HUMANIS

Journal of Arts and Humanities

p-ISSN: 2528-5076, e-ISSN: 2302-920X

Terakreditasi Sinta-3, SK No: 105/E/KPT/2022

Vol 27.3. Agustus 2023: 363-371

The English Register in Social Media Instagram

Sang Ayu Isnu Maharani, I Nyoman Tri Ediwan

Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

Correspondence email: isnu_maharani@unud.ac.id, tri_ediwan@unud.ac.id

Article Info

Submited: 30th January 2023

Revised: 11th June 2023

Accepted: 26th June 2023

Publish: 31st August 2023

Keywords: Variety, Register, English, Social Media, Instagram

Corresponding Author:

Sang Ayu Isnu Maharani

Email:

isnu_maharani@unud.ac.id

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24843/JH.20

23.v27.i03.p11


Abstract

This research entitled "English Register in Social Media Instagram". This research is conducted with the aim at identifying and mapping the use of English registers in social media Instagram and specifically is to find out the function of the usage of those registers. This research is a-qualitative descriptive research. The method applied for this research is observation method with note-taking and screen shot technique. This research applied register theory from Halliday (1994).

INTRODUCTION

In society, register is a linguistic phenomenon. Registers are linguistic variants generated by the specific qualities of the user's demands, such as advertising languages, article languages, and others in written language. Meanwhile, we may discover political language, presenter language, parody language, and so on in spoken language.

As today's society evolves, people will come across a variety of language occurrences. Social language, alay language (Indonesian Pop Culture Language), slang language, and many others are examples. The linguistic phenomena investigated in this study is the English register on the social media platform Instagram.

Social media is a trendy way of life that unavoidably 'forces' people to grasp the new way of life if they don't want to be regarded ‘old fashioned’. From a positive standpoint, social media allows people to become freelance writers, freelance journalists, public personalities, online company owners, establish selfimage, and perform a variety of other things. Meanwhile, if people look at the negative side of social media, it easily notices the fraud or illegal activity such as people trafficking. Positive and bad things are constantly existed, like two sides of a coin. Without individuals recognizing it, social media has gradually altered their thinking, attitude, lifestyle, and language.

The language style or the linguistic variety shown in social media can be

considered as a renewable way of communication. The way of communication refers to expression which not only done orally but also includes pictures. Since there has not many researches explore this issue, the research concerns with register in social media is interesting to investigate. This research is expected to gain insight for the academic community and also common people in the dynamic of language change.

There are several previous researches that study register among scholars in Indonesia. Mujayyidah et al., (2023) investigated language varieties in social media Instagram and TikTok. The research explores the language variety shown from one of the accounts which last for five consecutive days, and the analysis was done by Sociolinguistic theory. The result of their research showed that the variety of spoken language in the TikTok account @vandarainy included in the social language. The social language signs seen from six aspects, they are zeroization, Diphthongization, graphical changes, lexical changes, onomatopes, ellipsis and mixed codes.

Hidayati (2023) studied registers among expedition services in Surakarta. Hidayati explored the registers used in expedition service of JNT in Surakarta by applying the purposive sampling. She applied theory of Ramlan for the type of register and theory of Dewa Wijana and Mohamad Rohmadi concerning meaning. It was found that there were 95 registers include JNT Express, JNE Express and Indonesian Post. The classification of the register data consists of single word, directive exocentric phrase, attributive endocentric, acronym, and sentences. The meaning of the registers classified into 77 primary meaning and 18 secondary meaning.

Lestari (2023) investigated the registers between buyers and sellers in social media Instagram and TikTok. This research showed that the dominant use of registers in buying and selling thrift shops on Instagram and Tiktok is found to be open envelope registers. The research also found the use of registers that underwent word formation process in the form of clipping or shortening of words, acronyms, abbreviations, code mixing, compounding, inflection and derivations.

Mauluddin et al. (2023) researched the register among merchants in Bima traditional market. Their research concerns with transaction of merchants by taking utterances of the buyers and merchants in Amahami market as data source. The result of the research shows that there are two types of registers, they are generic form and specific. The specific forms include words and phrases.

