Critical Journal Review

Language selection in the Indonesian novel: Bahasa gado-gado in

expressions of love

SUBJECT : PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE

NAME : TEGUH SATRIA AMIN
REG. NO : 8236116006
CLASS :B
LECTURER : WINDA SETIA SARI, M.A, Ph.D

ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM

POSTGRADUATE PROGRAM

UNIVERSITAS NEGERI MEDAN

2023
 Identity

Title Language selection in the Indonesian novel: Bahasa gado-gado in expressions of love

Book/Journal Journal

Volume and Page 26 (4)

Year 2018

Author(s) Nelly Martin-Anatias

Reviewer Teguh Satria Amin

Date 14 September 2023

Abstract
In the post-New Order era, the use of English in Indonesia is noticeably increasing, particularly in otherwise
Indonesian popular print texts, a domain where language selection is evident and publicly accessible. The
appearance of English in Indonesian popular texts is linguistically known as codeswitching, called bahasa gado-
gado in the Indonesian context. Although noticeably increasing, English is still unfairly treated by many
Indonesians and by the government as a foreign language that carries the “West” ideology. In other words,
English not only functions as a linguistic resource but also as a language of Otherness that may carry some
Western ideologies for many Indonesians. In fact, the juxtaposition of English and Indonesian in otherwise
Indonesian speech acts still receives social censure or is seen as an interference to Indonesian-ness. Using an
interpretive textual analysis, I show that code-switching with special reference to English effectively functions
to express the overt love expressions and to project one’s socio-cultural hybridity and lingustic proficiency.
Introduction
Many Indonesians have an ambivalent attitude towards English. While learning English is highly
encouraged, many also view English as a threat to one’s Indonesian-ness (Foster and Welsh, 2017; Gunarwan,
1993; Martin-Anatias, 2018; Muslich, 2010). This ideological attitude is readily evident when it comes to
language selection, particularly in written texts (see Buchori, 1994; Martin-Anatias, 2018; Utorodewo, cited in
Wahyuningkintarsih, 2016). The dominant understandings of homogenous and collective Indonesian-ness have
continued to thrive post the New Order era, popularly known as the reformed era (henceforth, the Reformasi)
(Martin-Anatias, 2018).
Each island hosts a number of various ethnicities, each of which has its own regional language; beyond
national identity, then, every Indonesian is also subject to ethnic identity, which is closely linked to the use of
regional language (Bertrand, 2003; Goebel, 2012, 2013). Given this ethnic and linguistic diversity, the New
Order government prescribed “Indonesian identity” as multiple, promoting the idea that national identity should
come first, while ethnic identity comes second (Goebel, 2012). In this light, each ethnicity together with its
regional language shapes ethnic identity formation (Bertrand, 2003; Goebel, 2013; Renandya, 2004). As
Bertrand (2003: 265) has argued, “boundaries between ethnic groups in Indonesia are fluid, as is the extent to
which various groups use language as an ethnic marker.” The Javanese are among the many ethnic groups who
associate their ethnic identification with their Javanese language (Bertrand, 2003; Goebel, 2013).
Dominant understandings of homogenous Indonesian-ness have been established since the preindependence
era, beginning in 1928, when young Dutch-educated intellectuals assigned Indonesian as the language to unite
the nation in what is known as the Youth Pledge (Sumpah Pemuda), despite Indonesia’s linguistic diversity
(Errington, 2000; Paauw, 2009; Sneddon, 2003). The Pledge declares “one land, one nation, one language,”
highlighting the significance of Indonesian as the language that constructs one’s Indonesian-ness. Still today, the
Youth Pledge is annually commemorated as Hari Sumpah Pemuda (the Youth Pledge Day). Additionally, the
