LITERAL SENSE AND IDIOMATIC SENSE IN THE SHORT

STORY THE FIGHT BY BAY

(A Qualitative Descriptive Mini Research)
A Final Assignment of Semantics

Name : Khomsa Bintana

NIM

: 0203515083

Class : Khusus 2

ENGLISH EDUCATION POST GRADUATE PROGRAM

SEMARANG STATE UNIVERSITY
2016

LITERAL SENSE AND IDIOMATIC SENSE IN THE SHORT

STORY THE FIGHT BY BAY
A Qualitative Descriptive Mini Research
Khomsa Bintana
English Education Department, Post Graduate Program
Semarang State University
Semarang, Indonesia
Shabiina51@gmail.com

Abstract
The objectives of this study are the literal sense and the idiomatic sense found in the short
story The Fight. This research is a qualitative descriptive mini research. The subject of the
research is the short story The Fight written by Bay. The writer collected the data by reading
and arranging. The data collections are the chosen sentences and utterances which have both
literal meaning and idiomatic meaning. The short story consist of three parts. The results were
found in each part. In the part one,found four sentences and one utterance. In the part two found
one sentence and two utterances. In the last part found seven sentences and five utterances. The
short story runs smoothly by using figurative touch. It has deeply meaning more than its literal
meaning.
Keywords: literal sense, idiomatic sense, semantic, short story.

Introduction
Language has many branches based on its point of views. The one of language
branches whose point of view is meaning is semantics. There are some kinds of meanings in
semantics, in short term semantics has literal meaning and non-literal meaning. It may seem
that meaning is so vague, insubstantial, and elusive so that it needs time to investigate and
understand it. Literal meaning deals with the meaning of words and sentences which are
essentially independent of the context or occasion of use and the meaning of a composite
expression which is essentially compositional. Meanwhile, non-literal meaning deals with
particular expression such as idiomatic, metaphor, and metonymy.
The problem that have been explored in this study are the literal sense and the
idiomatic sense which are found in the short story The Fight. It is romance story written by
Bay, an author from Texas, United States. Some objectives are conducted based on the
problem that have been mentioned before. It is to find the literal sense and the idiomatic
sense in the short story. After being conducted the result of the study hopefully will be useful
for the writer and the readers. The writers ability in analyzing the semantics meanings
hopefully will be increased. For the reader, their knowlegde of semantics meanings will be
increased. The main point of this study is that the result can be used as a reference in doing
something that involves semantics analysis.

Methodology
The writer use the descriptive qualitative approach in this study. Qualitative research
is a method in exploring and understanding meaning (Cresswell, 2013). The subject of this
study is a short story entitled The Fight written by Bay.
There are some steps the writer use in collecting the data. First, the writer reads the
short story and the other data sources. Next, the writer chooses the appropriated sentences or
utterances in the short story. Finally, the data are arranged based on the literal sense and the
idiomatic sense.
Instruments are needed to achieve the accuracy of all data in the research. Instruments
have an important role in finishing the research. To reach the goal of the research, instruments
should be as valid as possible. The text of the short story is the fisrt instrument in this study.
The second instrument is notes which are gotton from reading and arranging the data.
Some suitable steps are used in analyzing the data. Firstly, I read the chosen sentences
and utterances. Next, I analyze the data literally and idiomatically. Then, I write down
anything I get from the analysis. After analyzing the text, I make some conclusion.
Findings and Discussion
After analyzing the data, the writer found some research findings. This short story has
three parts. Part one is the Fall, part two is the Hospital, and part three is the Safety. The
writer found the data in each part.
The writer made a clue for easier analysis. The clue is for the line of the paragraph.
For example, L.1 is line one or the first line of the paragraph.
Part 1. The Fall
N
o
1.

2.
3.

4.
5.

Sentence /
Utterance
She sat there in the
moon light tears in
her eyes.
she finally spat out

Line

Literal Sense

Idiomatic Sense

She was crying hard.

Where you
first
kissed me... Where I
fell in love with you
she looks pretty
bad."
He knew it was her
fathers handy work
on her pale neck and
thighs but it was her
work on her arms.

67

The moon light tears are the

tears come down from the
moon light.
Spat out is throwing the
spittle away from the mouth.
Where represent place where
they kissed at the first time
and fell in love each others.
Her condition looks very
bad.
Work is a job doing by
someone.

10
11-12

She finally spoke up.

She gave information
about her location.
She needs to be
helped soon.
Her father hurt her
and she tried to kill
herself.

