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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com
Taboo words in hate speech through Social Media
Azizah Husda Universitas Prima Indonesia [email protected] Elza Leyli Lisnora Saragih UniversitasHKBP Nomensen [email protected]
Mulyadi Universitas Sumatera Utara [email protected]
Abstract. This research is on taboo words used in hate speech through social media to find out the classification of taboo words and to describe the social functions of taboo words in hate speech. The method applies descriptive qualitative by describing taboo words. The data were obtained through documents from social media about recently updated hate speech. The synthesis of some previous theories and relevant studies support the research. The approaches used is socio-semantics as the combination ofboth sociolinguistics and semantics, because it studies the meanings and perspectives of using taboo words among society in hate speech. The findings showed that there are taboo words classified into epithets, profanity, vulgarity, obscenity, cursing and supernatural beings. The functions of using taboo words were also found to draw people's attention, to show contempt, to provoke, and to mock authority. This research finally provides some contributions and references for any further research related to the use of taboo words within any language and also as communication guidance especially for speakers to avoid using taboo words which lead to hate speech.
Keywords. Taboo, Words, Hate Speech, Social Media
1. Introduction In conveying ideas or thoughts in language, humans must always pay attention to the terms and conditions in which they are. Misuse of language, or maybe a choice of words, can lead to misunderstandings that often lead to conflict in the community. For this reason, before communicating, a person must pay attention to the conditions and norms prevailing in certain societies. By paying attention to these norms, it is hoped that he can also pay attention to the choice of words he will use in communication. Because, certain words that do not violate the norms in one society, may cause misperceptions if used in one other society. For example, the word bunting would have a rough impression if it was used in Javanese society, to label a woman who is pregnant by an accident before married, but for Betawi people, the word is a term commonly used to refer to women who are pregnant.
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com Words or sentences, even some topics, have at the moment become so sensitive to talk that violate norms or provisions in certain societies are called taboo. Some taboo words and phrases have been used for so long that they at this point have become so frequent and widespread (Mouat, 2004). Because of taboo words are sometimes found in the communication activity in the society, taboo words are supposed to be avoided by members of the community, eventhough they can be used in certain situations, for example during religious ceremonies. Taboo exists not only in the terms of words but also in the terms of gestures, pictures, attitudes, behaviour, etc. The linguistic taboo is due not only to superstitions and beliefs, but also to emotional or social reasons, for reasons of education, courtesy, good manners, decency, and kindness. Furthermore (Affini, 2017) adds that taboo is a social prohibition on words, things, actions, or people who are considered unwished by a group, culture and even society.Taboo violates anything to do and to speak because it is unacceptable and sometimes is offensive. Taboo may cause shame, disgrace, and feeling of uncomfortable and abusive treatment through society. The concept of taboo is not only related to words (words), but also can be with actions. Someone who does an act that is clearly taboo will get punishment from the community or sin (punishment from God). Some experts may have their arguments on the study of taboo language. According to (Allan & Burridge, 2006)state that taboo is a local and forbidden word including a thing that is not allowed within a cultural point of view. Taboo words have close relationship with swearwords which people who use swear words in front of public will disturb many people who hear it (Aditia, 2011). In this case, swear word have similarity with taboo words. Taboo words may not be allowed to use in front of public and swear words may not be either. Besides, in relation to sociolinguistics, cultures are born inside because they are associated with languages, traditions, and habits of society.