Death of A Salesman: An Analysis of High and Low Language Varieties Found in Arthur Miller'S Drama

AN ANALYSIS OF HIGH AND LOW LANGUAGE
VARIETIES FOUND IN ARTHUR MILLER’S DRAMA

DEATH OF A SALESMAN
A THESIS
BY
HOTDEN
110721004
DEPARTEMENT OF ENGLISH
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA
MEDAN 2013
Universitas Sumatera Utara

AN ANALYSIS OF HIGH AND LOW LANGUAGE VARIETIES FOUND IN
A DRAMA DEATH OF A SALESMAN BY ARTHUR MILLER
A THESIS
BY
HOTDEN
REG. NO. 110721004
SUPERVISOR CO-SUPERVISOR
………………… ……………………...
Submitted to Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara Medan
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from
Department of English
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA
MEDAN 2013

Approved by the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies University
of Sumatera Utara (USU) Medan as thesis for The Sarjana Sastra Examination.
Head, Secretary,
………………………. ……………………….

Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial fulfillment of requirements for
the degree of Sarjana Sastra from the Department of English, Faculty of
Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara, Medan.
The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatera Utara on ………………………………
Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatera Utara
Dr.H. Syahron Lubis, MA

NIP.19511013 197603 1 001
Board of Examiners Signature
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THESIS. THIS THESIS CONTAINS NO MATERIAL PUBLISHED
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NAME : HOTDEN
TITLE OF THESIS: AN ANALYSIS OF HIGH AND LOW LANGUAGE

VARIETIES FOUND IN A DRAMA DEATH OF A
SALESMAN BY ARTHUR MILLER
QUALIFICATION : S1 / SARJANA SASTRA
DEPARTMENT : ENGLISH
I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR

REPRODUCTION AT THE DISCRETION OF THE LIBRARIAN OF
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
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USERS ARE MADE AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER THE LAW
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ACKNOWLEDMENT
First and foremost, I give all honors and praise to my savior Jesus Christ who
makes me strange, healthy and optimist in my life and He is there for me in finishing
this thesis. You are my great Lord and I want to praise you all my life.
There have been so many incredible people who have helped me to write this
thesis as it now appears. They whom the writer should thank are:
1. Dr.H. Syahron Lubis, MA., as the Dean of the faculty of culture studies,
University of Sumatera Utara.
2. Dr. H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS., as the chief of English Department of English.
3. Dr. Hj. Nilzami Raswief, M.Hum., as my supervisor and Drs. M. Syafie’ie
Siregar, M.A., as my co-supervisor
4. My great family, my father T. Simanjuntak (the deceased) and my mother S. Br
Harianja. They have taken care for me from child until now. They are the parent
who ever I have. They help me to give me fund, power and prayer, without them I
am not like now. I dedicate this thesis to them. I am sure they must be proud of
me. I thank also to my awesome brother and sister Bang Hotman Simanjuntak
(Brother) who always support me to think positive and helps me in my tuition for
studying, Helena Simanjuntak (Sister) who always give me smile as a symbol of
happiness and also help me to complete this thesis for administration cost,
Dakkana P. Simanjuntak (Little Brodher) who always says good news from my
home town and as person who takes care our mother there. I love you so much.
5. My friends, who help me to share about problems solution, work together and
make community as media of actualizing life.

a. KDAS (Kelompok Diskusi dan Aksi Sosial). This community gives me
the meaning of realty of life in my country Indonesia. I merge in this
community to learn how to discus finding the solution. I have many
friends there who love me. I am proud of you all of my friends.
b. Ebenezer (my cell group in community of Christian students of USU). I
have friends who always give me smile, sharing the daily activity and
motivation. They are Johenro P.T Silalahi, Meity Siagian, Evy Haloho,
Mastora Lumban Toruan. I thank you my friends.
c. GPT (Gereja Pantekosta Tabernakel). In this church I have teach to be
good person. They are also many of brothers and sister who cannot be
said one by one. I thank you so much.
d. Solidas (Student of English Diploma Assosiation). There are many of my
juniors who always support me in finishing this thesis.
6. My special friend who always asks me about the development of my thesis,
Fredrika. E.S. She always reminds me to finish this thesis.
Finally I would like to thank to every people who have helped me in my studies in
faculty of culture studies. My God bless you and keep you forever and ever.
Medan, August 14, 2013
The writer

ABSTRAK
Skripsi ini yang berjudul “An Analysis of High and Low language varieties found in
a Drama Death of a salesman by Arthur Miller” adalah suatu kajian tentang analisis
penggunaan variasi bahasa tinggi dan rendah yang ditinjau dari sudut pandang
sosiolinguistik. Objek dari penelitian ini adalah sebuah karya sastra berupa drama
yang berjudul Death of a salesman oleh Arthur Miller. Cerita dari drama tersebut
adalah tentang kehidupan satu keluarga yang berada pada posisi status sosial yang
rendah tetapi Willy sebagai kepala rumah tangga berusaha untuk mengangkat status
sosial mereka supaya menjadi lebih tinggi, dengan cara menggunakan variasi bahasa
tinggi yang sering digunakan orang-orang yang berstatus sosial tinggi atau orang
kaya, berpendidikan, negarawan dll. Penulis mencoba menganalisis penggunaan
variasi bahasa tersebut yang digunakan para tokoh khususnya bahasa tinggi dan
bahasa rendah. Analisis ini memakai teori sosiolinguistik yang melihat masyarakat
berdasarkan bahasa yang mereka gunakan. Sementara metode yang digunakan adalah
penelitian pustaka yaitu mengumpulkan berbagai teori yang dapat mendukung data-
data analisis. Pembaca akan mengerti perbedaan antara bahasa tinggi dan rendah
beserta cara penggunaannya berdasarkan situasi, latar belakang penutur dan status
sosial. Dalam drama tersebut ditemukan bahwa setiap tokoh menggunakan variasi
bahasa. Penggunaan variasi bahasa tinggi misalnya yang digunakan untuk
mengutarakan maksud didasarkan keinginan menjaga eksistensi diri, supaya terlihat
lebih berwibawa, dan supaya orang lebih yakin dengan perkataanya. Sementara,
penggunaan bahasa rendah lebih kepada untuk percakapan sehari-hari, untuk
pergaulan sebaya, dan sebagai ekspresi kebebasan. Semoga skrpsi ini dapat
bermanfaat bagi pembaca.

ABSTRACT
This thesisentitled"An AnalysisofHigh andLowlanguagevarietiesfound
inaDramaDeath of asalesmanbyArthurMiller" isastudy
oflanguagevariationanalysisusinghighandlow variety from the viewpoint
ofsociolinguistics. The object ofthis studyisaliterary workin the form ofplay
entitledDeath of asalesmanbyArthurMiller. The storyofthedramaisabout thelivesof
thefamilywho is inpositionsof low socialstatusbutWillyas head of
householdstryingtoelevatetheirsocialstatusin orderto behigher, by using high
languagevariety ofthecommonlyused by people who are upper socialstatusorthe rich,
educated, statesmenetc.The writer triesto analyzetheuse oflanguage variationusedthe
characters particularlyhighandlowlanguage variety. This
analysisusingsociolinguistictheorywhichsawthe socialbased onthe language they use.
The method of this study is qualitative descriptive method. This thesisis donethrough
alibrary researchis to collect some oftheoriesthatcan supportdataanalysis. Readerswill
understandthe differencebetweenhighand lowlanguage variety and how tousebased
onthe situation, backgroundspeakersandsocialstatus. Inthe drama,it was found
thateachcharactersuseslanguage variation. The use ofsuchhighvariety
inlanguageusedtoexpressthe intentbaseddesires, maintainself-existenceto look
moreauthoritative, andsopeople are moreconfidentwithwords.Meanwhile, thelow
variety istheuse of languageforeveryday conversation, forpeer relationships, andas
anexpression offreedom. The writer hopes this thesis can be usefulfor the reader.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study……………………………………….. 1
1.2 Problems of the study…………………………………………. . 6
1.3 Objectives of the study……………………………………….... 7
1.4 Scope of the study……………………………………………… 7
1.4 Significances of the study……………………………………… 7
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
a. Sociolinguistics………………………………………………… 8
b. Language Varieties…………………………………………….. 12
c. Dialect ………………………………………………………… 13
d. Regional Dialect………………………………………………. 14
e. Language and class……………………………………………. 16
f. Formal and informal language varieties……………………….. 17
g. High and Low language varieties……………………………….19
CHAPTER III: METHOD OF STUDY

3.1 Research Method…………………………………………………..27
3.2 Data and Data Source………………………………………………27
3.3 Data Collecting Method……………………………………………28
3.4 Data Anayzing Method…………………………………………….28
CHAPTER IV: AN ANALYSIS OF HIGH AND LOW LANGUAGE VARIETIES
FOUND IN A DRAMA DEATH OF A SALESMAN BY ARTHUR MILLER
4.1 The high variety…………………………………………………29
4.2The low variety………………………………………………… 39
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusions……………………………………………………. 45
5.2 Suggestions………………………………………………......... 46

REFERENCES
APPENDIX

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Language is a part of human being which is used for communicating among
to the others in social activities. In other words, People who want to express their
idea and feeling use language. Without language human being will be difficult to
communicate in social life. Bolinger (1975:14) states that Languages are alike
because people are alike in their capacities for communicating in a uniquely human
way.The essence of every language in the world is alike a media to communicate
even though the languages are various.
Language which is used in speech community may be varied because people
in the community are various and they are different to each other. It is impossible in
society if people are homogenous in all of aspects and also with language, it must be
different to each other, therefore there is a term language varieties found in a society.
According to Chaer (1994 :61) that the language varieties are happened because not
only the speakers are various but also because social interactive activities are various.
Every activity needs or causes the language variety.
Language variety which is found in society may be caused by a regional, a
gender and a situation in society. Language variety which is caused by a regional
usually called dialect, language variety which is caused by a gender is called women
and men’s language varieties, and language variety which is caused by a situation for
using high and low language varieties called a diglossia. The term a diglossia is used
to refer to a situation where a language is formally stratified (or perceived to be so)
into an upper and a lower variety. (Jendra, 2010: 49). It means the term

diglossiarefers to a high and a low language variety. The study of diglosia also
means the application of high and low language variety in the society.
In this thesis, the writer would like to describe about a high and a low
language variety used in the literary work. The study abouta high and a low language
varietyis related to the society that has different status, situation and background of
speakers community (people who use language to communicate in a society) should
use high and low language varieties because when they speak among to the
others,the situation is different as formal situation and informal situation. Besides of
that, the background of speakers also are different each speakers, for example upper
class status and lower class status. The language that they use are.As Wardhaugh
(2010: 85) states that a diglossic situation exists in a society when it has two distinct
codes which show clear functional separation; that is, one code is employed in one
set of circumstances and the other in an entirely different set.
Social status can also determineof the using of language variety because
people who have upper class status are identical with rich, educated, and prestigious,
so to show their existent they must use language with high variety. But, it is different
with people who have lower class status are identical with freedom, no matter
situation and come from common people. They prefer use low language variety
because it reflects the freedom of rules.
The H variety is the prestigious, powerful variety; the L

variety lacks prestige and power. People who are upper
class may like educated man, welfare in economy and
study language formally but people who are lower class
may like uneducated man, poor and study language
informally (Wardaugh, 2010: 86)

So many things we can see in the social relationship based on the language
varieties. The relation of people with high and low language variety should be known
through the characteristics of high and low variety.
A key defining characteristic of diglossia is that the two

varieties are kept quite apart in their functions. One is
used in one set of circumstances and the other in an
entirely different set. For example, the H varieties may
be used for delivering sermons and formal lectures,
especially in a parliament or legislative body, for giving
political speeches, for broadcasting the news on radio
and television, and for writing poetry, fine literature,
and editorials in news paper. In contrast, the L varieties
may be used in giving instructions to workers in low
prestige occupations or to household servants, in
conversations with familiars, in ‘soap operas’ and
popular programs on the radio, in captions on political
cartoon in newspapers, and in ‘folk literature
(Wardhaugh, 2010)
The term ‘H’ above means High language variety and ‘L’ means Low
languages, which are used in the society. People who want to use the H language
should know the function of the language. The H language usually is used in formal
situation therefore it is displeasing use the H language in informal situation. For
example, the H varieties may be used in giving lesson at university, giving aspiration
in formal meeting and so on. Most of language which is used in formal situation
refers to high language.
There are so many problems if the high language variety is not appropriate
for the situation, for example, the phenomenon can be found in communicating
between educated man with uneducated man in discussing about the national politics.
The educated man certainly uses a high language but uneducated man certainly uses
a low language. If the people in different background cannot adjust in situation as a
consequence, it will be misunderstanding.

In social interaction, we always find that workers in low prestige occupation
are isolated because they are not able to communicate with others who are from
upper class in social status. The consequences are not understood, the instruction is
not achieved, and the result is disorganized. If people who are from different
background using different languagevarieties,between high and low class language,
makes a problem because cognitive of each people who interact cannot be
understood.
The high languagevariety isusually used by people who are positioned in
upper class. They use the high language variety because it is ahabitual for them.
Their habitual in communicating is always integrated in formal and informal
situation. There are stratification found in society because the using of the high and
low language variety if it is not appropriate with the situation.
It is not much different with highlanguage; people who want to use the L
(low) class language should also know the function of that language. The L language
is used in informal situation. Low class language is used by people in low prestige
commonly because it comes from informal situation in society.
The low language varietyis usually used by people who are positioned in low
class such as servant. They do not care the self respect because they are not in a
formal situation. People who positioned in low class are also various such as
uneducated man. Is it true that people who are born in poor family will incline in
using the low class language varieties?
There are still differences between families in their

ability to afford education, so diglossia does not
guarantee linguistic equality between poor and rich, but
the differences emerge only in formal situations

requiring the High variety. It means either poor or rich
man can use upper and lower class language varieties in
social life(Hudson, 1999: 50)
As human being, we should be able to determine the function of the language,
especially about high and low language variety. It is a big mistake if in a society
people use high and low class language faulty, it means using language varietyin
wrong place so communication and to interaction can misunderstanding. People
should be able to look at the condition, situation and context in a social life to use the
high and low language so that the communicating can be involved besides to express
idea and feeling to other people.
The writer analyzes the language varieties especially in high and low
language. The writer finds so many cases in society are happened one of them is
misunderstanding, because fault in using high and low language variety.
Misunderstanding can make trouble in society therefore through this thesis I would
like to analyze the effect of the fault and the cause of the misunderstanding.
It is difficult to prove the high and low language varieties without a object of
research, it should be a social community in one place become a object. Because of
that, the writer chooses a reflection of human being in a literary work. It is not
reduced of social life as an object.
Literature is a kind of imaginative writing. It reflects a problem of life done
by human being. This reflection gives a reality of life as what has been happened to
man; whether, it is sad or happy problem of life. This writing is truly a part of man’s
life or the summary of man’s life. Taylor (1981: 1) says that, “Literature, like other
arts, is essentially an imagination in selecting, ordering and interpreting life-
experience. In literary work, we can find human being use a language as media to

communicate and interaction among the characters (people). The use language can
effect to show problems, as happened in the drama Death of a sales man; high and
low language variety can affect other character, either good effect or bad effect.
The literary work that has been an object of myanalysis is a drama entitled
Death of a Salesman.This drama consists of characters (people) talk like people in a
reality. The language of characters are also variation each others, either in home or in
out of home. Language variety that applied by character is also various but focused
in high and low variety.
The drama Death of a salesman consists of language variety applied by
characters. Besides, the form is in conversation as human being in society talking. It
reflects a society activity, so that can be analyzed as real society.
Conversationamong fellowcharacters inthe dramawasdefinitely
foundthatusing the high and low language varieties. Therefore the writerchoosesthe
dramaas the object ofstudy. The writer decides that the title of this Thesis is AN
ANALYSIS OF HIGH AND LOW LANGUAGE VARIETIES FOUND IN
ARTHUR MILLER’S DRAMA DEATH OF A SALESMAN.
1.2 Problem of the Study
Language varieties are found in social interaction. Therefore it is an important
thing to know what the problem of language variety in this drama. In this following,
the writer formulates the problems of the study to analyze the object in literary work:
1. What language varieties are found in the Drama Death of a Salesman?
2. How is the language varieties applied in the Drama Death of a salesman?

1.3 Objective of the Study
When the problem is found and analyzed. Therefore I would like to analyze
base on the problem, so the objective can be resulted. The objectives of the study are:
1. To find out the high and low language varieties in the Drama Death of a
Salesman.
2. To describe the applying of high and low language varieties of characters
in the Drama Death of a Salesman.
1.4 Scope of the Study
I will be difficult to analyze all of aspects in the drama without limit it.
Because of that, I should limit the analysis on the language variety especially about
high and low language varieties which are found in the drama Death of a Salesman
by Arthur Miller.
1.5 Significance of the Study
2. Theoretically, the significance of this study is the reader will understand
about high and low language variety in a literary work in addition to add
study of sociolinguistics particularly about language varieties.
3. Practically, this thesis can be used as reference for learning and
understanding about high and low language variety in a literary work besides
as a contribution to some study of Sociolinguistics to the readers through this
thesis.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW AND RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Sociolinguistics
In designing this thesis, I refer to some references supplied in some books to
support the idea of the analysis. Those references deal with Sociolinguistics, about
language variety, and other reference, which related to language variety (high and
low language variety).
Sociolinguistics is concerned with investigating the relationships between
language and society with the goal being a better understanding of the structure of
language and of how language is functioned in communication (Wardhaugh,
2010:12). It means that language is a characteristic of people in society because
every personhas different way to communicate.
The differences of people in society to communicate can also be studied, in
sociolinguistics called language variety. “When we look closely at any language, we
discover time and time again that there is considerable internal variation and that
speakers make constant use of many different possibilities offered to them. No one
speaks the same way all the time and people constantly exploit the nuances of the
languages they speak for a wide variety of purpose.
It is an interesting thing in studying Sociolinguistics because we could
directly examine the people and the language as the objects. Sociolinguisticsis
aninterdisciplinarysciencebetweensociologyandlinguistics,
twoempiricalscienceswhich haveverycloserelationship. Sociologyisscientific
objectivestudyof peoplein society, andtheinstitutions, andsocialprocessesthat existin

society. Weacknowledge that language is essentially a set of items, what Hudson
(1996: 21) calls ‘linguistic items,’ such entities as sounds, words, grammatical
structured and how people manage to live together. To do so, they use such concepts
as ‘identity,’ ‘power,’ ‘class,’ ‘status,’ ‘solidarity,’ ‘accommodation,’ ‘face,’ ‘gender,
‘ politeness,’ etc. (Wardaugh, 2010:9). It means that language and society cannot be
separated, in other words sociology and linguistics should be together.
There are also found the similarity in studying between Sociolinguistics and
sociology of language. Some investigators have found it appropriate to try to
introduce a distinction between sociolinguistics or micro-sociolinguistics and the
sociology of language or macro-sociolinguistic. In this distinction, sociolinguistics is
concerned with investigating the relationship between language and society with the
goal being a better understanding of the structure of language and of how languages
function in communication; the equivalent goal in the sociology of language is trying
to discover how social structure can be better understood through the study of
language, e.g., how certain linguistic features serve characterize particular social
arrangements. Hudson (1996: 4) states that the difference as follows: sociolinguistics
is ‘the study of language in relation to society,’ whereas the sociology of language is
‘the study of society in relation to language.
There are several possible relationships between language and society. One is
that social structure may either influence or determine linguistic structure and/or
behavior. The Certain evidence may be adduced to support this view: the age
grading phenomenon whereby younger children speak differently than older children
and, in turn, the children speak differentlythan the mature adult; the studies which
show that the varieties of language that speakers use reflect such matters as their