nationalistic construction has been well cultivated, engineered and maintained by the New Order body of
government with Suharto, the second president of Indonesia, at the helm (1966–1998). Through the national
ideology “Unity in Diversity,” the New Order government upheld Indonesian as the most effective device to
achieve unity (Goebel, 2013). As the only official language of the nation, Indonesian is closely related to the
government’s nation-building propaganda and the project of national identity construction; therefore it is the
language of ideology and formal law for Indonesia. That is, Indonesian, as both national and official language,
carries its own set of ideologies – social, cultural, moral, ethical and political systems that may set boundaries
for certain discursive uses (see Irvine, 1989; Kroskrity, 2000; Silverstein, 1979; Woolard, 1985; Woolard and
Schieffelin, 1994). The dominant understandings of homogenous and collective Indonesian-ness have continued
to thrive post the New Order era, popularly known as the reformed era (henceforth, the Reformasi) (Martin-
Anatias, 2018).
Javanese is a non-egalitarian language. There are at least three diaglossic levels of Javanese language:
Kromo (the highest level), inggil (the medium) and ngoko (the lowest). This diaglosic level dictates the level of
“politeness” that a speaker should adopt, conferring the “proper degree of respect to those who are of high rank
and using the proper degree of formality in addressing those of an older generation” and distant relatives
(Poedjasoedarmo, 1968: 54). In other words, the socio-cultural and age inequality of interlocutors determines the
level of formality of the language (Errington 1998, 2000; Goebel, 2002; Poedjosoedarmo, 1968).
The relation between ideological attitudes and Indonesian (and Javanese) shows that language never occurs
in a vacuum. In fact, it is socially, culturally and politically motivated (Blommaert, 2005, 2010). In this study,
the author is uncovering the relationship between language selection and overt love expression, which is socio-
culturally constructed. Moreover, drawing upon Lee’s (2012) metadiscourse of English in popular culture, the
author demonstrate how Setyawan portrays realistic characters and situations to which his novel’s readers can
easily relate through his language selection, particularly that used to express emotion. Using an interpretive
textual analysis (Lee, 2012; Martin-Anatias, 2018), the author show that code-switching between Indonesian and
English in an Indonesian novel has discursive and systematic functions rather than being a random language
practice (see Grosjean, 2010 [1982]; Zentella 1997).
Method
In this article, the researcher used textual analysis as the method. The researcher made textual analysis of the
novel 9 Summers, 10 Autumns, by Iwan Setyawan, I refer to Indonesian/Javanese as first/second languages
since the main character does not explicitly distinguish the two languages, while I refer to English as a foreign
language.
Result
The analysis has shown that love expression as a tool has a fluid capacity to cross the imaginary border between
traditional social values and new cultural values. In this case, English, with its love expressions I love you, I
need you, I miss you and with all my heart, is preferred over Indonesian (or Javanese), due to the “newly
adopted culture” from the West in which English plays an important role. These cultural and social attributes
may thwart many speakers from using Indonesian as a vehicle for expressing affection. Here, switching to
English allows Iwan to express his feelings without embarrassment or awkwardness. This kind of switch from
Indonesian to English is encouraged by social inhibition and cultural boundaries. While values have changed,
language has not caught up with those changes, so speakers like Iwan seek a new language to express new
values.

