The particular dialect or language that a person chooses to use on any occasion is called a code IDEAS Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) Volume 13, Number 1, June 2025 pp. 2282 - 2291 Copyright © 2025 The Author IDEAS is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 License Issued by English study program of IAIN Palopo English Figurative Language on Palembang Hotel Websites Beni Wijaya1, Zakaria2, Eli Yeny3, Mohamad Fadhil4 1,2,3Politeknik Negeri Sriwijaya Corresponding E_mail: beniwijaya@polsri.ac.id Received: 2025-06-08 Accepted: 2025-06-30 DOI: 10.24256/ideas. v13i1.6944 Abstract Websites for hotels are essential sources of information for prospective guests. Because of this, their readability and appeal are crucial to hotel internet marketing. The objective of this study is to gain insight into the linguistic strategies utilized by hotels for online promotion. This study initially introduces an analytical framework grounded in appraisal theory to elucidate the underlying mechanisms employed by hotels to foster interpersonal interactions. This framework is subsequently employed to analyze the online linguistic strategies utilized by the five-star hotels in Palembang. The overall linguistic strategy is found, along with the hotels' preference for using it. This study employed a descriptive qualitative methodology, analyzing samples from hotel websites in Palembang based on their usage of language style. The findings indicated that metonym, hyperbole, metaphor, personification, simile, and synecdoche are the language types that the hotel frequently uses to entice readers to stay there with metaphor as the most dominant. In conclusion, one of the most important parts of making ads is using language style, which means changing the meaning of words and using figurative language to make them more fun to read. Keywords: figurative language, hotel website, Palembang Introduction Palembang's destination marketing organizations and various governmental levels are aggressively marketing each of its tourist destinations across the globe. The hotel segment should be given a lot of attention in such a procedure because the majority of travelers stay at hotels and even spend a large amount of their trip there. Consequently, their hotel experience has a significant impact on how they perceive a place and is directly linked to spreading either favorable or unfavorable word of mouth about travel there. 2282 http://u.lipi.go.id/1457703302 mailto:beniwijaya@polsri.ac.id IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 1, June 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 2283 For potential guests, a hotel's website is an essential information resource. This platform has the potential to significantly impact people's decision-making, which will help hotel websites gain a lot of attention for development. A hotel website's wording presents a thorough picture of the hotel that is browsed to entice and convince prospective customers to make a real transaction. Many studies have looked at how useful and functional hotel websites are, but only a few have looked at the language used on a website. Since language is known to have a significant influence on how customers perceive a hotel, academics should work quickly to close this study gap to improve the industry's guidelines for website development. Humans engage and communicate with one another through language, which is a means of communication. A human being may perform daily chores that call for cooperation and communication through language. Language is the medium via which people communicate and exchange ideas with one another, according to Lahay et al. (2023). But language is an important part of all parts of human life, such as politics, economics, education, technology, science, and the arts. One example of language use in the arts is the dialogue in the film. Figurative language is described as a nonliteral language that conveys meaning without being literal. It was not intended to be taken literally because doing so could lead to misunderstandings. Kreuz and Roberts (2022) define figurative language as language employed by authors or speakers to convey meanings that go beyond the literal interpretation. Moss and Fussell (2021) contended that the utilization of figurative language necessitates a prior acquaintance between the author and reader or the speaker and listener, alongside an interpretation. Therefore, metaphorical language may not be appropriate in some sentences if there is improper context or scenario. Numerous earlier studies or publications that focus on figurative language used across multiple platforms are comparable. Not one, though, concentrates on the hotel websites. Three different researchers analyzed the metaphorical language in the films: Al-Faruq and Putra (2024), Nera et al. (2024), and Wildaniyah and Hikmah (2022). Sa'adah and Rohana (2023) conducted it on the TV shows. Sari (2022), Nuraeni, et al. (2020), Muzzaqi (2020), Melly (2022), and Awaliyah (2023) worked on the songs. Aprinica (2021), Atmaja (2022), Mamonto et al. (2023), and Ramadhan (2022) were the ones that worked on the commercials. Putri and Marlina (2023), Monny (2023), Iswahyuni et al. (2024), Azmi et al. (2023), and Aubakir et al. (2024) did research on the literature. Lastly, it was carried out by Abulaish et al. (2022), Al-Khasawneh (2021), and Amirulloh et.al. (2023) on the news and social networks. The hotel websites were the subject of very few analyses (Qian & Law, 2021; Chen et al., 2024). Based on the aforementioned justification, the researchers want to examine the figurative language employed on hotel websites in Palembang. Based on the information above, this research focuses on the types and most common figurative language used on Palembang hotel websites. Beni Wijaya, Zakaria, Eli Yeny, Mohamad Fadhil English Figurative Language on Palembang Hotel Websites 2284 Literature Review 2.1. Hotel Website Hotel websites give businesses of all sizes a modern way to talk to each other, promote their goods and services, and make money by drawing in a large number of customers. However, not every website can turn visitors into paying customers. Furthermore, large sums of money have been dedicated to the creation of websites, often without giving enough thought to whether or not these sites