INTRODUCTION
The
concept of invariant meaning is described by researcher Tobin (1995) in his
book of Invariance, Markedness and Distinctive Feature Analysis as:
According
to Columbia school approach, the invariant meanings of linguistic signs in
isolation can be characterized by a semantic concept or set of concepts called
a semantic substance or domain. If more than one sign can be characterized by
the same semantic substance, these signs are in oppositional relationship of
their categorization of that semantic domain. When the invariant meanings of a
set of signs taken together exhaustively classify a semantic substance, this is
called a grammatical system. Each grammatical system has an internal and external
structure. The internal structure of each grammatical system is related to the
way the semantic domain is organized and divided. Since the members of the
system exhaustively classify the semantic substance, there is no residue in
that semantic domain that cannot be referred to explicitly by one of the
postulated invariant meanings. Since each invariant meaning is attached to a
signal, the number of signals and the number of invariant meanings for each
grammatical system is the same. (p. 44)
In his
other book, Tobin (1990) added that from the semiotic or sign-oriented point of
view, the most basic, practical and fundamental synergetic principle of
language is invariance versus variation. The same linguistic sign with a single
invariant meaning can be inferred to have many and diverse messages as well as
multiple syntactic and pragmatic functions within different discourse contexts.
Consider
the polysemy word drove below:-
·
Ali drove
his wife
·
Ali drove
his wife crazy
·
Ali drove
the herd home
The
examples showed the use of the word drove
in different situation. Nevertheless, they carry the core invariant meaning
which the act of led something from X to Y. In short, invariant meaning can be
defined as a distinctive semantic domain shared by a set of signs.
METHODOLOGY
This study is about how the concept of
invariant meaning is related to relational meaning. I have chosen the following
sets of words: mengata, mengutuk, memaki, mencerca
and menghina,
which hypothetically to have the same relational meaning. The examples
to be analyzed were collected from authentic sources, written by the native
speakers of the language itself. The sources are mainly from major online newspaper
publisher in Bahasa Melayu namely Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, Harian Metro and Malaysiakini. The use of authentic materials characterizes a true
to life, genuine, original text that originates from the written or spoken
aspects of everyday life in the target culture. Another reason of the idea of
using authentic materials is to expose the students to language in real world
and how it is really used.
FINDINGS
1.
Mengata
Example #1
“Orang
hanya pandai mengata, tuduh saya tak
tahu jaga anak dan macam-macam lagi”, Rohani.
Saya tanggung malu. (2013, October 23). Harian Metro.
Message
|
The person (Rohani) mentioned that people
just know how to condemn and accuse her, not knowing how to raise her child.
|
Explanation
|
X referred
to Rohani, the one being condemned, while Y is the doer. The act of condemning X (Rohani) by Y (other
people)
|
Example #2
Mat rasa
bukan rakan Mat saja yang macam tu, tapi ramai lagi perempuan di luar sana
berperangai begitu. Semuanya gara-gara mulut. Kalau tak mengata orang, memang tidak sah. Yang satu pihak mengata keburukan orang dan yang satu
pihak lagi pula dah sah-sah takkan berkawan dengan kumpulan perempuan yang mengata dirinya. Sudahnya,
berpecah-pecah. Kalau setakat pakaian saja nampak semenggah tapi perangai kuat mengata tu masih ada, jawapannya buruk
jugalah mereka tu.
Bertudung tapi kuat mengata. (2012, February 26). Harian Metro.
Message
|
The writer (Mat) was expressing his view
about the act of condemning other people by women with hijab, which can cause
society to be disunited. He also added that there is no use dressing as
Muslimah but you don’t behave like one.
|
Explanation
|
The act of condemning X (other people) by Y (some
people, in this context, the one wearing the hijab)
|
Example #3
Tak ada
angin tak ada ribut si B yang bermulut lahar, canang satu dunia si A kena buang
daripada OTD kerana ada masalah disiplin. Walhal A masih bekerja biarpun
ditukarkan ke jabatan lain selepas namanya diburukkan B. Bukan main lantang
lagi B mengata itu ini, sedangkan
diri sendiri tak adalah popular mana. Sekadar muncul dengan satu album,
kemudian namanya terus tenggelam. Nampak sangat dia cemburukan A yang lebih
bernasib baik.
