SPARKLE Journal of Language, Education, and Culture

LOCAL WISDOM OF MANGGARAI SPEECH COMMUNITY ON FOREST AND GRASSLAND CONSERVATION AS MANIFESTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP TO SUPPORT GREEN ECONOMY

2025-06-30T11:59:20+00:00

This study investigates the cultural conceptualization of Manggarai speech community on the local wisdom of forest and grassland conservation as the manifestation of environmental stewardship to support green economy with special reference to the forms and meanings of linguistic phenomena used in verbal expression of Manggarai language in the cultural discourse of environment as the reflection of Manggarai culture. The study is viewed from cultural linguistics, a new theoretical perspective in cognitive linguistics exploring the relationship of language, culture, and conceptualization. The study is descriptive as it describes the local wisdom of forest and grassland conservation as the manifestation of environmental stewardship to support green economy, as reflected in the forms and meanings of linguistic phenomena in the verbal expression of Manggarai language used in the cultural discourse of environment. The result of study reveals that the cultural conceptualization of Manggarai speech community regarding the local wisdom of forest and grassland conservation as the manifestation of environmental stewardship to support green economy is reflected in the verbal expression, Neka pongga puar boto mora usang, neka tapa satar boto mata kaka ‘Don’t clear the forest so the rain doesn’t disappear, don’t burn the grassland so the animal species don’t die’. The forms and meanings of linguistic phenomena used are unique and specific to Manggarai culture as the parent culture in which Manggarai language is embedded. The meanings stored in the forms of linguistic phenomena designate the cultural conceptualization of Manggarai speech community on local wisdom of forest and grassland conservation as the manifestation of environmental stewardship that supports the success of green economy program in Manggarai regency. The verbal expression should be preserved and maintained as it ensures that actions do not harm natural environment, especially forest and grassland, in the long term and allows future generations of Manggarai speech community to enjoy the same resources and benefits.

AN ANALYSIS OF PROVERBS IN INDONESIAN LANGUAGE AS FRAMES OF REFERENCE IN CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

2025-06-30T12:09:32+00:00

This study describes the proverbs in Indonesian language that function as the frames of reference in cross-cultural communication with special reference to the forms and meanings of linguistic phenomena in the proverbs in question. The study is viewed from the perspective of cultural linguistics, one the new theoretical perspectives in cognitive linguistics exploring the relationship of language, culture, and conceptualization. The study is descriptive-qualitative on the basis of secondary data collected through library research considered along with the experiences the writers when visited and lived abroad. The results of study show that the proverbs in Indonesian language as the frames of reference in cross-cultural communication are as follows: (01) Lain ladang lain belalang, lain lubuk lain ikannya ‘Different fields different grasshoppers, different depths different their fish’ and (02) Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung ‘Where the earth is stepped, there the sky is upheld’. The forms and meanings of linguistic phenomena used in the proverbs are specific in some respect to Indonesian language as the reflection of Indonesian culture designating the ways Indonesian people view and make sense of their world, especially in regard to cross-cultural communication. The meanings implied in the forms of linguistic phenomena used in the proverb (01) are concerned with the natures of cultural differences as the basic concept of cross-cultural communication, while the meanings implied in the forms of linguistic phenomena used in the proverb (02) are concerned with the manifestation of that basic concept in action in the sense that it is best to follow the cultural realities such as customs, rules, norms, values, habits, and traditions of a place being visited or lived in an attempt to prevent potential conflicts arising due to misunderstanding of cultural differences.

Students’ Perceptions on Using Google Translate toward Their Motivations in Learning English (A Case Study at SMA Negeri 6 Kupang)

2025-06-30T12:16:26+00:00

This research aims to find out the reasons as to why students use Google Translate to learn English and the method to which students use that influence their motivation of using Google Translate to learn English at SMA Negeri 6 Kupang. Method used in this research was descriptive qualitative with qualitative analysis for the questionnaire and for the interview. Translation of Google Translate is considered as a source of learning motivation with a very high level of value for students as 3.59 in average or 89.75% out of eighteen students for further learning of English. The main reason of students in using Google Translate to learn English was easy access in learning meaning of English words through spelling and translation using Image Translation as the most preferred method and learn pronunciation of new words based on the valid pronunciation from Google Translate feature using Speak to Translate as the second most preferred method according to the students interviewed. Students claimed more intrinsically motivated through consideration of the value toward the practicality and accessible tool of Google Translate itself in using the tool to learn English without the need to find alphabetical word order such as in a conventional dictionary.

