Cohesion and Coherence of Students’ Recount Texts in Indonesia

This study aimed at analyzing the cohesion and coherence of recount texts and their implication to teaching writing. The data was fifteen recount texts which were non-randomly chosen from the first-grade students of high school in Central Java, Indonesia. This was qualitative research employing cohesion theory by Halliday and Hasan (1976) and thematic progression proposed by Butt et al. (1995). The result of this research showed that most of the cohesive devices employed by the students were personal reference with 58.11%; demonstrative reference and definite article with 7.18%; comparative reference with 0.93%), lexical (repetition 22.21%; synonym 0.66%; superordinate 0.13%), conjunction (temporal conjunction 7.45%; adversative conjunction: 1.33%; additive conjunction 1.06%; causal conjunction 0.66%), and ellipsis with 2%. The presuppositions of the presupposed items and presupposing items were achieved anaphorically and cataphorically; most of them were anaphoric. The distances of the presuppositions were in the forms of immediate ties, mediated ties, and non-mediated ties. Furthermore, immediate ties occurred extensively. Based on the analysis, most of the texts were cohesive due to the achievement of presupposing and presupposed items in every sentence of the texts. Then, coherence of the students’ recount texts was achieved by employing three kinds of patterns: reiteration/ constant, zig-zag, and multiple thematic progression patterns. Most of the texts were developed by using a reiteration/ constant pattern. Based on the analysis, most texts were not coherent because of the unrelated clauses. As the result, they broke the signposted progression of the texts. The finding was expected to possibly contribute to the process of teaching writing by encouraging the students to create a good text in a cohesive and coherent way.

Comparing conjunctions in Orochon and Evenki

The current article focuses upon the results of the conjunctions analysis and the ways of their forming in the Orochon language. The data obtained are compared with the data on the conjunctions’ morphological forms in the Evenki language obtained in the previous studies. This study identified 3 kinds of coordinative conjunctions (connective conjunction, disjunctive conjunction, adversative conjunction) and 4 kinds of subordinating ones (gradational conjunction, conditional conjunction, causal conjunction, temporal conjunction). The comparative analysis demonstrated a larger inventory of conjunctions in Evenki compared to Orochon. In both languages, the same syntactic function can be performed by different parts of speech – some Orochon conjunctions have Evenki equivalents presented by adverbs, postpositions, and suffixes. Unlike notional words, functional ones show little phonetic or morphological correspondence of the Evenki and Orochon languages. Genetic affinity is found in gradational and causal conjunctions that have the similar acoustic and grammar forms in the compared languages.

Semasiological cyclicity in the evolution of discourse markers

This study addresses the evolution of the Sicilian discourse marker mentri to explore the concept of cyclicity in semantic–pragmatic change. Stemming from Latin dŭm ĭntĕrim (‘while, in the meantime’), the temporal conjunction develops – like its Romance cognates – an adversative function meaning ‘whereas’, which further evolves from an oppositional to a counter-expectational contrast value meaning ‘though’. The latter serves as a bridging context for the emergence of discourse-pragmatic uses and is examined below. Mentri evolves as discourse marker: formally, it gains greater syntactic and positional independence, and it increases in scope; functionally, it displays both textual and interpersonal values. In its overall path, mentri shows a cyclical change in respect to the adversative function: oppositional contrast emerges out of the temporal meaning, it then develops into counter-expectation, and it eventually fades into the discourse-pragmatic values. The rise of mentri as a discourse marker is thus interpreted as a case of cyclicity from a semasiological perspective.