regional, social, or ethnic origin and possibly even their gender; and other studies
which show that particular ways of speaking, choices of words, and even rules for
conversing are in fact highly determined by certain social requirements.
Therefore, we must prepare to look into various aspects of the possible
relationships between language and society, it will be quite obvious from doing so
that correlation studies must be from a significant part of sociolinguistics. It is an
attempt to find correlations between social structure and linguistic structure, and to
observe any changes that occur.
Sociolinguistics is the study of the social uses of

language, and the most productive studies in the four
decades of sociolinguistics research have emanated
determining the social evaluation of linguistic variants.
These are also the areas most susceptible to scientific
methods such as hypothesis-formation, logical
inference, and statistical testing (Chamber, 2002: 3)
A worthwhile sociolinguistics, however, must be something more than just a
simple mixing of linguistics and sociology which take concepts and findings from
the two disciplines and attempts to relate them in simple way. It certainly must go
beyond Horvath’s view (1998, p. 448) that sociolinguists should just pick and choose
freely from sociology: ‘What my kind of sociolinguists do is go periodically to
sociology and find “social networks” or “the linguistic market place” and we find
[these concepts] terribly useful in understanding the patterns that emerge from our
data. However, we are not engaged in the sociolinguists’ struggles over the
importance of social networks vis-a vis other ways of dealing with the structure of
society and may remain blissfully unaware of whether or not these models have
become contentious within the home discipline.’ A serious scientific approach is
incompatible with ‘blissful unawareness’ in an essential part of its underpinnings.

Hymes has pointed out that even a mechanical amalgamation of standard linguistics
standard linguistics and standard sociology is not likely to suffice in that in adding a
speechless sociology to a sociology –free linguistics we may miss what is important
in the relationship between language and society. Specific points of connection
between language and society must be discovered, and these must be related with in
theories that throw light on how linguistic and social structures interact (Hymes,
1974:76)
Using the alternative term given above, Coulmas (1997:2) says that ‘micro-
sociolinguistics investigates how social structure influences the way people talk and
how language varieties and pattern of use correlate with social attributes as class,
sex, and age. Macro-sociolinguistics, on the other hand, studies what societies do
with their languages, that is, attitudes and attachments that account for the functional
distribution of speech forms in society, language shift, maintenance, and
replacement, the delimitation and interaction of speech communities.
Sociolinguistics and the sociology of language require a systematic study of
language and society if they are to be successful. Moreover, a sociolinguistics that
deliberately refrains from drawing conclusions about society seems to be
unnecessarily restrictive, just as restrictive indeed as sociology of language that
deliberately ignores discoveries about language made in the course of sociological
research. So while it is possible to do either kind of work to the exclusion of the
other, I will be concerned with looking at both kinds.

2.2 Language varieties
Sociolinguisticstudymeansa great deal aboutlanguage varieties. As linguists
have definedthat the definition of language varieties in generalisthe use oflanguage
thatis influencedbyseveralfactorssuch asregion (dialect), ideology (idiolect),social
class and so on.
These following theories are thought of Jendra (2010: 28) about language
varieties. He says that contrast to formal linguists’ perspective, sociolinguists’
investigations are based on the view that language is varied. Several points of view
have been taken to analyze and to classify the language varieties. For example, they
may be classified according to the users of the language. In line with this the
varieties can be further divided into two types, namely the individual and the societal
language varieties. Sociolinguists have classified further the societal varieties
according to several points of view, including for example the region where the
language is used and the period when it is used. In relation to the using, language
varieties are classified according to several different points of view including the
way it is used, the formality, the stratification, and the various professional fields to
which the lexicon of the language in normally associated. According to the way it is
used, language is divided into the spoken and written variety. According to formality,
there are formal and informal language varieties. Regarding the social stratification
of the society where the language is spoken, language can be divided into high,
middle, and lower variety. According to the genders, language is distinguished into
man and women language variety. In reference with the ethnics who use a language,
there are various ethnic varieties of language. In accordance with the fields with
which the lexicon of the language is normally associated, there can be as many

language varieties, such as business variety, medical variety, military variety, etc.
and the last, there is also what can term as the secret language variety.
2.3 Dialect
Dialectology, obviously, is the study of dialect and dialects. But what exactly
is a dialect? In common usage, of course, a dialect is a substandard, low status, often
rustic form of language, generally associated with the peasantry the working class, or
other groups lacking in prestige. DIALECT is also a term which is often applied to
forms of language, particularly those spoken in more isolated parts of the world,
which have no written form. And dialects are also often regarded as some kind of
(often erroneous) deviation from a norm –as the aberrations of a correct or a standard
form of language. (Chambers, 1980: 3)
Most speakers can give a name to whatever it is they speak. On occasion,
some of these names may appear to be strange to those who take a scientific interest
in languages, but we should remember that human naming practices often have a
large ‘unscientific’ component to them. Names are not only ascribed by region,
which is what we might expect, but sometimes also by caste, religion, village, and so
on. Moreover, they can change from census to census as the political and social
climate of the country changes.
Such indecision is not surprising: exactly how do you decide what is a
language and what is a dialect of language? What criteria can you possibly use to
determine that, whereas variety X is a language, variety Y is only a dialect of a
language? What are the essential differences between a language and a dialect?

Haugen (1966a) has pointed out that language and dialect are ambiguous
term. Ordinary people use these terms quite freely in speech; for them a dialect is
almost certainly no more than a local non-prestigious (therefore powerless) variety of
a real language. In contrast, scholars may experience considerable difficulty in
deciding whether one term should be used rather than the others in certain situation.
Haugen says that dialect is used both for local varieties of English, e.g.,
Yorkshire dialect, and for various type of informal, lower class, or rural speech. ‘In
general usage therefore it remains quite undefined whether such dialects are part of
the “language” or not. In fact, the dialect is often thought of as standing outside the
language.
We can observe too that questions such as ‘which language do you speak?’ or
‘which dialect do you speak in an identical manner.
The various relationships among language and dialect discussed above can be
used to show how the concepts of ‘power’ and ‘solidarity’ help us to understand
what is happening. Power requires some kind of asymmetrical relationship between
entities: one has more of something that is important, e.g. status, money, influence,
etc., than the other or others. A language has more power than any of its dialect. It is
the powerful dialect but it has become so because of non-linguistic factor. ‘A
language is a dialect with an army and a navy’ is a well-known observation.
2.4 Regional Dialect
Regional variation in the way of a language is spoken is likely to provide one
of the easiest ways of observing variety in language. As you travel throughout a wide
geographical area in which a language is spoken, and particularly if that language has

been spoken in that area for many hundreds of years, you are almost certain to notice
differences in pronunciation, in the choices and forms of words, and syntax.
There are some further interesting differences in the use of the terms dialect
and patois (Pety, 1980, pp. 24-5). Patois is usually used to describe only rural forms
of speech; we may talk about an urban dialect, but to talk about an urban patois
seems strange. Patois also seems to refer only to the speech of the lower strata in
society; again, we may talk about a middle-class dialect but not, apparently, about a
middle-class patois. Finally, a dialect usually has a wider geographical distribution
than a patoisseem unobjectionable, the same things cannot be said for regionalpatois
and village dialect.
When a language is recognized as being spoken in different varieties, the
issue becomes one of deciding how many varieties and how to classify each
varieties. Dialect geography is the term used to describe attempts made to map the
distributions of various linguistic features so as to show their geographical
provenance. For example, in seeking to determine features of the dialect of English
and to show their distributions, dialect geographers try to find answer to questions
such as the following. Is this an r-pronouncing area of English, as in words like car
and cart, or is it not? What past tense form of drink do speakers prefer? What names
do people give to particular objects in the environment, e.g., elevator or lift, petrol or
gas, carousel or roundabout? Sometime maps are drawn to show actual boundaries
around such as feature, boundaries called isoglosses, so as to distinguish an area in
which a certain feature is found from areas in which it is absent.

