AN ANALYSIS OF SYNTACTIC AMBIGUITY IN STUDENT’S TRANSLATION WRITING RECOUNT TEXT NINTH GRADE OF SMP 1 RONGGURNIHUTA

Abstract

Syntactic ambiguity occurs when a sequence of words has more than syntactic interpretations, for example: Put the block in the box on the table. This sentence has more than one meaning. It can be put the block (in the box on the table) or it can be put (the block in the box) on the table. It is a common problem which both native speakers and second language learners may face in learning English. In writing English sentences for second language learners, the opportunity to make the syntactical ambiguity is higher than for native speakers. This study focuses on syntactic ambiguity in students ‟ Translation Writing Recount Text Ninth Grade Of SMP 1 Ronggurnihuta. This study was conducted to find out the Syntactic Ambiguity Occurs in a Student’s Translation Writing Recount Text Ninth Grade of SMP 1 Ronggurnihuta. Contributions of this research provide readers with more information about the syntactic ambiguity. Similarly, this research is also important to understand how to analyze these ambiguities. In addition, the research is expected to provide input for the development of linguistic research, especially in grammar research. This study used a descriptive qualitative method to discuss the syntactic ambiguity analysis in a student's translation writing. The data of this study are the sentences in the student’s composition, which consist of syntactic ambiguity, translation written by the student’s ninth grade of SMP 1 Ronggurnihuta. To analyze the data, the writer used Gorrell‟s theory. Gorrell refers to three distinct areas of classification of an ambiguous string, i.e, the onset of ambiguity, the ambiguous region, and the resolution of ambiguity. Based on this theory, the writer identified the types of syntactic ambiguity in the data for those ambiguity. From the analysis, the result of this study shows that the writer found 60 data which consist of syntactic ambiguity. Syntactic ambiguity happens when a phrase or sentence has more than one meaning's. The writer determined the syntactic ambiguity sentences in accordance with Gorrell's theory. Then, differentiate the meanings in the sentence. The ambiguous meaning was found and corrected considering the context of the sentence.