CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of The Study

Man as social being is never apart from the others. They interact each

other by using language as the medium. Man is constantly using language,

spoken language, written language, printed language and man is constantly

linked to other used norms of behavior. The sociology of language examines

the interaction between these two aspects of human behavior use of language

and the social organization of behavior (Fishman, 1972:45).

The language in social life series is a major new series which

highlights the importance of language to an understanding of issues of social

and professional concern. It will be of practical relevance to all those wanting

to understand how the ways we communicate both influence and are

influenced by the structures and forces of contemporary social institutions

(Fairclough, 1961:249).

Language is a part of culture. It is part of human behavior.

Language is an acquired habit of systematic vocal activity representing

meanings coming from human experiences. One can also, simply that

language is an acquired vocal system for communicating meanings

(Nasr,1978:1). Language is not simply a communicating information about

weather or any other subject, it is also a very important means of establishing

and maintaining relationships with other people (Trudgill in Nasr, 1978:140).

In our everyday life, this social stratification exist in the form of power

and solidarity. Brown and Gilman (1978:258) suggest that power is a

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relationship between at least two persons and it is nonreciprocal in the sense

that both can not have power in the same area behavior. Moreover he

describes power figures as person who is able to control the behavior of the

other. While solidarity is connected to the concerned people attend the same

school, or have the same parent, or practice the same profession (1978 : 258).

Power relations are not reducible to class relations there are power

relations between social groupings in institution, as we have seen and there are

power relations between young and old, which are not specific to particular

institutions (Farclough, 1961:34) and also a very important means of

establishing and maintaining relationship with other people (Trudgill in Nasr,

1978:140).

Hudson states that every language is expected to have some ways of

signaling differences in either power and solidarity or both. For instance, the

clearest linguistic markers of social relations English are personal names, such

as John and Mr. Brown. John will be used if there is high solidarity between

the speaker and John brown, in other words, if John Brown is a close

subordinate. While Mr. Brown will be used if there is low solidarity and John

Brown has more power than the speaker if he is distant superior (1980:122-

123).

Those phenomena can also be found in the Javanese Language.

Javanese language is one of various regional in Indonesia mostly on java

island people use the Javanese language especially for the reason that they are

establish and maintain close relationship with their society.

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Kuntjaraningrat in Chaer explained there are four levels of Javanese

society they are :1) wong cilik, 2)wong sudagar, 3)priyayi and 4) ndoro. This

means 1) dialect of small people, 2) dialect of rich people, 3) dialect of

prijajis, 4) dialect of aristocrat. While Geertz (1976) explained there are three

levels of Javanese society they are :

1. Dialect of the prijajis

2. Dialect of non prijajis, urbanized somewhat educated persons.

3. Dialect of peasant and uneducated town people.

From both quotations, it is clear that there are many levels in the Javanese

society.

According to Geerzt (1976:168) there are two levels in Javanese

language that is used to indicate the existence of power and solidarity in the

Javanese society. They are :

1. Kromo : (High levels). They are:

a. Kromo inggil, the elegant style with high honorifics

b. Kromo biasa, the elegant style without honorifics

c. Kromo madya, the fancy style with no honorifics

2. Ngoko : (low levels). They are:

a. Ngoko madya, the plain style with low honorifics

b. Ngoko biasa, the plain style with no honorifics

c. Ngoko sae, the plain style with high honorifics

Suwito (1983) in chaer (1995:53) gives the examples between ngoko

and kromo based on the people who asks question. Pay attention to the

following examples:
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Anda mau pergi ke mana? Mau pulang

Where are you going now? I want to go home
Kromo Ngoko
1. Sampeyan ajeng teng pundi? 1. Arep mulih
2. Panjenengan badhe tindak 2. Arep mulih
(dateng ) pundi?

Those phenomena encourages the writer to know more about the

execution of linguistic signals of power and solidarity in the Javanese

language at Kalikejambon village, Jombang. It is unique, so it is interested to

research by the writer and none makes a research about it, being Kalikejambon

native the writer has access to the data.

1.2 Statement of The Study

From the background above, the writer formulates the problems as

follows:

2.1 What are the linguistic signals of power and solidarity in the Javanese

language at Kalikejambon village, Jombang?

2.2 What social contexts that determine the use of linguistic signals of power

and solidarity in the Javanese language at Kalikejambon village,

Jombang?

1.3 Purpose of The Study

Based of the statements of the problems above, the purposes of the

study are formulated as follows:

3.1 To identify the linguistic signals of power and solidarity in Javanese

language at Kalikejambon village, Jombang.

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3.2 To identify the social contexts that determine the use of linguistic

signals of power and solidarity in the Javanese language at

Kalikejambon village, Jombang.

1.3 Significance of The Study

This study is hoped to contribute toward of better understanding of

group membership, values relative prestige, power relationship and the like in

the Javanese society. It will help the members of this society in choosing

appropriate codes so he/she can place him/herself and having good

relationship with others.

For the field of sociolinguistic, the result of the study will be beneficial

for the growth of sociolinguistic study in Indonesia.

1.4 Scope and Limitation of The Study

The study refers to sociolinguistic, it means the study will be focused

on the language variables and the social variables. Language variables refers

to elements of languages of the participants and social variables refer to the

society around them and the background of the participants’ life specially. this

study deals with the linguistic signals of power and solidarity in the Javanese

language at Kalikejambon village, Jombang and the social context that

determine at used in the society.

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1.5 Operational Definitional

Power : The ability of person to control the behavior of the others. It is a

relationship between at least to person and refers to non-

reciprocal in the sense that both can not have power in the same

area behavior (Hebding,1992:255 ). This power is determined by

some factors such as birth into particular level of society,

occupation, education, religion, age, sex, race and authority

( Hudson,1980:122 ).

Solidarity : The symmetrical relationships which are built because the

concerned people attend the same school, or have the same

parent, or practice the same profession ( Hebding, 1992 : 215 ).

Javanese : A regional language which is mostly used by people in the

central and East Java (Hebding,1992:254).

Linguistics: The science of language : the study of language (Nasr,

1978:174).