Hariyanto (2022) investigated the register in Gus Baha’s Speech. He applies the illocutionary speech act theory from Searle (1979) to describe the utterances in his lectures and to utilize the discourse of register from Agha (2007) in analyzing the data. The result of the research, it was found that the speaker availed forms of humorous communication strategies in presenting religious lectures. Thos forms of communication become a distincgtive feature compared with other preacher to attract the congregation.

CY Lubis et al (2016) conducted research concerning register in online shop term in Facebook. They applied theory register of Holmes (1992) and Pateda (1987) about type and function of register as the framework of their research. Their finding shows that from 100 registers that they found, there are 11 registers identified as abbreviations, 13 for clippings, 3 coinages, 2 acronyms, 8

compounding, 35 borrowings, and 28 phrase. In terms of function, it was found registers functioned as consultative (45), deliberative (16), casual (14), intimate (6) and oratorical (2).

Thus, the previous studies regarding register research contributing in this article as literature reviews in emphasizing the knowledge specifically in register research.

METHOD AND THEORY

This section comprises data sources, data collection methods and techniques, data analysis methods and techniques, and data display methods and techniques.

This study's data sources are all English registrants on the social networking platform Instagram. All information accounts in Bali are utilized, including Denpasar info, Gianyar info, Bangli info, Klungkung info, Karangasem info, Singaraja info, and Jembrana info (each account utilizes the @ symbol, for example: @infodenpasar, etc.). This study relied on registration data from January to March of 2019.

The data gathering methods and techniques used were observation, notetaking, and screen capture. The information was gathered from all information accounts and then recognized and categorised. The data analysis was provided in a descriptive manner. According to Ferguson's description, there are six register functions, which are detailed below. The six functions are as follows:

  • a.    Language directed toward listeners or speech partners, instrumental purpose. The language used to control the behaviour of the listener so that the interlocutor wishes to accept or follow what the speaker or writer expects. This can be accomplished by the use of terms that indicate requests, appeals, or appeals.

  • b.    Interaction function, contact-oriented language between communicative parties. In this situation, the register is used to build and sustain connections, as well as to express friendly emotions or social solidarity. When meeting, becoming acquainted, inquiring about circumstances, and so forth, the language employed are frequently patterned.

  • c.    The personality function or personal, speaker-oriented language.

  • d.    The language contained in the phrase asking for, according to, or providing a response to a problem or problem is the function of the problem solver. This function's expressions take the form of queries that require clarification or elaboration.

imagination  revolves  toward the

intention to be carried by speakersor

authors.

deliver newsor information in order that it becomes kown by others is known as the information function.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

This chapter describes the results and findings of English Register in social media Instagram. The collected data is in the form of the use of English in social media Instagram from information accounts about Bali including accounts @infodenpasar,          @infogianyar,

@infotabanan,            @infobangli,

@infokarangasem,      @infosingaraja,

@infoklungkung. The data presented within this chapter are the representation of all data found within those information accounts.

Data 1


Data 2


The above data was obtained from @infodenpasar with 430 likes dated January 6 2019, which contains a description of the Logo House advertisement, a jeans brand that has clothing, pants and bags products that offer a free offer of 2 pairs of jeans for IDR 1,000,000 for 2 winners. This offer is valid in order to welcome the new year with the conditions outlined in the rules points 1-3. The information presented in the title also uses English, namely # I EAT I SHOP AT LOGO HOUSE. The above data shows an intense use of English; in the form of a description from beginning to end. Starting with Happy New Year 2019…. closed with a persuasive invitation, “So, what are you waiting for? Repost now and win”.

The Indonesian translation, , “Selamat Tahun Baru”,……..“Jadi, apa yang kamu tunggu?

Pos kembali dan menangkan”.

Based on the identification, the existing English registers include: ‘Give away time, win, repost now’. The register is related to information which concerns with advertisements.

The above data is part of the @infobangli account with 530 views dated February 16 2019. The data above shows the use of English in the video display entitled "One of the Oldest and Most Important Temple", in Indonesian it means "Salah Satu Pura Tertua dan Terpenting”. The use of English is also displayed with the delivery of information in Indonesian. Overall, the description given is about the Balingkang Festival, Kintamani 2019.