Sanggup mengata kerana cemburu. (2013, March 24). Harian Metro.
Message
|
The writer was telling the readers about the
bad behavior of artist B, which went around bad-mouthing and condemning
artist A while it was not true. The writer assumed that artist B did that due
to envy.
|
Explanation
|
Y which
refers to artist B was badmouthing X
(artist A) out of jealousy. The act of condemning X (artist A) by Y (artist
B)
|
2.
Mengutuk
Example #1
"Soal
agama tidak sepatutnya ada toleransi, malah pemimpin Tionghua juga mengutuk perbuatan pasangan ini. Oleh
itu rakyat Malaysia minta supaya Alvin dan Vivian ditahan serta merta dan
dipenjarakan", kata Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin, ADUN BN Kinabatangan.
Penjarakan Alvin, Vivian. (2013, July 17). Berita Harian.
Message
|
Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin stressed that there
is no compromise in any action of insulting the religion (Islam). He added
that even the Tionghua leaders expressed the action by the couple Alvin and
Vivian to be reprehensible.
|
Explanation
|
The Tioghua leaders, Y, disapproved the action done by the couple Alvin and Vivian, X. The act of condemning X (Alvin and Vivian) by Y (Tionghua leaders)
|
Example #2
Semalam,
sekumpulan wartawan ingin mengirim surat bantahan kepada kumpulan media
berpengaruh luas, termasuk berkempen kepada pengamal media yang rasa berang
dengan berita itu agar turut serta. Surat mereka kepada pengerusi kumpulan
media berpengaruh besar itu, Tan Sri Mohamed Hashim Ahmad Makaruddin, mengutuk Kosmo! dengan menyifatkan
laporannya itu "hari paling gelap dalam sejarah kewartawanan
Malaysia."
Kosmo! mohon maaf isu Yasmin. (2009, July 30). Malaysiakini.
Message
|
A group of reporters condemned the tabloid
newspaper ‘Kosmo!’ due to an article published by the tabloid on the personal
history of the famous director Yasmin Ahmad. They condemned the publisher by
sending a disapproval letter to the media group.
|
Explanation
|
A group of reporters, Y, disapproved the action done by the newspaper Kosmo!, X. The
act of condemning X (the tabloid
newspaper ‘Kosmo!) by Y (A group
of reporters)
|
Example #3
Pemimpin
PAS diminta tampil membuat kenyataan mengutuk
perbuatan memasang patung provokasi berhampiran beberapa pusat gerak kerja
Barisan Nasional (BN) semalam dan menafikan PAS terbabit dalam insiden
berkenaan.
PRK Sungai
Limau: PAS perlu kutuk insiden pasang patung kaki - Shabery. (2009, November
3). Berita Harian.
Message
|
The PAS leaders was asked to come forward to
make a statement condemning the act of installing provocative statue and to deny
that they were involved in such act.
|
Explanation
|
To show their disapproval, the PAS leaders
were asked to condemn the act of installing the provocative statue. The act
of condemning X (the act of
installing provocative statue) by Y (PAS
leaders)
|
3.
Memaki
Example #1
Gara-gara
kecewa dan melepaskan geram kerana di halang memasuki stadium untuk menonton
perlawanan bola sepak, seorang lelaki didenda RM100 oleh Mahkamah Majistret di
sini hari ini selepas mengaku bersalah memaki
seorang anggota polis wanita Sabtu lalu.
Lelaki didenda RM100 kerana memaki polis. (2013, October 22). Berita Harian.
Message
|
A man was fined RM100 by the Magistrate's
Court after he pleaded guilty to cursing a police woman.
|
Explanation
|
The act of condemning X (police officer) by Y (the
man) out of anger and disappointment.
|
Example #2
JOYAH
dengar seorang artis muda yang cantik wajahnya tapi perangainya tak berapa nak
molek macam rupa parasnya itu. Bukannya apa, Joyah dengar dia sanggup maki
hamun ibunya sambil mengeluarkan perkataan kesat dan tak langsung sedap
didengar.
Tak
kisahlah apa kesalahan atau kesilapan ibu kepada diri kita. Kecil atau besar
tapi rasanya bukan sahaja tak manis malah amat kurang ajar kalau memaki ibu sendiri. Tapi si artis
berwajah molek ini tak kisah itu semua asalkan dapat melampiaskan amarahnya.