have met the goals set forth by the organization. Thus, scholars and business professionals are interested in conducting an efficient assessment of websites. The technique website developers employ to ascertain how websites help businesses satisfy the demands and expectations of their customers is frequently referred to as website evaluation. Developers can therefore pinpoint a website's shortcomings and concentrate on making more improvements (Qian & Law, 2021). Preciseness, excellence, reliability, efficiency, and general client contentment are frequently assessed. Much work has gone into creating comprehensive website assessment standards, but there is still no widely accepted method for carrying out the assessment. Website assessments typically vary slightly depending on the type of business and its unique requirements. Therefore, when evaluating a website's performance, various factors and characteristics may be taken into account. Comparably, other studies have employed different metrics for evaluating websites related to travel or accommodations. 2.2 Figurative Language Because technology-based communication is so common, some academics are looking into how visual cues could be used in addition to textual language to influence the meaning that is inferred (Ferguson, 2024). Language that uses various speech figures is referred to as figurative language. It is another term for language that uses expressions or words with meanings other than their literal ones. The true meaning of a phrase or statement is its literal meaning. The opposite of literal meaning is non-literal meaning. In this case, semantics, which is the study of how words mean, is very closely related to it. You can utilize figurative language in written or oral communication of any kind. Figurative language can be found in poems, novels, short stories, and other creative works. You can also hear it in songs, commercials, lectures, and other forms of media. We also need to use our imaginations to figure out what figurative language in books and other places means. IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 1, June 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 2282 85 2.3Types of Figurative Language Harya (2016) says that figurative language can take many different forms. Irony is a type of figurative language that shows two meanings that are opposite of each other. People usually say the opposite of what they mean to mock. Hyperbole is a way of talking that makes a statement or situation seem more important and powerful by exaggerating it. It may manifest as statements that are overly large, overly frequent, or overly character-driven. In other words, it is exaggerated. "I could eat a horse," for instance, because I'm that hungry. When words or groups of words are used metaphorically, comparisons or similarities are made rather than the words' true meanings. In this case, two unrelated objects that share certain characteristics are implicitly compared. For instance, "king of the jungle" refers to a lion; "building castles in the air" denotes the creation of impractical plans. A metonym is a type of figurative language in which a word or group of words that are closely related to the name of an object or idea are used instead. Litotes is a way of saying something that is less than what it really is in order to make a positive statement. A simile is a kind of metaphorical language that compares two things that are not the same. When you want to compare two things directly, you usually use the words "as" and "like." Personification is a way of writing that gives things that aren't alive human traits and actions. Lastly, synecdoche is a way of speaking in which a part of something is used to mean the whole thing, and vice versa. Method In this study, the researchers utilized a descriptive qualitative research design. The research problem was delineated, scrutinized, and evaluated. The goal of qualitative research is to provide answers to issues about the growth of knowledge about the nature and aspects of the human experience in both the social and personal spheres. Research about the scientific approach used to comprehend human experience and activity, including social growth, is referred to as qualitative research (Mackey & Gass, 2022). The websites of hotels in Palembang served as the study's corpus for analysis. Transcripts from the online pages served as the study's data sources. Sentences and phrases were processed along with the data. Researchers found the transcript helpful in determining which specific words or sentences belonged to the category of figurative language. Document data were gathered via content analysis. The researchers looked for a variety of figurative language-related information and recorded all forms of figurative language that were utilized on the websites of Palembang hotels. Every statement fell into one of the categories. Next, the most prevalent type was identified. Findings and Discussion Below are the top five-star hotels in Palembang based on their best reviews on online booking platforms in 2024. Beni Wijaya, Zakaria, Eli Yeny, Mohamad Fadhil English Figurative Language on Palembang Hotel Websites 2286 No Hotel Website 1 The Arista Hotel www.aristapalembang.com 2 Wyndham Opi Hotel www.wyndhamopipalembang.com 3 Harper Hotel www.harperhotels.com 4 The Excelton Hotel www.excelton.id 5 The Zuri Hotel www.zhmhotels.com Based on the analysis of phrases/sentences on each website, it was found that the Palembang hotel websites above had various figurative language including metonym, hyperbole, metaphor, personification, simile, and synecdoche. A total of 26 phrases/sentences indicated the figurative language. First, The Arista Hotel contributed the most with 13 phrases/sentences consisting of 2 metonym, 5 hyperbole, 5 metaphor, and 1 simile described in the following table. No Phrase/Sentence Figurative Language 1 Located in the heart of Palembang Metonym 2 you will experience the best in luxury accommodation with an uncompromising level of service Hyperbole 3 turn out into one of the most relaxing, rewarding guest experience Metaphor 4 concept of traditional atmosphere feels like out of the hustle and bustle zone Metaphor 5 oriental music that can feel the warmth and strengthen closeness with loved ones Metaphor 6 the highest level of event