2.5 Language and class
Dialect refers to grammar and vocabulary (or lexis). For example, according
to which region of the UK you come from, you might use the word bairn as opposed
to child; according to which country you come from, you might use the word diaper
as opposed to nappy. Similarly, according to which region of the UK or the US you
come from, you might use a form like I might could do it as opposed to I might be
able to do it.
As prestigious dialect they are social rather than regional; that is they are
preferred by particular (usually higher) social groups, and in particular (usually more
formal) social situation. Standard English is often equated with ‘correct English’ and
in Britain is also known by terms which reflect its status, such as ‘Queen’s English’
or ‘BBC English.’
People who are classed as ‘professionals’, such as teachers, bank managers
and vicars, are usually considered to occupy comparatively high position on the
social scale and are not expected to use such as stigmatized forms. The extract above
demonstrates how it is assumed that such people will (should) automatically speak
the prestige variety, the variety which society associate with education and high
social standing.
The reason that these characterizations are used to communicate information
about social position and class division is that we, the readers, are expected to share a
common attitude towards linguistics varieties, a popular perception of which
varieties are ‘high’ and which are ‘low’. Lawrence is distinguishing between
unmarked and marked varieties (varieties which are consider to be the norm and

those which are seen as deviating from that norm) and he shows this in the spelling
system the adopts: slaip for sleep, coom for come, goo for go, and so on.
The same pattern of variation can be seen in lexical items. WC, lavatory, and
toilet are all acceptable in Standard English, and all refer to the same thing. But bog,
lav, privy, dunny and John are all non-standard words for the same object, and are
not only features of lower social varieties, but also can be categories in terms of
regional usage.
2.6 Formal and Informal language varieties
Whenwewant touse thelanguageto the other peoplewemustfirstknowto
whomweexpressour ideas, becausethere is also atermin the languageof
formalandnon-formallanguage, which isclearlydifferent fromthe two
variationsbothshapeandfunction. Formallanguages varietyusuallyusedfor thingsthat
isofficialandalsotargeted to thepeoplewhoare consideredrespectable. While,
informallanguageis a languagevarietyusedfordaily conversationandwithout having
tolook atthe situationofficial.
According to Nyoman ( ) that the formal language variety is referred to the
variety used in writing official letters, government documents, research reports,
business meetings, college lectures, academic seminars, etc. We use the language
when we are meeting with officers, writing condolence letters, and speaking to the
people that we are supposed to respect socially, may be all things considered as the
formal variety too.
Formallanguage variety is certainly more prestigious because it deals withthe
language of theseriousnatureof things and associated with great responsibility.To

findthe examplesofthe use offormaland informallanguagewe canconsider the
following.
In English the difference between the formal and informal variety can be
seen in the use of forms and vocabulary. The uses of complete forms such as I am, he
is, we are, they will, you have, you cannot, can be more formal than use of
contractions such as I’m, he’s, we’re, they’ll, you’ve, and you can’t. Uses of whom,
who, and which, as relative pronouns in complex sentence structures as well as use of
whom as the question word are all also regarded as examples of using formal English
variety. Uses of some words such as speech apologize, depart, acceptable, telephone,
have been often felt to be of formal variety too. Greetings such as good morning,
good evening, and the expression ‘thank you’ that are supposed to be used in certain
occasions may all be regarded as expressions of formal English variety.
Ifwehadalreadyseenan explanation of theformallanguageso now wewillseean
explanation ofinformallanguage. Nota matter thatweshoulduseonlyonelanguage
variation or use both but weshould be able to see situations,whenweuse the language.
As explanation of informal language varieties, certainly it is a low prestigious but it
is necessary to use in daily conversation.
The informal English variety is sometime referred to as the causal or
colloquial style. Causal or colloquial English words are more common in the spoken
than in the written English variety. We use informal words when talking with family,
relatives, neighbors, and friends in meal time, break session at school, at works, or
among colleagues. Greeting in English such as hi, hello, how are you going? What’s
going on? What’s up? Thanks, bye, are the examples of this variety.

2.7 High and Low Language Varieties
In a social life, we always find the differences, either in social status or in
way of people to socialize. In this section, the writer would like to describe the
application of two language varieties of a language in society. As Ferguson said that
situation in society that use two varieties is diglossia.
Diglossia is a relatively stable language situation in

which, in addition to the primary dialects of the
language (which may include a standard or regional
standards), there is a very divergent, highly codified
(often grammatically more complex) superposed
variety, the vehicle of a large and respected body of
written literature, either of one earlier period or in
another speech community, which is learned largely by
formal education and is used for most written and
formal spoken purposes but is not used by any sector of
the community for ordinary conversation. (Wardhaugh,
2010: 85)
The explanation above intends to convey that
diglossiacontentstwovarietieswithina society. In this thesisare discussed about High
and Low varieties. High and Low language varieties exist in a society because it
influences some factors asdescribingin theprevious,such dialect, social status, gender
and etc. Before weadvanceour deeperunderstanding, we should know about the
relations of language varieties with the society.
There are several possible relationships between language and society. One of
them is the social structure; it may either influence or determine the linguistic
structure and/or behavior.” (Wardhaugh 2010: 10). People who are in high position
incline using the upper class language because it is used in most of their activities. It
is also happened for people who are in low position in society that using lower class
language.

High language variety is always identical with upper class. Because high variety
comes from formal education, and formal situation, most of people who are upper
class are able to experience it. It is different with low variety which is applied by
people who are lower class. Because, the low variety come from public and not must
be prestigious, standard, and usually common people can use it.
High and low language varieties are sociolinguistics study which has relation
with society. People who want to talk with other people must look at the situation
when they are talking. The situation of people who use high and low variety said
Diglossia. “The term diglossia is used to refer to a situation where a language is
formally stratified (or perceived to be so) into an upper and lower variety” (Jendra,
2010: 49).
There are two situations in diglosia, the first is formal situation,it usually
happened in University, Church, Office and so on. The second is informal situation it
is usually happened in house, roommate, market and so on.
In diglossia situations people use the language for social function. It means to
whom the language are used. People should be able to match the language with the
purpose of their activity. “In situations ofdiglossiahigh-level language is
usedforaparticular function. Thismeans, the social functionis interpretedto answer
thequestion "what the field is" varietyis used. Seems tocharacterizethesituation
ofdiglossiaisthe specialization ofthe functions of eachvariety oflanguages.
(Sumarsono, 2004: 36-38)
A key defining characteristic of diglossia is that the two varieties are kept quite
apart in their functions. One is used in one set of circumstance and the other in an

entirely different set. For example, the H varieties may be used for delivering
sermons and formal lectures, especially in a parliament or legislative body, for giving
political speeches, for broadcasting the news on radio and television, and for writing
poetry, fine literature, and editorials in newspapers. In contrast, the L varieties may
be used in giving instructions to the workers in low prestige occupations or to the
household servants, in conversation with familiars, in ‘soap operas’ and popular
programs on the radio, in captions on political cartoon in newspapers, and in ‘folk
literature.’ On occasion, a person may lecture in an H variety but answer questions
about its contents or explain parts of it in an L variety so as to ensure understanding.
(Wardhaugh,2010: 85-86).
The H variety is the prestigious, powerful variety; the L variety lacks prestige
and power, in fact, there may be so little prestige attached to the L variety that people
may even deny that they know it although they may be observed to use it far more
frequently than H variety. Associated with this prestige valuation for the H variety,
there is likely to be a strong feeling that the prestige is deserved because the H
variety is more ‘beautiful’, ‘logical’, and ‘expressive’ than L variety.
Logic is the study of the methods and principles used to distinguish good
(correct) from bad (incorrect) reasoning.
Logic is sometimes defined as the science of reasoning. This definition is much
better, but it also will not do. Reasoning is a special kind of thinking in which
problems are solved, in which inference takes place, that is, in which conclusions are
drawn from premises.

The distinction between correct and incorrect reasoning is the central problem
with which the logic deals. The logician’s methods and techniques have been
developed primarily for the purpose of making this distinction clear. All reasoning
(regardless of its subject matter) is of interest to the logician –but this special concern
for its correctness is the logical focus.
It is not good ifthepeoplethatareclasses. It’sjust aseparatortounitethehuman
natureas social beings. Wardaughexplains inhis bookabout thelanguage class
varietythat had to dowith social class. This book helps me to find theories of
language varieties especially in high and Low class language.
Another important different between the H and L varieties is that all children
learn it at all; the H variety is also likely to be learned in some kinds of formal
setting, e.g., in classrooms or as parts of religious or cultural indoctrinations. To that
extent, the H variety is ‘taught,’ whereas the L variety is ‘learned.’ Teaching requires
the availability of grammars, dictionaries, standardized texts, and some widely
accepted view about the nature of what is being taught and how it is most effectively
to be taught.
Standardization refers to the process by which a language has been codified in
some ways. That process usually involves the development of such thing as
grammars, spelling books, and dictionaries and possibly a literature. The standard
variety is also often regarded as the natural, proper, and fitting language of those who
use –or should be use it.
Standard English is that variety of English which is usually used in print, and
which is normally taught in schools and to non-native speakers learning the

language. It is also the variety which is normally spoken by educated people and
used in news broadcasts and other similar situations. The difference between
standard and nonstandard, it should be noted, has nothing in principle to do with
differences between formal and colloquial language, or with concepts such as ‘bad
language.’ Standard English has colloquial as well as formal variants, and standard
English speakers swear as much as others. Trudgill (in Wardaugh, 2010; 33)
When we talk about being ‘higher’ or ‘lower’ on the social scale, or about
‘higher’ and ‘lower’ social classes, we are making the assumption that society can be
stratified according to the class. Stratification means dividing something into
hierarchical layers so that one layer is above or higher up than another one. People
on each layer have similarities with each other and are considered equals, but they
are different from, and not equal to, the people on the other layer. In the case of
social class, we commonly talk of ‘upper’ , ‘middle’ and ‘lower’ or ‘working’ class
stratification. (Linda Thomas 1999:125)
Abdul Chaer (2010) writes in his book entitled Sociolinguistics about High and
Low language varieties, Chaer reviews Fergusson’s article about high and low
varieties
From the reviewing, so diglossia can be concluded become nine topics such as
function, prestigious, Literature, acquisition, standardization, stabilization,
grammatical, lexicon, and phonology.
Functionis averyimportant diglossia criterion. According to Ferguson, insociety
of diglosisthere aretwovariationsofalanguage: The firstvariationis

calledhighdialect(abbreviated dialect of H orHvariety), and the secondis calledthe
lowdialect(abbreviateddialect of LorLvariety).
The distribution of functional dialect of H varietyandL varietymeans thatthere isa
situationwhere theonlydialectHissuitable to use. The function of His
onlyusedinformalsituations, whiles thefunction of Lis onlyinan
informalandrelaxedsituation.
The application of H variety or L variety which is not accordance with situation
effect the speaker become an attention, maylead toridicule, scorn, orlaughanother
person. Literatureandpoetryof the people certainly useL variety, butmanymembers of
the peoplewho thinkthat theonlyliterature and poetryinH varietyactuallyare a real
literary work. In formal education H variety is used as language of instruction but it
always is not enough. Therefore it is helped by L variety.
Prestige. In the society of diglosis the speaker always thinks that H variety is
more prestigious, more superior, more prominent, and a logic language. Whereas, the
L variety is considered inferior, instead deny it. To know H variety the applicant
needs effort such as formal education so that it becomes more prestigious than L
variety which can be learned in daily conversation.
Literary heritage. Ifthere arealso literary works ofcontemporary by using a H
variety, thenperceivedas acontinuationof that tradition, thatliterary worksshould bein
theH variety.The tradition of literature is alwaysin theH variety (at least in
thefourexamplesabove) causeditbecomesstrange in society. However, itremains and
isrooted inliterature, bothin the country which is speaking of Arabic, Greek in
Greece, French inHaiti, and theGermanlanguagein Switzerland.

