Mood and Modality Analysis on 2014 Indonesian Pre Presidential Election in The Jakarta Post and The Jakarta Globe Editorials

Abstract

The basic function of editorial is giving information to their readers. The information is usually in the form of opinions. The newspaper through their editors/journalists delivers the information in the form of attitude and opinion toward an issue to their readers. However, editorial might contain other intentions. Other intentions that might appear are persuasion and offer. This paper analyzed mood and modality of newspaper editorials, especially on their stand on Indonesian general election in 2014. This paper used two editorial texts from The Jakarta Post and The Jakarta Globe that contain the attitude of the two newspapers in Indonesian presidential election 2014. Looking at the Mood and Modality used in the texts, the writer investigates how the two editorials were different in terms of functions. From the Mood data, this paper found that The Jakarta Post and The Jakarta Globe Editorials is exchanging information to their readers. However, there were differences in exchanging good and service. The Jakarta Post tended to demand more information through the command speech role to their reader than The Jakarta Globe. This function was also supported by the Modality data. The editorial in The Jakarta Post has more obligation and has more high value modality compared to the editorial in The Jakarta Globe. These functional elements support the underlying purpose of each text.