You have invited your friend over for dinner. Your child sees your friend reach for some cookies
and says, "Better not take those, or you'll get even bigger." You're embarrassed that your child
could speak so rudely. However, you should consider that your child may may not know how to
use language appropriately in social situations and did not mean harm by the comment.
An individual may say words clearly and use long, complex sentences with correct grammar, but
still have a communication problem - if he or she has not mastered the rules for social language
known as pragmatics.
When humans communicate, much of what goes on is not simply about conveying information
to others. One problem regarding the way in which semantics describes meaning is that anything
that goes beyond the content of the linguistic sign itself is outside the scope of description.
Social and affective meaning are not covered by semantics (which focuses on conventional/
conceptual meaning only), but virtually any real-life communicative situation contains
countless signs which are used to express something about the speakers and their social
relationships.
Pragmatics is concerned with how people use language within a context, in real-life situations.
While semantics (and virtually all units we have covered before) was concerned with words,
phrases and sentences, the unit of analysis in pragmatics (and in the units we will cover later) is
the utterance. In pragmatics we study how factors such as time, place and the social relationship
between speaker and hearer affect the ways in which language is used to perform different
functions. Language is action, in the words of J.L. Austin, and much of the interaction between
human beings is based on verbal action, for example when we request, promise, swear, apologize
etc.
Below is described some of examples of Indonesian conversation in everyday life, and the
example here is to provide student or anyone that want to study about Indonesian language about
a slight image how would the conversation would flow in real-time manner.
and says, "Better not take those, or you'll get even bigger." You're embarrassed that your child
could speak so rudely. However, you should consider that your child may may not know how to
use language appropriately in social situations and did not mean harm by the comment.
An individual may say words clearly and use long, complex sentences with correct grammar, but
still have a communication problem - if he or she has not mastered the rules for social language
known as pragmatics.
When humans communicate, much of what goes on is not simply about conveying information
to others. One problem regarding the way in which semantics describes meaning is that anything
that goes beyond the content of the linguistic sign itself is outside the scope of description.
Social and affective meaning are not covered by semantics (which focuses on conventional/
conceptual meaning only), but virtually any real-life communicative situation contains
countless signs which are used to express something about the speakers and their social
relationships.
Pragmatics is concerned with how people use language within a context, in real-life situations.
While semantics (and virtually all units we have covered before) was concerned with words,
phrases and sentences, the unit of analysis in pragmatics (and in the units we will cover later) is
the utterance. In pragmatics we study how factors such as time, place and the social relationship
between speaker and hearer affect the ways in which language is used to perform different
functions. Language is action, in the words of J.L. Austin, and much of the interaction between
human beings is based on verbal action, for example when we request, promise, swear, apologize
etc.
Below is described some of examples of Indonesian conversation in everyday life, and the
example here is to provide student or anyone that want to study about Indonesian language about
a slight image how would the conversation would flow in real-time manner.
To equal acquaintance : Old friends (informal)
Example:
hai, mau kemana? Or,
hai, dari mana? (Where are you going/where have you been)
This question can either become rhetorical questions that need not to be answered in clear way which
function as only chit-chat greeting, or a way to ask the addressee to have a chat.
Newly met acquaintance (formal)
Hai, aku Zoura, kamu/anda siapa? (hi, I’m Zoura, and you?)
This is a way for us to get acquainted with the person we’ve just met, but restricted in only equal
environment: school or university.
Example:
hai, mau kemana? Or,
hai, dari mana? (Where are you going/where have you been)
This question can either become rhetorical questions that need not to be answered in clear way which
function as only chit-chat greeting, or a way to ask the addressee to have a chat.
Newly met acquaintance (formal)
Hai, aku Zoura, kamu/anda siapa? (hi, I’m Zoura, and you?)
This is a way for us to get acquainted with the person we’ve just met, but restricted in only equal
environment: school or university.
Equal acquaintance
Makasih
it derives from the word Terima Kasih but in shorter utterance. It use for only to the situation where
people involved in the conversation are on equal terms (schoolmate, fellow worker, blood relatives)
Unequal acquaintance
Terima Kasih
This full form is used to a more formal use when we have the situation involving someone with higher
social status (to boss, supervisor, older people,)
Makasih
it derives from the word Terima Kasih but in shorter utterance. It use for only to the situation where
people involved in the conversation are on equal terms (schoolmate, fellow worker, blood relatives)
Unequal acquaintance
Terima Kasih
This full form is used to a more formal use when we have the situation involving someone with higher
social status (to boss, supervisor, older people,)
CURSING
This process is done people with different purposes in different kinds of situation. Words like anjing
(dog), tai (shit), bangsat (bastard) etc. are mostly the main vocabulary in this term (there are actually a lot
of vocabulary in this terms depends on what local language is used)
In this section, it will be explained through its functions.
To show anger
when we shouted this cursing with high tone to strangers, the strangers would take this words as offensive
words. It not suggested for us t use this words if we don’t want to provoke a violent reaction
To exaggerate things
These words also can be inserted in a sentence (regardless of the positions), to stress out what we are
talking about. However, this act should not be done if our intimacy towards the addressee is low, or we
would be considered as a rude type of person
To show the intimacy
the cursing words also uttered to show how socially intimate they really are. These words, as already
mentioned, show how intimate they really are. In other words, in his case, the more cursing words uttered
the more intimate they are.
