Indonesian Language Minority in the Virtual Space of Indonesian People Majority: Virtual Linguistic Landscape of r/Indonesia Subreddit
(1) Universitas Indonesia
(2) Universitas Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author
Abstract
Through the study of Virtual Linguistic Landscape (LLV), this descriptive qualitative research aims to explore the contestation of Indonesian language in a virtual multilingual space with Indonesian people as the majority, namely the r/Indonesia subreddit community, within a social media site dominated by English speakers, Reddit. Each of the top-down contents made by the community moderators and bottom-ups made by the community members is observed. The analysis consists of the identification of the language dominance as well as the informational and symbolic functions behind the use of the languages in both types of content to further elaborate the significance of the dynamic. The research found that although members of the community are mostly Indonesian, English dominates all top-down contents. This domination functions informationally as a form of language accommodation while symbolically signifying that positive attitude is more assigned to English than Indonesian language as a status symbol. However, both English and Indonesian language dominate various different bottom-up contents. While the use of both languages also functions informationally as a form of language accommodation, the symbolic functions are more significant. That is, English as a marker of competence within the space designed for niche discussions and Indonesian language as a form of closeness and solidarity among members. Additionally, the use of English in the semi-formal bottom-up content indicates an influence of language choice by the top-down contents.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Aldama, F. F. B. (2019). Pengaruh Penggunaan Bahasa Inggris terhadap Kedudukan Bahasa Indonesia dalam Perkembangan Ilmu Pengetahuan. INA-Rxiv. https://doi.org/10.31227/osf.io/zk2sa
Bártfai, C. (2017). Udmurt Language in Virtual Space. Russian Journal of Multilingualism and Education: УДК, 811.511.131(045). http://elibrary.udsu.ru/xmlui/handle/123456789/16057
Biro, E. (2018). More Than a Facebook Share: Exploring Virtual Linguistic Landscape. Acta Universitatis Sapientiae Philologica, 10(2), 181-192, https://doi.org/110.2478/ausp-2018-0022
Bromham, L., Hua, X., Algy, C., Meakins, F. (2020). Language Endangerment: A Multidimensional of Risk Factors. Journal of Language Evolution, 5(1), 75-91. https://doi.org/10.1093/jole/lzaa002
Cioce, G., Korczynski, M., Pero, D. (2020). The Improvised Language of Solidarity: Linguistic Practices in the Participatory Labour-organizing Processes of Multi-ethnic Migrant Workers. Human Relations. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267221119775
Cocq, C., Granstedt, L., Lindgren, L., & Lindgrendt, U. (2020). Developing Methods for the Study of Linguistic Landscapes in Sparsely Populated Areas. GERUM Geografisk Arbetsrapport: Umeå universitet.
Gomaa, Y., A. (2020). Language Policy in the Virtual Linguistic Landscape: The Case of the Kingdom of Bahrain E-Government National Portal. Cadernos de Linguagem e Sociedade, 21 (2). 21-37. https://doi.org//10.26512/les.v21i2.29354
Gorter, D. (2013). Linguistic Landscapes in a Multilingual World. UK: Cambridge University Press.
Held, D. (2013). Introduction to Critical Theory Horkheimer to Habermas. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Heinzmann, S. (2014). Young Language Learners’ Motivation and Attitudes: Longitudinal, comparative and explanatory perspectives by Dr Sybille Heinzmann. London: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.
Ivković, D. & Lotherington, H. (2009). Multilingualism in cyberspace: Conceptualising the virtual linguistic landscape. International Journal of Multilingualism, 6(1), 17-36. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.1533.5523
Kress, G. & van Leeuwen, T. (2021). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design (3rd Ed.). London & New York: Routledge.
Mathiowetz, D. (2011). Appeals to Interest: Language, Contestation, and the Shaping of Political Agency. Pennsylvania: Penn State Press.
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M. & Saldana, J. (2019). Qualitative Data Analysis: A Method Sourcebook (ed. 4). London: SAGE Publications.
Muslim, B. (2016). Ancaman Bahasa Indonesia dalam Dunia Pariwisata di NTB. Juralistrendi, 1 (1), 1-8. https://ejournal.unwmataram.ac.id/trendi/article/view/20
Naterezi (Ed.). (2021). r/Indonesia: Indonesia Subreddit Exclusive Yearly Magazine. Retrieved September 7, 2023, from https://reddit.com/r/indonesia/s/ovcjNd0ZFZ.
Patil, K. (2021). A Study of Web 1.0 to 3.0. The Royal Gondwana Research Journal of History, Science, Economic, Political and Social Science, 2 (2), 40-45. https://www.agpegondwanajournal.co.in/index.php/agpe/article/view/45
Pütz, M. & Mundt. N. (2019). Expanding the Linguistic Landscape: Linguistic Diversity, Multimodality and the Use of Space as a Semiotic Resource. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Reddit.com Traffic Analytics, ranking stats & tech stack | similarweb. (n.d.). https://www.similarweb.com/website/reddit.com
Sairio, A., Pallander-Collin, M. (2012). The Reconstruction of Prestige Patterns in Language History. In Handbook of Historical Sociolinguistics. (Eds). Juan Manuel Hernández-Campoy, Juan Camilo Conde-Silvestre. 626-638. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.
Shohamy, E. (2015). LL research as expanding language and language policy. Linguistic Landscape: An International Journal, 1 (1/2), 152–171. https://doi.org/10.1075/ll.1.1-2.09sho
Shohamy, A. and Ben Rafael, E. (2015). Introduction: Linguistic landscape. Linguistic Landscape. A new journal, 1(1/2), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1075/ll.1.1-2.001int
Shohamy, E. & Ghazaleh-Mahajneh, M. (2012). Linguistic Landscape as a Tool for Interpreting Language Vitality: Arabic as a ‘Minority’ Language in Israel. In Minority Languages in the Linguistic Landscape. (Eds). Durk Gorter, Heiko F. Marten and Luk Van Mensel. 89-106. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Similarweb. (n.d.). Reddit.com Traffic Analytics, Ranking Stats & Tech Stack. Retrieved September 7, 2023 from https://www.similarweb.com/website/reddit.com
Simpson, J., & Wigglesworth, G. (2018). Language Diversity in Indigenous Australia in the 21st Century. Current Issues in Language Planning, 20 (1), 67-80. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2018.1503389
Spolsky, B. (2021). Rethinking Language Policy. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Subreddit r/Indonesia. (n.d). Retrieved September 7, 2023 from https://www.reddit.com/r/indonesia
Subreddit r/France. (n.d). Retrieved September 7, 2023 from https://www.reddit.com/r/france
Subreddit r/Italia. (n.d). Retrieved 7 September 7, 2023 from https://www.reddit.com/r/italia
Stefan, L., Wienbruch, T.W., Kreimeier, L.D. and Bernd, D.K. (2018), Concept for an evolutionary maturity based Industry 4.0 migration approach, Procedia CIRP, 72, 404-409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2018.03.155
Article Metrics
Abstract view : 417 timesPDF - 2 times
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26714/lensa.13.2.2023.169-188
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2023 Lensa: Kajian Kebahasaan, Kesusastraan, dan Budaya
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Lensa: Kajian Kebahasaan, Kesusastraan, dan Budaya is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0
Lensa: Kajian Kebahasaan, Kesusastraan, dan Budaya (Lensa)
p-ISSN: 2086-6100; e-ISSN: 2503-328X
Published by: Faculty of Educational Science and Humanity,Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang