What is Spoof Text?

Spoof is a text which tells factual story, happened in the past time with unpredictable and funny ending. Spoof text is very similar to recount text. Both spoof and recount tell about the past event with chronological order. Its purpose is to amuse reader with funny story. The story mostly is ended with an unpredictable event. The different is Spoof Text has “twist” in the end of the story.

The social function is to entertain the readers with an humorous story

Generic Structure of Spoof:

1. Orientation (introduction of the participant of the story , where it happen and when. By giving the orientation, reader will recognize the story)
2. Events (tells about the chronological of the story. Several events are explored in chronological way which able to arrange the story read nicely.)

• -Event 1
• -Event 2
• - …etc…

3. Twist (an unpredictable plot in the end of the story which amuse the reader. Readers even did not predict before that it would be)

Language Feature of Spoof

1. Focusing on people, animals or certain things

2. Using action verb; ate, ran, etc

3. Using adverb of time and place

4. Told in chronological order.

Example 1:

Penguin in the Park

           Once a man was walking in a park when he across a penguin. He took it to a policeman and said; “What should I do?” The policeman replied; “Take it to the zoo!”.

           The next day, the policeman saw the man in the same park. The man was still carrying the penguin. The policeman was rather surprised and walked up to the man and asked; “Why are you still carrying the penguin? Didn’t you take it to the zoo?” The man replied; “I certainly did. And it was a great idea because the penguin really enjoyed it. So, today I am taking it to the movie”.

Generic Structure Analysis:

Orientation;introducing participants: the man, policeman, and Penguin. They were in the park

Event1; The man tended to take the penguin to the park

Event; The following day, the man were still carrying the penguin

Twist; Even, finally the man would take the penguin to the movies

Language Feature Analysis:

Focusing on certain certain participants; the man, penguin, policeman
Using action verb; carry, walk up
Using adverb of time and place; once, in the park
Told in chronological order; chronological order by days, the next day.

Nur Arifta Lantiningrum, 2012