Miscommunication Analysis of EFL Learners in Makassar

Fitrianingsih

Graduate Program of English Department, State University of Makassar, South Sulawesi Indonesia,
Automobile: 0852 9942 9982
Email: fitrianingsih154@gmail.com

Abstract
This research objectives were to find out (1) the causes of miscomunication encountered by EFL learners
in Makassar in communicating with English native speaker in scoial media; and (2) the way the EFL
learners handle the miscommunication through analyzing, identifiying and interpreting th language
chunks on WhatsApp, Facebook and Line. This research employed qualitative research design. It applied
two kinds of sampling. Snowball sampling technique is applied for university learners, while purposive
sampling technique is used to engage secondary learners. The participants of this research were those
EFL learners in Makassar both secondary and university level who have at lease a native speaker friend
to communicate with. The data were collected by using interview and observation to gather the data
about the EFL Learners miscommunication, the causes of communication encountered and the way the
EFL learners in makassar handle the miscommunication. The result of research showed that (1) seven
causes of miscommunication appeared, they are grammatical failure, mistranslation, stereotyping, belief
and value, cultural ethnocentrism, failure of perceiving word collocation, and unfamiliar abbreviation, (2)
Three ways of handling miscommunications used by EFL learners in Makassar were clarification
requests, confirmation check, and correction/ comprehension check.

Key words: EFL Learners miscommunication, English native speakers, Social Media

I. Introduction

Some social factors demand all people to take at least a part in communication. Love, attention, support
and any other needs become the reasons of how important a communication is. Without having a
communication, people can not reach their needs. However, communication is not a simple task. That is
why, having a good relationship indicates a hardworking within the community to keep a good
communication. In other words, good communication influences the relationship in a group or
community, as well as how the society modifies, constructs and reflects the social identity of the users
and how the relationship is influenced by the communicative reinforcement itself. Lahtinen (2013, p. 7)
states that in the global world, communication is also highly marketable, some preaching about
communication in the coorporate environment, others offering relationship, advice, and some therapeutic
services to individuals struggling for example.

Movius (2010) highlights the fact that media have a central place in globalisation and gives three reasons
for this: 1) media corporations globalize their products; 2) global infrastructure of communication eases
and promotes global information flows; 3) and global media play a key role in how we presently
communicate. Due to the important of communication in the recent century, it is noticed that social
phenomena are also available through the exsisting of social media instead of the real life. It can not be
denied that many things have being changed since 20 century, whereas the dinamic life presents some
sophisticated tools to ease people in completing some task in this life including social media. Social
media provides an opportunity to interact with each other in or across the country. Also, social media
provides a context where people across the world communicate, exchange messages, share knowledge,

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and interact with each other regardless of the distance that separates them (Sawyer, 2011).

In cross cultural communication, miscommunication could give any impact to someone’s willingness of
having a conversation to random people. As it is needed to be higlighted, the writer brings this research
project to see the causes of EFL learners miscommunication with English native speakers in social media
communication and the strategy that they use to handle the miscommunication encountered. This
research supports some previous related studies and become the additional scientific sources for the next
related studies. Many research findings about miscommunication in accross country were elaborated.
What makes this research project different is the writer utilizes social media to analyze
miscommunication encountered by EFL learners in Makassar as non Englis native speaker to
communicate with Englis native speakers which has not been conducted yet. Furthermore, this project is
expected to be a more powerful contribution to English curriculum and also teachers in Indonesia to be
focused on the learners communicative competence so that the target language can be practically used
well by the EFL learners to communicate.

The writer belives that the use of social media are not something new for EFL learners so that conducting
this kind of research study would be feasible, as the social media can be used anytime and anywhere.
Thus, the writer needs to lay out how this research will run in order to answer the research questions.
Focusing on some strength points above, the writer was interested in elaborating a research in title
“Miscommunication Analysis of EFL Learners in Makassar”

II. Research Questions

Based on the background above, the research questions can be formulated are as follows:
1. What are the causes of miscommunication encountered by EFL learners in Makassar in
communicating with English native speakers on Facebook, WhatsApp and Line?
2. How do the EFL learners in Makassar handle the miscommunication?

III. Literature Review

1. Cross-cultural communication

Without a deep understanding about different cultural communicative pattern, communication

accross culture might be failed. Cross-cultural communication is an interdisciplinary field of research that
studies how people understand each other across group boundaries of various sorts: national,
geographical, ethnic, occupational, class, or gender (Kramsch, 2001. p. 201). In relation to a good
communication among countries in this world, cross cultural understanding plays an important role as the
bridge to minimize miscommunication across culture. Specifically in language learning, the significance
of cultural awareness is undeniable. Nowadays, the number of cultural diversity increases. As Sato &
Culen (2001) Cross-cultural understanding develops in situations which require negotiation of meaning
and identity in the context of another culture. According to Jant (2004, p. 39), cross cultural generally
refers to comparing phenomena across culture. Many difficulties found in crosscultural communication
in which the problems occured not only in understanding the languages but also those in understanding
their cultural value. Our success in communication depends on how far we understand others’ feedback
(Mulyana, 2005). Hence, understanding other cultures may help someone communicate with people from
those cultures.
Furthermore, as this research formulates and illustrates with brief examples from some
researches, “the notion of "crosscultural" encompasses more than just speakers of different languages or
from different countries it includes speakers of the same country of differen region, class, age and even

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gender (Tannen, 1985). The function of social interaction is assumed as one of media to unite the
diversity through a good communication.