planning expertise Hyperbole 7 located in the heart of Palembang city Metonym 8 room where many legends are made Hyperbole 9 magically transformed into a fairy-tale wedding ambiance Metaphor 10 feel like swimming in the air Simile 11 Our sky-high Fitness Centre Metaphor 12 a breathtaking 360-degree view Hyperbole 13 Our swimming pool areas are also cleaned to the highest standard to ensure your safety. Hyperbole http://www.aristapalembang.com/ http://www.wyndhamopipalembang.com/ http://www.harperhotels.com/ http://www.excelton.id/ http://www.zhmhotels.com/ IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 1, June 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 2282 87 Second, Wyndham OPI Hotel contributed with 10 phrases/sentences consisting of 6 metaphor, 2 hyperbole, 1 synechdoche, and 1 personification as follows. No Phrase/Sentence Figurative Language 1 Wyndham OPI Hotel Palembang is a sleek, urban oasis nestled on the island of Sumatra Metaphor 2 35 active volcanos that form a backbone of peaks stretching the entire length of the island Metaphor 3 With the OPI precinct at your doorstep Hyperbole 4 Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and relax in one of our 6 room categories Synecdoche 5 Immerse into a world of adventure with Club Wyndham Asia Metaphor 6 unlock a world of unique travel benefits Metaphor 7 a vibrant community of members Metaphor 8 Balcony River View Suite, offering breathtaking views Hyperbole 9 your event is in expert hands Metaphor 10 Awake your taste buds with an exclusive gastronomic experience Personification Third, Harper Hotel contributed with 3 phrases/sentences consisting of 1 personification and 2 hyperbole in the following. No Phrase/Sentence Figurative Language 1 Set to become the sanctuary for both business and leisure travelers Personification 2 Spoil your taste buds with authentic comfort foods Hyperbole 3 Light bites such as cakes, pastries, coffee, and even healthy drinks are available. Hyperbole Fourth, both The Excelton Hotel and The Zuri Hotel did not have any figurative language indicated in the phrases/sentences on their websites. Lastly, based on the types of figurative language used on the websites for Palembang hotels, there were 6 types found consisting of 1 simile, 1 synechdoche, 2 metonym, 2 personification, 9 hyperbole, and 11 metaphor as the most dominant type described in the following pie chart. Beni Wijaya, Zakaria, Eli Yeny, Mohamad Fadhil English Figurative Language on Palembang Hotel Websites 2288 The results of this study are consistent with other prior investigations. Metaphors were frequently used on websites for upscale hotels in Singapore and Hong Kong, according to Chen and Tay (2024). They also say that looking at lexical- conceptual trends in promotional materials might give you a better understanding of positioning techniques. Qian and Law (2021) also say that hotel websites are very important sources of information for anyone who might choose to stay there. So, how easy they are to understand and how pretty they are are quite important for hotels' web marketing. The overall language strategy and the related preference for its implementation among five-star hotels in China were discerned, yielding theoretical and managerial consequences. Online shop ads also used several kinds of figurative language, and hyperbole, metonym, metaphor, and simile were all found on YouTube, which is a social media site with a video database (Mamonto et al., 2023). Also, metaphor, personification, and simile were detected on The Times website, with metaphor being the most common (Amirulloh et al., 2023). Hyperbole, metonymy, and personification were also employed in the 2019 Bali Travel News newspaper's tourism hotel advertisements (Aprinica, 2021). A different analysis of Saudi news headlines about COVID-19 shows personification, hyperbole, synecdoche, and metonymy, with personification being the most common. Finally, simile, metaphor, and hyperbole were discovered on online social networks (Abulaish et al., 2022). IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 1, June 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 2282 89 Conclusion And Suggestion In conclusion, Six types of figurative language are used on Palembang hotel websites. The most common of these are metaphor, hyperbole, personification, metonym, simile, and synecdoche. Highlighting their circumstances distorts facts by making them seem much larger or inflating their literal meaning compared to how they are when evaluated objectively. Additionally, the slogan's figurative vocabulary served exaggerated and convincing purposes. The slogan advertisement subtly communicated the product description by using figurative language, which gave readers multiple interpretations of the phrases. Additionally, the persuasive role is employed to dispel people's preconceptions. It might influence the reader's opinion. The researchers proposed that future researchers broaden the scope of the study by focusing on pragmatic and semantic topics like figurative language and employing a wider range of linguistic techniques and corpus. Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank Politeknik Negeri Sriwijaya's Research and Community Service Center for choosing this research as the 2024 grantee of the program for research collaboration between lecturers and students with the contract number 8253/PL6.2.1/LT/2024. References Abulaish, M., Kamal, A., & Zaki, M. J. (2020). A survey of figurative language and its computational detection in online social networks. ACM Transactions on the Web (TWEB), 14(1), 1-52. Al-Faruq, J., & Putra, O. P. (2024). The analysis of figurative language found in the Prestige movie. Journal of Linguistics, Culture, and Communication, 2(1), 30- 45. Al-Khasawneh, F. M. (2021). Figurative language used in Saudi news headlines related to coronavirus (COVID-19). Language Literacy: Journal of Linguistics, Literature, and Language Teaching, 5(2), 265-276. Amirulloh, R. K., Suryanto, B., & Lestari, P. Y. (2023). Analysis on figurative language styles in business news of The Times website. 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Journal of Social, Culture, and Language, 1(1), 55-61. Abstract Introduction Literature Review Method Findings and Discussion Conclusion And Suggestion Acknowledgments References