(Trudgill, 1974) assumes that either taboo behaviors and words or both are not supposed to do and not supposed to say especially in everyday life. In concerning of behavior, a taboo is characterized with something supernaturally unacceptable or regarded as an immoral, improper, and appalling character because it deals with prohibition and violates moral values, assaults humiliates, and even judges somebody or member of society in an illogical manner(Trudgill, 2000). (Trudgill, 2008) Surprisingly, no one has clearly established how even a child acquires word taboos. Certainly, no one is born with knowledge of taboo words. It is only when human gets matured enough and is aware of institutional standards. People learn about taboos through the socialization of speech practices which creates an oral or folk knowledge of swearing etiquette(Jay, 2009).Thus, there are some factors of using taboo language based on some previous relevant studies. First, according to (Anggita, 2015), taboo is used to swear, used by people in lower social status or less educational background because rich and powerful people are surrounded by high prestige of language and well-educated. Second, (Uhlman, 2015) states that in language gender, a taboo is particularly used to swear among men because men are more considered as groups who have lacks of manner and linguistic poverty. Third, (Simoes Lucas Freitas, n.d.) argues that if two people get involved in a conversation but have different knowledge of their societies and cultures, it may insult and humiliate each other that turns to anger. The importance of studying taboo words in this research is to know the varieties of taboo words or the classifications. (Gao, 2013; Nashaat ElMassri & Maher Al Nakhalah, 2018) classify taboo words into several circumstances, such as bodily excretions, death and
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com disease, sex, four-letter words, swear words, privacy, animal abuse, and discriminatory language. However, (Clark & Yallop, 2006)(Wardhaugh, 2006)assume that there are several occasions or intentions of why people use taboo words, namely (1) to draw attention to oneself, to have power in gaining a listener’s attention; (2) to show contempt; (3) to provoke; and (4) to moke an authority. Those show functions of using taboo but not all taboo words may always mean negative thoughts such as to swear, to humiliate, or to insult. But, there are different discussions of the social functions of using or not using taboo itself, depending on the conversational goals of the speaker both in negative and positive perspectives. First, negatively if taboo words mean to swear, for example like using the horn on your car, so it is used to signify a number of emotions (e.g., anger, frustration, joy, surprise).Second, taboo words can be used to achieve a variety of personal and interpersonal outcomes that may be positive, negative, or inconsequential in terms of their impact on others, although some might argue all uses of taboo words are harmful to some degree. Positive social outcomes are achieved by using taboo words in jokes and humor, social commentary, sex talk, storytelling, in-group slang, and self-deprecation or ironic sarcasm in order to promote social harmony or cohesion (Jay, 2009). Therefore, using taboo words may (1) show power which breaks the norms and rules to swear as being powerful, taboo may use as (2) catharsis which is to provide harmless verbal substitute when someone gets extremely angry by expressing anger in violence and (3) taboo words may refer to something humorous, creates intimacy among the speakers as long as the speakers have the same understanding and do not violate or intend to negative because taboo language can be the expression to relieve negative stress and establish identity or status through speech (Bastistella, 2005). Speaking of taboo words, they become common phenomenon in today’s life. These are also provided by some speakers of any language who may express their ideas to communicate in any platform such as informal education, organization, moreover in social media (television, radio, magazine, tabloid, etc). Social media is a product of growth and technology to make the users easily in finding and exchanging some information or to communicate with each other. Bringing the positive effects of using social media, some users misuse social media to create negative sides such as the appearance of various types of violations, infightings and even crimes including hate speech. Broadly speaking, social media is as online media, where through the internet, users can share, participate and create content in the form of blogs, wikis, forums, social networks and virtual world space by technology multimedia increasingly sophisticated until now. Internet, social media and technology multimedia into one unit and which is difficult to separate and make the emergence of new things. (Cahyono, 2016) argues that the existence of communication carried out in a modern way social transformation. The effect of this change is quite broad. Social transformation is the changes that occur in the structure of society that can affect the pattern of interaction in a character that can be character building humans get better or worse. As a social media user, emotionally that user wants to share feelings, hope, joy and sorrow for others. What's more, there are also users social media that utilizes social media to provoke, spread negative issues, slander, fight sheep, defame, and distant disputes from the value of politeness in communicating. It happens because one of some reasons such as the low interest in reading in all circles of Indonesian society is one of the factors that emerge hate speech even if you only read seen from one book or one source only. Although social media is increasing many but not used to explore other sources first, feel source taken by someone is