A Semiotic Analysis of Symbols in The Novel Lord of The Flies by William Golding

2025-06-30T12:27:54+00:00

This research presents a semiotic analysis of symbols in William Golding's Lord of the Flies, aiming to uncover the underlying meanings and implications of various symbols within the text. Employing a semiotic approach, the study examines how symbols function to convey complex themes related to human nature and societal dynamics. Data for analysis was collected by highlighting significant quotes and dialogues throughout the novel, focusing on key symbols such as the conch shell, Piggy's glasses, the beast, the signal fire, and the Lord of the Flies. This methodology allowed for a detailed exploration of how these symbols reflect the characters' psychological states and the broader commentary on civilization and savagery. The findings reveal that Golding uses these symbols not only to depict the descent into chaos but also to critique the inherent darkness within humanity. Ultimately, this research highlights the richness of semiotic analysis in understanding the intricate layers of meaning in Lord of the Flies, contributing to a deeper appreciation of Golding's insights into human behavior and societal structures.

The Analysis of Illocutionary Act in “Moana” Movie Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements

2025-06-30T12:33:47+00:00

This study is about finding out and analyzing the illocutionary act in a movie. The researcher chooses Moana Movie (2016) as the object of the study. This research has three aims: (1) To find out what are the types of illocutionary acts found in Moana (2016) movie. (2) To find out what are the functions of the illocutionary acts in Moana (2016) movie. (3) To find out what are the meanings of the illocutionary acts in Moana (2016) movie. The researcher found that there are 108 expressions of illocutionary acts in the Movie. There are four types of illocutionary acts, such as Representatives, Directives, Commissive, and Expressive. For the precise data, the researcher found 36 expressions of Representatives, 35 expressions of Directives, 7 expressions of Commissive, and 30 expressions of Expressive. The researcher also analyzed the meaning and function of those illocutionary acts found in the movie. By analyzing the function and meaning of those expressions of the illocutionary act, the researcher divides the types of illocutionary acts found into several subtypes. For representatives there are 7 subtypes. For directives there are 8 subtypes. For commissive there are 3 subtypes. The last, for expressive there are 16 subtypes.

An Analysis of Code Mixing in David Gadgetin’s YouTube Channel

2025-06-30T12:43:40+00:00

This thesis aims to analyze the types and frequency of code mixing used in David GadgetIn's YouTube videos. This research answers two main questions: (1) What are the types of code mixing used by David GadgetIn in his YouTube channel? (2) What is the most dominant type of code mix found in his videos? This research uses a descriptive-qualitative approach, using observation techniques to collect data from some of David GadgetIn's videos. Muysken's (2000) code-mixing theory was used as a framework to classify the types of Indonesian-English code-mixing found. The analysis showed that insertion was the most frequently used type of code-mixing, appearing 62 times out of a total of 141 occurrences. Other types identified include alternation with 34 occurrences and congruent lexicalization with 46 occurrences. The findings suggest that insertion plays an important role in how David GadgetIn mixes Indonesian and English in his content. The implications of this study suggest that content creators, especially in multilingual contexts such as Indonesia, can benefit from the strategic use of code-mixing to appeal to a wider audience and improve communication effectiveness in digital media.

COGNITIVE FACTORS AFFECTING ENGLISH SPEAKING IN THE CLASSROOM AMONG THE THIRD SEMESTER ENGLISH DEPARTMENT STUDENTS AT NUSA CENDANA UNIVERSITY IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2024/2025

2025-06-30T12:50:21+00:00

This study investigates the cognitive factors affecting English-speaking proficiency among third-semester students of the English Department at Nusa Cendana University. The researcher aims to identify specific cognitive barriers and their underlying causes that hinder students’ ability to speak English fluently in classroom settings. The researcher used a descriptive qualitative method, and data were collected through classroom observations, structured interviews, and note-taking with 20 randomly selected students. The findings reveal that students face significant challenges in five key areas: vocabulary limitations, grammar difficulties, pronunciation issues, inhibition (nervousness and hesitation), and mother tongue influence. Vocabulary limitations were the most prevalent, with students struggling to recall words, express ideas, and use academic language effectively. Grammar challenges, particularly with tenses and sentence structure, led to frequent errors and hesitation. Pronunciation issues, especially with complex words, affected students’ confidence and fluency. Inhibition, including situational nervousness and performance anxiety, further limited students’ participation, and confidence. Additionally, mother tongue influence caused students to switch between Bahasa Indonesia and English, often due to nervousness or vocabulary gaps. Despite these challenges, students employed various coping strategies, such as extensive preparation, improvisation, and simplification techniques, to complete their presentations. The study concludes that addressing these cognitive barriers through targeted interventions, such as structured vocabulary training, grammar reinforcement, pronunciation practice, and confidence-building activities, can significantly improve students’ English-speaking proficiency. The findings provide valuable insights for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers to enhance English language teaching methods and classroom practices, ultimately fostering better student academic outcomes.

