DISENTANGLING THE ROLE OF LINGUISTICS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

To cite this article: Wachyudi, K. (2019). Disentangling the role of linguistics in English language teaching. ELT in Focus , 2 (1), 29-33. Abstract The research paper attempt to disentangle of applied linguistics in English language teaching. In this research, content analysis was used to analyze the data. The result revealed that the role of applied linguistics in English language teaching is needed for language learners. As a result, English language learners were benefited from learning applied linguistics along with studying English language itself. The content of applied linguistics assisted language learners to better comprehend ELT.


INTRODUCTION
The disparaging to the role linguistics has less benefit in English language teaching should be questioned. Some plethora of publications on the role of linguistics in ELT is revealed that linguistics necessary for language learners. To untangle the role of applied linguistics, I instigate of the notion of linguistics at first. Yule (2010) stated the study of language is called linguistics. Khansir & Pakdel (2016) pointed out that linguistics always plays a vital role in studying language in general and English language in particular in ELT settings.
Furthermore, in the context of applied linguistics, Davies & Elder (2004) pointed out that applied linguistics is often said to be concerned with solving or at least ameliorating social problems involving language. Alwasilah (2005) revealed that applied linguistics is a branch of linguistics that discusses the principles and procedures of applying linguistics in the field of non-linguistics. Khan (2011) stated that 'applied linguistics' the use of linguistic research in language teaching only, but results of linguistic research are used in many other areas especially English language teaching (ELT) in general and English as a foreign language(EFL) in particular. Based on three earlier definitions of applied linguistics, I consider that applied linguistics is interdisciplinary between linguistics with non-linguistics study and support to each other in solving the language problem. The material of applied linguistics is constructed from linguistics theory. By no supporting linguistics theory, the role of applied linguistics meets challenging to overcome problems, especially in language teaching.
The area on language teaching is influenced by linguistics such as phonology and phonetics, syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, translation, systemic functional linguistics, and et cetera. Catford (1988) mentioned that phonetics concerned to how sound produced by human tract and phonology concern to sound language. Valin (2001) pointed out that Syntax concerns to how to construct a sentence. Syntax means how to arrange unit of a word into a sentence, and it has meaning. The element of syntax discusses word formation, word order, part of speech, and structure to form a sentence. Hurford, Heasley, & Smith (2004) stated that semantics is the study meaning of language.
Meanwhile, sociolinguistics is the language used in the society. To this angle, (Wardhaugh and Fuller, 2015) stated: "Sociolinguistics is the study of our everyday life how language works in our casual conversations and media we are exposed to, and the presence of societal norms, policies, and laws which address language (p.1)." The element of sociolinguistics is the language used in linking to a social variable such as dialect, bilingual, multilingualism, and so forth. For the translation, (Newmark, 1988, p. 5) elucidates "what is translation, Often, though not by any means always, it is rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended the text." The problem of how to give the meaning from mother language into language target is involving so many aspects. Hence, the issue of translation needs to teach and to learn in English language teaching. Evidence from Popovic (2001) meets the fact that "translation seems to be used strategy and preferred language practice technique for many students in EFL setting." For the last subject in this paper, Emilia and Hamied (2015) explain systemic functional linguistics (SFL) is a social theory of language, also called the theory of language in context. In this matter, language is part of social semiotics. I already cleared the notion of each subject notion relates to linguistics theory. I need also mention some previous study about the role applied linguistics such as on phonetics and phonology in ELT. Investigation of phonetics and phonology in ELT is ever discussed by Yilmaz who has the influence of phonetics for pronunciation in ELT. For addition, Syntax in EFL is ever investigated by Wong (2007) who has studied the applied of generative linguistics syntax within second language acquisition. Boers and Demecheleer (1998) studied how to teach preposition by using cognitive semantics. A preposition can be disentangled based on semantics' view. Later, Translation relates to ELT is ever conducted by Sandra (2018) who tried to seek students' problem in learning translation as comprehensively. Wachyudi (2016) examined codeswitching in teaching ELT. The result of this his study showed that code-switching in the classroom could be utilized to enhance students' comprehension in learning English language. For the last, Sukyadi & Fiftinova (2009) investigated students' in writing by using the SFL' approach.
Based on the previous study in the earlier paragraph, I fill the gap with disentangling the position of applied linguistics as an essential subject in English language teaching. In this paper, I limit to the phonetics phonology, morphosyntax, semantics, translation, sociolinguistics, and SFL in the context of English language teaching.

