Cross Cultural Communication: Indonesian Slang, Bahasa Gaul and Alay


  1. Introduction
Young generation is dynamic. They are in the stage of searching for identity and recognition from community. They tend to differentiate themselves from others to create their own unique identity. In the other hand, peer group strongly influence their member’s behavior. They will try to meet up their peer-group expectation to gain a recognition. Therefore, young generation always identic with their own “world” or subculture.
The emergence of pop culture (referred to popular culture) and the use of slang words are the example of this subcultures. According to Wikipedia, pop culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred through an informal consensus within the mainstream of any given society. Meanwhile slang word is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker’s dialect or language.
This paper will be focused on slang words used among Indonesian youth that is Bahasa Gaul and Alay. The former tend to be more  wide-used among young generation especially in the urban area. Meanwhile, the latter one is just recently emerged and become a hit. Nevertheless, those two slangs have completely different image and different user.
  1. Indonesian Slang
    1. Bahasa Gaul
Bahasa gaul derived from “bahasa” which literally means “language” and “gaul” which means “social” or “cool”. This language is commonly used among youngsters in urban areas such as Jakarta (capital city) and Bandung which considered as trend-setter city for young generation. Actually, bahasa gaul is an informal form of Indonesia’s National Language, Bahasa Indonesia.
Historically, bahasa gaul originated from Jakarta which using Betawi dialect. Betawi is origin residents of Jakarta. Bahasa gaul emerged  long time ago in the late 1990s and nationally recognize as language spoken primarily by youngster in Jakarta. Meanwhile for youngster in other small cities or rural area, they still use regional language for daily conversation.
Commonly, bahasa gaul formed by changing on the last syllable of Bahasa Indonesia into “e”. For example:
Bahasa IndonesiaBahasa GaulEnglish
Kata siapa?Kate siape?Who said?
Yang benar?Yang bener?Really?
InginPengenWant
MalasMalesLazy
Pinjam, MeminjamPinjem, MinjemBorrow, etc
Basically it sounds like they use “e” more often, though it is not always like that. Some words also completely change, for example:
Bahasa IndonesiaBahasa GaulEnglish
SayaGueI
AndaLo/ LuYou
AyahBokapFather
IbuNyokapMother
SahabatSohibBest Friend, etc.
TidakEnggak, Nggak, GakNo
Bahasa gaul tend to cut some syllable of the word to make it easier to say, here is the example:
Bahasa IndonesiaBahasa GaulEnglish
SudahUdahAlready (done)
MenulisNulisWrite
LihatLiatSee
The way of speaking or expression can also be differentiated. For example, they use this kind of expression: “..ah..”, “sih”, “dong”.
Here is the example for the full sentence:
Bahasa IndonesiaBahasa GaulEnglish
Saya malasMales ah gueI’m lazy
Saya minta satuMinta satu dong!May I have one?
Apakah anda sudah mengerjakan tugas?Lo uda ngerjain tugas belom?Have you done the assignment?
Apakah saya boleh- meminjam buku anda?Gue boleh pinjem buku- lo nggak?Can I borrow your- book?
Ibu saya sedang di BaliNyokap gue lagi di BaliMy mother is in Bali
Bahasa gaul is spoken by every youngster in Jakarta and probably most of Bandung’s youth. No matter from what social class their family is. It is considered as cool and trendy. In the other hand, if someone from other cities speak bahasa gaul to talk with their peers who is also from the same region, it will be considered ostentatious or city-youth-wanna-be. It does not necessarily mean that youth from other city dislike bahasa gaul. It is just not the way they interact each other. They usually prefer to use their own regional language. Even if they speak with bahasa gaul and imitate Jakarta youth’s way of speaking, it usually just as joke. Although they also take some of bahasa gaul into their daily conversation. Nevertheless, when they move to Jakarta to study or other business, they tend to adapt bahasa gaul as it is required as “social language”.
  1. Alay
Alay is one of recent subculture created by young generation in Indonesia. Alay phenomenon emerged in early 2004 as a result of social network called friendster which then become a hit recently.[1] Unlike bahasa gaul, alay has a unique style of messaging, fashion style, music, pose of taking pictures, etc. The word alay itself has no definite derivation, some says it stands for “anak layangan” (kiteflyer, means someone who like to go with the mainstream) or “anak lebay” (a person who has exaggregating behavior, overacting).
Alay commonly used by middle and high school students (11-18 years old) yet it is not general. Only minor part, usually young generation who come from middle lower class use this alay style. Unlike bahasa gaul, alay mainly modify the form or the style rather than modify the language itself.
Alay messaging can be formed either by changing some spelling using number, cut some character to make it as shortest as possible, playing with capitalization, or combinasation of those all. Here is the example:
AlayBahasa Gaul/ IndonesiaEnglish
gu3 M4u ke rum4h L0e y4 Gue mau ke rumah loe yaI’m going to your house
km 5yn6 n6g4k 5H sM 4kyKamu sayang nggak sih sama aku?Do you love me?
nyk4P 6 mRh MLu Nh kerjnnyNyokap gue marah mulu nih kerjaannya.My mom always get mad at me
Photo pose and music also can be modified to be alay. As pose, alayners tend to turn their head around 45 degrees (to become oblique) or put their finger in front of their lips like “be quite” sign. Meanwhile for music taste, they tend to like indie band or malay- pop genre band that is raising star recently.
Another sign of alay is the way they dressed. They usually wear a tight jeans, bright color, imitation brand, or something a little bit “too much” for general youngsters. Alayners (name for alay person) usually try to be cool, fashionable, or trendy but it just not fit them well. Therefore, the image of alay itself often stereotyped as “tacky” or “cheesy” or “norak and kampungan” in Indonesia. Nowadays, many people or show use alay style as a ridicule.
  1. Conclusion
-          Bahasa gaul has been accepted since a long time ago as a subcultural originated and mainly used in Jakarta. It is even become a primary communication tools for among young peers.
-          Bahasa gaul considered as cool and metropolis style. Although youngsters from another cities still prefer to use their own regional language, they never consider bahasa gaul as a “minor” one.
-          Bahasa gaul used regardless of social stratification.
-          Alay just become a hit recently. It is modify style, rarely modify the language.
-          Alay is associated with high schoolers or called “Anak Baru Gede (ABG)” which literally means “Kid who just getting mature/ puberty).
-          Alay style usually considered as “minor” or “exaggregating”. Therefore, their style often become a ridicule.
Reference

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Alay. Retrieved August 10, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alay
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Indonesian Slang. Retrieved August 10, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_slang
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Popular Culture. Retrieved August 10, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_culture

[1] According to wikipedia

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