Acquisition. H variety isobtainedby learninginformaleducation, while L varietyis
obtainedfrom the associationwithfamilyandpeers. Therefore, thosewhohave
neverentered the formaleducationwouldnotknow the H variety at all.
In society of diglosismany of educated man masterthe rules ofdiverse of H
variety, butnot fluently in usingthat variety. Indeed, they don’t know or never noticed
the Grammatical of H variety, but they can apply it fluently. Insomecommunities of
diglosisevenmanyspeakerswhosaythat the L variety has nogrammar.
Standardization. Becauseof H variety is seen asprestigious, it isnotsurprising
thatthe standardizationcarried out ontheH varietythroughformalcodification.
Dictionary, grammar, directory of, and arulebookforthe correctuse ofwrittenforan H
variety.Otherwise, the L variety is nevertaken care ofand cared for. It is a rarely of
study which discusses about L variety, or specification of L variety.
Stabilization. The stabilization usually exists in society which maintains a
language variety. Conflict and difference between H variety and L variety in society
of diglosis always occurs because the development in mixed form which has
characteristic of H variety and L variety.
Grammatical. According to Ferguson that H variety and L variety in diglosia is
form of same language; but, in grammatical is found differently.
Lexicon. Most of H variety and L variety are same. But, there is no finding that H
variety has pairs in L variety or otherwise, there is no L variety which has a pair in H
variety. The characteristic of diglosia is having pairs of vocabularies, for an H variety
and L variety, and t is iusual for general concept.

Phonology. In study of Phonology the differences of H variety and L variety are
found. These differences can be close and can be far. According to Ferguson the
sound system of H variety and L variety is single; but phonology of H is a basic
system while the L is variation. The T variety is closer with general form.

CHAPTER III
THE METHOD OF STUDY
3.1 Research Method
In completing this thesis, the writer applies some theories, opinion, which
relevant to analyze the main data from literary work entitled Death of a salesman. It
is needed a method to complete this thesis, as Bungin (2005: 40-41) said that there
are three kinds of research based on the location of the research library, laboratory,
and field research. In doing this thesis, the writer uses the library research. Library
research is a research conducted by learning books of brochure literature, magazine
and various articles which have relevance with the problems in this research.
Library research is a research done by collecting data

from many kind of literature, whether in the library or
any other place. Literature used is not only limited on
books but also on the magazines, newspaper, and
another written documentation relevant studies,
principles, opinion, ideas, etc. found with it which can
be used to analyze and solve problems investigated
(Nawawi, 1991: 30)
The writer reads some books which relevant to this research as theories. The
Theories must be supporting the main data to be analyzed so that the analysis
becomes valid.
3.2 Data and Data Source
The main data of this thesis is taken from the Drama entitled Death of a
salesman,in quotations form. There are so many data but to limit the data, the writer
selects the equations which are most accurate to be analyzed. In other words, the data
which is quoted as the sampling represent of other data.

Purposive sampling is a technique of taking the sample
which is suitable to purpose of research. The count of
the sample is not problem as in accidental sampling the
scope of the sample only take the unit of sample that is
appropriate to the purpose of research. (Nawawi, 1991:
157)
3.3 Data Collecting Method
In collecting the data, the writer applies the documentation method. This
method is applied because the source of the data in this research is written source.
This method is a kind of technique of collecting the data through written document,
especially books like Drama or Play, which are related to research problem. As
Nawawi (1991: 133) says “Documentation method is a kind of technique of
collecting the data by categorizing and classifying the written document that has
relation with the problem discussed, whether from document or books, newspaper,
magazine, etc. The writer uses writing source data obtained from a drama Death of a
salesman by Arthur Miller. To support this analysis, relevant theories from written
source are connected.
3.4 Data Analyzing Method
The writer uses descriptive analysis. The method of data analysis applied to
describe the high and low language variety in a drama Death of a salesman. I find
out sample of high and low language variety firstly. After finding, I describe the data,
how the language variety applied.

CHAPTER IV
AN ANALYSIS OF HIGH AND LOW LANGUAGE VARIETIES FOUND IN
ARTHUR MILLER’S DRAMA DEATH OF A SALESMAN
Language variety exists in society. As the following reflection of literary
work entitledDeath of a salesman, in this Drama is also found some sample of
language variety which is used by characters. Actually, the author of this drama is
Arthur miller who is the originator of language variety maker in the drama. He is an
American playwright who writes many literary the best literary works. Therefore, in
this chapter the writer would like to find out the language variety which is used in the
drama and describe the language variety which is associated with society.
The writer would like to divide the language variety found into two kinds, the
first is High variety and the second is Low variety. Actually, so many kinds of
language variety found in this drama but to limit the research only two kinds of
language variety can be representation.
4.1 The high variety
The theory of high language variety has elaborated in previous chapter. In
this chapter the writer would like to elaborate the high language variety found in the
Drama Death of a salesman. In the Drama consist of high language variety, but not
all of high language varieties described, just sample of more important and become
representation.
The usage of high language variety in the drama mostly is applied by
characters but the characters who more nominate are Willy Loman and his wife,
Linda. Willy is educated man, reflected when he is talking and his idea through his

language. According to the theory, the characteristic of high language variety is more
prestigious. Willy always speaks to his son and his wife using high variety, and
prestigious. He knows how to use the high variety because he is an educated man,
and at the same time wants to show that he is a success one.
Willy. They don’t need me in New York. I’m the New

England man. I’m vital in New England.
Linda. But you’re sixty years old. They can’t expect
you to keep traveling every week. (p. 5)
The prestigious language above which is used by Willy about impressiveness.
There are reflected that Willy is in good position of an area, New England. As we
know that in society, influential people will be respected, it means status of the man
should be higher class. But, in the drama Willy is a lower class in economy. To show
existent of life, Willy uses high variety that is impressive language. The word Vital is
a good diction to tell about important thing. It is familiar to educated people because
the word comes from formal education. Furthermore, the meaning of Willy’s
language is logic. The vital man should be needed; if people don’t need vital man
anymore means trouble will be happened.
The Willy’s statement consists of deep meaning, just special man can say like
that. Therefore, Linda as Willy’s wife contradicts the Willy’s statement. It is too hard
to prove the reality of the statement. Linda knows that it is impossible because Willy
is a Salesman, not personage one who can effect to public. The language only can be
used by real people, such as public figure or government.
In the context of life actualization, high variety also can be required so that it
is apparently serious. The high variety usually is used for the serious things so that
become more prestigious. Willy wants to actualize his though using high language

variety even though it is not appropriate with situation. Therefore, he achieves
attention, and the attention such as refutation.
Linda is a kind wife for Willy because she always receives high variety but
not exactly on object. It should be done to respect the right of other people. Besides
kind, Linda is educated woman, proved by her respond, statement and use high
variety. Linda. Well, dear, life is a casting off. It’s always that way (p.5).
Linda talks about the meaning of life. Only educated man can talk the
meaning of life because it is a critical thinking, about the meaning of life or
philosophy. The statement of life is a casting off is a philosophical language,
prestigious and logic. To say something whichis related to life she uses the complete
sentence. The word of ‘life’ is a wide meaning, need much time to discuss and
explore the definition and also the word of ‘casting,’ because it is like philosophy
study. People talk to other and indicated philosophy meaning is prestigious and
should be respected.
Linda continuous the statement it’s always that way. It’s a powerful statement
to convince the other people. The statement has powerful because consists of serious
and certain, should be heard and believed.
Willy. Biff Loman is lost. In the greatest country in the

world a young man with such personal attractiveness,
gets lost. And such a hard worker. There’s one thing
about Biff-he’s not lazy. (p. 6)
Linda. Never
If the high language variety is compared with condition of Willy, will be
exaggerated; be viewed in term of using of the language indeed prestigious. As the
sentence of in the greatest country in the world a young man with such as personal

attractiveness, gets lost. It is high variety, language of an educated man. Even though
Willy is a salesman but he is an educated man. The language is powerful to speak.
Everyone who hears it will be unnerved.
The Willy’s statement is about style of people. According to his opinion
people should be personal attractiveness. It is impossible if people who are personal
attractiveness get lost something. The category of high variety from that statement is
about using the language; Willy uses word ‘attractiveness’ to prove that his idea is
always right. The meaning of that word is deep, only people who are upper class
always say it. Will takes position like upper class to prove his existent.
In the context of application of high variety, Willy became an object of
people around of him because not appropriate with situations. The function of high
variety usually related with formal situation but Willy uses the high variety in family
situation. It means trouble can be happened.
When Willy speaks to Linda, the situation is informal and the high variety
used meaning to agitate people, usually used by public figure such as government.
For example, the word of “the greatest country” means the power of country and
“personal attractiveness” means high class life style.
In the United Stated of America ever exist term American Dream, which
means good appearance as important thing to show the successful. More good
appearance means more successful. In this context, the drama tells about American
dream concept and Willy believes that concept, but Willy’ appearance is contradict
with his condition and his language. The high variety should be said by higher class
people but not with Willy.

In a society of Diglosia the speaker usually assume that high variety is more
prestigious, more superior, more prominent and the logic language. Beside good
appearance, apparently high language variety is one of requirements to show the
successfulness. Besides to prove his idea Willy also wants to be respected as a
successful man therefore he use the high variety. It is certainly that people would
look down for Willy if he uses the Low language variety. There is no interesting
thing to be proud besides his appearance and his words.
Willy. (calling after him). Don’t curse in this house!

Biff. (turning). Since when did you get so clean?
Willy. Don’t use that language to me! I won’t have it!
Happy. (grabbing Biff, shouts). Wait a minute! I got an
idea. I got a feasible idea. Come here, Biff, let’s talk
this over now, let’s talk some sense here. When I was
down in Florida last time, I thought of a great idea to
sell sporting goods. It just came back to me. You and I,
Biff-we have a line. We train a couple of weeks, and
put on a couple of exhibitions, see? (p.22)
The word of course used as substitute phrase for people who get angry. As
Oxford dictionary tells that a rude or offensive word or phrase that some people use
when they are very angry. It means the word can accepted than other word such as
more low variety. If we compare the word with low variety should be rude word and
may make him low.
Actually, Willy can say more lack prestigious language because the situation
is informal and he talks with his sons. But Willy uses more beautiful language to
express his angry, to prove that he is educated man. Good expression makes other
people impressive even though it is an anger expression. It has always been done by
people who are intellect and in upper class in society.

The purpose of his son, Biff is to say something profanity but it is changed
with words oh, Jesus, I’m going to sleep! The statement is not relevant with context.
As we know the words for God should be worship but Biff want to abuse the purpose
so it sounds like annoying. Usually, Biff use low language variety to express his
regret but in this context he want to try make his father get angry to and Willy is
success to annoy it with good word. It is different with Willy. Biff is error to look
situation because he use the prestigious language in informal situation.
This following sentence is a complete sentence as one of characteristics of
formal language. Who speaks to whom is a case how important the high variety.
Increasingly the conversation so the sentence should be complete.
Willy. Will you stop? (To Biff) walk in very serious,

you are not applying for a boy’s job. Money is to pass.
Be quite, fine, and serious. Everybody likes a kidder,
but nobody lends him money. (p.22)
The sentence of everybody likes a kidder, but nobody lends him money
consists of complete sentence. It is connected one sentence to the other by but. In
other words there are found the word of applying, which always used for educated
man or academic and scientific language. Actually, this conversation between Willy
and his son Biff is a serious situation proved by word serious. The high language
variety also consists of serious thing besides the formal situation.
As well as the following sentence this consists of complex sentence. In a
society believed that high variety consist of complex sentence with subordination
construction.
Howard. Oh, I could understand that, Willy. But you’re

a road man, Willy, and we do a road business. We’ve
only got a half-dozen salesman on the floor here.

The structure of language above is good and according to grammatically the
statement of Howard is complex. There are found subordination and main sentence
which is connected one to the other. Besides that, the term of business and salesman
is language used by office man.
It is a normal to talk something with complete sentence in formal situation.
Howard explains a presentation of business to Willy in the office and he uses
complete sentence as formal situation and to prove that it is a serious.
Willy. Like a young god. Hercules something like that.

And the sun, the sun all around him. Remember how he
weaved to me? Right up from the field, with the
representatives of three colleges standing by? And the
buyer I brought, and the cheers when he came out-
Loman, Loman! God Almighty, he’ll be great yet. A star
like that, magnificent, can never really fade away!
Linda. (timidly) Willy dear, what has he got against you? (p.24)
The word of representatives is a scientific language which is used by scientist
generally. Willy knows about the word so that it is fair if he states that language.
There are many of the word equivalents to express “representatives” or pair of word
which is more commonly used in a society. But, it will not be serious or not be
prestigious to agitate the other. Linda as Willy’s wife appreciate him even though the
language which used by Will is high variety in daily conversation. In context of
expectation, Willy also involves the name of God, as theory states that one of formal
situations is when stand at synagogue such as church, mosque, and so on. It means,
when we are involved in utterance for God, should be using high language variety.
The words like “God almighty” is a high variety which only utterance for God.
Talk about situation, cannot be separated with formal situation. We have been
talking about formal situation concern for God above, so this following talk about

formal situation between employee and leader. The language should be high variety.
Howard is a leader in Willy’s office. Howard usually speaks in complete sentence
and more explanatory and the sentence is serious because related with business or job
in the office.
Howard. I bought it for dictation, but you can do

anything with it. Listen to what I picked up. The first
one is my daughter. Get this (He flicks the switch and
“Roll out the Barrel” is heard being whistled) Listen to
that kid whistle. (p. 26)
The language above is a complete sentence, because the sentence is a
command of leader to the employee. I bought it for dictation, but you can do
anything with it. The sentence consists of meaning that the power belongs only to
Howard.
Howard Says in the high language variety. It should be in formal situation
because it is a conversation between the leader and employee. As a leader, Howard
should be seriously for the employee as well as with prestigious of the language.
Even though, Willy is a salesman but Howard takes care for him, including talk to
employee. It determines who speak to whom, if the language is good means other
people will respect and otherwise.
The style of Howard is like equal with Willy in conversation, therefore Willy
is bereaves to express his idea.
Willy. I’m definitely going to get one. Because

lots of time I’m on the road, and I think to
myself, what I must be missing on the radio.
(p.27)
Willy’s language is a logic because need comprehension. It needs critical
thinking because it is not common sentence. There are found sentence I’m definitely

going to get one. If we interpret it like no meaning, so we must know the next
sentence, Because lots of time I’m on the road. This sentence is clearer than previous
but also need critical for clarify the meaning. The common meaning is Willy spends
all of his time on the road, in other word he lives on the road. It is impossible
because Willy has family and has a house.
The language is a high variety which needed deeply comprehension. It will be
disconnected if common people who listen to that sentence. Willy is an educated
man as well as Howard so the language that used always in high language variety.
The purpose of Willy to say that is to express his idea about his time mostly dedicate
for company because of that he want to tell that he is eligible to receive the reward.
In high language variety also interrelated with “beautiful” language. It means
language which is beautiful belong to high variety. It usually is found in literary
work such as poetry, novel and so on. In this Drama also found some sample of
beautiful language. The characteristics of beautiful language are very good or
skillful. According to Dictionary of Oxford about beautiful, “having beauty; pleasing
to the senses or the mind and Very good or skillful.”
Willy. (With hatred, threateningly). The door of your

life is wide open! (p.45)
The point of the beautiful language is nice words which make beautifulness
for people who hear that. As Willy’s words above is like non literal meaning to
describe purpose. The literal meaning of the door of your life actually hard to know
because the meaning of life is wide so it should be having non literal meaning to
represent all of aspect of life. It is too hard and difficult to appear all aspect of life

therefore written the door of life. It may be soul, feature, and so on. Then furthered is
wide open it means wide opportunity.
Ben. The jungle is dark but full of diamonds, Willy (p.

46)
The statement of Ben also describes about beautiful language to convey that
life is hard but there are source of happiness. The meaning of the statement is
different with the certain meaning. As we know that Diamond is taken from jungle
but if it is the purpose of Ben to say actually it is unimportant.
Ben is a man and Willy is a man, should be serious conversation talked. Most
of people know that Diamond is taken from jungle including children know about
that. Ben is mot child any more. He wants to tell something with unusual language,
with beautiful language so that more high prestigious conversation. “The jungle”
means a place of creature included human being, “dark” means uncertainty, “full of
diamond” means full of hope, happiness and wealthy. The real meaning is the world
is cruel but full of happiness for creature.
The words is grammatically, support one to the other. The word of jungle is
related with dark, but not all of jungle full of diamond, and Diamond should be found
in jungle, so every word support each other. The beautiful is in Diamond because it
describe of importing thing which is searched.
Besides beautiful as characteristic of high language variety, logic is also as
category high variety. Mostly, logic statements are found in the drama but to limit
the analysis, the writer would like to analyze part of them. As following quotation
bellow is categorized high variety.
Willy. No man only needs a little salary. (p.47)

According to fact in society, the statement is true because everyone needs
much salary. Logically, the word of ‘no’ means negative statement, ‘only’ means no
others of are there, and followed by ‘needs a little salary’ means importing thing to
people. If the necessity of people is reduced, effect to existent of people. Therefore
no one lose their existent (salary or important thing). The statement is logic so
categorized as high language variety.
4.2 The low Variety
In previous described about high language variety, and this following analysis
would like to describe about Low language variety found in the Drama Death of a
salesman.
The writer takes sample as representation of low variety. There are two
characters, Biff and Happy, the son of Willy. They are characters who are always use
low language variety than other character.
Biff. (with deep sentiment). Funny, Biff, y know? Us

sleeping in here again? The old beds. (He pets his bed
affectionately) All the talk that went across those two beds,
huh? Our whole lives. (p.7)
The statement of Biff is ungrammatically and not standard. For example, ‘Us
sleeping in here again?’ It should be grammatical, such as ‘are we sleeping in here
again?’ it means that the statement of Biff is Low variety because ungrammatically.
Biff uses the low variety because in informal situation with his brother, no
prosecute must talk in high variety. Moreover, the ungrammatical language is fine to
daily conversation, to show solidarity.