METHODS
In this research, content analysis was used to review relevant data on applied linguistics in ELT. I linked the issues on applied linguistics to English language teaching for making the issue clear. Therefore, the relevant data on linguistics in ELT were taken as valuable data.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Based on the result, I am not doubtful to accept applied linguistics as a compulsory element in ELT. In the phonetics and phonology, in the Indonesian setting where the country has multilingual, English language learners' faced different challenging, especially to pronounce or spell English words. In the specific context, Indonesian students as language learners meet challenging to spell initial English phoneme /f/e.g., flight. Due to in the Indonesian language does not have of this phoneme. Thus, initial phoneme /f/ interchangeable to initial phoneme /p/. It means, it is phonetics and phonology give comprehensive knowledge to language learners about the study of human sound. So, the teacher does not accuse to students that they never listen and exercise initial /f/ phoneme intensely and correctly. If the teacher conscious that language learners have different language background, so the English teacher carefully to disparage students' in spelling English phoneme. In the context of structure or syntax, Language learners need to learn In Syntax, and language learners learn how to construct sentence grammatically. Without this knowledge, the teacher untangled sound language prescriptively. The teacher teaches English grammar with the result, true or false. In syntax, especially in generative grammar, the language learners recognize how to arrange sentence descriptively and well. So, the students understand how to produce sentence grammatically. In semantics, language learners can write sentence descriptively and unambiguous after they knew and learned about grammar.
Furthermore, sociolinguistics has benefit. As an illustration, the use of codeswitching, as part of sociolinguistics, can be employed in English language teaching. It means, in Indonesia, where the country has multi-language, it can be a good strategy for describing the concept in ELT for language learners when they meet challenging to understand the concept. The popular study on sociolinguistics such as dialect on world Englishes can be one illustration of how sociolinguistics in ELT is vital. Translation in teaching English has a precious benefit. Without ascertain of these skills in ELT, I think language learners will not enlighten of their skill in the future. For the last discussion in this paper is systemic functional linguistics. SFL is a tremendous skill of grammar in the present day. This current approach influences many linguists and educationists. The voluminous SFL's research in ELT has conspicuously on this research paper. The language learners' competence in SFL assists them to apprehend the use of language contextually. It means language learners can be able to construe language used based on meaning. The heart of SFL can be used as a tool for examining the text type, or it can be used for scrutinizing context in the making translation well from the first language into the language target.

CONCLUSION
The goal of this paper is to untangle the role applied linguistics in ELT. In this research paper, there is much element on linguistics such as phonetics and phonology, syntax, semantics, translation, sociolinguistics, and SFL can be utilized as a source of English language teaching. Phonetics and phonology have enlightened to language learners for the study of sound language in ELT rigorously. Hence, after they have learned of this sound language, hopefully, language learners thoughtful in teaching English spelling, pronunciation, and intonation to others because language is unique. The benefit of learning syntax is language learners realize how to construct language structure as descriptively and not prescriptively. If the form sentence is formed structurally, so the meaning or semantics unambiguous. The benefit sociolinguistics for a language learner is they conscious the different language used in academic and non-academic setting (social life). The theory in sociolinguistics can be utilized for teaching English language in the classroom, e.g., codeswitching in teaching ELT or bilingualism phenomenon in English language teaching. For another subject, SFL is also can be utilized to support language learners to scrutinize translation from SFL's perspective. As a result, I am no doubt that the content of applied linguistics assisted language learners to better comprehend ELT.