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com the most correct, so it is bad another source. Although the communication effect is small, the influence of technology as a forum for disseminating this information is very large. The existence of social media is a forum for doing hate speech. This hate speech is a form expressions that can be subject to prohibitions, and include criminal acts. Hate speech seems to be happening lately. Contains sentences in the form of incitement to hate, or other accusations tend to be discriminatory(Basyarudin, 2018). Hate speech itself is a crime in the forms of insulting, unpleasant acts, provoking, inciting, spreading hoax and all acts of discriminating, violating, hostilizing through social conflicts. Some aspects of the occurrence of hate speech are ethnics, religion, intergroup, gender, creed, etc. This act can be done through campaign activities, banners, lecturing, social networks, demonstrations, printing electronic media and also pamphlets showing. (Sugiarti: 2017). There are many examples of hate speech, by not being addressed, having led to certain groups of people being disrespected and discrimination against them considered to be legitimate. The most serious instances have led to a deep divide in the social cohesion and even to conflict. This is not acceptable in a democratic society (Pálmadóttir, J., & Kalenikova, 2018).People who speak hate speech use their poor language such as taboo words to express their emotions. To obtain the taboo words as the data, researchers use social media to identify the taboo words in hate speech. Because hate speech raises some polemic among individuals and groups which express the negative meanings by hateful and harmful opinions or statements to change attitudes, norms, and prohibition. The phenomenon of hate speech becomes a thing which needs to be understood by the whole community in Indonesia. Now the issue is increasingly widespread to potentially erode diversity Indonesia. Ethnic, Religious, Racial, and Intercultural elements group (SARA) is rolled back as propaganda media interests of the parties certain (Nurhadiyanto & Luhur, 2019). This condition is a concern President JokoWidodo confirmed that the Indonesian people must protect diversity and building solidarity with various backgrounds of religion, ethnicity and groups. Statement by President JokoWidodo is as a form of attitude the dynamics that have plagued the nation now include the person, privacy, and even his leadership being the target of this hate speech. There are some reasons as problems of why conduct this research based on reviewing the background, (1) to identify the taboo words and classify them into some categories namely epithets, profanity, vulgarity, obscenity, cursing, name of person’s, animals, and supernatural beings,.and (2) to investigate the functions of using taboo language with the theories of such as (a)draw attention to oneself, (b)show contempt, (c) show provocative, (d) moke authority, (e)humorous effect, (f)catharsis and (g)show power. Those problems would be answered based on the overview of taboos in synthezing theories of (Trudgill, 2000; Bastistella, 2005; Jay, 2009, Montagu, 2001, &Wardhaugh, 2006). As a representative, look at the following hate speech to discuss the taboo words used. Kalian banggapunya PRESIDEN bermukanoraksepertiini ?BinatanginiJOKOWIDOxxbukan MANUSIA tapiudah kayak begu (supernatural beings). Haram bagikukalauakumatikarenakau ! PRESIDEN PEPEK nyakauhihi. From the example, there are some taboo words used such as bermukanorak (epithet), binatang (animal), begu (supernatural beings), haram (profanity), Jokowidodo (name of a person), pepek (vulgarity). While the context of using taboo words is to show contempt and to moke the authority of someone who is number one in Indonesia, Mr. President, Mr.Jokowi. This is used with the intention of feeling hatred. Culturally, in Indonesia, to call somebody with his initial name, not at the same social class or age is a taboo
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com word. It is suggested to put Mr or Mrs, right before the name. If the person is married, i.e.Tobanese, Karonese, Mandailingnese, etc as the cultures which honour their customs, it is more politely respectful to call their first child to label themselves as the parent, (Gibran’s father) for an intimate context, moreover if he has a great position as a leader, such a president. Investigating taboo words in this research could widely open the phenomenon of sociolinguistics that any speaker of a particular language has its ideology under the concepts of taboo language where it can be addressed to something which is not only offensive and humiliated with the sense of negative emotional responses.
