Self-reference Variations in Indonesian
This paper highlights language variations in the use of Indonesian self-referring forms for saying ‘I’. The distributions of the data of self-reference variation are collected from the extract of dialogue transcription from an improvisation comedy broadcast on the Indonesian TV station Trans7 which is known as Opera Van Java. The occurrences of self-reference variation in the program are the pronoun aku, saya and gua (or its variant gue) to refer to oneself. The following table shows the frequency distribution of self-reference pronoun which is produced by the players.
Table 1.1 Self-reference distribution
Pronoun
Frequency
Percentage (%)
Aku
23
21
Saya
81
75
Gua
4
3
Total
108
100
From the data above, the highest frequency of occurrence is saya which is more than 80 %, 21 % of aku and 4 % of gua. Aku and saya are considered as a standard variation of address term while gua tends to be a non-standard variation. These two standard variations are distinguished by social variables such as formality and politeness (Lolyta, 2017). According to Djenar (2007) aku has been described as an informal form which is used with close friends and younger persons, while saya has been described as a formal variation which can be used when speaking to anyone or person with a high social status.
1. The use of informal “Aku”
Example 1 :
Sule
:“Katakan-katakanlah ada apa yang sebenarnya. Aku pingin tahu apa alasan kamu menangis di depan aku di depan abah kamu? Katakan coba katakan jangan malu malu ayok katakan! Kenapa? “
Please tell what is going on! I am wondering why you are crying in front of your father and me, Please tell and don’t be shy, why!
Nunung
: Maafin aku sekali lagi ya bang.
Forgive me once more, my darling.
Sule
: nggak papa nggak papa. Ini mungkin kesalahan aku karena mungkin aku tidak memperhatikan kamu. aku seorang pembantu aku orang biasa biasa saja aku tahu semuanya ! awas jangan bunuh diri!! Kenapa kamu yang kawin kamu yang bunuh diri?
It’s alright. This might be my fault because I didn’t take care of you. I realized that I am just a maid and an ordinary person. I know everything. Please don’t commit suicide. This is what you want and why do you want to kill your self?
The context of this dialogue takes place when Nunung (Sule’s girlfriend) is decided to marry Sule’s boss. At the same time, Sule comes to see and asks her why she cries. Siti’s (Nunung) heart is broken because she has to leave Sule and marry another guy. Aku becomes a marker of a very close relationship between boy and girlfriend. It indicates that the use of aku in an informal situation and a very close relationship seems appropriate in the context. Furthermore, Djenar (2007) claims that aku not only can be used to indicate a close relationship but this form is also generally characterized as an intimate form such as the relationship between adults and children, or between equals who have a close relationship or share a similar social status.
2. The use of Formal “Saya”
Saya can be considered to refer to both formal and informal pronoun to speak with a person who has a higher status. In this sense, saya is considered neutral in social connotation when it used as an informal pronoun. Hence, the use of saya is more polite than aku (Lolyta, 2017). Djenar (2007) recommends that learners use pronoun saya as it is also the polite form because this reference is suitable for any situation. In other words, the formality is related to politeness that causes less-offensive.
Example 2:
Sule
: Iya, Pak! Jamnya baru ya Pak
Yes, sir. Your watch is new, sir!
Andre
: Ini mau saya Jual
I want to sell this watch
Sule
: Kok dijual Pak?
Why do you want to sell it, sir?
The context in example 2, saya becomes a marker to distinguish social status. Sule is a servant who works for Andre. This means the relationship between Andre and Sule is not a close relationship. The former plays as a superior and latter act as inferior. Hence, the language variations created among the situations seem more formal. The expression ini mau saya jual (I want to sell this watch)indicates that Ande has power and authority to buy any watch. Hence, saya not only can be used to show a superior, but it also implies the power and authority in doing something.