Tak pandang kiri kanan.
Amboi sedapnya memaki ibu!. (2009, August 16). Utusan Malaysia.
Message
|
The writer expressed his view about the act
of an artist, cursing his mother with abusive words. He considered the act as
impudent.
|
Explanation
|
The act of condemning X (mother) by Y (the
artist) out of anger.
|
Example #3
Mengulas
artikel akhbar milik Umno itu, Namewee membalas dengan memuat-naik satu lagi
klip video dalam bahasa Melayu ke laman web perkongsian video YouTube malam
tadi yang berjudul 'Namewee Fxxx Utusan'.
Video yang
durasinya sedikit kurang daripada tiga minit, memaparkan kekecewaan Namewee
yang bercakap dalam bahasa pasar ‘menghentam’ akhbar itu dan Fauziah.
Walaupun
semua perkataan yang mencarut dan memaki
dalam video itu telah disenyapkan, namun sebahagian daripadanya masih boleh
didengar secara samar-samar.
Namewee bidas Utusan dalam video terbaru. (2011, September 28). Malaysiakini.
Message
|
To show his frustration to Utusan, rapper
Namawee has produced a video with cursing words which although was muted,
some of it can still be heard in the dim.
|
Explanation
|
The act of condemning X (Utusan) by Y (Rapper
Namawee) to show his frustration.
|
4. Mencerca
Example #1
Azran
(Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif AirAsia X) menerusi akaun Facebook dan Twitternya
baru-baru ini bertindak mencerca
Utusan Malaysia sebagai sebuah akhbar rasis hanya kerana menyiarkan artikel
berbentuk pertanyaan bertajuk 'Apa lagi Cina mahu' pada 7 Mei lalu.
Menerusi
akaun Facebook beliau, Azran menulis: "I am Malaysian. I am anti-racism. I
am disgusted by Utusan's editorial stance. (Saya rakyat Malaysia. Saya
antiperkauman. Saya meluat dengan pendirian pengarang Utusan),"
Veteran UMNO boikot AirAsia, AirAsia X. (2013, May 19). Harian Metro.
Message
|
Azran recently railed Utusan Malaysia as a
racist newspaper through his Facebook and Twitter accounts because the
newspaper published an article entitled 'Apa lagi Cina mahu' on May 7.
|
Explanation
|
The act of condemning X (Utusan Malaysia) by Y (Chief
Executive Officer of AirAsia X, Azran Osman-Ran)
|
Example #2
Di samping
itu juga, Islam melarang umatnya mencerca
dan memaki apa-apa yang disembah oleh umat agama lain. Hal ini ditegaskan Allah
SWT lewat firman-Nya yang bermaksud: “Dan janganlah kamu cerca benda-benda yang mereka sembah yang lain daripada Allah,
kerana mereka kelak, akan mencerca
Allah secara melampaui batas dengan ketiadaan pengetahuan.
Hikmah berdakwah secara lemah-lembut. (2012, March 21). Berita Harian.
Message
|
Islam forbids Muslims from insulting and
cursing anything that is worshiped by the followers of other religions.
|
Explanation
|
The prohibitions of condemning X (anything that is worshiped by the
followers of other religions) by Y (Islam).
|
Example #3
"Dalam
keghairahan musim pilihan raya ini masyarakat perlu bertindak secara sopan
ketika menggunakan Internet dan laman sosial. Janganlah mencerca, menimbulkan kekacauan dan menyebarkan berita-berita palsu
dalam talian", kata Datuk Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi.
PRU13: (SKMM) menerima 10 laporan berhubung penyebaran khidmat
pesanan ringkas (SMS) palsu. (2013, April 26). Berita Harian.
Message
|
Datuk Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi has advised the
society not to insult, cause chaos and spreading made-up news online.
|
Explanation
|
X (The
society) should not be condemning Y (each
other / other people).
|
5.
Menghina
Example #1
Ahli
Parlimen Barisan Nasional (BN) dan pembangkang meminta kerajaan segera
mengenakan tindakan tegas terhadap pasangan remaja, Alvin Tan dan Viviana Lee
yang menghina Islam.