Augmenting aesthetic chills using a wearable prosthesis improves their downstream effects on reward and social cognition

Previous studies on aesthetic chills (i.e., psychogenic shivers) demonstrate their positive effects on stress, pleasure, and social cognition. We tested whether we could artificially enhance this emotion and its downstream effects by intervening on its somatic markers using wearable technology. We built a device generating cold and vibrotactile sensations down the spine of subjects in temporal conjunction with a chill-eliciting audiovisual stimulus, enhancing the somatosensation of cold underlying aesthetic chills. Results suggest that participants wearing the device experienced significantly more chills, and chills of greater intensity. Further, these subjects reported sharing the feelings expressed in the stimulus to a greater degree, and felt more pleasure during the experience. These preliminary results demonstrate that emotion prosthetics and somatosensory interfaces offer new possibilities of modulating human emotions from the bottom-up (body to mind). Future challenges will include testing the device on a larger sample and diversifying the type of stimuli to account for negatively valenced chills and intercultural differences. Interoceptive technologies offer a new paradigm for affective neuroscience, allowing controlled intervention on conscious feelings and their downstream effects on higher-order cognition.

Cohesion in Academic Writing: A Comparison of Essays in English Written by L1 and L2 University Students

Cohesion plays an important role in ensuring clarity, appropriateness, and comprehensibility in text. This study compares L1-Chinese and L1-English university students’ use of cohesion in English essays and examines the cohesive features in academic writing of L2 students from three perspectives: density of cohesion, distribution of cohesive devices, and distance of cohesive ties. Data consist of 126 student-produced essays in two corpora: 63 by L1-Chinese students from the TECCL corpus and 63 by L1-English students from the BAWE corpus. Findings indicate that L2 students have a lower density of cohesion in their academic writing. Their essays are marked by underuse of lexical cohesion and demonstrative reference, initial positioning of conjunctions, and heavy use of temporal conjunction. In addition, L2 students use significantly fewer immediate and remote cohesive ties, and the length of the material between ties is found to be inadequate compared to L1 students’ writing. The study has important implications for L2 writing pedagogy in China.

Struktur dan Kaidah Teks Anekdot dalam Kumpulan Cerita Abu Nawas

The background of the research was based on the existence of Abu Nawas stories that contain humor aspects. Besides, it has its uniqueness, so that readers are curious. The story of Abu Nawas is categorized as an anecdotal story because it contains the same structure and rules as the anecdotal text. Besides it also has a moral value so that it can be used as alternative teaching material at schools. Regarding the importance of Abu Nawas story, this study aimed to describe the structure and rules of anecdotal texts in the collection of Abu Nawas stories. This research was descriptive qualitative research. This research was conducted in literature. The research took six months. Data was collected using documentation techniques. This research data contained the text of the Abu Nawas anecdotal story containing structure and language use. The data analysis technique used in this study was the procedure and analysis model according to Miles and Huberman which consists of three stages, namely, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion or verification. The results of this study, first, in terms of the generic structure, 44 anecdotal texts were perfect and 14 texts were not complete. It was proven by the average value which was 94% and was categorized complete based on the standard of anecdotal text structure covering abstract, orientation, crisis, reaction, and coda. Second, in terms of language use, 19 stories were complete and 39 stories did not use the language use properly. It was proven by the average value which was 75% and was categorized complete. The language features used in the form of past tense, rhetorical questions, temporal conjunction, material verbs, and imperative sentences.

THE EXPLORATION OF COHESIVE DEVICES IN SYNOPSIS WRITINGS PRODUCED BY ENGLISH STUDY PROGRAM STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITAS GADJAH MADA

Cohesive devices in a piece of writing serve to unify sentences within a text. Building upon Halliday and Hasan’s (1976) Cohesion in English, this study aimed to identify and classify cohesive devices and also to discover the effects of cohesion overuse and underuse found in synopsis writings written for Book Report 1 and Book Report 2 assignment. The data were collected from 40 synopsis writings produced by the 4th and 5th semester students of English Study Program of Universitas Gadjah Mada. The data analysis applied a qualitative method and the data collection used purposive sampling technique. The findings showed that reiteration was the most prominently used type and followed by reference, conjunction, and collocation with the frequency 2,193 (56.94%), 1,405 (36.48%), 64 (2.92%), and 252 (6.54%) times respectively. Other types with low occurrences were elliptical and substitutional cohesion that occurred 3 (0.078%) and 2 (0.051%) times respectively. In some cases, students tended to overuse and underuse cohesive devices. In terms of cohesion overuse, in some cases, the use of reiteration leading to lexical redundancy and monotonous sentences. And in cohesion underuse, the lack of using personal reference and temporal conjunction yielding ineffective and less cohesive sentences. Keywords: Cohesive Devices; Discourse Analysis; Synopsis Writings.

