Introduction
A. Spoof
Text
Definition and Social Function of Spoof
Spoof is a
text which tells factual story, happened in the past time with unpredictable
and funny ending. Its social function is to entertain and share the story.
Generic Structure of Spoof
·
Orientation; is a opening part which tells us the
issue or the problem that will be solved or told in the story. Orientation
gives us the important thing about the characters and their problems.
·
Events; parts where the story explained into
paragraphs that linked each other. Events are not limited into one or two scene
or act. Events also adds more specific problems that happened, explains how the
problems raise, and the dilema.
·
Twist; (will be explained). Twist can only be found in
spoof texts.
What
is twist?
This question is likely to answer what is the
difference between narrative text and spoof. However, according to wikipedia, a
twist ending is a plot twist occurring near or at the conclusion of a story, an
unexpected conclusion to a work of fiction that causes the audience to
reevaluate the narrative or characters.There are three common types of twisting
ending :
1. Humorous
Twist
Many stories have twist with a happy, amusing, or
heartwarming ending. It is funny and makes reade amused. Humorous twist ending
sometime is called Lighthearted twist.
2. Ironic Twist
Stories with a twist or surprise at the end do not
necessarily have to have ahappy ending. Many have been written that have an
ironic twist. This ironic twist ending often reveal something about the darker
side of human nature. In other word ironic twist is tragic.
3. Misconception
Twist
A narrator who has incorrect information built around
their own perception of events that they pass along can build an unpredictable
ending. The ghost who doesn’t know he or she has died, the robot who feels
human emotions, the narrator who does not know they are a mannequin in a store
are some ways to create a twist based on faulty or withheld information.
Language Feature of Spoof
·
Focusing on people, animals or certain things.
·
Using action verb; ate, ran, etc.
·
Using adverb of time and place.
·
Told in chronological order.
Discussion
A spoof text is
amusing. It is really entertaining as well as educating. A spoof text can be
very simalar to narrative, recount or even news item. All are mostly composed
in past tenses mode. A spoof text is arranged in the generic structure of
orientation, events, and twist. Because of this “twist” (an unpredictable
ending), the story seems very funny. Take a look on the following example of
spoof text.
Story 1. What time is it?
A tramp lie down and sleep in the park. He had been sleeping for about 5
minutes when a couple walked by. The man stopped, woke the tramp up , and asked
him, "Excuse me. Do you know what the time is?" The tramp replied,
"I'm sorry - I don't have a watch, so I don't know the time."The man
apologized for waking the tramp and the couple walked away.
The tramp lay down again, and after a few minutes went back to sleep. Just
then, a woman, who was out walking her dog, shook the tramp's shoulder until he
woke up again.
The woman said, "I'm sorry to trouble you, but I'm afraid I've lost my watch - do you happen to know the time?" The tramp was a little annoyed at being woken up again, but he politely told the woman that he didn't have a watch and didn't know the time.
The woman said, "I'm sorry to trouble you, but I'm afraid I've lost my watch - do you happen to know the time?" The tramp was a little annoyed at being woken up again, but he politely told the woman that he didn't have a watch and didn't know the time.
After the woman had gone, the tramp had an idea. He opened the bag that
contained all his possessions and got out a pen, a piece of paper and some
string. On the paper, he wrote down, 'I do not have a watch. I do not know the
time'. He then hung the paper round his neck and eventually dropped off again.
After about 15 minutes, a policeman who was walking through the park noticed
the tramp asleep on the bench, and the sign around his neck.
He woke the tramp up and said, "I read your sign. I thought you'd
like to know that it's 2:30 p.m."
Generic
Structure Analysis
·
Orientation : a tramp sleep in the park.
·
Event 1 : a couple walk by and ask him the time, but
he doesn’t know it because he doesn’t have watch.
·
Event 2 : a woman walk with her dog and ask him about
the time, politely he say that he doesn’t know it.
·
Event 3 : the tramp get an idea to write
down 'I do not have a watch. I do not know the time' so people will
stop ask him about the time and won’t disturb him.
·
Twister : a policeman was misunderstood, he wake up
the tramp and then tell him about the time.
This is
another example of
spoof text. This story is funny, humorous, and twisting. The story has
unpredictable ending through organizing the tricky plot. Take a look.
Story 2. The Perfect Husband?
Several men are in the locker room of a golf club. A cell phone on a bench
rings and a man engages the hands-free speaker function and begins to talk.
Everyone else in the room stops to listen.
Man :
"Hello."
Woman
: "Honey, it's me. Are you at the club?"
Man :
"Yes."
Woman
: "I'm
at the mall now and found this beautiful leather coat. It's
only $1,000. Is it OK if I buy it?"
only $1,000. Is it OK if I buy it?"
Man
: "Sure, go ahead if you like it that much."
Woman
: "I
also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new 2007
models. I saw one I really liked."
models. I saw one I really liked."
Man :
"How much?"
Woman
:
"$80,000."
Man :
"OK, but for that price I want it with all the options."
Woman
: "Great! Oh, and one more thing. The house we wanted last year is
back on the market. They're asking
$950,000."
Man :
"Well, then go ahead and give them an offer, but just offer
$900,000."
Woman
: "OK. I'll see you later! I love you!"
Man :
"Bye, I love you, too."
The man hangs up. The other men in the locker room are looking at him in
astonishment. Then he smiles and asks: "Anyone know whose phone
is???!!!"
Generic
Structure Analysis
·
Orientation : a cell phone in the bench inside of the
golf club’s locker room rings, a man engages the hands-free speaker
function and begins to talk so that everyone else in the room stops to listen.
·
Events : conversation happened between the man and a
woman in the phone, the woman asks much money to spend for what she wants, and
the man just agreed her wishes.
·
Twist : at the end of their conversation, all man look
at the “perfect” man in astonishment, but the man smile and ask, “Anyone know
whose phone is?”
Reading a
spoof text can be very interesting as it has an unpredictable plot of the
story. There will be a tricky "arrangement". As we build
understanding of the plot to certain condition, a spoof text will be ended with
a special contradictory ending.
Teaching
Suggestion
Here are suggestions
readers can use for teaching spoof text ;
1.
Let students listen the example of a
text without telling whether it is spoof text.
2.
Ask students what kind of text it is.
3.
After students understand if it is spoof
text, give and explain the purpose of spoof text, the structure, the languange
features, and more examples.
4.
Give students more examples of spoof
text and ask to read it.
5.
After asking them to read it, teacher
may explain the way how to write spoof text.
6.
Teacher may give score and evaluate
their writing.
Here are methods and
techniques teacher can use for teaching spoof text :
1.
Reciprocal
2.
EGRA ( Exposure, Generalization,
Reinforcement, Application ).
Conclusion
Spoof is a
text which tells factual story, happened in the past time with unpredictable
and funny ending. Its social function is to entertain and share the story. In
spoof text, there are orientation, events, and twist. There are 3 types of
twist : humorous, ironic, and
misconception. There are several languange features in spoof text such
as focusing on people, animals or certain things, using action verb, using
adverb of time and place, told in chronological order. Techniques and methods
teacher can use for teaching spoof text are reciprocal and EGRA.
References
Anderson,
Mark and Anderson, Kathy, Text Types in
English, South Yarra: Macmillan Education Australia, 1997.
Cambridge,
Dictionary of American English,
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Erla
Wimanistya, Rahayu Apriliaswati, Eusabinus Bunau. Improving Students’ Ability to Comprehend Spoof Text Using Reciprocal Technique.
English Education Study Program FKIP Untan, Pontianak.
Harmer,
Jeremy, The Practice of English Language
Teaching, England: Pearson Education Limited, 2001, Ed. 3rd .
------------------- , How to Teach Writing, England: Pearson Education Limited,
2004.