Example 3
Andre
: tolong bantu saya, supaya saya bisa mendapatkan si Siti bagaimanapun caranya
Bodyguard
: Gini Bos! Yang namanya cinta tu gak mengenal bos gak mengenal anak buah kalau bos minta tolong ama saya tu lihat deket rumah. Tetangga saya ni punya bini empat serumah
Example 3, the context of the story is when Andre falls in love with Nunung (Sule’s girlfriend) and he wants his bodyguard to fight for him by taking her from Sule. The relationship between Andre and his bodyguard is rather formal. Therefore, Andre uses saya to show his social status as a person who has a strong capacity and money to marry any woman he likes through his bodyguard. In addition, the use of saya is suggested as corresponding to neutrality and neutrality seems to avoid offensiveness. Saya can be used as an informal pronoun in social connotation to denote politeness as in the following example.
3. The use of informal “Gua”
Gue is generally used by youth speaker in Jakarta in a non-formal situation. Gue is to show the identity of a capital city residence. It implies that as a capital city residence you might be more prestigious, educative, and open-minded.
Example 4
Sule
: saya mah kalo masalah cewek mah gak usah ribet-ribet ntr juga datang sendiri.
Talkingabout girls, I never feel frustrated because they will come to me anyway
Gua punya inceran di sini.
I have my own target here
The dialogue is taken when Sule has a language background as a Sundanese who lives in the capital city, Jakarta. When he uses gue, it shows that he is part of city resident of Jakarta where the TV show program is airing. It might be peculiar when speakers who do not have a relation to capital city Jakarta use gua as a self-reference. Beside, gua is used to indicate a very close relationship among the speakers.
Conclusion
The use of self-reference ‘I” in Indonesian has three types which are saya, aku and gua/gue. The use of these three differences self-reference is based on who you are, whom you talk to and where you are from. Besides, formal and non-formal situations are the main factors for the occurrence of Indonesian self-reference. The use of saya is considered as formal or neutral situations while aku and gue are used in a less-formal and strong relationship.
Reference
Djenar, D. N. (2007). Self-Reference and its Variation in Indonesian. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 4(1), 23–40.
Lolyta, R. D. (2017). Students’ Use of the Standard Variation of Indonesian Self-Reference Addressing Terms of Aku and Saya toward Teachers. Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana.
This paper highlights language variations in the use of Indonesian self-referring forms for saying ‘I’. The distributions of the data of self-reference variation are collected from the extract of dialogue transcription from an improvisation comedy broadcast on the Indonesian TV station Trans7 which is known as Opera Van Java. The occurrences of self-reference variation in the program are the pronoun aku, saya and gua (or its variant gue) to refer to oneself. The following table shows the frequency distribution of self-reference pronoun which is produced by the players.
Table 1.1 Self-reference distribution
Pronoun
Frequency
Percentage (%)
Aku
23
21
Saya
81
75
Gua
4
3
Total
108
100
From the data above, the highest frequency of occurrence is saya which is more than 80 %, 21 % of aku and 4 % of gua. Aku and saya are considered as a standard variation of address term while gua tends to be a non-standard variation. These two standard variations are distinguished by social variables such as formality and politeness (Lolyta, 2017). According to Djenar (2007) aku has been described as an informal form which is used with close friends and younger persons, while saya has been described as a formal variation which can be used when speaking to anyone or person with a high social status.
1. The use of informal “Aku”
Example 1 :
Sule
:“Katakan-katakanlah ada apa yang sebenarnya. Aku pingin tahu apa alasan kamu menangis di depan aku di depan abah kamu? Katakan coba katakan jangan malu malu ayok katakan! Kenapa? “
Please tell what is going on! I am wondering why you are crying in front of your father and me, Please tell and don’t be shy, why!
Nunung
: Maafin aku sekali lagi ya bang.
Forgive me once more, my darling.
Sule
: nggak papa nggak papa. Ini mungkin kesalahan aku karena mungkin aku tidak memperhatikan kamu. aku seorang pembantu aku orang biasa biasa saja aku tahu semuanya ! awas jangan bunuh diri!! Kenapa kamu yang kawin kamu yang bunuh diri?
It’s alright. This might be my fault because I didn’t take care of you. I realized that I am just a maid and an ordinary person. I know everything. Please don’t commit suicide. This is what you want and why do you want to kill your self?
