Syntax Literate: Jurnal Ilmiah Indonesia pï¿½ISSN: 2541-0849 e-ISSN: 2548-1398

Vol. 7, No. 7, Juli 2022

LANGUAGE VARIATIONS AND FUNCTIONS OF VARIOUS LANGUAGES IN ONLINE BUSINESSES ON THE INSTAGRAM APPLICATION: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY

Nur Alifah, Irma Nuraeni Salsabila, Vika Fransisca

Institut Pendidikan dan Bahasa Invada Cirebon, Indonesia

Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many online businesses, one of which is the Instagram application, to post their sales on Instagram with various exciting captions. They use a wide variety of languages as their promotion strategy and means of publication. This research aims to find variations in language and language functions in the captions of online business account posts on the Instagram application. This study used a qualitative descriptive method with sociolinguistic studies. Data collection techniques using listening and note-taking techniques. Language variants and maximizing the function of various languages on the Instagram social media network are very effective and efficient. The function of various languages on the Instagram social media network has many variants.

Keywords: Language Variation. Multilingual Function, Online Business, Instagram

Introduction

Language is the most important means of communication as the provision of human life, both in the form of oral and written communication or in the form of codes or symbols of a particular language. Agree with what Arsanti said: the presence of Language is a point of success for digital media to play an active role in the era of digitalization. Communication in the digital era uses Language to express ideas and human feelings through various platforms such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter (Arsanti, 2014). A language community is a group of people who use the same language code systemï¿½ (Bloomfield, 1935).

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on the economy and business in Indonesia. One is buying and selling, which is now done online through the marketplace application or social media, Instagram. The ease of transactions causes many people to buy and sell online. (Susilawati et al., 2020)

One social media used for online business is Instagram (Liao et al., 2022). Instagram is straightforward and user-friendly when used for online business. The high number of Instagram users in the community today has a significant impact and benefits for the community, such as the ease of doing online business activities. Using Instagram as a medium for online buying and selling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic can prevent the increase in covid-19. One avoids crowds and direct contact because transactions via Instagram do not have direct contact, such as shopping at markets or supermarkets. This activity can be done quickly without spending time shopping (Edriani, 2021).

According to (Permata, 2016), unlike other social media, Instagram maximizes its features for communication through images or photos. When visual Language dominates the internet world, business people can take advantage of the opportunities that lie before their eyes. Promotional styles with Instagram are also very unique and varied, with captions are written using various languages that are as attractive as possible. (Sulong, 2018)

A language is a tool for communication. According to (Arisandy et al., 2019), a Language is a tool used to communicate with humans, and from that Language, we can understand what we are talking about. For example, in the captions of online business posts on Instagram, many Language variations are used, such as English. However, the variations and functions of various languages are not yet known in online business posts on Instagram. According to (Lestari & Nusarini 2017), the language patterns used by a group of socialites can aim to influence and convince their readers.

This research is expected to provide benefits for further research. Unlike the research conducted byï¿½ (Faï¿½iza & Laksono, n.d.) Which uses the Shopee and Tokopedia applications as objects, this study uses the Instagram application as the object, and this is what distinguishes this research from other studies. However, research on language variation is not new research conducted in language studies. There are several relevant previous studies.

The research conducted by (DOMPAS, 2017) entitled "Characteristics of Using Laras Advertising Language on the Instagram Social Network" with the observation method used got the results that the characteristics of diction showed on the register used on an advertisement on Instagram to include: a) the used of foreign words, b) the use of slang words, c) the use of words with synonym, d) the use of particular words, e) the use of idioms, f) the use of words or specific terms, and g) the use of dialectical words. The use of the seven characteristics of diction is caused by dictions mentioned above, being able to perform advertising language on social media, especially Instagram, which is easy to be understood by readers, according to the type of advertised product, and be able to convey advertisement's messaging precisely to the advertisement's target. For example, code-mixing on Instagram includes: a) code mixing form word, b) code mixing form phrase, c) code mixing form baster, and d) code mixing form clause.

Research has been done previously explained that in this Covid-19 period, doing business online through social media is very effective and efficient. Instagram is a social media that uses many language variations and functions of various languages used in the online business. The more languages that are mastered in optimizing the function of various languages, the better the marketing presentation through the various languages used.

Based on the background above, it is necessary to further study the variations and functions of various languages in the captions of online business posts on Instagram. Therefore, this study aims to describe variations in language and language functions in the captions of online business account posts on the Instagram application.

Research methods

This research is a qualitative descriptive study with sociolinguistic studies. The data source of this research is the caption for posting online business accounts on the Instagram application. The data collection technique of this research is the listening and note-taking technique. The instrument in this research is the researcher himself. The data source of this research is the January 2022 edition of Instagram social media. The data of this research are in the form of language variations and the functions of language variations found on Instagram social media. The data collection technique of this research is the listening and note-taking technique. The instrument in this research is the researcher himself. (Soendari, 2012)

Results and Discussion

A. Language variations

Language variations have seven functions namely (1) expressive functions, namely functions that are usually used to express emotions, desires, happiness, sadness, messengers, and (2) directive functions, namely functions used to influence other people, both emotions, feelings, and emotions, and behavior, (3) informational function, which is a function used to inform and describe something, (4) metalingual function, namely a function that focuses on code, (5) interactional function is the use of Language that has a reciprocal relationship or interaction between the greeter and the speaker. Addressed, (6) the contextual function, namely a function that is guided that an utterance must be understood by considering the context, and (7) the poetic function, namely a function that is oriented to code and meaning simultaneously (Nazar, 2022).

