A Sociolinguistic Analysis of "Greeting" and "Introducing": A Preliminary Study of Texts in English Textbooks Used at Junior High School

Abstract

Abstract: The introduction of the 1994 Curriculum and its meaningfulness approach (Pendekatan Kebermaknaan) encourages textbook writers and publishers to publish textbooks in order to meet the needs of both teachers and students for the learning process. That is why at present textbooks of any subjects, including English, are flooding the market. There are some criteria that need to be considered before choosing a textbook for an English class; among others are the authenticity of the language as it is used by the native speakers and its cultural appropriateness (flicker, 1975). This article attempts to analyze three textbooks which are widely used at junior high schools in Surabaya and its nearby towns from the sociolinguistic point of view. The findings show that there are some words or sentences that are sociolinguistically inappropriate and unacceptable eventhough as a whole the textbooks are good and can be used for teaching.