Discussion
Before turning to analysis, I will first discuss the geographical boundaries of Indonesia, and of Java as one
of the prominent islands in the country. This geographical information is integral to this study because the
protagonist/narrator is constructed as a Javanese man who values his cultural and national identities. I then
explore the definition of love, love expressions or other emotional expressions in the contexts of a Javanese
culture that contributes to Indonesian values. This information acts as a background for understanding the
analysis more comprehensively.
In the context of Indonesian studies, while empirical studies that correlate love expression and a
second/foreign language are relatively non-existent, a few studies touch upon “love” (cinta) as a romantic
mediation among Indonesian teenagers. One study, which links love with courtship in an Islamic school, treats
love itself a “taboo” expression (Muslimah, 2013). From this research, Siti Muslimah concluded that love
expression becomes taboo or socio-culturally non-normative for her Indonesian student participants when Islam
is used as a lens to look through it. Due to some Indonesian Muslims’ interpretation of Islamic values,
expressing love overtly is considered taboo and a transgression of socio-cultural norms (see Muslimah, 2013).
Here, we see how taboo or “non-normative” values are social constructs that are believed to be part of the
hegemonised Indonesian. Another study, by Tracy Webster (2010), examined various domains of Indonesian
teenage lives, including a short section on love expression. Webster discussed the explicit expression of love in a
teenaged-event brochure as a device to mark an intergenerational gap, indicating the younger generation’s
greater openness.
Research investigating love expression and first language use has contributed to a sizeable body of
literature as well (see Dewaele, 2008; Gareis and Wilkins, 2011; Thompson, 2013; Wilkins and Gareis, 2006).
These studies have highlighted the importance of the socio-cultural environment in shaping the socially-
constructed activity of expressing love in one’s first language (Dewaele, 2008; Martin-Anatias 351 Garies and
Wilkins, 2011; Lutz, 1998; Thompson, 2013; Wilkins and Garies, 2006). Building on studies that have largely
problematised love expression in the first language, I explore love expression in which a foreign language plays
an important role. These love expressions are still less explored and offer a considerable scope for future study.
My aim is thus to explore and explain the relationship between identity and language selection as well as other
nuances revealed by the use of English in otherwise Indonesian-language popular novels. I use code-switching
as the framework to examine language selection where Indonesian (and other Indonesian variants) and English
occur in the novel. In this study, I use code-switching for the use of two or more languages at the word, phrase
and/or sentence levels because codeswitching covers the other language selection phenomena such as code-
mixing or language switching in a broad manner (Bhatia and Ritchie, 2006 [2004]). In other words, I treat
codeswitching and code-mixing interchangeably. Additionally, because of the Indonesian context for my study, I
use bahasa gado-gado to refer to code-switching that involves SI and/or other Indonesian variants and English.
As I explore the set of identities that emerge from the written texts examined in this study, I find language
ideology to be a useful critical concept to problematise the language selection in the texts I investigated: texts in
which English, as a language of the Other indexed by italicisation, plays a vital role. The italicisation is
regulated by the language policy launched in 1972, popularly referred to as EYD (Ejaan Yang Disempurnakan,
the Enhanced Indonesian Spelling System). Since then, EYD officially functioned as a general guideline to
Indonesian spelling (Alwi, 2000). EYD’s effective application officially ended in 2015 when the most recent
Indonesian spelling system policy and guidelines were published, called PUEBI (Pedoman Umum Ejaan Bahasa
Indonesia, the General Guideline for the Indonesian Spelling System) by the Department of Education and
Culture (Sugiyono, 2016). I argue that the set of personal, societal and communal identities indexed by
Indonesian-English code-switching, which may reflect power, resistance and submission, are derived from the
ideologies attached to English as the most sought-after foreign language in Indonesia, as opposed to Indonesian,
the official and national language. Utilising language ideology as a perspective, I examine print fiction that
juxtaposes English and Indonesian.
 Additionally, prior to my analysis and in-depth discussion, I present the text and methodology that I used
in this study in order to answer the research questions, “Is code-switching a random language selection?,” “What
is a discursive function of English in the Indonesian popular novel?” and “Is code-switching a challenge to one’s
Indonesian-ness?”
The text I examine in this study is 9 Summers, 10 Autumns: Dari Kota Apel ke The Big Apple (9
Summers, 10 Autumns: From the City of Apples to the Big Apple), henceforward 9S10A, (Setyawan, 2011a), a
novel inspired by the life of its author, Iwan Setyawan. In this novel, narrated in the first person, the author uses
real names, stories and places. Although I am tempted to call it a memoir, the publisher labels it a novel inspired
by true stories (Setyawan, 2011a). Iwan, the main character and narrator, grew up in the small town of Batu,
near Malang, East Java, in a very poor but loving family. Being born to Javanese parents on Java island, Iwan
identifies himself as Javanese which is repeatedly conveyed in the novel (Setyawan, 2011a: 13, 31, 132, 140,
164). His father is a minicab driver and his mother is a housewife. Despite their financial struggles, Iwan
completes his education in good public schools in Batu. Due to his intelligence and hard work, he earns his
undergraduate degree from a well-regarded Indonesian university as one of the highest-ranking graduates. With
his college diploma, he obtains a job at an international company located in Jakarta. Building on an already
successful career, he accepts a job at Nielsen Consumer Research in New York where he lives and works for 10
