I.

INTRODUCTION

The book is titled as Variations and Functional Varieties of Language by Prof. Amrin
Saragih, Ph.D. this book which has been released in 2017 has seven chapters, they are
introduction, variation with reference to users, variety of language with reference to field, variety
of language with reference to tenor, variety of language with reference to mode, variety of
language with reference to culture and variety of language with reference to ideology. The author
gives detail explanation in each chapter which has been made as 157 pages.

The author made this book for the students of English Department, Faculty of Language and
Arts, and the students of English Applied Linguistics, and the Postgraduate Studies.

The reviewer, who is given a task to review this book, called as Critical Book Review (CBR)
makes a decision to critic in that second chapter of the book which is Variation with Reference to
Users.

II. SUMMARY

The variation of language with reference to the language user or the speaker is called dialect.
Speakers of language vary in some respects. Naturally, speakers of language have variations.
Sociologically speakers of language are observed as being varied or stratified in terms of their
residence, welfare or prosperity, age and sex. When language varies it means that there are
different ways of saying the same thing. It can be seen in sound, phonological, lexical and
grammatical features.

a. Regional Dialect

It is variation of language with respect to the speakers’ geographical origin because of the
influence of their living environment. One time speakers of language lived in one area and they
spoke their language in the same manners. However, there were natural and social factors that
drove them to be separated. The natural characteristics affect the speakers physically that
influences the articulators.

In terms of geographical origins, English divides into British English, American English,
Australian English, etc presents variations of English in terms of phonological, lexical and
grammatical aspects. American say, “Do you have a book?” and spells words as meter, color,
control, while Australian and British say, “Have you got a book?”and spell words as metre,
colour, controll.

b. Social Dialect

It is variation of language pr code due to socio-economic status where people can be grouped
into working, middle and upper class. It brings about different qualities of pronouncing sounds
and perceiving realities in language. In English, the working class people tend to replace ng,
from sleeping to sleepin and tend to use non-standard language.

In Indonesian, the working class people normally use words ayah, emak, abah, bibi while the
upper class normally use papi, mama, tante.

The language of the outlaws belongs to the extreme case of social dialects. Prisoners,
prostitutes and gangsters use their own variations of language. In prison, they call their foremen
as wereng and ayam refers to women.

c. Chronological Dialect

It refers to variations of language with reference to age. The term age may be refers to a
certain period of time in the development or history of language and a certain period of time in
human life history or development.

In English, it is categorized into Old, Middle and Modern English. The variations of English
in the three periods are seen in words such as thou-you, thy-your, hath-has/have, foth-do, art-is.

d. Variations of Language by Sex

Language varies with reference to sex differences of the speaker, where men and women
tend to use different variations of language. Historically language variations by sex emerge as
two ethnic groups were at war or involved in conflict that makes there were two languages or
dialects in the emerged community namely one variation which tend to be used by males and by
females.
 For example, in Thai, males use sawadikrap as expression of greeting and sawadika for
females. Then, in Arabic, indicate masculinity the speakers use suffix u like firlahu which means
forgive him and firlaha that indicates femininity for women.

III. ELEMENTS OF BOOJ IN PERSPECTIVES

All knowledge possessed by the author of the book, Prof. Amrin Saragih, Ph.D. in the
Varieties of Language field is contained in this book. In this book, there are 6 elements that are
mutually sustainable and strengthen each material in it.

In the first section the author describes variation with reference to users where how
differences in language usage can occur in geographical origin, socio-economic status, sex,
sound, grammatical, phonological aspects.

In second part, we will find sub title, variety of language with to field that means sets of
activity sequences oriented to some global institutional purpose or in common word we call it as
social action, what is going on in this universe.

Move on to another part, we have variety of language with reference to tenor that talks about
role or social relationship between the addresser and addressee. While in chapter V, Variety of
Language with Reference to Mode talks about the manner in which interaction carried out.

In chapter VI, Variety of Language with reference to culture that discusses about how the use
of language in one genre varies from another type of genre. And for the last chapter, Variety of
Language with Reference to Ideology talks about how text or language use can be developed and
deeply rooted in the practices of the society or community members and specifically realized.

In short, through books presented with interesting and honestly written and anything that will
encourage readers to add and deepen their knowledge about Functional Variety of Language.
This book is well suited for students who are learning English and Linguistics they are able to
write texts that in their meaning and the context they want to convey can be well received.
 Through this book the reader will be invited to rediscover what has been read at the same time
when the reader can use the new reading. What's more interesting is that the author gives the
answer key after the reader does the problem, the reader by looking at the places directly.

After that, the author describes the references that are continuous with the chapters discussed
and not only on the last page but also on each final page per chapter. This helps readers to
facilitate them to find references that can be used to view the page.

In addition, the author also writes back into this chapter to makes readers and helps them in
summarizing the chapters that have been read.

This book in my opinion is very good because it is written in a language that is easy to read
by the reader and quite right and not wordy. Because there are a number of books that I have
found that have a very long but lacking explanation about the core in the topic discussed. Luckily
in this book I did not find things like that.

2. DISADVANTAGES

In my opinion, there is no weakness in this book because it has been packaged very well and
all topics or material have been clearly explained and there is no complicated language. Then
also the font and style of writing are also made accordingly. Because there are also books that the
writer found did not use a good font and did not edit it properly so it was not comfortable to read,
but not found in this book.

Then also in terms of appearance, this book has a beautiful cover so readers are interested in
seeing the book, and again this book is also very handy so it is easy to carry anywhere.

That is why the writer doe not find weakness in the book because in different aspects
everything is good.

3. SIGNIFIICANCE

The benefits that can be obtained in Functional Variety of Language learning through this
book are the existence of high motivation and reading interest. By using this book, the reader is
expected to be able to solve questions that are pleasing in the production of scientific texts. This
book can also be knowledge especially for researchers, students, teachers, and the general public.
 III. CONCLUSION

Along with the development of the times from time to time, the use of language and the
way to convey language varies from addresser to addresser.

The difference in language has its own characteristics and variety in various fields of life
and the environment, especially the context is very important. This aims for good and advances
in the use of language so that the language is better in use.

Language differences cannot be avoided, because they have been around for a long time,
what we can do is adapt them to various aspects such as the appropriate context, the environment
in which the language is delivered, to whom the language is intended, etc. if we avoid that
language difference then the message delivered will not be delivered and there will be
misunderstanding between the addresser and addressee and also our language usage ability will
not experience a good increase.
CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW

LECTURER:
Prof. Amrin Saragih, Ph.D.

By:
Ririn Zevanya Purba (2153220031)
English Literature 2015 A

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2018/2019
 PREFACE

Praise to God Almighty who has given His blessing to us to complete the assignment,
Critical Book Review which the writer could make review this book which title is Variation and
Functional Varieties of Language written by Prof. Amrin Saragih, Ph.D.
The report of this critical book was made to fulfill one of the tasks in the series of
Functional Varieties of Language by Prof. Amrin Saragih, Ph.D. as the writer’s lecturer. In this
case the authors express gratitude to her who has provided guidance, direction, and knowledge
that is very valuable to the writer.
The writer is well aware that critical book reports are not perfect, but many lack either in
terms of substance, or technical oral.
Medan, October 2018
Sincere,

Ririn Zevanya Purba