2. Method This section is aimed to see the method. Based on the problems formulated previously, it describes the use of taboo language found in hate speech through social media. This descriptive study will analyze the data with the approaches of semantics in natural semantic and sociolinguistics as well as the data is a set of lexemes with meaningful units and found among the society. Researchers draw the problems formulated in this research as the hints towards findings and discussion such as follows:
Research Problems
1. Classification of Taboo Words 2. Social Functions of Using Taboo Words
Figure 1: Research Problems
Therefore, to analyze the data connected with those problems, it is necessary to illustrate the method based on Miles, Huberman& Saldana (2014). First, collecting the data which are found in hate speech through social media. The social media used are Facebook and Instagram beyond captions, comments or videos. Then, data are analyzed and classified into taboo words by selecting one by one to the types whether epithets, profanity, vulgarity, obscenity, cursing, and supernatural beings. Also, the explanation of why those taboo words used to investigate the social functions. Tables and the calculation of how dominant the types of taboo words are presented in matrices. Finally, it leads to the conclusion that the problems of the research could already be answered. See how the process of data analysis in the research is illustrated below.
1. 2. Data Data Collection Display
3. Conclusion
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com Figure 2. Data Analysis Concepts
3. Results and Discussion Researchers found the data from social media. To answer the problems, the percentages of taboo words are calculated through the types of taboo words such as epithets, profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, cursing and supernatural beings. The results were also explained by showing the utterances of hate speech in social media. See the table below.
Table 1. Taboo Words in Hate Speech through Social Media No. Types of Taboo Words Frequency Percentages 1. Ephitet 36 30,7 % 2. Profanity 13 11,1% 3. Obscenity 26 22,2% 4 Vulgarity 16 13,7% 5. Cursing 12 10,3% 6. Supernatural Beings 14 12% Total 117 100%
By showing the table, it can be seen that epithet is the most dominantly found in hate speech through social media. There are 36 words classified into epithet with 30,7% while the obscenity is in the second position to put itself as taboo words with 26 words and 22,2%. Besides, vulgarity is almost similar termed as obscenity but it is used in street language. The number of vulgarity words found is 16 within 13,7%. That is why vulgarity is in the third after obscenity. Last, profanity, cursing, and supernatural beings have a slight difference in number. Profanity is 13 words found within 11,1% and supernatural beings have 14 words found within 12% while the lowest percentage is cursing, 12 words within 10,3%. Therefore, people in social media often use epithets as a taboo word to characterize someone in abusive and hatred ways. To make it clear, each type of those taboo words are classified. Furthermore, the social functions of using taboo words are also clarified to give some explanations.
3.1. Epithets An epithet is one of the types of taboo words that relate to something prohibited in connected with race, gender, ethnicity, someone’s appearance, sexuality, and disability. The word of epithet might be uttered in the contexts of madness and indignance. It is also a radical action to attack someone or groups in the qualities of physical, mental, and psychology. Besides, the epithet is another name of calling someone. For example, the word of a bitch, motherfucker are pointed to characterize someone in a sexual term. In social media, epithets are often used to attack someone or even in doing hate speech. Look at table 2.
Table 2. Taboo Words of Ephitets No. Ephitet Words Meanings 1. Bodat Ape/Monkey/Ugly Face 2. Monyet Ape/Monkey/Ugly Face 3. Kampret Shucks *an animal like bats/ Freak 4. Idiot Stupid/Idiot/Dumb/Fool 5. Bego’ Stupid/Idiot/Dumb/Fool 6. Sundel Mistress/Concubine 7. Gembrot Fatso
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com 8. Bocah Brats 9. Lonte Bitch 10. Betina Slut/Whore 11. Bondon Whore/Slut 12. Tepos Haggard 13. Biadab Bastard 14. Brengsek Jerk 15. Tompel A birthmark 16. Babon Baboon 17. Jenong Wide Forehead 18. Boneng Buck Tooth 19. Kuntet A Gnome/ The Herron 20. Cebol A Gnome/ The Herron 21. Butek Hobo/Bum/Vagabond 22. Gembel Hobo/Bum/Vagabond 23. Bencong Faggots/Sissy /Transgender 24. Banci Fucking Faggots/ Faggots/Sissy /Transgender 25. TanteGirang Sugar Mama 26. Homo Homo/Gay 27. Bagudung A Rat (metaphor) 28. Halu Crazy 29. Pengecut Chicken/Coward 30. PerawanTua Spinster 31. Sumbing Jagged/Dented 32. Ayan Epileptic 33. Borok/Kudis Scurvy/Scabby 34. Cacat Flawed 35. Anak Haram Son of a bitch 36. Babu Slave/Servant 37. Keling/keleng Black/Nigger/Nigga
As a representative, there was a comment from an Instagram user to an artist with the initials V.A. who is known as a suspect for immoral acts by making herself a female sex worker. Although V.A has been released, it does not chary her to still make some viral indecent videos. By her doings, it creates a special imagination for men and some people still insult it by calling it her lonte,bondon. 1. Ferdinandahmxx: Kalogakngelontebukandianamanya. Denganmaksud kayak gini yang bikinbetinainimasih viral. Teruskelen-kelenmasihajamaunontonindia, ngerusak moral elupada. Guengerasadiabukanhanyabondontapijuga kayak tantegirang.