2. Miscommunication
a. Concept of Miscommunication
Miscommunication is a common situation that denotes all kinds of problems that may occur in a
dialogue. People usually manage or deal with the least effort that will produce a satisfactory solution. In
task-oriented dialogue, this produces a tension between conveying information carefully to the partner
and leaving it to be inferred, risking a misunderstanding and the need for recovery (Carletta & Mellish,
1996, p. 71). However, miscommunication can be beneficial, miscommunication can point out
conceptual disagreements that can lead to a deeper understanding of issues. Likewise, realization of an
other as having different beliefs or values can lead to openness and more ethical consideration of that
other’s point of view (Traum, 2005).
Moreover, Banks, Ge, & Baker. (1991, p. 106) elaborated the definition of miscommunication as
“a particular kind of misunderstanding, one that is unintended yet is recognized as a problem by one or
more of the persons involved.” In conclusion, miscommunication is defined as failure of communication
where a message is not completely delivered as the participants of communication expected. Successful
communication may be referred to as correct understanding or just understanding. Thus,
misunderstanding and correct understanding are similar in that the listener chooses a specific
interpretation and assumes understanding, which is not the case for non-understanding (skantze, 2007).
In conclusion, communication is a complex task to deal with in which the communicators
involve cognitive, social, discursive and emotional dimensions. This kind of research will highlight the
term miscommunication as the main point to be analyzed.

b. Categories of Miscommunication
Hirst, et al. (1994) divided miscommunication into three different categories, namely:
Misunderstanding, in which one speaker believes that she or he has the right interpretation which is not
exactly the same as another participant intended to say. Hirst, et al. (1994) define misunderstanding in
which the listener obtains an interpretation that is not in line with the speaker’s intentions. If one
participant fails to obtain any clear interpretation, or does not feel confident to get a specific
interpretation, a non-understanding has happened. Non-understanding, deals with a participant fails to
obtain any interpretation or one participat has no idea of what another participant stated. Misconception,
refers to the best interpretation that one participant believes. It goes back to a conceptional belief of the
participant and interlocuters which are different. The following arguments provides an overview on the
influential factors of miscommunication.

3. Social media
The global level of networking has led to significant differences in the attitudes towards many
intercultural constituents; for example, for the digital generation communication through social networks
is preferable to speech. Also, the attitude towards the notion of friends is conceptualized quite differently
nowadays (Lebedko, 2014). In this era, most people are familiar with many kinds of social media such as
Facebook, BBM, and Whats App. Facebook, the most popular kind of social media was launced in 2007,
the era when most people have at least a device to have online conversation. Facebook helps a lot for
those who are interested in talking with long time friends and making new ones. At one point, Facebook
became so popular among users who enjoyed online conversations that people stopped using previous
medias like Friendster and Myspace.
The social networks impact toward globalization change many people point of view of the world
especially inintercultural communication. According to Shuter (2012, p. 219), “new media are
transforming communication across cultures”; electronic media have altered contemporary methods of
communication (Movius, 2010). Chen (2012, p. 3) states that “With its distinctive features new media
has brought human society to a highly interconnected and complex level, but at the same time, it
challenges the very existence of human communication in the traditional sense.”

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 Involving such kinds of social media as one of the way in socializing in this sophisticated life
means the users need to consider many aspect of this life, being oped minded, more extrovert, the
important one is being able to adapt with many habits outside of the culture. Refering to this study,
social media are used to see the EFL learners communication with English native speaker. The reason is
because social media provides people an expand opportunity to have a communication around the world
so that the EFL learners can easily find native speakers from many kinds of social media account.

IV. Methods
1. Subjects
The subjects of this research were EFL learners in Makassar both secondary learners and
university learners. The technique of gathering the sample were purposive sampling and snowball
sampling technique. Secondary learners were recruited as research subjects through purposive sampling
while university learners were involved through snowball sampling technique.
2. Instruments
In collecting the data, three kinds of instruments were used namely, observation sheet, interview
protocol and audio recording.
a. Observation Sheet
Observation sheet is also considered to get the required data to be collected. the starting point
that researcher did was visiting both private and public universities and secondary school as they had
been recruited to be research subjects. Next, those recruited research subjects were given an observation
sheet to be filled. Also, the researcher asked them to capture or printscreen the conversation they had and
sent them as many as possible, so that the researcher could observe how intensive their communication
was. The more the research subjects had a communication the more miscommunication potentially
occured. The gained data in observation would be further questioned in interview session.
b. Interview Protocol
Initially, to support the data observation, those EFL learners were offered some questions which
were given through the interview protocol had been provided by the researcher in order to get some
important information about their causes of miscommunication and how they deal with the encountered
miscommunication the researcher. The offering questions were related to the obtained data from
observation sheet. However those data informations guided the researcher to make a conclusion to be
discussed in the next chapter as the research result.
c. Audio Recording
For the authentic data requirements, the researcher also used a recorder during the process of interview to
record all information she obtained.

3. Data Analysis
In analysing the data, I used discourse analysis by formulating Miles and Hubermen’s theory
(1994) in which three steps of analyzing the data were conducted they are data reduction, data display
and least but not last drawing a conclusion/interpretation.

VI. Results and Discussion

1. The Causes of miscommunication encountered bu EFL learners in Makassar in communicating with

English native speaker in social media.
Some miscommunications were found on three kinds of social media namely Facebook, WhaatsApp
and Line. The causes of miscommunication were identified through both observation and interview data
showed in the following description:
A. Facebook
The data extraction shows that non-understandings, misunderstandings and misconception appeared
on Facebook.

