Observing Social Deference in Two Societies

摘要

It is undeniable that the existence of the language of local languages of Indonesia, the language of Java and Bali, cannot be separated from the co-existence of their speech levels, low and high speech levels. These two co-variations, low and high code, enable the speakers to show intimacy, deference, and hierarchy among the members of society in their speech communities. Low and high codes have become codes of communication in these hierarchical societies. This paper discusses patterns of use of high code in the language of Java and Bali which enables their speakers to show their social deference between or among the participants in a speech event in these social and speech communities of Java and Bali. The symmetrical use of high speech level shows the communication pattern of deference or non-intimate symmetric communication. In non-intimate communication: two speakers use high code to show social marker of deference and it means two members of social societies exercise social distance (+D) but with/without power difference (-P) between or among the participants, and it is the reflection of deference politeness. Finding of the research shows that symmetrical use of high code in two societies emphasized deference and non-solidary because of no-power difference and social distance. The patterned use of high code, both in the language of Java and Bali, indicates clearly that politeness in hierarchical societies is not merely a communication strategy, but it is a kind of social and lingual agreements between or among the members of the social community as well as the members of lingual community. Using a certain code of communication is the speakers' rights and obligations in hierarchical societies of Java and Bali.