A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF THE DIFFERENCE OF ‘ILY’ FINGERS SIGN IN

THAILAND AND INDONESIA

A DRAFT PROPOSAL
Submitted to Faculty of Cultural Science to Fulfill some of the Requirements for Obtaining a
Literary Degree

BY :

INTAN MAHARANI
170705067

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA
MEDAN 2019
1.1 Background of the Study
A sign is an object, quality, event, or entity whose presence or occurrence indicates the
probable presence or occurrence of something else. The philosophical study of signs
and symbols is called semiotics; this includes the study of semiosis, which is the way in
which signs (in the semiotic sense) operate.
A sign is any physical form that has been imagined or made externally (through some
physical medium) to stand for an object, event, feeling, etc., known as a referent, or for a
class of similar (or related) objects, events, feelings, etc., known as a referential domain. In
human life, signs serve many functions. They allow people to recognize patterns in things;
they act as predictive guides or plans for taking actions; they serve as exemplars of specific
kinds of phenomena; and the list could go on and on. The English word cat, for example, is
an example of a particular kind of human sign--known as verbal--which stands for a referent
that can be described as a 'carnivorous mammal with a tail, whiskers, and retractile claws.'"
(Thomas A. Sebeok, Signs: An Introduction to Semiotics. University of Toronto Press, 1994).

Saussure argued that the meaning of a sign is arbitrary and variable. . . . In Saussure's terms,
any sign consists of a signifier (the sound a word makes, its physical shape on the page) and
a signified (the word's content). For language to work, the sign needs to be a unified whole."
(David Lehman, Signs of the Times. Poseidon, 1991). Psychologically our thought--apart
from its expression in words--is only a shapeless and indistinct mass. Philosophers and
linguists have always agreed in recognizing that without the help of signs we would be
unable to make a clear-cut, consistent distinction between two ideas. Without language,
thought is a vague uncharted nebula. There are no pre-existing ideas, and nothing is distinct
before the appearance of language." (Ferdinand de Saussure, Course in General Linguistics.
Translated by Wade Baskin. Philosophical Library, 1959)

The ILY is a which, as a gesture, has moved into the mainstream. Seen primarily in
the United States and other Americanized countries, the sign originated among deaf
schoolchildren using American Sign Language to create a sign from a combination of the
signs for the letters I, L, and Y (I Love You). The sign is an informal expression of any of
several positive feelings, ranging from general esteem to love, for the recipient of the sign.
Indonesia and Thailand have so many differences of cultures even the position of the
countries aren’t too far. In Thailand it is shown by lifting the thumb (thumb), index finger,
and little finger. Like making metal symbols in Indonesia. There is a philosophy in itself why
the metal symbol is used to express love in Thailand. Thai people interpret the metal hand
shape as the letter I-L-U which is an abbreviation of the English language that is 'i love u'.
The little finger is likened to the letter I. The index finger and thumb represent the letter L.
While the letter U is symbolized by the little finger and index finger. Therefore Thai people
often use these hand signals to express their love. Among youths in Thailand, it turns out that
they also have very different hand signals from those in Indonesia. One of them when lying
in daily communication in Indonesia is hinted at by winking one eye.
1.2 Problem of the Study
1. What is the ‘ILY’ fingers sign?
2. What is the comparison of ‘ILY’ fingers sign in Thailand and Indonesia?

1.3 Objective of the Study

1. To identify the semiotic signs of ‘ILY’ fingers.
2. To find out the comparison ‘ILY’ fingers sign in Thailand and Indonesia.

1.4 Scope of the Study

This study is limited to the discussion about the semiotic signs, which is related to the
difference meanings of ‘ILY’ fingers sign between Thailand and Indonesia. Then to find out
the messages mean in both countries, especially the history of culture which makes the sign
has different meaning even the fingers gesture is the same.

1.5 Method of the Study

The recent study was an experimental research to find out the result of a certain technique.
According to hadi (1988: 56) that is an experimental design is one of the precise methods to
examine the cause and effect because of the fact, instruction toward a group and experimental
sample. First, identify the difference semiotic signs of ‘ILY’ in Thailand and Indonesia.
Second, finding the messages that are conveyed in both countries by interpreting the history
of culture the sign and the countries.

Population and Sample

1.5.1 Population
Population is represent entire/all subject research. Nawawi ( 2003) in Iskandar ( 2009 : 118)
population is grand total of subject research which can be consisted of by the human being,
object, animal, flora, symptom, assess the test or event as data source owning certain
characteristic in a research. While according to Sudjana ( 2005 : 74) population is totality of
all value which possible, result of counting/calculating or measurement, quantitative and also
qualitative hit the certain characteristic from all clear and complete corps member is which
wish learned by the nature. In this study, the population of the study includes 10 Indonesians
that are given a question about the ‘ILY’ signs, then the results are compared to the Thailand
culture from internet, that videos and movies.
1.5.2 Sample
Sample is shares or proxy from accurate population ( Arikunto, 2006 : 87). While in big
dictionary of Indonesian, sampel is an used by example of from the lion's share. While
according to Sugiyono ( 2003 : 56) sampel is " some of amount and characteristic owned by
population, As for becoming sampel of at this research is 10 Indonesians that answered
question about ‘ILY’ sign in a interview session.

1.6 Technique of Data Collection

The method of collecting data for this research is used testing and interview. A test is a group
of questions, tasks or exercises for measuring individual or groups skill. The contents or the
reading task include factual question, determining a title and determining the main idea. Then
giving some question by doing interview.

- Technique of Data Analysis

The technique of data analysis, will be used here is statistical analysis that is descriptive
analysis.