In this part, the writer found four idiomatic sentences and one idiomatic utterance. It
was the opening part in this story. The author used some idiomatic words in exploring it. The
character Alice was the character who was represented most by the idioms. The other
character who was represented by the idiom was the character Alices Father.
In the sentence She sat there in the moon light tears in her eyes. in the L.1, the
author described the very bad condition of the girl by beautifying his words. The moon light
was beautiful thing, but it was represent the tears because of hard crying. The sentence she
finally spat out in the L.5 was also describing the fact by using opposite words. The words
spat out, literally was throwing away the spittle from the mouth, but idiomatically it was the
first time the girl spoke by using words (not crying). The next finding was the utterance
Where you first kissed me... Where I fell in love with you in the L.6-7. Literally, where
represent place where they kissed at the first time and fell in love each others, but
idiomatically it was information about Alices location given by Alice. In this part, the author
expressed the way of story implicitly. The next utterance was she looks pretty bad." in the
L. 10. Literally it was the condition of the girl was very bad, but idiomatically the nurse
wanted explained that the girl had to be helped soon. The last was the sentence He knew it
was her fathers handy work on her pale neck and thighs but it was her work on her arms.
In th L.11-12. This sentence literally means that the injures on the girls neck and thighs were
done by her father and the injure on her arms were done by herself. She tried to kill herself.
The author used indirectly style in expressing his ideas.
Part 2. The Hospital
No
1.
2.

3.

Sentence /
Line
Literal Sense
Idiomatic Sense
Utterance
I wont fail you
9
Fail is unsuccess thing.
He will protect his
my princess.
lover.
Rose didnt answer 17 Goodbye is a leave-taking.
Alice told about her
him
she
just
real condition to
showed him her
Rose.
phone
with
a
message
from
Alice
saying
goodbye.
He said in a soft 18 Soft tone means speak in soft He is so sad and
tone
voice.
hopeless.

In this part, the writer found one idiomatic sentence or two idiomatic utterances. This
was the climax of the story where the main character was almost die on the way to the
hospital. The most sadness part was expressed figuratively.
I wont fail you my princess. in the L.9 was the first finding. Literally, fail was
unsucces in doing something, but idiomatically it mean that the boy will protect his lover. In

this part, the author described the story by using opposite words. The next finding was the
utterance goodbye in the L.17 which was made by Alice to Rose. goodbye, literally was
a leave-taking expression, but idiomatically it was Alice explanation about her condition and
it was a sign that Alice wanted Rose to come to her. The last finding was the sentence He
said in a soft tonein the L.18. Literally, soft tone was the slow voice, but idiomatically it
was represent that the boy was very sad and hopeless because of his girs condition. In this
part, the author ended the climax smoothly by using that words.
Part 3. The Safety
No
1.

2.

3.

4.
5.

6.

Sentence /
Utterance
He
snapped
quickly and told
them at her father
was the cause of
this and was not
allowed to step foot
into her room
He
snapped
quickly and told
them at her father
was the cause of
this and was not
allowed to step foot
into her room
Andys eyes filled
with
sadness
because
Alices
mother
had
vanished five years
ago he just shook
his head no and
asked if he could
see her.
My knight? she
whispered
He shot straight up
and moved his
hand to her cheek
tears
streaming
down his own.
He shot straight up
and moved his
hand to her cheek

Line

Literal Sense

Idiomatic Sense

He was snapping and He was very angry.

explaining that her father was
the cause of this.

Step foot means walking.

56

8
89

Her fathers was not

allowed to enter her
room.

Vanish means unoccured or Her mother

lost.
passed away.

Knight means the one who is

strong and brave.
He shot straight up means he
look above.

was

My knight is her
lover.
He was crying and
trying to stop.

Moved his hand to her cheek He tried to make a

tears streaming down his own relief.
means his tears down to her

7.
8.
9.
10.

11.

12.

13.
14.

tears
streaming
down his own.
Yes my princess
its me.
He now what
about me?
Yes my jester?
Me and Sam split
up so the place is
kinda empty I
wouldnt mind the
extra company.
when a load bang
was heard followed
by the screams of
nurses
and
someone
yelling
for security
She woke when she
heard the door
swing open and hit
the wall.
He swung and
Andy ducked
Rose was a combat
instructor and was
highly trained in
kick boxing.

cheek and he wipe it away.

9 10
10
12
14

17 18

19 -20

21
22 - 23

Princess is a daughter of a My princess means

king.
his lover.
Asking what about her.
Protecting about her
present in the room.
Jester is a comedian.
My jester means
Rose.
The extra company means the The extra company
adding company of her means the other
house.
couple.

It means that there were

crowded situation because of
load bang followed by the
screams of nurses and
someone shout and called the
security.
The door swang and hit the
wall.