Here, Ferdinand satirized an actreess of Indonesia, initially V.A after seeing V.A's actions showing her eating a banana which was considered as if a man's penis and V.A in her video also seemed to be feeling lustful to arouse men's imagination beyond negative assumptions. Meanwhile, V.A appears to be being massaged by a man whose hands are almost stretched to touch her sensitive parts of women. This interpretation leads to sexual desire even though V.A is not visibly viewed through immoral acts. From the video, Ferdinand mentioned some epithets to her such as lonte/bondon/betina (bitch/slut). Word
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com of betina is usually used to show the gender of a female animal. That is why Ferdinand uttered it as if V.A were an animal in pointing out that an animal is doing something without any reason or mind. Besides, the word tantegirang (sugar mama) is also termed for her that one day, she would never change her action by attracting herself to some young men even she has a family. What Ferdinand just said in his comment was a hatred way to contempt someone that he feels disgusted with the video and never appreciate V.A. even though right after released from prison, she asked to forgive what she did was disappointing for everyone in Indonesia.
3.2. Profanity Since profanity means some curses connected with a religious way, it is also a form of foul- mouthed by any speaker but not to defame God. It has some particular reasons to do such as being annoyed or frustrated. This action may lead to an unrespectful manner. Somo profane words are about God’s name such as saying of jees, Jesus, God damn, etc. In the percentages, profanity is in the third position within 12,6% which people use it nowadays in social media. See table 3.
Table 3. Taboo Words of Profanity No. Profane Words Meanings 1. Penista Blasphemer 2. Firaun Firaun 3. Hanoman Hanoman (God in Hindu) 4. Kafir Heathen/Infidel 5. Munafik Hypocrite 6. Teroris Terrorist 7. Haram Forbidden/Proscribed 8. Najis Profane/Unclean 9. Murtad Godless/Heterodox/Perverted/Apostate 10. Yahudi Jews/Jewish 11. SiksaKubur Torment/Afterlife Punishment 12. Kiamat Apocalypse/Doomsday 13. Omjes/Yesus Jesus/God Damn
An example of taboo language related to profane is done by Anggi who mentioned the words of najis (unclean/profane), kiamat (apocalypse/doomsday) and haram (forbidden/proscribed). This is addressed to a program on TV Instagram brought by U.K. (initial name), one of the artists who like to make his reality show that is considered not suitably broadcasted because it reveals the disgrace and personal life of people. 2. Anggi_taxx: Najis kali akukalaunontonini. Jelas kali settingannyaloh. Bisa- bisanyainisampaijutaantayangannya, sampaikiamatguegapercaya. Yang beginiangausahdilike, haram!
The context of why Anggi commented is about to directly contempt and provoke people on Instagram not to watch or even like the video. She used the words najis to warn herself in the next day, she will not watch it anymore. The strong feeling of Anggi also found when she said kiamat (doomsday) that it has nothing to do with beliefs but she asked the viewers to follow her suggestion. Then, the word haram is also used to provoke other users but it is not in religion term.
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3.3. Obscenity Some users in social media may also use taboo words of obscenity. Obscenity is a term of expressing a strong feeling word that is associated with sexual, excretory function, human anatomy. In the context of uttering taboo words of obscenity is defined as rough or rude manner. For example, the word fuck, dick, pussy, suck, etc are taboo to say and to hear in public. There are some obscene taboo words classified in the following table.