This process is done people with different purposes in different kinds of situation. Words like anjing
(dog), tai (shit), bangsat (bastard) etc. are mostly the main vocabulary in this term (there are actually a lot
of vocabulary in this terms depends on what local language is used)
In this section, it will be explained through its functions.
To show anger
when we shouted this cursing with high tone to strangers, the strangers would take this words as offensive
words. It not suggested for us t use this words if we don’t want to provoke a violent reaction
To exaggerate things
These words also can be inserted in a sentence (regardless of the positions), to stress out what we are
talking about. However, this act should not be done if our intimacy towards the addressee is low, or we
would be considered as a rude type of person
To show the intimacy
the cursing words also uttered to show how socially intimate they really are. These words, as already
mentioned, show how intimate they really are. In other words, in his case, the more cursing words uttered
the more intimate they are.
Not like common refusing, people in Indonesia prefer to shows more indirect refusal. Indonesian people
would be offended or upset when people directly refuse their request for the first time. Hence, if we are to
refuse someone request, it is suggested that it would be indirect refusal.
To this extent, types of common refusal of Indonesian people will be explained.
Long winded refusal:
This refusal is done by asking the detail information of the request as if we would grant the request but in
the end still refuse it with considerably undisputed excuse.
A: bisa minta tolong gak?(Could you help me?)
B: apa?(What is it?/ What can I help you?)
A: besok bisa jemput aku gak?(can you pick me up tomorrow?)
B: dimana?(Where is it?)
A: di Delta (in Delta)
B: jam berapa?(What Time?)
A: sore, sekitar jam 5(At noon, about 5 o’clock.)
B: ngapain emang di Delta?(what do you do in Delta?)
A: aku ada acara di Delta, ulang tahunnya temenku (I have something to do there, my friend’s birthday)
B: oh… siapa emangnya?(oh, who is it?)
A: itu si C kok yang ulang tahun (it’s C that having the birthday party)
B: em…. Ya gak janji sih besok aku bisa apa enggak, tapi kemungkinan besar sih gak bisa. Soalnya
aku besok harus jemput Mamaku juga sih jam 5 sore itu. Jadi jangan andalkan aku ya. (emm.. I cannot
promise you i could, but big chance that i cant pick you up, because I must pick my mom too at that time.
So, don’t count on me)
Direct polite refusal
This kind of refusal is done just like all ordinary polite refusal. The refusal of this type is always started of
apologizing words that shows how sorry we are to refuse the request.
A: eh besok bisa jemput aku gak?( Could you pick me up tomorrow?)
B: aduh, maaf, besok aku gak bisa. Soalnya aku besok mau jemput Mama ku. Maaf ya. (oh, I’m sorry i
couldn’t. I have to pick my mom up at that time too, really sorry.)
Direct impolite refusal
This kind of refusal is showing either how close they are or how bad their relationship is. It always shows
their social intimacy to the extreme.
A: besok bisa jemput aku gak?(Could you pick me up tomorrow?)
B: wah, aku gak bisa, cari orang lain aja deh. (Nope, find somebody else.)
would be offended or upset when people directly refuse their request for the first time. Hence, if we are to
refuse someone request, it is suggested that it would be indirect refusal.
To this extent, types of common refusal of Indonesian people will be explained.
Long winded refusal:
This refusal is done by asking the detail information of the request as if we would grant the request but in
the end still refuse it with considerably undisputed excuse.
A: bisa minta tolong gak?(Could you help me?)
B: apa?(What is it?/ What can I help you?)
A: besok bisa jemput aku gak?(can you pick me up tomorrow?)
B: dimana?(Where is it?)
A: di Delta (in Delta)
B: jam berapa?(What Time?)
A: sore, sekitar jam 5(At noon, about 5 o’clock.)
B: ngapain emang di Delta?(what do you do in Delta?)
A: aku ada acara di Delta, ulang tahunnya temenku (I have something to do there, my friend’s birthday)
B: oh… siapa emangnya?(oh, who is it?)
A: itu si C kok yang ulang tahun (it’s C that having the birthday party)
B: em…. Ya gak janji sih besok aku bisa apa enggak, tapi kemungkinan besar sih gak bisa. Soalnya
aku besok harus jemput Mamaku juga sih jam 5 sore itu. Jadi jangan andalkan aku ya. (emm.. I cannot
promise you i could, but big chance that i cant pick you up, because I must pick my mom too at that time.
So, don’t count on me)
Direct polite refusal
This kind of refusal is done just like all ordinary polite refusal. The refusal of this type is always started of
apologizing words that shows how sorry we are to refuse the request.
A: eh besok bisa jemput aku gak?( Could you pick me up tomorrow?)
B: aduh, maaf, besok aku gak bisa. Soalnya aku besok mau jemput Mama ku. Maaf ya. (oh, I’m sorry i
couldn’t. I have to pick my mom up at that time too, really sorry.)
Direct impolite refusal
This kind of refusal is showing either how close they are or how bad their relationship is. It always shows
their social intimacy to the extreme.
A: besok bisa jemput aku gak?(Could you pick me up tomorrow?)
B: wah, aku gak bisa, cari orang lain aja deh. (Nope, find somebody else.)
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