Variations in Language concerning its use, usage, or function are called olec functions (Nababan, 1984), variety, or registers. These variations are usually discussed based on the area of use, style, level of formality, and means of use. Variations of Language based on this field of use are related to what Language is used for what purpose or field. For example, the fields of journalistic literature, military, agriculture, shipping, economy, trade, education, and scientific activities (Kurniawati & Herdiana, 2021). For example, in the marketing field of social media, Instagram has very diverse functions. Some examples found on the Instagram social media network related to these functions can be seen in table 1.

Table 1

Language Variations on Instagram Social Media

No.	Data
No.	Sentence	Instagram Account	Type of language variation
1	ï¿½Di story mincuit pada heboh overthinking sama Lotus Dessert Box Katanya pada tergila gila!ï¿½	@bittersweet_by_najla	In English, idiolect
2	ï¿½Kalo, team di gombalin apa team dikasih dessert Box sama doi?ï¿½	@bittersweet_by_najla	Slang
3	ï¿½Handcarry untuk dibawa ke Jakarta, Semoga Seblak sampai tujuan dengan selamat dan bisa bikin happyï¿½	@seblaktoleransi	Indonglish
4	ï¿½NGAKAK BET LIAT SEBESTEA NEBAK RASA MENU MENANTEA WKWKWKï¿½	*@menantea.toko*	Slang, idiolect
5	BTW, dari 90% neteazen yang liat postingan ini, kayaknya belom cobain Miruku Jelly Brown Sugar deh, Padahal menu enak pol & ada grass jelly gitu	*@menantea.toko*	Slang, idiolect , dialect

ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Based on table 1, it can be seen that the sentence contained in data (1) is a type of Indonesian language variation, namely the word 'story', which in this context means 'story/Instagram story', 'overthinking which means having excessive thoughts about something'. Language variants like this have been commonly used in society, from teenagers to adults. Using language variants on social media has become commonplace and even requires business people or entrepreneurs to use Instagram. The Instagram market's language variants are also adjusted to the age or target group. 'Lotus Dessert Box', a variant of the product menu name from @bittersweet_by_najla, as well as an idiolect language variation, namely ï¿½mincuitï¿½ with the context of the admin's name. Accounts used on social media for business people must reflect their products, target market, or brand they have in order to symbolize the business person so that consumers easily recognize them.

The sentences contained in data (2) are types of slang variations, namely the word 'doi'. Doi is a slang term for 'he or she'. The meaning of this doi can refer to anyone, male or female. In addition, the meaning of doi is often used to refer to a boyfriend or lover. Doi is often used among teenagers, and it is said that it is easy to pronounce and seems more familiar to teenage consumers.

The sentence in data (3) is known to have a foreign language, namely 'hand carry' in Indonesian, which means gift or souvenir. The sentence contained in data (4) is a type of slang variation, namely the word 'bet', which means 'very'. Besides that, there is also an idiolect in the word 'sebestea', which is a nickname from the admin @menantea.toko for someone who is in a drink promotion video post account @menantea.toko

In data (5), there are several language variations, namely the word 'btw', an acronym slang word for 'by the way. Furthermore, idiolect in the word 'neteazen' is a term for customers from @menantea.toko. The last is the dialect variation on the word 'pol', a type of arekan dialect.

B. Functions of Languages Variety

Some of the Functions of Languages Variety

Table 2

Functions of Languages Variety in Social Media Instagram

No	Data		Analytical Units
	Data		Functions of Variety of Languages
	Sentences	Instagram Account	Directive	Informational	Expressive
1	ï¿½Sobat shoopee, mau dapetin XIAOMI REDMI 10A GRATIS? Yuk, langsung aja KOMEN warna pilihanmu sesuai emoji di atas ini yaï¿½	*@shopee_i d*	*Yuk, langsung aja KOMEN*	-	-
2	ï¿½Warna kece yang best seller ini sudah kembali restock dan bisa di pesan melalui shopee~ï¿½	*@kaami. modis*	-	*sudah kembali restock dan bisa di pesan melalui shopee~*	-
3	ï¿½Setiap pembelian Handphone di pstore kamu berkesempatan dapet gratis sembako dari psmart, gokil banget kan yuk langsung aja serbu karna voucher nya terbatas!ï¿½	*@pst0re*	*yuk langsung aja serbu karna voucher nya terbatas!*	*Setiap pembelian Handphon e di pstore kamu berkesemp atan dapet gratis sembako dari psmart*	-

The sentence in data (1) invites shopee account followers to enliven the events organized by shopee, on the condition that they must comment according to the emoji/emoticons provided.

The sentence in data (2) "sudah kembali restock dan bisa di pesan melalui shopee~" is categorized as an informational function because the sentence intends to provide information that products that were sold out have been restocked and can be ordered again through the online shopping application (shopee).

The data sentence (3) "Setiap pembelian Handphone di pstore kamu berkesempatan dapet gratis sembako dari psmart" informs followers of the @pst0re account that every purchase of cellphone products on pst0re will get free groceries, the sentence aims to make consumers interested in buying the product.

As previously explained, the language variants used in Instagram social media are numerous and varied, which makes this research different from research (Faï¿½iza & Laksono, n.d.) ï¿½that the shopee and tokopedia applications were created initially purely as sales applications. In contrast to the Instagram social media application, which started from just a social media network, it became an application that made it easy to sell or become a business. However, this study is similar to research (DOMPAS, 2017), that social media Instagram is one straightforward application to advertise products, both goods and services.

Conclusion

ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Language variants and maximizing the function of various languages on the Instagram social media network are very effective and efficient. Non-formal Language is one way to make it easier for business people to sell or socialize their products, both goods, and services. Instagram has many variants with several types of fluids such as directive, informational and expressive.

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Nur Alifah, Irma Nuraeni Salsabila, Vika Fransisca (2022)

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Syntax Literate: Jurnal Ilmiah Indonesia

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