Biff. George and Sam and Frank, come out back! We’re
hangin’ up the wash! Come on Hap, on the double ! (he
and happy carry out the basket) (P.12)
Biff. I’m tellin’ you kid, if you were with me I’d be happy out there
(p.8)
Biff. No kiddin’! (p.9)
The pronunciation of the sentence we’re hangin is like Black people of American
style that always talk in nonstandard English language. The word hangin’ should be
like we are hanging. Black people of American always speak different necessarily
especially for them whom are marginalized, because it is a form of resistant for white
people. Black people are a low prestigious race in America, so they are different with
white people who are higher prestigious race. All people are equal for the right,
should be no discrimination. One way of Black people prove it through the language.
They modify the Standard language of English become low variety like sentence
above, the pronunciation of ng (ŋ) is eliminated. According to RP (Receive
pronunciation, it is incorrect.
The incorrect form above is actually low variety, but according to situation in
society who always uses it as daily conversation become more interesting thing to
use. In this drama is found many of incorrect pronunciation used, and not a trouble
for usage. But the other people who hear it may know the incorrect pronunciation, in
other word come from lower class.
In additional to incorrect pronunciation found also in the drama Slang word
which is nonstandard English. It is classified in low variety and used for informal
situation. Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered
standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered acceptable in certain

social settings. Slang expressions may act as euphemisms and may be used as a
means of identifying with one's peers.
Biff. Not if you’re gonna be there (p.11)
Biff. What the hell is the matter with him?
The statement of Biff above use slang language gonna, in real form is going
to. The standard form becomes different. It means that the language is classified in
low variety. And also with statement what the hell is the matter with him? That
language is not logic and not prestigious because hell is abstract and refers to the
meaning of hell in religions, the place believed to be the home of devil and where
bad people go after dead (Oxford dictionary).
The word of hell is an invective to others. It is low prestigious because people
who are educated should not speak like that. So many words can be applied beside
the word, which more respected and prestigious.
Arthur Miller makes the drama and use the low variety to show for reader
that the culture of a society using empty meaning as expression of angry. It is exist in
society as reflection of lower class. People who are lower class careless for formal
situation because it cannot be change their life. Therefore, people who are lower
class tend to use words that have empty meaning. It is different with they are higher
class always use the high variety to keep their prestigious.
Biff. (stopping Happy with a gesture). Finally, about

five o’clock, he comes out. Didn’t remember who I was
or anything. I felt like such an idiot, hap (p.36)
Happy. Did you tell him my Florida idea?

The ungrammatically sentence is a low prestigious and also not impressive to
other people. Like above didn’t remember who I was or anything. I felt like such an
idiot, hap. The sentence is not clearly what topic it is. In other hand, for using word
idiot is not formal language or not educational word in conversation.
The expression of Biff is disappointed because his desire is not realized. For
express his disappointed he uses the low variety to show how bad is it that makes
him disappointing. Idiot means a very stupid person or a person with a very low
intelligence that cannot think or behave normally. A very stupid person does
everything without ting the risk even though it is danger. But if it is synchronized to
normal person become illogically and not appropriate.
Biff. He walked away. I saw him for one minute. I got

so mad I could’ve torn the walls down! How the hell
did I ever get the idea I was a salesman there? I even
believed myself that I’d been a salesman for him! And
then he gave me one look and –I realized what a
ridiculous lie my whole life has been! We’ve been
talking in a dream for fifteen years. I was a shipping
clerk. (p.36)
The language above is a daily conversation, illogically, low prestigious. It is a
daily conversation because the words are not impressiveness for listener. I even
believed myself that I’d been a salesman for him. The topic is about privation of
person. The privation is not talked in formal situation for business and so on. It is
talked with friend, family, husband, and wife. Language used for them certainly in
low variety so that more closely, because the situation is informal.
Besides that, there is illogical language because the purpose is not clear. Such
as, We’ve been talking in a dream for fifteen years. I was a shipping clerk. Talking in
dream is about empty words, because how people can talk in unreal situation like in

dream. In formal situation this statement is not useful and not priority but in informal
situation it could be interesting to express ideas.
The following languages are also categorized in low variety because using the
profanity. In low variety it is a low prestigious which is used by people in lower class
statutes such vagrant. They are freedom to say everything without think deeply. For
example the language, that was an awful dumb what’d you do that for?
Arthur Miller uses the language to describe that Happy has a freedom to talk.
People can talk freely but depend on the situation, because it is informal situation so
low variety become close conversation to other.
Damn means a swear word that people use to show that they are annoyed,
disappointed, etc. it is informal word. The characteristics of low language variety are
contrasted with high variety. The vain word is also form of low variety such as
Damn. The word is not beautiful, because most of people will be disgusted to hear it.
The word should not be told to human being. If it is told to people more over in
formal situation,
Happy. That was an awful dumb what’d you do that

for?(p.36)
Happy. Damn right!
Crazy means not sensible; stupid. The word is not beautiful to other people in
formal situation because it is an illogical language. If we are talking with someone
who has good intelligent mind but we say crazy. It will be trouble, not appropriate
for formal situation. The risk is people will be angry; the speaker will be object of
criticism. Happy. You crazy? What for?

The application of low variety crazy is about surprise expression. Happy
thinks something impossible become reality. So he is shocked, doesn’t know to say
something, and spontaneous. The word is expression and no literal meaning because
it must be different with the reality.

CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusions
The previous chapter discusses about language variety especially about high
and low language variety, and then it can be concluded into some important points.
The drama Death of a Salesman which is as object of analysis consists of high and
low language varieties.
The dominant characters that use high variety as the educated people are
Willy Loman and Linda. They are not absolute to use high variety even though they
are educated man because the situation is also determined to use language variety.
The high variety is various in the drama so that the need to sort out for
effectiveness. For example of high variety found in the drama charactering such as
grammatically, the language more ‘beautiful,’ powerful and logical. All of
characteristics are represented as founding.
In the drama some high language variety are found. It can be said as high
variety because the characteristics of the language variety are appropriate with the
theory of high variety. The applying of the high variety is dominated to show the
existent of life. Based on the setting and the status of characters are far to category
them into the upper class. But, depend on the existent of life high variety is away to
show that someone is successful like upper class people.
In addition, the conversation among the characters are various, sometime the
use high variety and sometime the use low variety, they are depended on the
situation. When the characters use high variety because of the existent, and use low
variety because of expressing of disappointed.

It is not different with using of high variety that low varieties were also
found in the Drama. The characteristics of low variety are contrast with high variety
such as low prestigious, low powerful, not standard, unbeautiful and illogical.
The samples of low variety are ‘gonna,’ ‘goin,’ ‘crazy,’ ‘damn’, and so on
(see in chapter IV). The samples are low variety because a contrast with the high
variety. The characters uses the low variety because speak with friend in formal
situation. The samples of nonstandard words above are used to communicate in
informal situation.
The maker of language variety in the drama is Arthur Miller, but written in a
drama which is not different mostly in society life. Therefore the language is
variation. Actually, the applicators of high variety in the drama are various too. But,
it is dominated by Willy and Linda. Therefore, they are representation to show high
variety found in the drama.
5.2 Suggestions
After analyzing the drama Death of a salesman, the high and low language
variety are found. It is a drama that is made by a playwright. The drama is written
based on the reflection from a social life. This thesis will be perfect if it is not only
analyzed from literary works but it should from field research. Every time the social
life may be changed, and also the language. In the real social life people, social
status, culture and ideology are dynamic. It will be more relevant to nowadays era;
therefore the field research is more relevant.
The physiology approach to analyze the characters speaking to the others is
needed in this thesis. From physiologycal approach can be known why the characters

speak by using the language varieties. In other hand, the physiology approach is to
know the honesty of characters, expressing their idea through language.
The drama consists of language varieties, not only high and low variety. It
will be perfect if all of language varieties which are found in the drama are also
analyzed.

REFERENCES
Bolinger, Dwight. 1975. Aspects of Language. New York: Harcourt Brace

Jovanovic, Inc.
Chamber, J.K and Trudgill, Peter. 1980. Dialectology. Cambridge: University of

Cambridge.
Chaer, Abdul. 1994. Linguistik Umum. Jakarta: Penerbit Rineka Cipta.
Chambers, J.K. 2009. Sociolinguistics Theory. United Kingdom :Willey-Blackwell.
Hudson, R.A. 1999. Sociolinguistics: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Irving M. Copi and Carl Cohen. Introduction to Logic:New York. Macmillan

Publishing Company:
Jendra, M.I.I. 2010. Sociolinguistics. Yogyakarta: Graha Ilmu.
Sumarsono and Partana, Paina. 2004. Sosiolinguistik. Yogyakarta: SABDA-Pustaka

Pelajar.
Thomas, Lindan and Wareing, Shan. 1999. Language, Society and Power. London:
Routledge.
Subroto, Edi. 2007. Pengantar Metode Penelitian Linguistik Struktural. Surakarta:

Universitas Sebelas Maret
Taylor, Richard. 1981. Understanding the elements of literature. London: The

Machmillan Press Ltd.
Verhar, J.W.M. 1996. Asas-Asas Linguistik Umum. Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada

University Press.
Wardhaugh, Ronald. 2010. An introduction to sociolinguistics. United Kingdom:

Wiley-Blackwell.
________ July 2013. Slang. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slang (July

2013)

October2013. Synopsis of Death of a Salesman from
http://www.bard.org/Education/studyguides/Death/deathsyn.html#.Ul-4_iepi-4
October 2001. Biography of Arthur Miller from://www.neh.gov/about/awards/jefferson-

lecture/arthur-miller-biography

APPENDIX
Summary of Death of a Salesman
The story of Death of a Salesman is told partly through the mind and memory
of Willy Loman, the protagonist. The times of the play's action fluctuate between
1942 and 1928, making a simple narration of plot impossible and probably not very
meaningful, thus a summary of the action, not necessarily in the order of the play, is
much more helpful:
Willy Loman has been a traveling salesman for thirty-four years, and he likes
to think of himself as being vital to the New England territory he works. He
constantly compares himself to Dave Singleton, a salesman who would go into a
town, pick up a phone, and place many orders without ever leaving his hotel room.
When Dave died, people from all over the country came to his funeral.
But, as the play opens, Willy has just come back home after having left for
New England that morning. He tells his wife, Linda, that he just can't seem to keep
his mind on driving anymore. He asks about his son, Biff, who has just come home
for a visit after being away for a long time. Willy thinks about Biff when Biff was a
senior in high school some fourteen years ago. Biff was playing in a great football
game, and people were coming from all over the country to offer him scholarships.
But then something happened to Biff. He never fulfilled the potential Willy felt he
had. Later, Willy reveals through his disjointed memories that Biff had caught him
with another woman in his motel room in Boston. After this episode, Biff seemed to
hold a grudge against his father and could never again bring himself to trust him.