Table 4. Taboo Words of Obscenity No. Obscene Words Meanings 1. Kontol Penis/Dick/Cock 2. Totong Penis/Dick/Cock 3. Memek/Pepek Pussy/Vagina/Cunt 4. Itil Clitoris 5. Congor/Muncong Snout/Muzzle 6. Jigong Snout/Muzzle 7. Gesrek Motherfucker/Crazy/Insane 8. Toket/Tetek/Nenen Tits/Boobs/Breast/Nipples 9 Tetek Tits/Boobs/Breast/Nipples 10. Nenen Tits/Boobs/Breast/Nipples 11. Kentot/Ngentot Fuck/Sleep with/Having sex/Making Love/Intercourse 12. Pantat/Pante’ Ass/Butt/Buttock/Asshole 13. Nungging Doggy Style 14. Sange’ Horny/Inflame 15. Salome/Lubang Anus Asshole 16. Isap Suck 17. Pukimak/Kimak Vagina 18. Cipo’ Kiss 19. Cupang French Kiss 20. Kocok/Ngocok Masturbation/Wanker 21. Onani Masturbation 22.. KumpulKebo Monkey Business/Unmarried Couple 23.. Sodomi Sodomy 24. Telor Balls/Testicles 25. Testis Balls/Testicles 26. Kobel/Ngobel Masturbation
Saying those words may show immorality and give an unpleasant impression to anyone. Consider the following caption of a user on Facebook. 3. Daden Dejan Hermawxx: yuk buat cewe-cewe yang mau crot aku jilatin lehernya pelan- pelan dari belakang srat srut sambil remas teteknya, aku buka bajunya pelan dan bra nya aku jilatin dan isap pentilnya. Terus pelan-pelan srat srut akhh oww pelan-pelan aku jilatin memeknya. Terus, aku kentotin. Udah sange’ kalian kan?
This caption is used to draw attention to everyone. There are many taboo words to describe human anatomy and sexuality such as crot, tetek, isap, pentil, memek, kentot, and
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com sange’. Those are foul-mouthed and lack of moral. Even though the user does not point to someone as his target but everyone who reads his caption would feel disgusted. Sometimes, these words also invite others to their private consumption in sexual terms such as feeling lustful and even horny but sometimes this type of taboo words can be used to contempt someone in hate speech. In this case, there is 22,2% obscenity found after epithets as the most dominant taboo words.
3.4. Vulgarity In using taboo words, vulgarity can be defined as the same as obscenity roughly. It contains sexual and excretory of humans but vulgarity is more often used to the things, individual, or even groups as the targets. It is also offensive and humiliates by referring to private organs of the human body and functions. Some vulgar words are shown in table 5.
Table 5. Taboo Words of Vulgarity No. Vulgar Words Meanings 1. Tolol Stupid/Fool/Foolish 2. Anjing/Anjeng Dog 3. Babi Pig/Pig’s Wash 4. Jijik Disgusted/Mucky/Beastly 5. Binatang Animal/Beast 6. Tungkik Stinks/Ears’ Excretion 7. Goblok Stupid/Idiot 8. Tai/Taik Feces/Shit/Defecate/Excrete 9. Berak Feces/Shit/Defecate/Excrete 10. Becek Loathsome/Abhor/Ejaculated 11. Kentut Fart 12. Crot Ejaculation 13. Mani’ Sperm/Cum 14 Sperma Sperm/Cum 15. Mens Menstruation 16. Bacot Bullshit/Shit
To illustrate taboo words of vulgarity in table 5, there was a comment on Facebook through mocking the authority of a country, Malaysia. lately, people in Indonesia and Malay are often furious with the actions of the Malaysians who always state, take, imitate or copy, on behalf of Indonesian works, cultures, customs, and even their ancestral heritages without permission. The polemic between the two countries still happens, while Indonesia keeps maintaining those characters from Malaysia. Consider this statement. 4. Muhammad Hilxx: Anjing, Negara Indonesia itu lebih banyak sejarahnya daripada negara Malaysia anjing itu, goblok!. Lagu kebangsaan sampai dijiplak hahaha… Kurang akal kah nak buat lagu? Sampai-sampai nak ikut orang-orang Indonesia judul terang bulan. Jangan mau percaya sama bacot mereka yang bilang itu punya mereka sendiri. The vulgar words found in the statement, they are anjing, goblok, and bacot. When Hilxx uttered anjing, it shows an expression of anger that Indonesia was fooled by Malaysia. The situation is about how Malaysia tried to copy the national anthem of Indonesia by making his lyrics and proposed that it was theirs. The message delivered in the statement is also found that people of Indonesia should take action wisely against the happening in order not to trust Malaysia through the saying of bacot. Bacot itself is not an original word of Indonesian
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com language but it is a slang to show a big mouth or bullshit. At the same time, the word goblok was spoken in term of defining stupid or fool. It is not either an original one. Also, there are two social functions used through those taboo words. First, mocking the authority of Malaysia and then to contempt the things that Malaysia had done as a coward and brash act to steal anything from Indonesia. Unfortunately, this kind of statement was not followed up by the government of Indonesia because it tries to provoke the two countries into civil war by giving a hate speech if it was supported by other people with the same thoughts as Hilxx.