years before deciding to quit and return to his hometown. The story is set mainly in New York and Batu
(Malang), and briefly in Jakarta. I chose this novel because of its frequent use of English and its publication
during the Reformasi or post-authoritarian era. I viewed the novel as a discourse that can reveal social meanings
(Gee, 2011), and approached the data by combining discourse analysis and interpretive textual analysis as
methods. First, I noted down all the switches from the novel in my notes and used notes to mark, code and
categorise. Then, I read and re-read the novel and marked any important features. I then analysed the novel both
inductively and deductively (Merriam, 2009). As I read and re-read the text, I noticed that overt love expression
is one of the most significant repeated themes in which the author, the narrator and the characters unfailingly
code-switch. Later, I used Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (or KBBI, the Great Dictionary of the Indonesian
Language by the Department of Education and Culture) to crosscheck uses of English that might have been
characterised as borrowing rather than code-switching.
Throughout the study, I display excerpts from the written works verbatim, with italics and other
typography intact, in both the original and the translation. In presenting the analysis, I translated the Indonesian
passages from 9S10A into English to serve the English readers of my work and then compared my own
translation with the novel’s English edition published under the same title. If the novel’s translation is better than
my own, I use the published version for better readability. In this manner, the credit for some of the English
translations of 9S10A in this study belongs to Maggie Tiojakin, the translator of the published English version
(Setyawan, 2011b).
 In the analysis that follows, I examine the majority of references to verbal love expressions that are
delivered via bahasa gado-gado and conveyed in a liberating manner and a straightforward tone. For ease of
reference, I present the original extracts followed by the English translation. The conversations in all texts are
predominantly held in Indonesian - a mix between SI and other Indonesian variants - but feature English
switches or bahasa gado-gado.
As Iwan learns English later in life, he has done so “in less affectively arousing circumstances” than he
did Indonesian (or Javanese) (Bond and Lai, 2001: 185). In other words, for Iwan, a foreign language speaker
who learns English as a young adult, his attachment towards English is probably less intense than his attachment
to Javanese or Indonesian, his childhood languages. The English expressions employed by Iwan in these
examples convey love in a register that is less embarrassing than it would be in his native language(s). Iwan, an
active English user himself, finds English useful to express his love towards his sisters and his mother. This
expression is not intended to create a gap between him and his mother, or between him and his readers, but
rather to bridge his need to transparently express his feelings. He may not be accustomed to saying it in
Indonesian (or Javanese) as he may have never done so in all his life. English can carry such a task. Switching
from his primary language(s) to an additional language suggests that he has adopted a new lifestyle and mixed it
together with his old self to create a “new” form of identity. Via the discursive uses of his linguistic sources, he
strives to balance his local sense of identities as both Javanese and Indonesian while embracing the new self who
is open and globally orientated (see Alsagoff, 2010).
Conclusion
The analysis has shown that love expression as a tool has a fluid capacity to cross the imaginary border between
traditional social values and new cultural values. In this case, English, with its love expressions I love you, I
need you, I miss you and with all my heart, is preferred over Indonesian (or Javanese), due to the “newly
adopted culture” from the West in which English plays an important role. These cultural and social attributes
may thwart many speakers from using Indonesian as a vehicle for expressing affection. Here, switching to
English allows Iwan to express his feelings without embarrassment or awkwardness. This kind of switch from
Indonesian to English is encouraged by social inhibition and cultural boundaries. While values have changed,
language has not caught up with those changes, so speakers like Iwan seek a new language to express new
values.
In relation to the function of code-switching, as shown above, no situational switches have occurred in the
scripted and overt love expressions. The code-switching where love expressions exist signals a topical shift or
functions as a metaphorical switch (see Blom and Gumperz, 2000). It is, however, important to note that Iwan
and his mother, with whom he usually utilises the metaphorical switches, do not share equal access and
distribution of English, the marked linguistic resource. Further studies need to be done to investigate the power
relation between speakers, assuming inequality of socio-cultural and linguistic access and distribution. From this
study, we learn that code-switching in popular novels has some discursive functions, which challenges purists’
belief that it is a random language act (see Buchori, 1994; Muslich, 2010; Rosidi, 2010) and confronts the
conventional belief that code-switching as a language act requires non-bilingual/multilingual linguistic
proficiency (Foster and Welsh, 2017). Finally, this study has provided evidence for the significant impact of
popular print as a valuable sociolinguistic site for the study of second language use and acquisition, from which
we can learn much about contemporary multilingualism.
Strength

This is all very clear from the way the author presents the material in their journal by presenting
the problem first, and is equipped with a theory then continues with analyze the problem.
Weakness
There is no specific part that is talking about their method in this journal. And there were many theories that make
readers have to understand more about the journal.

Implementation in Indonesia
I think it is suitable with the social life/context in Indonesia.

Suggestion
This journal is very useful for the researchers if they want to conduct the research about language in social
life/context as a reference.