The context of this dialogue takes place when Nunung (Sule’s girlfriend) is decided to marry Sule’s boss. At the same time, Sule comes to see and asks her why she cries. Siti’s (Nunung) heart is broken because she has to leave Sule and marry another guy. Aku becomes a marker of a very close relationship between boy and girlfriend. It indicates that the use of aku in an informal situation and a very close relationship seems appropriate in the context. Furthermore, Djenar (2007) claims that aku not only can be used to indicate a close relationship but this form is also generally characterized as an intimate form such as the relationship between adults and children, or between equals who have a close relationship or share a similar social status.
2. The use of Formal “Saya”
Saya can be considered to refer to both formal and informal pronoun to speak with a person who has a higher status. In this sense, saya is considered neutral in social connotation when it used as an informal pronoun. Hence, the use of saya is more polite than aku (Lolyta, 2017). Djenar (2007) recommends that learners use pronoun saya as it is also the polite form because this reference is suitable for any situation. In other words, the formality is related to politeness that causes less-offensive.
Example 2:
Sule
: Iya, Pak! Jamnya baru ya Pak
Yes, sir. Your watch is new, sir!
Andre
: Ini mau saya Jual
I want to sell this watch
Sule
: Kok dijual Pak?
Why do you want to sell it, sir?
The context in example 2, saya becomes a marker to distinguish social status. Sule is a servant who works for Andre. This means the relationship between Andre and Sule is not a close relationship. The former plays as a superior and latter act as inferior. Hence, the language variations created among the situations seem more formal. The expression ini mau saya jual (I want to sell this watch)indicates that Ande has power and authority to buy any watch. Hence, saya not only can be used to show a superior, but it also implies the power and authority in doing something.
Example 3
Andre
: tolong bantu saya, supaya saya bisa mendapatkan si Siti bagaimanapun caranya
Bodyguard
: Gini Bos! Yang namanya cinta tu gak mengenal bos gak mengenal anak buah kalau bos minta tolong ama saya tu lihat deket rumah. Tetangga saya ni punya bini empat serumah
Example 3, the context of the story is when Andre falls in love with Nunung (Sule’s girlfriend) and he wants his bodyguard to fight for him by taking her from Sule. The relationship between Andre and his bodyguard is rather formal. Therefore, Andre uses saya to show his social status as a person who has a strong capacity and money to marry any woman he likes through his bodyguard. In addition, the use of saya is suggested as corresponding to neutrality and neutrality seems to avoid offensiveness. Saya can be used as an informal pronoun in social connotation to denote politeness as in the following example.
3. The use of informal “Gua”
Gue is generally used by youth speaker in Jakarta in a non-formal situation. Gue is to show the identity of a capital city residence. It implies that as a capital city residence you might be more prestigious, educative, and open-minded.
Example 4
Sule
: saya mah kalo masalah cewek mah gak usah ribet-ribet ntr juga datang sendiri.
Talkingabout girls, I never feel frustrated because they will come to me anyway
Gua punya inceran di sini.
I have my own target here
The dialogue is taken when Sule has a language background as a Sundanese who lives in the capital city, Jakarta. When he uses gue, it shows that he is part of city resident of Jakarta where the TV show program is airing. It might be peculiar when speakers who do not have a relation to capital city Jakarta use gua as a self-reference. Beside, gua is used to indicate a very close relationship among the speakers.
Conclusion
The use of self-reference ‘I” in Indonesian has three types which are saya, aku and gua/gue. The use of these three differences self-reference is based on who you are, whom you talk to and where you are from. Besides, formal and non-formal situations are the main factors for the occurrence of Indonesian self-reference. The use of saya is considered as formal or neutral situations while aku and gue are used in a less-formal and strong relationship.
Reference
Djenar, D. N. (2007). Self-Reference and its Variation in Indonesian. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 4(1), 23–40.
Lolyta, R. D. (2017). Students’ Use of the Standard Variation of Indonesian Self-Reference Addressing Terms of Aku and Saya toward Teachers. Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana.