund to run the elections, campaign, people aspiration and voice, vote gathering, the fixed list of the voter, general elections committee. The dynamicity of the artefact is shown horizontally and vertically. The horizontal dynamicity is shown by the arrangement of different words representing experience, thought, and feeling in connection with what people experience in general election in 2009, while the vertical dynamicity is shown by the choice of the different words in the same category representing their experience related to the election. The experience changes through time leading to the dynamicity of the expressions used.