VITALIZING JAVANESE LANGUAGE THROUGH PLACE NAMES

The role of Javanese language is now gradually replaced by Indonesian or even English language as a result of a process called language shift. While Javanese language is offered in Central Java schools as local subject, the policy is insufficient to increase the popularity of Javanese language especially among young users. The unpopularity of Javanese language poses a threat because the less popular a language becomes among its users, the more susceptible it is to become extinct since at any time the users may cease to use the language and to pass it to the next generation. This paper shows a study of place names in the City of Semarang and its importance to Javanese language. Place names in the City of Semarang which are often written in local language provide a means to vitalize Javanese language as they inform people of the past inhabitants, their culture, their way of life, and their unique cultural wisdoms. Knowing the meaning and origin of place names in the City of Semarang either through its history or legend attached to it helps to instil the language used for the names as it creates bond between the people and the place they live in

Challenges in Implementing Competency-based English Language Teaching at University Level

Competency-based curriculum has been widely implemented by many higher institutions in Indonesia. It is expected that the competency based curriculum, which puts more emphasis on the needs of job market, prepare students for specified tasks. Competency in a general sense can be seen from the task performance. English language competency is one of the basic competencies which should be acquired by a university graduate in order to enter international market and survive the global competition. The institution luch offers English language as part of their curriculum must answer the demand for an English language competent graduate b preparing the best way to teach the language. This article examines the steps to develop a competency-based English language leaching where student's attitude and achievement comprise the important segments of evaluation. It focuses on the challenges, which will probably be faced by the teachers in implementing this competency-based teaching at the university level

Oppressions in Popular Culture’s SpongeBob SquarePants Episode of “Drive Thru”

Abstract: This article is a development of the research done for an undergraduate study, which has the objectives to find the oppressions exercised by Mr. Krabs in USA’s “Drive Thru” episode of SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon TV series. Using Karl Marx’s theory in the study, it is revealed that the episode represents the oppressions by the Bourgeoisie capitalist towards the Proletariat. The data were discussed by using descriptive explanation and were analyzed and interpreted with the finding that the Bourgeoisie treated Proletariat rudely when it comes about money. As a development of the study, this article adds into the discussion on the explanation of Mr. Krabs actions based on the concept of Popular Culture’s strategies of making profit at the expense of the Proletariat.Key words: popular culture, cartoon, oppression, Marxism, profit makingAbstrak: Artikel ini merupakan pengembangan dari penelitian yang dilakukan sebagai bagian dari studi S1, yang bertujuan untuk  untuk menemukan penindasan yang dilakukan oleh Tuan. Krabs pada episode “Drive Thru” dari serial kartun televisi SpongeBob SquarePants. Menggunakan teori Karl Marx terungkap bahwa episode tersebut merepresentasikan penindasan kaum kapitalis Borjuis terhadap kaum Proletar. Data yang ada dibahas dengan menggunakan penjelasan deskriptif dan dianalisa serta ditafsirkan dengan temuan bahwa kaum borjuis memperlakukan kaum proletar secara kasar dalam hal uang. Sebagai kelanjutan dari studi tersebut, artikel ini menambahkan penjelasan tentang perbuatan yang dilakukan tuan Krabs berdasarkan konsep strategi budaya popular yang mencari keuntungan dengan mengorbankan kaum proletar.Kata kunci: karya sastra popular, kartun, penindasan, Marxis

LONELY LENNIE IN JOHN STEINBECK'S OF MICE AND MEN

Loneliness is an emotional state when an individual finds him herself lack of qualitative interaction with other people. It does not only occur by the absence of other people around. but it also occurs with the presence of the others. The case study of Lennie Small provides A descriptive illustration of loneliness as the discussion reveals that Lennie suffers from psychological and cognitive loneliness. The feeling of loneliness itself is caused by being unable to fit in and being abused and rejected by others. The study also reveals how Lennie attempts to cope with loneliness through the desire for someone and by crying

THE GENDER ROLE CHANGE OF SCARLETT OHARA AS A PORTRAYAL OF THE HIGH-CLASS SOUTHERN WHITE WOMENS LIFE

The high-class Old Southern United States women had played their gender roles as wives, dolls, drudges, playmates, breadwinner and heroines for both their families and country. The coming of the American Civil War in 1861 was one important event for these women to prove themselves as an independent figure in the danger of invasion and famine without help from men. From their beginning gender role as a graceful wealthy plantation mistress then suddenly reduced into poverty, Margaret Mitchell portrays the struggle of these women in the figure of Scarlett OHara as the protagonist character of her only novel

Representing Multicultural Semarang through Gambang Semarang’s Narrative

Dance is usually perceived as a structured movement done by a person or more and accompanied by music and in some cases songs. The attention on physical movement often neglects the narrative which may exist behind a dance. Dances often have stories which frame the sequence of movements done by the dancers. The stories in a dance have elements of literature such as theme, plot, characters, and setting. This paper which is part of an on-going research on Semarang traditional dance discusses the story told through the movements and costume of Gambang Semarang dance. Gambang Semarang is traditional performing arts from Semarang which originally consists of music, vocal, dance, and comedy. Gambang Semarang dance was a small part of Gambang Semarang performance, but it is often performed separately from the complete performance now. The dance is commonly accompanied by Gambang  Semarang music which combines Javanese music instruments, gamelan, and Chinese music instruments. In some occasions, songs such as Gambang Semarang and Gado-Gado Semarang are presented along with the music. Gambang Semarang dance itself is often considered as Semarang’s identity as the dance tries to embrace the multicultural society of Semarang which are Javanese, Chinese, and Arabs through the dance movements and the costume worn by the dancer. Data were collected through interviews with key informants. The results of the interviews then were analyzed to find out the stories represented by Gambang Semarang. The findings show that dance movements and costumes of Gambang Semarang indeed represent multicultural Semarang