Semiotic Analysis of Traditional Wedding Ceremony in Oelomin Village of Kupang Regency

2025-06-30T12:57:57+00:00

This research entitled “Semiotic Analysis of Traditional Wedding Ceremony in Oelomin Village of Kupang Regency” aims to answer several questions, namely: (1) What symbols are used in traditional wedding ceremony in Oelomin Village of Kupang Regency? (2) What are the meanings of the symbols used in the traditional wedding ceremony in Oelomin Village of Kupang Regency? This research aims to find out the meanings contained in the symbols in the traditional wedding ceremony in Oelomin Village of Kupang Regency. This research used descriptive qualitative method to analyze the data, and data collection through observation, video recording, picture taking, interview, and note taking. The result of this research shows that there are ten symbols in the traditional wedding ceremony in Oelomin Village of Kupang Regency. They are as follows: puah manus, oko mama, none, bijael, bete, tais, apilu, po’uk, apoho, and dulan. Each symbol in the traditional wedding ceremony in Oelomin Village of Kupang Regency means social status, culture indentity, respect, politeness, responsibility, openesess with community and family ties. By understanding the meanings of each symbol, it can increase knowledge about Timorese culture especially in Oelomin Village of Kupang Regency, as well as appreciation for the cultural heritage of the ancestors.

The Analysis of Difficulties in Reading Descriptive Text Encountered by Seventh-grade Students of SMP Negeri 7 Kupang in the Academic Year 2023/2024

2025-06-30T13:04:34+00:00

This research aims to find out types of difficulties in reading comprehension of descriptive text and to find out the causes of difficulties in reading comprehension of descriptive text encountered by seventh-grade students of SMP negeri 7 Kupang. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative and the data source of this research are 30 seventh-grade students in class A. The researcher used test-like assignment and interview to collect data. The researcher analyzed the data by using descriptive qualitative techniques (identification, description, and conclusion). The researcher found students have difficulty in understanding main idea with a total of 71 incorrect answers out of 120 answers (59,17%). Difficulty in locating reference with a total of 88 incorrect answers out of 120 answers (73,3%). Difficulty in understanding vocabulary with a total of 82 incorrect answers out of 120 answers (70%). Then, difficulty in making inference with a total of 81 incorrect answers out of 120 answers (66,7%) and difficulty in finding detailed information with a total of 80 incorrect answers out of 120 answers (66,7%). Besides, the researcher found causes of difficulties in reading comprehension of descriptive text because of internal factor namely students have no interest in learning English, lack of English learning experience, lack of ability to read English texts, lack of vocabulary, low prior knowledge, did not know structure of descriptive text and external factor namely lack of teaching techniques, less supportive home, school environment. It is recommended that students should be self-aware of the value of reading comprehension and motivated to pursue it. teacher should come up with more creative ways to teach reading. Teacher should be diligent in going to class to teach.

ENGLISH STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF USING YOUTUBE AS AN ENGLISH LEARNING MEDIA AND THEIR STRATEGIES IN UTILIZING IT

2025-06-30T13:12:07+00:00

In today’s digital age, YouTube became one of the most popular English learning platforms among students. The utilization of YouTube enabled students to access a variety of educational content independently, which could enhance their language skills outside the formal classroom environment. This study aimed to examine English Education students' perceptions of using YouTube as a medium as an English learning media, as well as the strategies they employed in the learning process. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, data were collected through questionnaires and interviews from students who actively used YouTube to learn English independently. The results indicated that 61% of respondents agreed that YouTube had assisted them in learning English independently, 32% remained neutral, and 7% disagreed. In terms of learning strategies, students utilized various types of content, such as songs, movies, podcasts, and vlogs, among others, to improve their language skills, encompassing both basic skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) and language components (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation). Students also leveraged YouTube to study course materials, including syntax, morphology, academic writing, and additional subjects. Furthermore, some students consulted explanations from language experts on specific topics of interest. The selection of content types was tailored to the skills each student sought to develop. The findings demonstrated that YouTube constituted an effective tool in supporting self-taught English learning, provided that students were capable of applying learning strategies suitable for their individual needs and learning objectives.

