Semantic analysis on the lyrics of Rihanna’s songs

ABSTRACT

The present study analyzes about semantic analysis especially on the lexical meaning and the messages in the lyrics of Rihanna’s songs. According to the background, this research is conducted to answer the following statement of the problems: the study deals with the following question; what kinds of lexical meaning are used, what messages are involved in, and what the dominant are in the lyrics of Rihanna’s songs?

The lexical meaning is to be interpreted as the meaning of lexemes depending on the meaning of sentences in which they occur. Lexical meaning concerned with the relationship between words and meanings. Related to lexical meaning involves denotation, connotation, synonymy, antonym, hyponymy, homonymy, homophone, polysemy, and figurative language. Also includes the messages which found the lyrics of Rihanna’s songs. Messages are divided into three kinds such as moral, social, and religious messages. This research aimed in analyzing the lyrics of Rihanna’s songs by using Lyons’s theory.

This research uses descriptive qualitative methods, because it depends very much on description and explanation. Furthermore the researcher uses qualitative methods because the data are taken in the form of words. Data are taken from the kinds of lexical meaning and the messages on lyrics of Rihanna’s songs. The data was downloaded from internet, magazine and media player of Rihanna’s songs.

Related to lexical meaning may be found in single verse or part of verse in the form of sentence or discourse, as both a sentence and discourse is the collection of words. Lexical meaning in this study includes denotation, connotation, ambiguity, synonymy, antonym, hyponym, homonym, homophone, polysemy, figurative language, and the messages. Of course denotation or conceptual meaning dominates the number of meanings used in the lyrics of Rihanna’s songs. In addition, moral, social, and religious messages are used.

The researcher expects this study is useful for the other researcher who wishes to know about more about semantics. Moreover semantics as an important branch of linguistics is interesting to be studied especially when it is applied to literary works such as song, poem, and prose. But it does not mean that a linguistics branch is monotonous. We can combine those things and make them as interesting study. By this study, we can get two profits at the same time. We do not only comprehend our skill in certain literary works but also we are able to get a valuable analyzing of the song. In this study the reason of the researcher chooses this topic and it is important for further researcher to consider it as an interesting challenge to do.