It sign that her father

was coming.

He swung his hand and Andy

bent over to avoid.
A combat instructor is
someone
who
instructs
combat in a military. Kick
boxing is a method in boxing
games.

Her father was angry

and Andy was scarry.
Rose was not scary to
her father.

Her father entered the

room angrily.

This was the last part of the short story. The writer found seven idiomatic sentences
and five idiomatic utterances. It was the anticlimax and the epilog of this story. As well as the
previous parts, the author used some idiomatic words in describing his story.
The first finding was the sentence He snapped quickly and told them at her father
was the cause of this and was not allowed to step foot into her room. in the L.3-4. Literally,
he was snapping and explaining that Alices father was the cause of her condition.
Idiomatically, it described that he was very angry hearing the word her father. Then step
foot literally mean walking, but idiomatically it was entering the room. The author tried to
use such expression again in this part, but it explicitly easy to understand the meaning behind
it. The second finding is the sentence Andys eyes filled with sadness because Alices mother
had vanished five years ago he just shook his head no and asked if he could see her. in the
L.5-6. Literally, vanished mean lost or unoccured, but idiomatically it mean that Alices

mother had died five years ago. The author described about Alices mother indirectly, but
explicitly it was easy to know it. The next was the utterance My knight? in the L.8.
Literally, knight is a person who has great power and brave, but idiomatically it was the
calling of Alices lover Andy. In this part, the author was beautifying his imagination by
using romantic word. Then in the sentence He shot straight up and moved his hand to her
cheek tears streaming down his own. which occured in the L.8-9; literally, shot straight up
was looking above but idomatically it was Andys effort to stop crying. In the sentence also
explain that Andy moved his hand to Alices cheek tears streaming down his own. Literally, it
mean that Andy wiped the tears which were falling down in Alices cheek, but idiomatically it
was Andys effort to relief Alices sadness.
The next finding was the utterance Yes my princess its me. in the L.9-10. Literally,
princes was a daughter of a king who was living in the emperall, but idiomatically it was
the calling of Andys lover or Alice. The next utterance was He now what about me? in the
L.10. Literally, Rose asked Alice about her, but idomatically it was a complain of Rose
because of her present in her room and Alice did not asked her. The next utterance was Yes
my jester? in the L.12. Literally, jester was a comedian, but idiomatically it was Rose. In
this part, the author melted the situation of the story by using jokes. Then the utterance Me
and Sam split up so the place is kinda empty I wouldnt mind the extra company.in the L.14.
In the real meaning the extra company was additional company or a branch of a company.
Nevertheless, it was the other couple. In this part, the author described the story implicitly by
using metaphor. The next finding was the sentence when a load bang was heard followed by
the screams of nurses and someone yelling for security in the L.17-18. Literally it was
describing that there were crowded situation because of load bang followed by the screams of
nurses and someone shout and called the security. Idiomatically, it was sign that Alices father
was coming. The next was the sentence She woke when she heard the door swing open and
hit the wall. in the L.19-20. Literally, it described that the door was swung and hit the wall.
Idiomatically, it described that Alices father was angry and Alice was scary. The sentence
He swung and Andy duckedin the L.21 was the next finding. literally, it described that
Alices father swung his hand and Andy tried to bent over to avoid it. Nevertheless,
idiomatically it described that Alices father was very angry and Andy was scary. In this part,
the author rised the strain situation up again after melting it. The last finding was the sentence
Rose was a combat instructor and was highly trained in kick boxing. in the L.22-23. In the
real meaning combat instructor was a person who teach combat in the military and kick
boxing was the method in boxing games. Idiomatically, it described that Rose was not scary
to Alices father. In this last part, the author vanished the strain by describing Rose as if she
was a knight.
Conclusion
Based on the research findings and the discussions above, the writer conclude that this
short story is interesting. The sentences or the utterances which has both literal sense and
idiomatic sense are found in this research. The author uses many idiomatic words in
exploring his story. He expresses each small part deeply more than its literal meaning.

The idiomatic words that have been discussed above represent that the author has a
good sense in literature creation. He blended the sad story of the lovers with romantic touch.
However, using language figuratively is the great way to beautify the story. The author uses it
consistenly in expressing his story. It makes the story runs so smoothly from one part to
another part. The readers curiosity also raise up well.

