Daftar isi
Kata anecdote berasal dari anekdota yang mempunyai arti tidak umumkan atau tidak dipublikasikan. Istilah tersebut digunakan pada cerita pribadi atau rahasia, akan tetapi mengalami pergeseran makna sehingga kata anecdote berubah menjadi sebuah cerita lucu.
Sedangkan anecdote text sendiri merupakan teks bahasa Inggris yang bercerita tentang kejadian-kejadian yang dianggap ganjil atau kejadian yang tidak biasa baik secara imajinasi maupun fakta.
Adapun tujuan dari anecdote text yaitu menceritakan kembali suatu peristiwa atau kejadian di masa lalu agar para pembaca atau pendengar terhibur dengan diceritakannya kembali suatu cerita yang tidak lazim sehingga membuat mereka tertawa.
Adapun struktur dari anecdote text yakni:
Contoh 1
God Make Me a TV
Students at an elementary school were asked to write an essay about what they would like God to do for them. At the end of the day, while grading the essays, a teacher read one that made her very emotional.
Her husband, who had just walked in, saw her crying and asked her “What happened?” She answered “Read this. It is one of my school’s students’ essays.”:
“Oh God, tonight I ask you something very special. Make me into a television set. I want to take its place and live like the TV in my house.
Have my own special place, and have my family around me. To be taken seriously when I talk. I want to be the center of attention and be heard without interruptions or questions.
I want to receive the same special care as the TV set receives even when it is not working. Have the company of my dad when he arrives home from work, even when he is tired. And I want my mom to want me when she is sad and upset, instead of ignoring me. And I want my brothers to fight to be with me.
I want to feel that family just leaves everything aside, every now and then, just to spend some time with me. And last but not least, ensure that I can make them all happy and entertain them. Lord I don’t ask you for much. I just want to live like a TV.”
At that moment the husband said “My God, poor kid. What horrible parents!”
The wife looked up at him and said “That essay is our son’s!”
Contoh 2
The Baker and the Farmer
A baker in a little country town bought the butter he used from a nearby farmer. One day he suspected that the bricks of butter were not full pounds, and for several days he weighed them.
He was right. They were short weight, and he had the farmer arrested.
At the trial the judge said to the farmer, “I presume you have scales?”
“No, your honor.”
“Then how do you manage to weigh the butter you sell?” inquired the judge.
The farmer replied, “That’s easily explained, your honor. I have balances and for a weight I use a one-pound loaf I buy from the baker.”