3.5. Cursing The lowest percentage of taboo words found in the research is cursing. Cursing is one of the taboo categories by condemning something or someone. It purposes to hurt someone’s feelings by using certain words or phrases. The definition of cursing is termed by someone expletively swears beyond his relief and hope to make it come true. People do cursing when the feeling of relief can be felt immediately. A curse is expected to influence the future. Sometimes, the language of cursing is more dangerous to the target and to wish God will pay it for all bad things happen. Clearly, the words of cursing can be shown in table 6.
Table 6. Taboo Words of Cursing No. Curse Words Meanings 1. Mampus To die/Dead 2. Mati To die/Dead 3. Jahanam Hell ya!/Heck 4. Sial Damn 5. Terkutuk God Damnit/Cursed/Condemned 6. Laknat Damned/Cursed 7. Melarat Destitute/Miserable 8. Lapet Pissed off 9. Celaka To Die/Dead 10. Karma Karma 11. Neraka Hell/Underworld/Inferno 12. Mandul Infertile For example, if someone purposively uses the words of mampus, mati, jahanam, sial, terkutuk, laknat, melarat, celaka, celaka, and karma, neraka to show the curses that someday there will be bad things as a worth paying for the things done. It will take much responsibility in the next day or even afterlife condemned by God. While the words of lapet and mandul are quite different in the expectation. Those words could be said as swearing. On the other hand, not all taboo words may have negative effects on social functions. Some can be used in a humorous situation such as in a comedy. Even though taboo words are prohibited to say, people who are not the victims may not interpret contextually for insulting or even humiliating. This kind of purpose is done to attract people as entertainment. One statement of an entertainer in a stand-up comedy of Indonesia, Babecabita made his creative video to put himself as a fortune-teller. Babecabita: Ngomongin kesehatan, kamu akan terhindar dari sakit karena orang yang memiliki zodiak sagitarius punya kebiasaan yang sangat baik kalau lagi sakit yaitu…ditahan. Ditahan, ditahan ditahan..Tiba-tiba mati. Mampus!
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com Babecabita in his video does not mention anyone as his targets. He only gives a sense of humor through his jokes. He said the word mampus not to give a curse on his purpose but he made it entertain people. It proves that his followers do not feel disappointed, angry or even hate. Some of his followers gave funny comments and asked him to make another video. He successfully did his job to make people laugh. Otherwise, it will become hate speech if the intention is directed to someone whether mentioning the name as the victim. Sometimes, a native speaker of a language should consider well his language to keep himself away from any judgment as long as it does not offend others.
3.6. Supernatural Beings In human life, as God's cultured creatures, it should be noted how someone expresses words in a language, especially regarding the use of words that are culturally meaningful to be expressed in language. Expression of a language should be in the form of words and remain in the corridor of social and religious norms. It can be accepted by the community. Certain words must be avoided, both to say and to express because they are considered taboo and forbidden to be informed. In supernatural beings, there is a taboo language which is prohibited to use certain words because it is considered not only unpleasant to hear or to say but also to bring in wreaking havoc or catastrophe, violating ethical manners, defaming, getting angry from God, or partially believed people disturbing spirits that exist in certain places. Therefore, there are some taboo words of supernatural beings such as follows.
