Journal of Semantics

AN ANALYSIS INFORMATIVE STRUCTURE IN THE CNN

NEWS

Metandra Yudha
STBA - JIA

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to definity and analyze Informative Structure in the
CNN NEWS. The Theory based on Semantic book by Saeed. John I, informative
structure. The writer collect data from CNN NEWS to analyze. The writer analyze
with few steps, there are :

 Understand the theory of informative structure by semantic book,

saeed(2016).
 Analyze sentence in CNN NEWS which is taken for analysis data.
 The data will be analyze by the theory that was learn.
 The writer make conclude about informative structure in CNN NEWS

INTRODUCTION

The Background of the study

Language well known as human tools communication. Human use communication

for delive messages with other human. Not only delive, also receive it from another
human. Communication is the process which people, group, organization, and
community that it is create or share informations with environment and other people.
Generally, verbal and non verbal communication are the way to understand the
meaning of information which delived and received. Time to time, development of
communication is grow so fast at this time. Usually It used to get and share
information with each other. But, at this time communication used to few ways that
are country relationship, goverment, business, military missions, and other team

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work. And all communication have been delived or received by language with
difference culture.

Every language has difference linguistic about phonology, morphology, and

structure of sentences especially for English language. Almost all sound of english
script different with the spell when speaking. And the change the word into different
time was unexpected. It also, a structure in a sentence with different tense have
different structure. In a sentence there are few rules to put the part of speech. In a
part of speech there are noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, article, conjunction,
preposition, etc which every part have much understanding to learn.

Learning Semantics most important to understanding the meaning of sentences.

Specially in part Informative Structure, we can learn how to delive a mean in a
sentence with different way with purpose to evade words repeating and make new
variations by speaker or writer to make the means received by hearers and readers
with grammaticaly.

Problem of the research

The study learned to identify informative mean in a sentences as references and

make new variation of words repetition of references.

What is Informative structure?

Sentences that it was created by writers or speakers routinely to make guesses about
the knowledge accessible to their readers or listeners with grammaticalized. As the
basic the information which speaker assumes her heares already now or that is a new
things for them.

Objective of the study

Based on the problem above, this journal learn to classified the informative structure.
There are several points must be taken, such as :

1. The information status of nominal

2. Focus and Topic
3. Informative structure and comprehension

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Study Source Material

The study used headlines from the articles in www.cnn.com

Reference

Semantics fourth edition book, Saeed. John I. 2016.

Theoritical Review

In a sentence has a meaning that is deliver to audience. Usually information is

include in a message in the sentences. So, sentences have information structure.
Based on Semantics book by Saeed (2016, P203) described that the most universally
grammaticalized distinction is the basic one between the information which the
speaker assume her hearers already know and the information that the speaker is
presenting as additional or new. We can conclude from that book is a sentence that
assume to audience which has same information about the reference should have
new variation if the reference need to repiting in a sentence if already know by
audience, but if that reference is a new word from speaker, we can make new
additional information of reference.

For example :
a. I have a dog
b. I have this dog
c. I have the dog
d. I have it

every sentences in that examples have different grammaticalized. That purpose to

differ the status of nominals. The nominal that is new introduce to audience as new
additional information is (a), that is described new things. And the example
sentences (b,c) is the nominal that is often or already described by speaker. And
example sentence (d) that is mean the speaker focus described about it. And we will
discuss about types of Information Structure.

1. The Information status of nominal

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The speaker was described about nominal that discuss it the topic. First, the speaker
will introduce it. And the speaker will repeat the nominal with different status, and
the last the speaker will change the status of nominal become focus topic. Because
every status have different meanings.

A dog : type identifiable

This dog : referential
The dog : uniquely referential
That dog : familiar
This/that/the dog : activated
It : in focus

a. Type identifiable

in this part, the speaker introduce a nominal that use in her topic. For example, he
was introduce a pet. So, the speaker make pronoun “ a/an “ to introduce nominal that
will describe. His pet is a dog. The speaker give assumes to audience about a dog is
an animal as a pet that is hairy, two eyes, two legs, two hands, a tail, two ears, one
nose. That speaker give additional information in the topic.

b. Referential

In this part, the speaker has an extra message about that nominal described in the
topic. The speaker changed article “a” become “ this” in topic because already
introduce to audience before. The speaker intends to refer to a particulary nominal.
The speaker assumes to described the nominal with complete. So that make audience
understand about the nominal in topic. For example the speaker assumes, the dog is
her dog. That is her possession, sometime assumes about adjective of this nominal.

c. Uniquely referential

in this part, the speaker assumes her hearers can identify nominal in the topic.
Nominal already described by the speaker before. So, speaker change the pronoun
become “ the “ in the topic. Nominal repititon is often in sentences of the topic.

d. Activated

in this part, the speaker can use article “ this/that/the “ for nominal that is described
in topic. Of course, in this part audience already know about the nominal and
become signal that has been mentioned in the discourse.

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e. In focus

And in this part, the speaker give assumes hearers that the reference or nominal is
both activated and currently under discussion in the topic.

So, every article in sentences have level of informative status in the meaning. We
should not use same informative status in sentence for the same reference. Sentence
must be variation to evade words repeating.

For example :
I bought a car and it will give to my brother.

In this example, car is reference nominal that described by the speaker. In a sentence,
the speaker can use words repetition with variation of Informative Status. In that
sentence, car was introduce by status “ a car “ with purpose of introduce nominal.
And the speaker repeated nominal by change status become “ it “ to activated in
focus. That nominal can described in one sentence by the speaker.