References
Bay. 2016. The Fight. Retrived June 7th from http://www.storystar.com/php/read_story.php?
story_id=12253
Bradford, T.Stull.2002. The Elements of Figurative Language. United States: Longman.
Cohen, Louis; Lawrence Manion and Keith Morrison. 2007. Research Methods on Education,

New York : Taylor & Francis e-Library

Creswell, John W. 2009. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches,
California: Thousand Oaks
Hurford, James R; Brendan Heasley, and Michael B. Smith. 2007. Semantics: A Coursebook. New
York: Cambridge University Press
Kennedy, X.J. and Gioia, Dana.2005. An Introduction to Fiction. New York: Longman.
Madden, Frank.2002. Exploring Fiction. United States: Longman.

Appendix
The Fight
By Bay
Born 1997, F, from Killeen, Texas, United States

Part 1: The Fall

She sat there in the moon light tears in her eyes. She picked up her phone and dialed his
number. It only rang once before he picked up. "Where have you been?!? Its been days!
What the he..." He heard her sobs and grew silent because the last time this happened she told
him she had took all her sleeping pills. He braced himself. "Take a breath and tell me whats
going on" he heard her inhale. "I-I'm scared" she finally spat out "I need you" she started
crying again her chest tight. "Where are you" he asked half knowing her location. "Where
you first kissed me... Where I fell in love with you." Thats all it took and he knew this was it
he hung up and got into the car calling 911 as he drove. They met him there... She was
leaning on the tree that they carved their names into..." She is over here" one of the
paramedics said "she looks pretty bad." With that he rushed to her side. He saw the blood and
the bruises. He knew it was her fathers handy work on her pale neck and thighs but it was
her work on her arms. "Im sorry I couldn't take it anymore" with her words he turned to the
paramedic and he had a doubtful look in his eyes. They loaded her into the back from of the
ambulance

he

held

her.

Part 2: The Hospital

They had just reached the hospital. On the way there she had died twice and they had got her
back to them. He was sitting behind her on the gurney she laid almost limp in his arms he

knew this time could be her last and if it wasnt he was going to get her the hell out of that
house he had to. They had gotten the bleeding to stop half way there but that didnt stop them
from being covered in blood. They started to unload her from the ambulance when she
opened her eyes. W-Where are we? she had managed to get out before passing out once
more. He reached from behind her and placed his hand over her heart the very heart she had
promised him and he swore to protect. He leaned down next to her and whispered into her
ear. I wont fail you my princess. He knew she may not make it but he wasnt going to give
her up without a fight. They had gotten them inside and one of the doctors was trying to
remove him from her. She has to be to be taken into the OR now or she would have no
chance to keep on living. They got him off of her and he stood by the OR doors. An hour had
past and he had slung down against the wall still covered in her blood. He was crying now.
He felt a hand touch his shoulder and he looked up it was their best friend. When did you get
here Rose? he asked her confused unaware that anyone had even contacted her. Rose didnt
answer him she just showed him her phone with a message from Alice saying goodbye. He
knew that Rose would eventually show after getting that message. Its been over an hour
now.

He

said

in

soft

tone

Part 3: The Safety

It had been six hours since they had arrived at the hospital. The doctor came out and told
Andy that she had died three times during surgery but she was stable now and in ICU they
asked him if he needed to contact Alices father. He snapped quickly and told them at her
father was the cause of this and was not allowed to step foot into her room. They agreed and
asked about her mother. Andys eyes filled with sadness because Alices mother had vanished
five years ago he just shook his head no and asked if he could see her. They allowed him and
Rose

in

the

room.

Alice opened her eyes and saw Andys hand on hers. My knight? she whispered. He shot
straight up and moved his hand to her cheek tears streaming down his own. Yes my princess
its me. She smiled and Rose cleared her throat. He now what about me? She asked
jokingly she had always been the one to try and make everyone laugh. Alice half laughed and
looked over at Rose. Yes my jester? they all laughed and looked at each other. The room
fell silent. Alice; AndyWhy dont you two move in with me? Me and Sam split up so the
place is kinda empty I wouldnt mind the extra company. Rose had asked. Alice and Andy
looked at each other with a smile and nodded they agreed that while she was in the hospital
recovering that Andy and Rose would gather her things and his. A few hours passed and Alice

had fallen asleep when a load bang was heard followed by the screams of nurses and
someone yelling for security. It was her father. He had heard what had happened and finally
figured out where she was. She woke when she heard the door swing open and hit the wall.
Her eyes got wide as Andy had jumped up and in front of her father. He swung and Andy
ducked. Her father was drunk again you could smell the bourbon on him. Leave! Rose had
screamed out at Alices father. Rose was a combat instructor and was highly trained in kick
boxing. She walked up to Alices father and got a few inches from his face. Leave now or
Ill make you leave. We will be by later this week to get her belongings and if we have to we
will contact the authorities. By this time the hospital security had arrived and were ready to
escort her father away.