A Systemic Functional Linguistics Analysis of Text Transitivity of Mathew Gospel, New Testament of Kupang Malay

Abstract

This article was aimed to describe text transitivity of Mathew, New Testament of Kupang Malay language called Janji Baru. Data were taken from the Bible, New Testament, especially in Mathew Gospel which consisted of 29 sections/chapters. All data were analyzed qualitatively and the analysis was based on systemic functional linguistic theory focused on transitivity system. The result showed that transitivity in texts consisted of three elements. (1) Participants were realized by nominal group, including personal pronouns that consisted of: listener only that was realized by lu ‘you’; speaker + listener: ‘katong, ’we’; speaker only: beta ’I’; speaker + others: botong ‘we’; listener + others: ’bosong ‘you’; others: ‘dong’ ‘they’; someone/ something, conscious/non- conscious: ‘dia’ ‘he/she.it’; general: orang dong ‘people’. (2) Circumstances that were realized by time, location, reason, cause and manner, such as, sakarang ‘now’, ‘nanti’ next time’, ‘beso lusa’ ‘tomorrow;; locations, kampong ’village’., ‘dano ‘lake, sabla ‘beside’ ; tagal ‘because’,etc (3) Processes that was realized by verb groups containing six types: material process as pi datang ‘go’ pi ambil ‘take’, `lempar buang ‘throw’, potong buang ‘cut’, jalan pikol bawa ‘carry’; verbal as, kasi tau ‘tell’, angka janji ‘promise’ ; ’relational as jadi ‘become’; existence as ada exist; mental as tau ‘know’, and behavioural as maruak ame, ‘get angry’, lia pi ‘see or watch’, parcaya ame ‘believe’. Almost all process excepted existence and relational combined two or three verbs for one meaning. This fact indicates to let readers or listeners understand the message.