KONJUNGSI TEMPORAL DALAM KUMPULAN CERITA RAKYAT MELAYU JAMBI TULISAN ISKANDAR ZAKARIA (ANALISIS WACANA)

This research is aimed at describing the forms and usage of temporal conjunction by using Indriani and Chaer theory. This research explains the forms and usage of temporal conjunction in the kumpulan cerita rakyat Melayu Jambi by Iskandar Zakaria. This research is qualitative descriptive. The data of this research is kumpulan cerita rakyat Melayu Jambi by Iskandar Zakaria (Discourse Analysis). The technique of data collection is by using documentation technique. The result of this research shows the description about the forms and usage of temporal conjunction in the Kumpulan Cerita Rakyat Melayu Jambi by Iskandar Zakaria (Discourse Analysis). Those forms are ketika, sewaktu, sementara, sebelum, setelah, and selagi. Those forms are specified based on the sequence of permulaan, waktu bersamaan, waktu berurutan, and waktu batas akhir in which each of them has their own function.

THE USE OF CONJUNCTION IN STUDENTS’ WRITING RECOUNT TEXT AT SECOND GRADE OF SMAN 1 TONGKUNO

This research aims to investigate the types of conjunctions and the accurately use of conjunction in students’ writing. This research was conducted in SMAN 1 Tongkuno. The instrument of this research was students’ writing that focused on recount text. This research employed descriptive qualitative design. The population of this research was the second-grade students of SMAN 1 Tongkuno. The sample of this research is the second-grade students of SMA N 1 Tongkuno consist of 20 students. The researcher collected the data by asking the students to write their personal recount. The technique of data analysis in this study was descriptive analysis, while to analyze the accuracy of conjunction the researcher used criteria of correctness in cohesion that consist of the use of conjunction on students’ writing. The result shows that all of types of conjunction exist in students writing, additive conjunction is the most frequently conjunction used in students’ writing, followed by temporal conjunction, then causal conjunction, and the last adversative conjunction. The accuracy of conjunction used by students on their writing contribute highly because mostly the second-grade students of SMAN 1 Tongkuno use conjunction accurately. Keywords: Conjunction, Recount Text, Writing

THE EFFECT OF TEMPORAL CONJUNCTION MASTERY AND STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING PROCEDURE TEXT OF THE 2017/2018 ELEVENTH YEAR STUDENTS OF SMA SWASTA PERSIAPAN STABAT

The objective of this study was to find out the effect of temporal conjunction mastery and students’ achievement in writing procedure text of the 2017/2018 eleventh year students of SMA Swasta Persiapan Stabat were divided into two classes. They were XI IPA1and XI IPA2. There are 60 students. That number then became the sample of this research. The design of the study was categorized as an experiment quantitative research. It meant there were two groups. They were experimental group that received treatment. This study was conducted by an experimental research. It aimed to measure the students’ ability on descriptive writing. Writing is one of four basic skills. And it is one productive skill in English. It is very important in studying English. The writers used the written test. The writers, as the learning input in understanding the nature of procedure text and the ways to teach procedure text for Senior High School Students effectively and efficiently. The data were acquired by using written test. The test consisted of two types; they were pre-test and post-test. After analyzing the data, the finding indicates that result of analysis was 3.50. It was found out that observed was higher than t-table or it can be said (3.50 > 2.002;α=0.05). It means that temporal conjunction mastery and students’ achievement in writing procedure text of the 2017/2018 eleventh year students of SMA Swasta Persiapan Stabat.