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 The gained data from observation sheets show that four causes of miscommunication were found
on Facebook, they are mistranslation, failure of perceiving word collocation, grammatical failure, and
belief and value. The causes of miscommunication are specifically seen considering both level of EFL
learners namely, EFL learners in secondary level and EFL learners in University Level. Both levels of
EFL learners miscommunication were distinguished in the following description:
1. Non-understanding
The detail data are represented based on the following causes of on Non-understanding found on
Facebook and different level of Makassar EFL Learners.
 Unfamiliar Phrase or Expression
It is found that one of causes of non-understanding encountered by Makassar EFL learners on
Facebook is due to unfamiliar phrase or expression.
a) EFL learners in University level
A university learner found a non-understanding on Facebook due to a mistranslation. The
extraction can be seen as follows:
 Extract 1 : Non-understanding due to Unfamiliar Phrase or Expression
MEL : Do you feel rested?
ENS : No, I’m smoking some weed and drinking a beer
MEL : It’s not healthy
ENS : obvoiusly not, but I like to get buzzed
Unfamiliar Phrase
MEL : Get buzzed? Sorry I don’t get it
or Expression
ENS : yeah, a head change from feeling normal
n

Anaysis of Extract 1
 Based on extract 1 above, The EFL Learner encounters non-understaanding due to the unfamiliar
phrase in which the EFL learner can not perceive the lexical meaning of a phrase uttered by English
native speaker. After saying I’m smoking some weed and drinking a beer, the native speaker explains
his reason by uttering I like to get buzzed which is probably confusing For EFL learner. Get buzzed
may has its contextual meaning dealing with smoking some weed or dringking a beer. Obviously, the
EFL learner gets confused by sending him Get buzzed? Sorry I don’t get it. The clarification request is
offered to handle the miscommunication. Furthermore, the native speaker explains the meaning of get
buzzed by saying yeah, a head change from feeling normal. By the end of that conversation the EFL
learner get a new information of the word get buzzed for a particular context.

 The following argument of interviewee is also considered to support the data:

Interviewee : Ya yang itu tadi saya bilang ee kurang familiar dengan kata-kata idiom, kemudian
kurang dengar-dengar ee kurang berkomunikasi dengan si native speaker ini, kurang
mengetahui kata-kata slang dan lain sebagainya.itu sih yang paling mendasar saya
rasa. (As I said that I am not familiar with many idioms and lack of practicing and
have a conversation with the native speaker, lack of understanding about slangs and
many others. Those are the basic things I guess).
Based on the gained data in interview session, the research subject explains the basic thing that
cause a miscommunication, especially non-understanding. It is caused by unfamiliar expressions uttered
by English native speaker so the ELF learners mistranslated the phrase. She further explained in
interview session that her strategy to handle the miscommunication is directly ask a question about any
unfamiliar expression.

b) EFL learners in Secondary Level

A secondary learner also found a non-understanding on Facebook due to the pragmatic failure.
The description is illustrated in the following extraction:
Extract 2 : Non-understanding due to A Mistranslation

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 MEL : How are you?
ENS : I’m pretty good. Anyway, is it your new account?
MEL : Yes, it is
ENS: so, what bout another one?
MEL: who?
Mistranslation
ENS : your account, another account. Lol

Anaysis of Extract 2
Based on extract 2 above, The EFL Learner encounters non-understaanding due to the EFL
learner’s mistranslation, in which the EFL learner failed to perceive the word another one based on its
context. In the previous utterance, the native speaker asked a question, is it you new account? What about
another one? The native speaker still focuses on the account the EFL learner has by saying another one
means another account. Unfortunately, the EFL learners doesn’t understand the word another one which
refers to the previous account he used before making the new one. Hence, the EFL learner asked a
question by saying who? Then the native speaker responded, your account. Another account. The native
speaker explained clearly that he was asking about another account besides the new one.
 The following interview is also considered to support the data:
Interviewee : Kalau kekurangan saya yaitu ee selain karena banyaknya istilah-istilah yang saya tidak
pahami, juga karena mungkin ee apa ya kosa kata saya yang masih perlu
diperbanyak lagi, itu. (Besides some particular terms or expressions I am not
familiar with, also because I am still lack of vocabularies).

Based on the interview stated above, the research subject realizes that her weakness is her lack of
vocabularies even so more the particular terms uttered by the native speaker which often becomes the
barrier of cross cultural communication. However, being an EFL learner who has to adapt with English
native speaker way of speaking makes her worry too much, whether she could handle the encountered
miscommunication or not.

 Failure of Perceiving Word Collocation

Failure of perceiving word collocation is also found as one of causes of non-understanding
encountered by EFL learners in Makassar on Facebook.
a) EFL Learner in University Level
No failure of perceiving word collocation found by univerity learners on Facebook.
b) EFL Learner in Secondary Level
A failure of perceiving word collocation can cause a non-understanding even misunderstanding
happened. It is found that a secondary learner had a non-understanding on Facebook due to the failure of
perceiving word collocation. The detail extraction can be seen as follows:
Extract 4 : Non-understanding due to Failure of Perceiving Word Collocation
MEL : You’re welcome. Are you working out everyday?
ENS : Nope, I work out three times a week. I guess half an hour every work outs
MEL : where do you work?
ENS : do you mean work out? Word Collocation
Mel : yes
ENS : at home, every morning
MEL : OMG. I think you are working out in a company. Feeling confused, what are you
talking about? What does work out means actually?
ENS : oh gosh!! I mean, excersizing like pushups, crunches, jumping jacks. Are you familiar with
those kind of things?
MEL : Oops, sorry. Probably I’m, I don’t know
Anaysis of Extract 4
Based on extract 4 above, The EFL Learner encounters non-understanding and misunderstanding
at one time due to the failure of perceiving the word collocation “work out”. It can bee seen from the

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conversation that the EFL learner is asking a question Are you working out everyday? Nope, I work out
three times a week. I guess half an hour every work outs. By seeing the response from the native speaker,
it can be assumed that there is a misunderstanding between them, because the EFL learner still does not
realize that work out does not mean getting a job it means excersizing instead. Then she said where do
you work? and the native speaker offers a confirmatin check by saying do you mean work out?.
Unfortunately the EFL learner says yes. It indicates the comunication is getting worse due to the failure
in perceiving work and work out. The EFL learners realized that the misunderstanding after having a
reply from the native speaker saying at home, every morning. To make it clear the native speaker
explains that work out means doing excersizes. He says I mean, excersizing like pushups, crunches,
jumping jacks.
 The following statement of interviewee is also considered to support the data:
Interviewee : ... karena vocab saya kurang dan mungkin pembelajaran saya di sekolah tidak sesuai,
maksudnya tidak seperti praktek dilapangan, karena lebih banyak menggunakan
bahasa-bahasa informal. (... something that becomes my weaknesses are my lack of
vocabularies and practice. That is why miscommunication is pottentially occured.
Especially what I got from school and university sometimes are different with what I
found in the application of the language use itself).