The Correlation Between the Mastery of Simple Present Tense and Descriptive Text Comprehension Among the Tenth Grade Students of SMAN 1 Taebenu in Academic Year 2024/2025

2025-06-30T13:21:08+00:00

This study is about the correlation between the mastery of Simple Present Tense and Descriptive Text comprehension among the tenth-grade students of SMAN 1 Taebenu. The aims of this study are: (1) to know whether there is a correlation between the mastery of Simple Present Tense and Descriptive Text comprehension among the students of SMAN 1 Taebenu in Academic Year of 2024/2025 (2) to know whether the correlation between the mastery of Simple Present Tense and Descriptive Text comprehension among the tenth-grade students of SMAN 1 Taebenu is positive and significant. This research is descriptive quantitative research. The researcher used multiple choice tests as the instrument of this research. For the data analysis technique, the researcher used Correlation Product Moment with SPSS Version 24 for Windows. The correlation between the Mastery of Simple Present Tense and Descriptive Text Comprehension was 0.560. It showed a positive effect. The significant value was 0.001. It was lower than 0.05. The results of the analysis provide evidence that the students’ Mastery of Simple Present Tense had a positive and significant correlation to the students’ Descriptive Text Comprehension.

The Correlation Between Vocabulary Mastery and Writing Ability of Third Semester Students of English Study Program of Nusa Cendana University in The Academic Year 2024/2025

2025-06-30T13:27:56+00:00

The purpose of this research is to find out the correlation between vocabulary mastery and writing ability. This study applies random sampling technique where the population is all of the third semester students of English Study Program of Nusa Cendana University and the sample are 30 students. The data are collected by administering vocabulary mastery test and writing ability test. The data are analyzed by using Pearson Product Moment to investigate the correlation between both variables. The result shows that the coefficient between variable X and variable Y is rxy = 0.604. The criteria of correlation between two variables among 0.600 – 0.800 shows a highly correlation. The significant level at 5% is rtable = 0.361, rxy > rtable (0.604 > 0.361). The significant level at 1 % is rtable = 0.463, rxy > rtable (0.604 > 0.463). The result of the analyses shows that there is a significant correlation between vocabulary mastery and writing ability of third semester students of English Study Program of Nusa Cendana University. Therefore, the null hypothesis (H0) is rejected and the alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted. In other words, the students who have high score in vocabulary tests tend to have good writing ability.

Teaching Vocabulary to Young Learners of Naska Strett Neighbourhood by Using Flashcard (A Case Study)

2025-06-30T13:42:24+00:00

This study was carried out under the title Teaching Vocabulary to Young Learners of Nangka Street Neighborhood by Using Flashcard: (A Case Study). This case study was implemented to elementary school students aged 8 to 10 who lived at Nangka Street RT 19 / 20 RW 006. The aims of this study were (1) to know to what extent the use of flashcards help to develop students’ vocabulary competence, (2) to find out the advantages and disadvantages of teaching using flashcards. This study used a descriptive qualitative method. It involved 10 elementary school students who comes from different schools, including SDK Don Bosco 2 and 3, SDK ST Yoseph 3, SD Inpres Oeba 2 and SDN Oebobo 1 and 2. The instrument used to collect the data was a writing test. The result shows that by using flashcard, children can easily memorize something, and therefore they become more interested in teaching and learning process. Moreover, by using flashcard, teacher can help the children to remember the word in the picture, to add new vocabulary, and to increase vocabulary master. To conclude, learning by playing with flashcards can help improve young learners' vocabulary.

The Use of Make-Match Technique to Increase Vocabulary of the Eighth-Grade Students of UPTD SMP Negeri 15 Kota Kupang in the Academic Year 2023/2024

2025-06-30T13:47:19+00:00

This article entitled: ‘‘The Use of Make-Match Technique to Increase Vocabulary of the Eighth-Grade Students of UPTD SMP Negeri 15 Kota Kupang in the Academic Year 2023/2024” aims at finding how does the use of make-match technique improve the vocabulary of the eighth-grade students of UPTD SMP Negeri 15 Kota Kupang in the academic year 2023/2024 and finding whether the use of make-match technique is effective in increasing the vocabulary of the eighth-grade students of UPTD SMP Negeri 15 Kota Kupang in the academic year 2023/2024?” The subjects of this study were eighth-grade students in UPTD SMP Negeri 15 Kota Kupang. The writer used the descriptive analysis to analyze the data. The research result shows that only 6 of 20 students could pass the Minimum Passing score in the pre-test, while the post-test shows that all the students achieved the passing score after being taught using “make-match” technique. The findings indicate a significant increase in student’s vocabulary mastery demonstrating the effectiveness of make-match technique in enhancing vocabulary learning. “Make-Match” technique can be a valuable tool for improving vocabulary acquisition in the classroom.