Table 7. Taboo Words of Supernatural Beings No. Taboo Words Gloss 1. Bangke Corpse/Dead man 2. Jelangkung Witchcraft doll 3. Kunti/Kuntilanak Ghost in Woman Appearance 4. Genderuwo Goblin/Ghost in A Horrible and Big Size/Genie 5. Setan/Iblis Satan/Evil/Devil/Demon 6. Jenglot Ghost in a small/Elf 7. Santet Black Magic 8. RoroKidul A woman ghost of Kidul Mountain in Central Java 9. Tuyul Ghost in a boy appearance 10. MakLampir Witch 11. Dajjal Dajjal/The Antichrist 12. Monster Monster/Demon 13. Ngepet Pig’s Demonic (Black Magic) 14. Begu Hollow man
From all those taboo words, some could be defined as unpleasant to say and to hear such as bangke, setan, kunti, genderuwo, maklampir, and monster. First, if someone passed away and the body was said as bangke, it means that the person was not actually honored or appreciated and it also could bring the feeling of hatred rather than saying jenazah. The word bangke is more suitably used for animals. Then, if the words of kunti, genderuwo, maklampir, begu, etc in terms of saying a ghost, people may not like to hear it because of fear and sometimes those words may be used to characterize someone who appeared and did worst things. Moreover, taboo words of santet, ngepet, and tuyul contain negative assumptions such
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Technium Social Sciences Journal Vol. 17, 510-523, March, 2021 ISSN: 2668-7798 www.techniumscience.com as prejudice against someone's behavior related to black magic. This is usually mentioned if characterizing deviant behavior against the spiritual and belief contexts such as the word ngepet and tuyul are often used to prosper someone with black magic through the worship of Satan. While the word santet is often used to influence, control the spirit, mind, or human body within malicious thoughts and hate. But, other supernatural beings are strongly not supposed to say, are RoroKidul, Dajjal, and Jelangkung.One of them, RoroKidul is forbidden to say in one place namely the south coast of Central Java because it has mystical things such as being possessed by Satan, RatuPantai Selatan, NyiRoroKidul. The word dajjal should also not be mentioned because it contains supernatural elements as if those who speak on it consciously see the appearance of this supernatural being in the world. Spiritually, especially in Islamic beliefs should not say this creature because it can cause a commotion about the day of judgment. However, this is often said nowadays for someone who is hated because this supernatural being is not expected to come to this world such as the following statement. Bingsalabing: Penampakandajjaltelahjelas. Dia, Jokowi yang akanjadibencanabesarbuat Negara ini. Segeramintaampunansama Allah biar Negara initidakkenakiamat. This statement is a hate speech to Mr.Jokowi, the president of Indonesia who is not expected to lead the country. It shows to contempt someone, to provoke people, and also to mock his authority in Indonesia. The strong feelings of hatred are directly pointed to Mr.president whom the user perhaps got disappointed with the leadership of Mr.Jokowi or did not appreciate or sympathy.
5. Conclusions After having the results and discussion, there are some things can be verified as the conclusions. First, there are some taboo words through social media, namely epithets, profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, cursing, and supernatural beings. The highest percentages of using taboo words within 30,7% are epithets in which people like to characterize their victims or targets while the lowest one is cursing within 10,3% which is used to give a condemn in the future. Other taboo words such as profanity, obscenity, vulgarity and supernatural beings are also used to show the social functions. From the discussion, there are five major social functions of using taboo words which are to draw attention to someone, to show contempt, to provoke, to mock authority, and to give a sense of humor. Second, there is a perspective in the research about the contexts of using taboo words. Even though taboo words are prohibited or forbidden to say and to hear, taboo words may bring some terms and conditions that they may not solely give the feeling of hatred in hate speech from the speakers or show power and catharsis, but also give neutral conditions such as humorous effects and intimacy as long as the meanings conveyed and do not offend to people as the targets.
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