One of problems in cross cultural communication that create potential miscommunication is the EFL
learners failure of perceiving word collocation. It seems difficult to the EFL learners to catch the
meaning if they are lack of vocabulary mastery especially word collocation. From the interview above,
the EFL learner further explained that sometimes what she got from school is different with the
application of the language use. It is assumed that the research subject implies the word work out as
working whereas in English, word collocation can means many different things based on what word
stand next to the previous word.

2. Misunderstanding
The detail data are represented based on the following causes of on Non-understanding found on
Facebook and different level of Makassar EFL Learners.

 Unfamiliar Phrase or Expression

Unfamiliar Phrase or Expression is also one of causes of misunderstanding encountered by Makassar
EFL learners on Facebook.
a) EFL learners in University level
It is also found that a university learner found a misunderstanding on Facebook due to unfamiliar
expression. The detail extraction can be seen as follows:
 Extract 5: Misunderstanding due to Unfamiliar Phrase or Expression

ENS : Hi,how high are you?

MEL : Not, i am not tall enough. I am short Unfamiliar Expression
ENS : How high as you, can mean different stuff, sometimes it can mean you are very happy, another
one means, if you are drinking wine, you say I’m high that means that you are feeling the
wine.a great line means, sombody says something funny, I live on the wrong side of the tracks
means, you live in a bad place.
MEL : hahah thank uv
Anaysis of Extract 5
 Based on extract 5 above, The EFL Learner encounters misunderstanding due to Unfamiliar
Phrase or Expression. It can be seen that the EFL learner is failed to perceive the expression uttered
by the native speaker. The EFL learner perceives the word “high” as tall when the native speaker
asked how high are you?. The EFL learners says No, I’m not tall enough. Im short. While the word
high here means different meaning. The Native speaker intends to ask the EFL learners feeling.
Unfortunately the EFL learner is not familiar with that idiom. So that it is perceived differently.

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 Furthermore the native speaker explains the word high can means some other meanings depends on
the context by saying How high as you, can mean different stuff, sometimes it can mean you are very
happy, another one means, if you are drinking wine, you say I’m high that means that you are feeling
the wine.a great line means, somebody says something funny.
 The following argument of interviewee is also considered to support the data:
Interviewee : Hal yang menjadi kekurangan saya ya itu tadi, ee saya kurang familiar saja dengan
kata-kata idiom.(My weakness is like what I have told you that I am just not
famialiar enough with some idioms)

Being not familiar with many kinds of idioms uttered by English native speaker makes the
communication does not run well. Realizing that what the learners get from school is different with the
application of language use makes practicing play the important role to support their level of proficiency.
However, informal way of English daily conversation demand the learners to have as many experience
as possible to reduce the possibility of miscommunication.
b) EFL learners in Secondary level
It is also found that a secondary learner did not find any misunderstanding on Facebook due to
unfamiliar phrase or expression
 Grammatical Failure
Grammatical failure is also found as one of causes of misunderstanding encountered by Makassar
EFL learners on Facebook.
a) EFL learners in University level
None of university learners get any misunderstanding on Facebook due to grammatical failure.
b) EFL learners in Secondary level
There is a misunderstanding found by a secondary learner on Facebook due to grammatical failure.
It is clearly shown in the following extraction:
Extract 6: Misunderstanding due to Grammatical Failure
ENS : currently, reviewing the project with my colleagues and having lunch, meeting as well.
MEL : oh,, wht ar u always meeting?
ENS : because if I were a teacher, I would teach.
Grammatical failure
MEL : yeah,, sure what u want to be a teacher?
ENS : you don’t stand what i mean, do you?
MEL : sorry,,,yeah.. I know,, was the writing is my friend,,
ENS : I have no idea

Anaysis of Extract 6
Based on extract 6 above, The EFL Learner encounters miunderstanding due to the EFL learners
grammatical failure. The native speaker says that If I were a teacher, I would teach. Unfortunately the
EFL learner does not get the meaning. She responds the message by saying yeah,, sure what u want to be
a teacher? After receiving the message the native speaker realize that there is a misunderstanding
happened. He says you don’t stand what i mean, do you. Obviously, it is getting worse because the EFL
learner denies her misunderstanding by saying sorry,,,yeah.. I know,, was the writing is my friend,,.
Finally the native speaker gets confused. He says he has no idea.

 The following statement of interviewee is also considered to support the data:

Interviewee : Ee Faktornya itu, pertama dari segi grammar, baru kedua dari segi time. Otomatis
kalau kita ingin berdiskiui dengan orang asing, otomatis waktunya kan yang kayak
beda, berbeda. (The first is, the grammar point, and the second is the time zone.
When we want to have a conversation with english native speaker, we have to
consider the time allocation wich is different with ours).