2. Focus and Topic

Based on Semantic book by Saeed ( 2016, P205) explained that another marker of
information in English is intonation, where the assignment of primary stress can be
used to bring parts of the sentence into prominence. One of the main functions of this
prominence is to mark new information. we can described that information was
given by the speaker also can use intonation or stress. The speaker has purpose to
assumes information of marked word in a sentence. Marked word in the sentence not
only nominal, that also predicate and object. The speaker choose one of them which
is use to marking the information of reference.

For example :

a. we eat noodle
given : someone eat noodle
new : it is us

b. we eat noodle
given : we eat something
new : it was noodle

c. we eat noodle

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given : we do something to noodle

new : we eat it

in example “ a ”, focused on subject as topic. So the speaker give new additional

information about the subject only. Then, in example sentence “ b “, the speaker
marked noodle as object as topic, and assumes audience about it only. And the last
example sentence “ c ” the speaker assumes audience new additional information of
verb “ eat “.

Sometime word repetition may use in one sentence, we can do focus and topic in the
sentence dependent marked of word in the sentence, but focus only to same part of
speech and can not change the marked reference. Like in the example “a,b,c “ if we
focused on subject, we can not change the subject only and change another part of
speech.
Example :
Q : did we eat noodle?
A : no, they did

When the speaker focus on word “ we “, that will be contrastive function if change
that marked word by another words. So, to make marked two reference in one
sentence, we only need use pronoun of reference.
For example :
a. it was yesterday that bob came
b. it was bob who came yesterday

so, focus and topic just explain about word that marked as information only.

3. Information structure and comprehension

Based on theory in Semantic book by Saeed (2016, P208) explained that the use of
inappropriate markers of information structure, in effect disregarding the reader’s
evolving state of knowledge, makes the text incoherent and difficult to read. The
point is of course that in reality speakers continually asses their audience’s
knowledge, and package their utterances accordingly. The writer conclude that use of
marker need to adjust the audience and situation. Every audience have different level
understanding in every location and situation.

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Data Analysis

Source : CNN NEWS

1. Headline :
It’s not just Apple – Samsung is hurting, too.
By Sherisse Pham
Updated 0957 GMT (1757 HKT) 8th January 2019.

Data : Samsung is the latest tech giant to warn that its business is suffering.
Analysis :

Based on Semantics book by Saeed (2016, P203) described that the most universally
grammaticalized distinction is the basic one between the information which the
speaker assume her hearers already know and the information that the speaker is
presenting as additional or new.
 Samsung is informative nominal
 The writer explain about Samsung to assumes the audience
 Its is pronoun of Samsung after the writer explain about Samsung and
assumes the audience already know about Samsung.
 Its is pronoun that change subject of Samsung
 Its is informative status nominal of Focus in topic.
 This analysis use theory of the information of status nominal

2. Headline :
Shaquille O’Neal joins effort to help pay for Jazmine Barnes’ funeral.
By Jill Martin
7th January 2019

Data : NBA great Shaquille O’Neal is helping to cover funeral costs for Jazmine
Barnes, the 7 years old girl who was killed in a drive by shooting.
Analysis :

a. NBA great Shaquille O’Neal is helping to cover funeral costs for Jazmine Barnes,
the 7 years old girl
 Jazmine Barnez is the information structure of topic
 The 7 years old girl is pronoun of Jazmine Barnez as the information of status
nominal in topic.
 The 7 years old “ the “ has status nominal of uniquely referential
 The Writer assumes her hearers can identify nominal in the topic

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b. Jazmine Barnes, the 7 years old girl who was killed in a drive by shooting.

Based on Semantic book by Saeed ( 2016, P205) explained that another marker of
information in English is intonation, where the assignment of primary stress can be
used to bring parts of the sentence into prominence. One of the main functions of this
prominence is to mark new information.
 The writer give information that Jazmine Barnes is 7 years old girl
 The writer give information that Jazmine Barnes was killed in a drive
 In this sentence the writes show Jazmine Barnes as focus and topic of
informative structure.

3. Headline :
Mohamed Salah wins Africa player of the year awards for second year in a row
By Aanu Adeoye
8th January 2019

Data :
Mohamed Salah wins Africa player of the year awards for second year in a row

Analysis :
We use theory of Focus and Topic for this sample data.

1) Sample : Mohamed Salah wins Africa player of the year awards for
second year in a row
Given : someone wins Africa player of the year awards for second year in a
row
New : it was Mohamed Salah

2) Sample : Mohamed Salah wins Africa player of the year awards for
second year in a row
Given : Mohamed Salah do something Africa player of the year awards for
second year in a row
New : Mohamed Salah wins it

3) Sample : Mohamed Salah wins Africa player of the year awards for
second year in a row
Given : Mohamed Salah wins something
New : it was Africa player of the year awards for second year in a row

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In this sample data, the speaker focus a reference or informative structure depent on
him. The speaker can choose one of reference that will become a topic by stress or
intonation in sentence.

Conclusion

Based on theory in Semantic book by Saeed (2016), we can conclude that is in

sentence has information assumes to audience that the speaker give information by
text or sentence as well known as Informative Structure. The speaker will introduce
the news thing as topic before tell to audience, the speaker will describe it before.
And to continue the topic, the speaker will change the pronoun or information status
of nominal in the topic.
The status of nominal also have different level in each status. There are Type
identifiable, Referential, Uniquely referential, Activated, and In focus. The function
of status of nominal to assumes knowledge to the audience about the nominal as the
topic of discus.
Focus and Topic theory also use by the speaker to assumes audience about the topic
in discus by marked. Marked a word as topic in discus can also do with intonation or
stress in sentence that assumes the audience to focus in that topic.

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