Language and Morality: A Case Study on Vulgar Contents in Song Lyrics Prohibited by KPID West Java

摘要

The article reveals how language maintains moral values. It specifically discusses the prohibition of several English songs by the Indonesian Regional Broadcasting Commission West Java Chapter (KPID JABAR) due to their vulgar contents. The discussion covers the disposition of language and morality, which were viewed from the perspective of morality. The article aims to (1) reveal various vulgar contents conveyed explicitly and implicitly in a number of English songs which were prohibited by KPID JABAR (2) discuss the relationship between vulgarism and language morality in the context of Indonesian culture, as an attempt to provide an explanation on why KPID JABAR prohibited those songs at the particular broadcasting hours. It deployed a Descriptive Qualitative method, as the study highlighted the language phenomenon in society. The data consisted of all lingual forms of those English songs, including vocabularies, phrases, clauses, sentences, and discourses that contained vulgarism. Meanwhile, the data source included 17 English songs banned by KPID JABAR It combined listening, transcription, and reading as the series of data collection technique. The data analysis featured a Content Analysis, in which the researchers stood as the key instruments, as they are native speakers of Indonesian Language and fully understand the norms of Indonesian cultural morality. The findings essentially proved the existence of vulgar contents promoted by those songs, either explicitly or implicitly. It implied that KPID JABAR's policy to prohibit those songs had reflected a standard measure of the Indonesian morality that should uphold the politeness principles in conveying ideas through language.