Having a communication across culture, means everything could be happened such as

miscommunication. One factor that cause the miscommunication is the grammatical failure. Talking

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about communicative competence, grammatical competence is also important to have as EFL learners. If
people do not have the competence, it means miscommunication is potentially occured.
3. Misconception
It is found that there is only one misconception found on Facebook in which the cause of
miscommunication is belief and value.
 Belief and Value
Belief and value are found as one of causes of misconception encountered by Makassar EFL
learners on Facebook.
a) EFL learner in University level
The obtained data show that there was a misconception found by one of university learners in
Makassar due to belief and value. The data is illustrated in the following extraction:
Extract 8: Misconception due to Belief and Value

MEL : I coudn’t get it. What is the pict implied?

ENS : That it’s a bomb
MEL : she puts bomb on her daughter’s bag? Oh no, crazy mom! Is this applied in a real life?
ENS : I certainly hope not. But if it was, im thinking no one would suspect a thing
MEL : Huuuhh... I’m speechless. I underline the statement on that pict “Allahu Akbar” do you think
that all moslems may do this?
ENS : No, the pic doest imply all muslims are suicide bombers, but it can be easily insulting eithere
way lol. That’s way it’s a joke tho
MEL : But the statement Allahu akbar belongs to all moslems. Right? So thats why i make a
conclusion. Ok then, but it’s not funny for me beacuse i’m a moslem but I really hate
terrorism.
Anaysis of Extract 8
Based on extract 8 above, The EFL Learner encounters misconception due to the EFL learners
belief and value. The native speaker uploaded a pict which indirectly insulting muslims and assume
muslims as terrorists. That is what the EFL learners keep in mind dealing with the conversation. A
culture of mocking or making such kind of jokes make the EFL learners being offended. Then
misconception is happend in the conversation due to their different concept even belief. At the end of the
conversation the EFL learner clarifies the native speaker’s argument by saying it’s not funny for me
beacuse i’m a moslem but I really hate terrorism.
 The following assumption of interviewee is also considered to support the data:
Interviewee : Mungkin kalau kesulitannya untuk berbicara dengan native speaker di social media
yaitu perasaan ragu, apakah kita ee ejaan kita benar ee dan itu sampai tidak
menyinggung perasaannya. (Talking about the difficulties of having a conversation
with English native speakers, probably, feeling doubt whether the way we spell the
word is correct or not and things that can make him/her feeling offended).

Trying to deal with a misconception is something serious. However, neglecting different points
of view even belief is impossible, because sometimes EFL learners are not familiar with an issue that can
make the English native speaker feel offended or vice versa. The point is whenever a misconception

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happened, further explanation or even correction is needed. Talking about marital status, age, jobs or
salary are also really taboo. The same issue happened in the data displayed.

b) EFL learner in Secondary Level

There was no misconception found by secondary learners on Facebook, especially dealing with belief
and value.

B. Line
Non-understanding, misunderstanding, and misconception also appeared on Line communication.
The data from observation sheets show that two causes of miscommunication were found on Line,
they are unfamiliar abbreviation, stereotyping and cultural ethnocentrism. The causes of
miscommunication are specifically seen considering both level of EFL learners namely, EFL learners in
secondary level and EFL learners in University Level. Both levels of EFL learners miscommunication
were distinguished in the following description:

1. Non-understanding
The detail data are represented based on the following causes of on Non-understanding found on
Line.
 Unfamiliar Abbreviation
Unfamiliar Abbreviation is also found as one of causes of non-understanding encountered by EFL
learners in Makassar on Line.
a) EFL learner in University Level
It is found that, no non-understanding encountered by EFL learners in university level on Line
due to unfamiliar abbreviation.
b) EFL learner in Secondary Level
A non-understanding on Line was found by a secondary learner due to unfamiliar abbreviation.
The data extraction can be seen as follows:
Extract 9: Non-understanding due to Unfamiliar Abbreviation
MEL : I just did my exam. Hopefuly I can pass the exam.
ENS : hope so. Did you make it well?
MEL : I don’t know. I didn’t answer some questions
ENS : omg u shouldn’t have handed ur answer sheet in until you finish answer all of em.
MEL : All of what?
ENS : All of them. All questions.
MEL : Oh, ya you are right.

Anaysis of Extract 9
Based on extract 9 above, The EFL Learner encounters non-understanding due to unfamialiar
abbreviation. People use to consider abreviations in having a written conversation. In the conversation we
are discussing, the native speaker says all of em. Seeing the utterance, the EFL learner gives a
clarification request by saying all of what? Then the native speaker completes the sentence and makes it
clear. She says all of them. All of the quastions.
 The following interview is also considered to support the data:
Interviewee : Hal-hal mendasar yang memungkinkan terjadinya miskomunikasi? Mungkin, apa
yaa sayanya juga nggak terbiasa dengan istillah-istilah seperti itu. Saya tahunya
bahasa Inggris yang formal, yang tidak pakai singkatan-singkatan begitu. Jadi saya
biasa kurang memahami kalau pake singkatan-singkatan. (The basic thing that creat
potential miscommunication is because I am not familiar with any particular
expressions. I am just familiar with formal English and do not consider any
abbreviations to use, that is why I do not really understand those abbreviations)

10
 Sometimes too many abbreviations are confusing, that is the conclusion for some learners who
are not really familiar with those abbreviations. Eventhough having non verbal communiin terms of
written communication use to consider abbreviations, some people may see it as a problem in cross
cultural communication.

2. Misunderstanding
The detail data description are described based on the following causes of on misunderstanding
found on Line.
 Stereotyping
Streotyping is found as one of causes of misunderstanding encountered by EFL learners in Makassar
on Line.
a) EFL learner in University Level
A misunderstanding on line was found by a university learner due to a stereotyping. The detail
data are described as follow:
Extract 10: Misuunderstanding due to Stereotyping
ENS : Hi, long time not talk
MEL : Yeah. I focus for my competition. I hope I can be the champion
ENS : awesome. What competition?
MEL : Footbal
ENS : Cool. Football is also popular here.
MEL : Of course. It is popular in all country. Btw what club do you like?
I like Barcelona club anyway.
ENS : wait, are you talking bout soccer?
MEL : yup. I think they are same.
ENS : Nope. They’re different. LOL
MEL : Really?
ENS : you’re talking bout soccer, another one u said is a kind of sports which use hands not foot.
MEL : I am confused
Anaysis of Extract 10
Based on extract 10 above, The EFL Learner encounters misunderstanding due to the EFL
learners stereotyping.. It is found that the EFL learners overgeneralize the word soccer as well as the
word football. However another country may perceive them differently depending on their cultural
consideration. When the EFL learner says that he just focused on his football competition, the native
speaker interprets differently in the conversation dealing with the word football and soccer. The EFL
learner thinks they are similar. The native speaker directly interrupts it by saying Nope. They’re different
LOL. In America football is a kind of sport which use hands not foot. The competion the EFL learner
mean is not football, it is soccer instead. At the end of the conversation the EFL learner gets confused
due to those words used for different sports.
 The following statement of interviewee is also considered to support the data:
Interviewee : ... banyaknya istilah-istilah yang dipakai oleh native speaker itu yang belum saya pahami,
mungkin perbendaharaan kata harus diperbanyak lagi. (... there are many terms used by
the English native speaker which I do not know. Probably, my vocabularies need to be
enriched).

Knowing that vocabulary mastery is urgent, the EFL learners suppose to realize that lack of
vocabulary mastery can cause a miscommunication in terms of cross cultural understanding in
constructing a proper word selection considering whom he talks to and and where it is used. Once the
EFL learners misuse a certain word, misunderstanding might be happened.
b) EFL learner in Secondary Level
No misunderstanding found by Makassar secondary learners on Line.

3. Misconception

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 The causes of misconception found on Line conversation are specifically seen as follows:
 Cultural Ethnocentrism
Cultural Ethnocentrism is found as one of causes of misconception On Line encountered by EFL
learners in Makassar.
a) EFL learner in University Level
A misconception on line was found by a university learner due to a cultural ethnocentrism. The
detail data are described as follow:
Extract 11: Misconception due to Cultural Ethnocentrism
MEL : I’ve already seen your pics. You’ve posted on FB. You look fatter, huh.
ENS : What???? Fatter? No!!! You shouldn’t have said that to me !!!
MEL : What’s wrong??? Being fat means you’re happy, doesn’t it?
ENS : Nope, I don’t think so
MEL : Most of Indonesian like being fat. I did’t say you r too fat. It’s still proportional, instead.
ENS : Im not Indonesian tho. Don’t ever say that again. Im american and will never be changed as
Indonesian. Don’t forget it!!!
MEL : I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just said it as a compliment
ENS : No, it’s not

Anaysis of Extract 11
Based on extract 11 above, The EFL Learner encounters misconception due to the cultural
ethnocentrism. The EFL learner believes that giving a compliment by saying You look fatter would not
be a metter. Indonesians think that if people are getting fatter it means they are happy, it seems like no
problem. Being fat is good, that is how the learner makes a standard based on her cultural consideration
as Indonesian. In contrast, the native speaker sees it as an insulting. American does not like being fat. So
that a misconception is occured. In the converstation the EFL learner explains most of Indonesian like
being fat. I did’t say you r too fat. It’s still proportional, instead. Nevertheless the native speaker
emphasizes Im not Indonesian tho. Don’t ever say that again. Im american and will never be changed as
Indonesian. Don’t forget it!!!. Finally the EFL learner apologizes by saying I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I
just said it as a compliment.
 The following statement of interviewee is also considered to support the data:
Interviewee : Ee yang pastinya, saya akan meminta penjelasan dulu, kenapa bisa merasa tersinggung
sedangkan maksud saya adalah ini, jadi setelah dia menjelaskan baru kita juga
memberikan penjelasan selanjutnya, apa yang kita maksudkan ee dalam kita menulis
atau melakukan komunikasi dalam bahasa tersebut. (Ee exactly, I will ask for further
explanation first. What makes him/her feeling offended while I mean is like this, so
after he/she explain it further, we can also explain about our intention)

Socio-cultural difference might be influencial in a miscommunication especially when one of the

speakers make his/her own strandard on culture which is called cultural ethnocentrism. An idiology, how
people from different culture see something even perceive a certain topic differently. Any concept, even
tradition make people think that the truth is based on their logic whereas many prespectives even
ideology was found based on what kind of people they are, where they were born, who are around them
and many other aspects that create different thoughts. Unfortunately, some people do not realize the fact,
so that a miscommunication can be occured.
b) EFL learner in Secondary Level
No misconception found by secondary school learners.

C. WhatsApp
Non-understandings, misunderstandings, and misconception also appeared on WhatsApp.
The data from observation sheets show that there were three causes of miscommunications found on
WhatsApp conversation, they are mistranslation, unfamiliar abbreviation and grammatical failure. The
causes of miscommunication are specifically seen considering both level of EFL learners namely, EFL

12
learners in secondary level and EFL learners in University Level. Both levels of EFL learners
miscommunication were distinguished in the following description:
1. Non-understanding
The detail data are shown based on the following causes of on Non-understanding found on
WhatsApp.
 Unfamiliar Abbreviation
Unfamiliar abbreviation is also foundlearners in Makassar as one of causes of non-understanding on
WhatsApp.
a) EFL learner in University Level
It is found that there is no non-understanding found by university learners on WhatsApp due to
unfamiliar abbreviation.
b) EFL learner in Secondary Level
A non-understanding on WhatsApp is found by a secondary learner due to unfamiliar abbreviation.
The detail data are described as follow:
Extract 12: Non-understanding due to Unfamiliar Abbreviation
MEL : you’re widely opened to be friends with people. That’s very good
ENS : I’m tired though im going to sleep message me tomorror. Zzzzz
If ya want idc. Ill be busy doing wood stuff with a friend nick pce
MEL : I’m confused, too many abreviations.
Ok then. Have a nice dream

Anaysis of Extract 12
Based on extract 12 above, The EFL Learner encounters a non-understanding due to unfamiliar
abbreviation in written form of communication. There are some abbreviations used by the native speaker
when having written communication. Without knowing if those abbreviations are familiar to the EFL
learners or not, no further explanation from the native speaker dealing with the EFL learner’s confusion.
By saying I’m confused, too many abreviations, it can be guessed that the EFL learners needs for a
clarification. Unfortunately no reply. It is assumed that the native speaker needs to have rest soon. So that
no furtherexplanation available.
 The following interview is also considered to support the data:
Interviewee : Faktor yang menyebabkan, mungkin saya apa ya belum terbiasa dengan dsingkatan-
singkatan seperti itu jadi mungkin saya nda ngerti. (Probably because I am not really
familiar with many kinds of abreviations. That is why I do not understand)

In written communication, using abbreviations is a very common habit even undeniable. That is
considered as the causes of miscommunication encountered by the EFL learners. He does not think that
he will understand what the native speaker said when he found abbreviations.

 Unfamiliar Phrase or Expression

Unfamiliar phrase or expression is found as one of causes of non-understanding encountered by
Makassar EFL learners on WhatsApp.
a) EFL learner in University Level
It is found that there is no non-understanding found by university learners on WhatsApp due to
unfamiliar phrase or expression.
b) EFL learner in Secondary Level
A non-understanding on WhatsApp was found by a secondary learner due to unfamiliar phrase or
expression. The detail data are described as follow:

Extract 13: Non-understanding due to Unfamiliar Phrase or Expression

13
 ENS : Hi, How does the semester go by? Did you get high marks?
MEL : High Marks?
ENS : I mean, Good score A or B, did you get A in English?
MEL : Oh no, in English!!! yes em B

Anaysis of Extract 13
Based on extract 13 above, The EFL Learner encounters non-understanding due to unfamiliar
phrase or expression where the EFL learner failed to sense the meaning or perceiving the language
based on its context. Literally, the phrase high marks might have another meaning instead of explaining a
good score. However, the native speaker talks about how the semester goes by so that it indicates the
result during the semester running. Unfortunately, the EFL learners failed in perceiving the context
uttered by the native speaker. Dealing with the failure of perceiving the language, the EFL learner uses a
clarification request in handling his non-understanding by saying high marks?. The repetition indicates
that the EFL learner needs further information about the message he repeated. Finally the native speaker
understands the clarification request as a signal of non-understanding in which the EFL learner asks for
more information. To make it more understandable, the native speaker responds the clarification request
by sending easier message to comprehend. I mean, Good score A or B, did you get A in English?. The
diction uttered by native speaker succesfully perceived by the EFL learners by saying Oh no, in
English!!! yes em B.
 The following statement of interviewee is also considered to support the data:
Interviewee : Faktor? Ee mungkin saya yang kurang familiar dengan kata-kata seperti itu. Seperti
idiom-idiom yang biasa digunakan oleh si native speaker ini. (Factors? Probably I am
not really familiar with that kind of expression, like idioms use to be uttered by the
native speaker).

In the interview session above, it is concluded that the research subject is aware of being
unfamiliar with a particular expression, that is why a miscommunication potentially occured. The
tendency of Makassar EFL learners to speak formally, just because they are not familiar with any
informal way of speaking, so that having a conversation with English native speaker is often confusing
for them.
2. Misunderstanding
The causes of misunderstanding on WhatsApp are specifically desccribed as follows:
 Grammatical Failure
Grammatical failure is found as one of causes of misunderstanding encountered by Makassar EFL
learners on WhatsApp.
a) EFL learner in University Level
It is found that no misunderstanding found by university students on WhatsApp.
b) EFL learner in Secondary Level
A misunderstanding on WhatsApp was found by a secondary learner due to a grammatical failure.
The detail data can be seen as follow:
Extract 14: Misunderstanding due to Grammatical Failure
ENS : My parents just came from my niece’s wedding. I wish I could come
MEL : oh. You want go to wedding?
ENS : I wish.
MEL : with who? When you go?
ENS : It’s done
MEL : what?
ENS : I din go, I had something to do. That’s why I said I wish.
MEL : I dont’ undestand
Anaysis of Extract 14
Based on extract 14 above, The EFL Learner encounters misunderstanding due to the EFL
learners grammatical failure in which the EFL learner is failed to perceive the lexical meaning of I wish.

14
 The EFL learner is lack of understanding to the use of past form in a sentence my parents just came from
my niece’s wedding. I wish I could come. The native speaker has explained him clearly by saying I din
go, I had something to do. That’s why I said I wish. Unfortunately. No further explanation after the EFL
learner says I dont’ understand.
 The following statement of interviewee is also considered to support the data:
Interviewee : Yang paling sulit sih itu ketika saya menyesuaikan dengan grammarnya... (The most
difficult is adapting with the grammatical point...).

Successfully perceiving the sentence meaning will be impossible without any gramatical
competence. Mastering grammar is necessary to bulid the learner sensitivity in interpreting the meaning of
a sentence, that is why grammatical failure is also considered as a barrier of a successful communication.
Hence, it is suggested to the EFL learners to be familiar with many kinds of grammatical point to have a
good communication in English with English native speaker.

3. Misconception

No misconceptions found by both University learners and Secondary learners on WhatsApp.

2. The Way the EFL learners Handle the Miscommunication

In regarding with the obtained data from observation sheet and sopported by interview session,
it is found that there are some ways of handling micommunication considered by Makassar EFL learners.
The strategies are described as follows:
A. Confirmation Checks
In having a cross cultural communication, the EFL learners consider this way to ensure their
understanding. Usually confirmation checks are used to handle non-understanding and misunderstanding.
As the following data shows that, confirmation check is chosen as one of strategis in handling
miscommunication.
ENS : mm better than yesterday. Been sick for a long time now
MEL : i’m glad you’re getting better
ENS : yeah, it’s probably caused by some foods I consumed.
I guess they were spoil already.
MEL : haa??? Spoil??? Do you say spoil for food?
ENS : I do
MEL : means?
ENS : people would say that if they found some bad foods to consume , like if they don’t finish
them till the day after. People aren’t gonna eat them.
MEL : expired?
ENS : yep. Kind of thing
Focusing on the italic and bold sentence above, it is clearly seen that, confirmation check that the
EFL learner used was really helpful for the learner’s understanding. The data is also supported by the
following observation sheet the research subject filled in,
Bagaimana
mencegah atau
mengatasi
miskomunikasi
Furthermore, an explanation of the research subject in interview session also justifes the gained data,
as stated in the following:
Interviewee : Biasanya untuk mengatasi miskomunikasi saya mengulang kembali pernyataan yang
diajukan sebelumnya atau langsung bertanya kepada native speaker itu apa yang
sebenarnya ia maksud. (Usually to handle a miscommunication I will ask my
English native speaker friend to repeat her/his statement or directly ask what he/ she
intends to say.

15
 Repeating the utterance like “high marks”? or “ do you say spoil for foods?” are some confirmation
checks used by the learners in handling miscommunication in order to ensure a miscommunication or
sending a signal to the interlocutors that it is something confusing and need a confirmation about the
particular expression.

B. Clarification Requests
Usually clarification request is delivered when one of speakers has non-understanding to handle.
As the following data shows that, clarification request is chosen as one of strategis in handling
miscommunication.

MEL : could you please send me your pictures doing your activity there?
ENS : I’m a hot mess though
MEL : What do you mean?
ENS : I’m dirty working out a lot
I will when Im done taking a shower
Concerning with the italic and bold sentence above, it is shown that, the EFL learner used
clarification request for an expression she does not understand. It was really helpful for the learner
because a new information was processed after giving the clarification request. The data is also supported
by the following observation sheet the research subject filled in,
Bagaimana
mencegah atau
mengatasi
miskomunikasi
Furthermore, an explanation of the research subject in interview session also justifes the gained data,
as stated in the following:
Interviewee : Ya, kalau saya tidak paham ya saya tanya sama teman saya ini. (If I do not get it I will ask
my native speaker friend).

Asking a question like “what do you mean?” is one of clarification requests that is recommended to
be used when someone has non-understanding while having a conversation especially with Engkish
native speaker. By giving a clarification request, the non-understanding can be a new input then. People
suppose to ask for a clarification than guessing to avoid further miscommunication.

C. Comprehension checks/ correction

The following data shows that, correction is chosen as one of strategis in handling
miscommunication.
MEL : I’ve already seen your pics. You’ve posted on FB. You look fatter, huh.
ENS : What???? Fatter? No!!! You shouldn’t have said that to me !!!
MEL : What’s wrong??? Being fat means you’re happy, doesn’t it?
ENS : Nope, I don’t think so
MEL : Most of Indonesian like being fat. I did’t say you r too fat. It’s still proportional, instead.
ENS : Im not Indonesian tho. Don’t ever say that again. Im american and will never be changed as
Indonesian. Don’t forget it!!!
Mel : I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just said it as a compliment
ENS : No, it’s not

In a conversation highlighted above, a misconception is happened. “What’s wrong??? Being fat

means you’re happy, doesn’t it?” the sentece is a comprehension check, to ensure whether the
interlocutor comprehend her intention. While ”Most of Indonesian like being fat. I did’t say you r too fat.
It’s still proportional, instead” is a sentence to deliver a correction, in hopes the conversation can run
better with no further misconception. The gained data above is also supported by the following
observation sheet the research subject filled in,

16
 Bagaimana
mencegah atau
mengatasi
miskomunikasi
Furthermore, an explanation of the research subject in interview session also justifes the obtained
data, as stated in the following:
Interviewee : Ee yang pastinya, saya akan meminta penjelasan dulu, kenapa bisa merasa tersinggung
sedangkan maksud saya adalah ini, jadi setelah dia menjelaskan baru kita juga
memberikan penjelasan selanjutnya, apa yang kita maksudkan ee dalam kita menulis
atau melakukan komunikasi dalam bahasa tersebut. (Ee exactly, I will ask for further
explanation first. What makes him/her feeling offended while I mean is like this, so after
he/she explain it further, we can also explain about our intention)

However different conceptional belief is also influenced by different culture. A misconception

should have been handled well by delivering comprehension check or a correction. The reaserch subject
eaxplained clearly in the interview session that she will ask for further explanation to the English native
speaker first so that she can get what the native speaker intended to say and then try to clarify the
misconception by making a correction.

VII. Conclusion
This research is aimed to analyze the miscommunication encountered by EFL learners in
Makassar in communicating with English native speaker. Based on the findings and the discussion that
has been described in the previous chapter, the researcher comes to the following conclusion: (1) The
causes of the miscommunication encountered by EFL learners in Makassar in communicating with
English native speakers are grammatical failure, mistranslation, belief and value, stereotyping, cultural
ethnocentrism, failure of perceiving word collocation and unfamiliar abbreviation; (2) Three ways of
handling miscommunications used by EFL learners in Makassar were clarification requests, confirmation
check, and correction/ comprehension check.

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