Saranan
itu disokong oleh Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PKR-Permatang
Pauh) dengan berkata mereka yang menghina Islam tidak boleh diizinkan sama
sekali di negara ini dan tindakan wajar mengikut undang-undang perlu diambil.
Penjarakan Alvin, Vivian. (2013, July 17). Berita Harian.
Message
|
MPs Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition
asked the government to immediately impose strict action on young couples,
Alvin Tan and Viviana Lee who insult Islam. It was supported by the
Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, saying that those who insulted
Islam should not be allowed to be in the country and appropriate action should
be taken.
|
Explanation
|
The couple Alvin Tan and Viviana Lee was
insulting Islam with offensive message on social network. The act of
condemning X (Islam) by Y (Alvin Tan and Viviana Lee)
|
Example #2
Di manakah
martabat mahasiswa diletakkan apabila keputusan ini dibuat tanpa wakil
mahasiswa diajak bincang dan dirunding. Tidak disebut universiti jika tiada
mahasiswa dan penuntut ilmu di dalamnya.
Tindakan
ini seolah-olah menghina dan
mencabul hak mahasiswa yang diiktiraf di dalam universiti untuk memberikan
pandangan dan idea serta meraikan kebebasan bersuara yang dijamin oleh
perlembagaan. Mungkinkah bagi mereka, mahasiswa ini hanya robot dan hanya perlu
menerima sahaja apa yang diputuskan oleh pihak atasan?
Penggabungan fakulti menghina mahasiswa. (2013, September 5). Malaysiakini.
Message
|
The students regarded the act of the
university of not allowing them to be a part of the decision making process to
be in contempt and violation of their rights.
|
Explanation
|
Action by the university was considered as
insulting by the students. The act of condemning X (the student rights) by Y
(the university administration)
|
Example #3
Presiden
Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (PERKASA), Datuk Ibrahim Ali dipenjara satu
hari dan denda RM20,000 oleh Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur, di sini selepas
didapati bersalah menghina mahkamah
berhubung artikel berkaitan seorang hakim dalam kes saman Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim terhadap Utusan Malaysia.
Ibrahim Ali dipenjara sehari, denda RM20,000 kerana hina mahkamah.
(2013, November 19). Berita Harian.
Message
|
The president of PERKASA, Datuk Ibrahim Ali
was jailed one day and fined RM20,000 by the Kuala Lumpur High Court here after
being found guilty of contempt of court.
|
Explanation
|
Datuk Ibrahim Ali was found being rude the
court. The act of condemning X (the
court) by Y (Datuk Ibrahim Ali)
|
DISCUSSION
AND CONCLUSION
The set of
verbs was first chosen in a way that they hypothetically have the same
relational meaning. However, there are definitely some aspects which make the
usage of those verbs different with each other.
Firstly,
I would like to define each verb based on my understanding. The word mengata
can be broadly defined as talking maliciously about someone who is not present.
On the other hand, the word mengutuk is to express disapproval
of, typically in public. This word also may bring the same meaning with the
word mengata if the act is done
behind someone’s back. Whereas, memaki can be construed as to utter
offensive words in anger or annoyance, usually is done directly to subject of
being accused. The word mencerca
and menghina
both carry the same meaning, to insult or to display a disrespectful
remark or action, but the latter is commonly used compared to the other.
Based
on the definitions of the verbs, although they are used in different context,
it is noticeable that there is always this one element that present which
involving the act of declaring something to be reprehensible or disagreeable.
That element is actually the invariant meaning of all the set of verbs, which
is THE ACT OF CONDEMNING X BY Y.
Now
let’s discuss how the verbs are different with each other. Aside that they are
used in different context, we can differentiate each verb according to the
degree of condemnation which is showed by the level of cline below:-
The axis represents
the degree or the extent of the condemnation which includes the act of
condemning itself, subject being condemned or the effect of the action. As
showed in the cline, the word mengata is placed at the lowest
point. This is because the effect is actually the least to the person being
condemned. The act is also usually involved with personal resentment between
the doer and also the subject. It is
presented by the example below, which showed that the act of condemn was done
by B due to his envy with A.
Bukan main lantang lagi B mengata itu ini, sedangkan diri sendiri tak adalah popular mana.
