Analysis of Degung Sunda by Nining Meida (1988): Lexical Meaning, Contextual Meaning, and Figurative Language
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63822/2qh80g46Keywords:
Sundanese Songs, Nining Meida, Lexical Meaning, Contextual Meaning, Figurative Language.Abstract
Traditional and regional songs play an important role in preserving language and cultural values. In Sundanese culture, popular songs function not only as entertainment but also as a medium for transmitting linguistic and cultural heritage. This study analyzes the linguistic elements of ten lyrical excerpts from Sundanese pop songs popularized by Nining Meida in 1988 through lexical meaning, contextual meaning, and figurative language. Using a qualitative method with content analysis, the study finds that the lyrics contain a rich vocabulary of romance and daily Sundanese life. The meanings are often symbolic and contextual, making literal interpretation difficult. Dominant figurative devices include metaphor, hyperbole, personification, and visual imagery. The findings indicate that these popular songs contribute significantly to preserving the Sundanese language and strengthening cultural identity.
References
Colston, H. L. (2015). Using figurative language. Cambridge University Press.
Dancygier, B. (2017). Figurative language. Cambridge University Press.
Gibbs, R. W., & Colston, H. L. (2020). Figurative meaning in discourse and song. Journal of Pragmatics, 160, 50–65.
Hariyanto, H. (2017). The analysis of figurative language used in the lyric of Firework by Katy Perry. English Education: Jurnal Tadris Bahasa Inggris, 10(1), 46–60.
Kroeger, P. R. (2019). Analyzing meaning: An introduction to semantics and pragmatics (2nd ed.). Language Science Press.
Nurcihan, N., & Amelya, F. (2019). An analysis of lexical and contextual meaning on song lyrics. Journal of Linguistics and Language Teaching, 6(1), 20–32.
Riemer, N. (Ed.). (2015). The Routledge handbook of semantics. Routledge.
Saeed, J. I. (2015). Semantics (4th ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
Setiawati, W., & Maryani, M. (2018). An analysis of figurative language in Taylor Swift’s song lyrics. Project (Professional Journal of English Education), 1(3), 261–268.
Syafitriyani, S., Mulyana, A., & Ramadhan, R. (2020). Lexical and contextual meaning in the song lyrics. Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature, 1(2), 50–60.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Raisya Octavia Nurjannah, Otong Setiawan Djuharie, Andang Saehu (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