Now, after some fourteen years of wandering and working odd jobs, Biff
returns home. He and his brother, Happy, decide to ask Bill Oliver, whom Biff used
to work for, for a loan of $10,000 to begin a business of their own. The boys tell
Willy about their plans, and Willy thinks that together the two could absolutely
conquer the world. He goes on to explain that the important thing in life is to be well-
liked.
The next day, Willy is to meet the boys for dinner in a restaurant. He is so
pleased to have his boys with him that he decides to ask his boss for an office job in
New York City, to get him off the road. But his boss tells him there is no room, and
then fires him instead. Thus, suddenly, Willy's day has reversed, and he has to go to
an old friend, Charley, to borrow enough money to pay his insurance premium. We
then find out that Willy has been borrowing fifty dollars a week from Charley for
quite some time, and then pretending that this amount is his salary.
Trying to explain that he has been living an illusion, Biff meets Happy in the
restaurant early, and claims he wants to make everyone (especially Willy) understand
Biff is not the man Willy thinks he is. But when Willy arrives, he tells the boys that
he has been fired and he refuses to listen to Biff's story. Willy simply pretends that
Biff has another appointment the following day. Willy gets furious and is about to
make a scene. Suddenly, when Willy goes to the bathroom, Biff, out of frustration,
leaves the restaurant. Happy, who has picked up two girls, follows him and leaves
Willy alone.
Later that night, Biff comes home and finds Willy out in the backyard,
apparently losing his wits planting seeds and talking to his brother, Ben, who has

been dead for nine months. Biff explains to Willy that it would be best if they break
with each other and never see one another again. He tries once again to explain that
he is no leader of men and that he is a common person. But Willy refuses to believe
him and tells Biff once again how great he could be. He then resolves on suicide,
which he has hinted at before, because with $20,000 in insurance benefits, Biff could
be such a magnificent person. Thus, Willy commits suicide. But he dies a forgotten
man, and nobody but his family attends the funeral.

Biography of Arthur Miller
"The American Dream is the largely unacknowledged screen in front of
which all American writing plays itself out," Arthur Miller has said. "Whoever is
writing in the United States is using the American Dream as an ironical pole of his
story. People elsewhere tend to accept, to a far greater degree anyway, that the
conditions of life are hostile to man's pretensions." In Miller's more than thirty plays,
which have won him a Pulitzer Prize and multiple Tony Awards, he puts in question
"death and betrayal and injustice and how we are to account for this little life of
ours."
For nearly six decades, Miller has been creating characters that wrestle with
power conflicts, personal and social responsibility, the repercussions of past actions,
and the twin poles of guilt and hope. In his writing and in his role in public life,
Miller articulates his profound political and moral convictions. He once said he
thought theater could "change the world." The Crucible, which premiered in 1953, is
a fictionalization of the Salem witch-hunts of 1692, but it also deals in an allegorical
manner with the House Un-American Activities Committee. In a note to the play,
Miller writes, "A political policy is equated with moral right, and opposition to it
with diabolical malevolence." Dealing as it did with highly charged current events,
the play received unfavorable reviews and Miller was cold-shouldered by many
colleagues. When the political situation shifted, Death of a Salesman went on to
become Miller's most celebrated and most produced play, which he directed at the
People's Art Theatre in Beijing in 1983.

A modern tragedian, Miller says he looks to the Greeks for inspiration,
particularly Sophocles. "I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the
presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one
thing-his sense of personal dignity," Miller writes. "From Orestes to Hamlet, Medea
to Macbeth, the underlying struggle is that of the individual attempting to gain his
'rightful' position in his society." Miller considers the common man "as apt a subject
for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were." Death of a Salesman, which opened in
1949, tells the story of Willy Loman, an aging salesman who makes his way "on a
smile and a shoeshine." Miller lifts Willy's illusions and failures, his anguish and his
family relationships, to the scale of a tragic hero. The fear of being displaced or
having our image of what and who we are destroyed is best known to the common
man, Miller believes. "It is time that we, who are without kings, took up this bright
thread of our history and followed it to the only place it can possibly lead in our
time-the heart and spirit of the average man."
Arthur Asher Miller, the son of a women's clothing company owner, was
born in 1915 in New York City. His father lost his business in the Depression and the
family was forced to move to a smaller home in Brooklyn. After graduating from
high school, Miller worked jobs ranging from radio singer to truck driver to clerk in
an automobile-parts warehouse. Miller began writing plays as a student at the
University of Michigan, joining the Federal Theater Project in New York City after
he received his degree. His first Broadway play, The Man Who Had All the Luck,
opened in 1944 and his next play, All My Sons, received the Drama Critics' Circle
Award. His 1949 Death of a Salesman won the Pulitzer Prize. In 1956 and 1957,
Miller was subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee and was

convicted of contempt of Congress for his refusal to identify writers believed to hold
Communist sympathies. The following year, the United States Court of Appeals
overturned the conviction. In 1959 the National Institute of Arts and Letters awarded
him the Gold Medal for Drama. Miller has been married three times: to Mary Grace
Slattery in 1940, Marilyn Monroe in 1956, and photographer Inge Morath in 1962,
with whom he lives in Connecticut. He and Inge have a daughter, Rebecca. Among
his works are A View from the Bridge, The Misfits, After the Fall, Incident at Vichy,
The Price, The American Clock, Broken Glass, Mr. Peters' Connections, and
Timebends, his autobiography. Miller's writing has earned him a lifetime of honors,
including the Pulitzer Prize, seven Tony Awards, two Drama Critics Circle Awards,
an Obie, an Olivier, the John F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the
Dorothy and Lillian Gish prize. He holds honorary doctorate degrees from Oxford
University and Harvard University.
Throughout his life and work, Miller has remained socially engaged and has
written with conscience, clarity, and compassion. As Chris Keller says to his mother
in All My Sons, "Once and for all you must know that there's a universe of people
outside, and you're responsible to it." Miller's work is infused with his sense of
responsibility to humanity and to his audience. "The playwright is nothing without
his audience," he writes. "He is one of the audience who happens to know how to
speak."

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AN ANALYSIS OF HIGH AND LOW LANGUAGE

VARIETIES FOUND IN ARTHUR MILLER’S DRAMA

FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA

Universitas Sumatera Utara

REG. NO. 110721004

Universitas Sumatera Utara

Universitas Sumatera Utara

the degree of Sarjana Sastra from the Department of English, Faculty of

Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara, Medan.

The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural Studies

University of Sumatera Utara on ………………………………

Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies

University of Sumatera Utara

Dr.H. Syahron Lubis, MA

Board of Examiners Signature

Universitas Sumatera Utara

I AM HOTDEN DECLARES THAT I AM THE SOLE AUTHOR OF THIS

Universitas Sumatera Utara

TITLE OF THESIS: AN ANALYSIS OF HIGH AND LOW LANGUAGE

QUALIFICATION : S1 / SARJANA SASTRA

I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR

Universitas Sumatera Utara

University of Sumatera Utara.

2. Dr. H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS., as the chief of English Department of English.

3. Dr. Hj. Nilzami Raswief, M.Hum., as my supervisor and Drs. M. Syafie’ie

Siregar, M.A., as my co-supervisor

4. My great family, my father T. Simanjuntak (the deceased) and my mother S. Br

studying, Helena Simanjuntak (Sister) who always give me smile as a symbol of

make community as media of actualizing life.

Universitas Sumatera Utara

the meaning of realty of life in my country Indonesia. I merge in this

community to learn how to discus finding the solution. I have many

friends there who love me. I am proud of you all of my friends.

b. Ebenezer (my cell group in community of Christian students of USU). I

Mastora Lumban Toruan. I thank you my friends.

c. GPT (Gereja Pantekosta Tabernakel). In this church I have teach to be

said one by one. I thank you so much.

d. Solidas (Student of English Diploma Assosiation). There are many of my

juniors who always support me in finishing this thesis.

6. My special friend who always asks me about the development of my thesis,

Fredrika. E.S. She always reminds me to finish this thesis.

Medan, August 14, 2013

Universitas Sumatera Utara

Universitas Sumatera Utara

Universitas Sumatera Utara

e. Language and class……………………………………………. 16

f. Formal and informal language varieties……………………….. 17

g. High and Low language varieties……………………………….19

CHAPTER III: METHOD OF STUDY

Universitas Sumatera Utara

Universitas Sumatera Utara

1.1 Background of the Study

Language is a part of human being which is used for communicating among

way.The essence of every language in the world is alike a media to communicate

even though the languages are various.

Language which is used in speech community may be varied because people

Every activity needs or causes the language variety.

Language variety which is found in society may be caused by a regional, a

gender and a situation in society. Language variety which is caused by a regional

to refer to a situation where a language is formally stratified (or perceived to be so)

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speakers community (people who use language to communicate in a society) should