Sekadar muncul dengan satu album, kemudian namanya terus tenggelam. Nampak
sangat dia cemburukan A yang lebih bernasib baik.
Next on the cline is the word mengutuk.
The word essentially showed the act of condemning X to show disapproval of a
certain action.
…malah pemimpin Tionghua juga mengutuk perbuatan pasangan ini.
In the clause above, the verb was use to show that the Tioghua leaders
were also not in agreement with the action of the accused. In addition, is
mentioned earlier, normally the action is done in public to let everyone else
know about the subject matter. Then again, if it is done about someone who’s
not present, the meaning will be the same as the word mengata.
The
word memaki
is placed higher that the first two because of the directness of the
action, which bring a greater effect to the one who’s accused. This act generally
involved with the use of strong and foul language. It is still consider as the act on condemning
but usually triggered by anger or annoyance. It is illustrated as in the first
example of the word in the findings where a man was fined RM100 when he cursed
a police woman out of frustration and rage due to not been able to enter the
stadium.
Towards the higher
level of cline are the words mencerca and menghina. As mentioned
previously, these two words are almost similar to each other in terms of the
act itself and the effect to the subject. When we use these two words, the
action in discuss is considered to be very impolite or offensive and thus, lead
to a more intense consequences to the doer.
In terms of markedness, the word mencerca tends to be more specific as the act normally involved with
words, in spoken or written. The word menghina
is more general and have the tendency to be neutral. Not only could the act
be done in words by speaking or writing, it could also be done with action.
Di manakah martabat mahasiswa diletakkan
apabila keputusan ini dibuat tanpa wakil mahasiswa diajak bincang dan
dirunding. Tidak disebut universiti jika tiada mahasiswa dan penuntut ilmu di
dalamnya. Tindakan ini seolah-olah menghina
dan mencabul hak mahasiswa yang diiktiraf di dalam universiti untuk memberikan
pandangan dan idea serta meraikan kebebasan bersuara yang dijamin oleh
perlembagaan.
As shown
in the example above, in this context, the word menghina cannot be replaced with the word mencerca as it is describing the action of the university administration
of not allowing the students in decision making process. Replacing the word menghina with the word mencerca here is not suitable.
In conclusion, a group of words
although used in different context, may convey the same invariant meaning, a
distinctive semantic domain shared by the set. In this study, based on the
examples used by the native speakers, we can deduce that the words mengata,
mengutuk,
memaki,
mencerca
and menghina
carry the invariant meaning of THE ACT OF CONDEMNING X BY Y, where X is the subject and Y is the doer.
REFERENCES
Amboi sedapnya memaki ibu!. (2009, August 16). Utusan Malaysia. Retrieved November 27,
2013, from http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0816&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Hiburan&pg=hi_08.htm
Bertudung tapi kuat mengata. (2012, February 26). Harian Metro. Retrieved November 27,
2013, from
http://www.hmetro.com.my/articles/MatLaga_Bertudungtapikuatmengata/Article/
Ibrahim Ali dipenjara sehari, denda RM20,000 kerana hina mahkamah.
(2013, November 19). Berita Harian.
Retrieved November 27, 2013, from http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/IbrahimAlidipenjarasehari_dendaRM20_000keranamenghinamahkamah/Article/index_html
Lelaki didenda RM100 kerana memaki polis. (2013, October 22). Berita Harian. Retrieved November 27,
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PRK Sungai
Limau: PAS perlu kutuk insiden pasang patung kaki - Shabery. (2009, November
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and linguistics. London: Longman
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markedness and distinctive feature analysis: a contrastive study of sign systems in English and Hebrew.
Philadelphia: John Benjamin.
Sejak akhir-akhir ini, banyak kali juga terdengar tentang masalah dengan mesin ATM, terutamanya berkenaan dengan pengeluaran wang tunai. Ada lah beberapa teman yang dikenali berkongsi pengalaman mereka melalui Whatsapp dan juga Facebook. Contoh seperti di gambar sebelah. Mulanya, aku buat tak endah, memandang enteng, sehinggalah perkara tersebut terjadi kepada aku sendiri kelmarin (lihat status Facebook di bawah). Isu mungkin berlainan, tetapi tetap berkenaan dengan mesin ATM yang tidak mengeluarkan wang seperti yang sepatutnya. 