The English register that can be found from the data above is: ‘This video aims to, Watch the video’. The English register relates to information about an activity displayed via video.

Data 3 comes from @infodenpasar dated February 27 2019 with 915 likes. The above data is in English from


Data 3

beginning to the below part. The above data is related to promotions or advertisements for Artotel Sanur hotels. Some of the English registers found are: (a) spend the night at

  • (b)    let your beautiful mind wander through!

  • (c)    book your rooms

  • (d)    get the best stay rates!

Major of the English registers found applied the usage of Verb Phrase to begin the sentence as seen in (a-d). the phrase shows persuasion done by department of hotel promotion.

Data 4

The data obtained from the @infodenpasar account dated March 30 2019 which received 1,516 likes. The use of English shown in the above data can be seen from the title of the activity, “THIS      EARTH      HOUR-

CONNECT2EARTH" to the hashtag that completes the data display, for example #agpeartHour #agpeduli…..

The above data displays information about Earth Hour with various views of the activities that accompany the event. This information can be seen in the words:

  • (a)    Featuring:

  • (b)    Glory dance school

(c ) Orion cheerleader……..

Persuasive sentences are also contained in

“Get all your friends and join us to celebrate our planet! at Amphitheatre” “Ajaklah semua teman-temanmu dan

bergabunglah untuk merayakan planet kita! Di Amphitheater”

From the above data, we can find English registers with advertising nuances and using persuasive word choices, such as: ‘Today is the day, join us’.

Data 5

The above data displayed from information account of @infodenpasar with 454 likes on March 30 2019. The data shows the use of English without being accompanied by translations in Indonesian. The information conveyed is about Sanse Ubud, a sandal shop located in Ubud. The use of English can be seen starting with the title displays the amount of discount provided by the store, up to 50% 29-30 Mar 2019 until the end of the sentence. The next informative sentence is: “Yes, we are back with new looks!”

The English registers above related with promotions and advertisements: ‘We’re back’, ‘experience’, ‘get lucky dip’, ‘win, opening discount, take your selfie at our store, post your picture, reopening promotions, get free membership.

Data 6


Further data obtained from @infodenpasar account dated March 13 2019 with 424 likes. This data is information about International Women's Day which is displayed in English "Celebrating Women". The information submitted was in the form of an advertisement for the day's activities which were held at the Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali.

The English register that is visible from the data above is Talks, Trends, Tea, Four Key Speakers, Event Highlights, RSVP, please call us, lucky draw.

The Function of English Registers in social media Instagram

Based on Ferguson's framework, there are six register functions, as described above. They include instrumental, interaction, personal, problem solver, imaginary and information function.

The results of the analysis show that the register functions that can be found from the English register on Instagram social media are as follows:

Information function

This function can be seen from the language used as a tool to provide news or information so that it can be known by others as shown in the data below:

The information function is shown in the figure in blue or gray in the left column. #I EAT I SHOP AT LOGO HOUSE. The information contained states that LOGO HOUSE as a shopping center for pants and jeans offers a place to dine besides shopping. Other information that is conveyed is in the form of marketing information whereby a purchase transaction at LOGO HOUSE can win two pairs of jeans worth 1,000,000 for two winners.



The following data also shows the information function regarding an activity that took place at Ulun Danu Temple, at the Balingkang Kintamani Festival 2019. The information is

presented in two languages, namely Indonesian and English. Indonesian is meant for people around Bali. Meanwhile, Indonesian is reserved for foreign tourists visiting Bali or Bangli.

Instrumental Function

Besides giving information, it can also be found that the registers in social media Instagram shows the instrumental functions.



The data shows English registers in all posts. There is no use of the Indonesian language can be found in the data of LOGO HOUSE post. The data not only contains information but also instrumental function. The information function is shown in the description of the Artotel hotel with its advantages. Can be seen in the sentence “Some days you’re engaging with the crowd, some days are the opposite……”

The instrumental function can be defined as language that is oriented towards the listener or speech partner. The language used to regulate the listener's behaviour so that the interlocutor wants to obey or follow what the speaker or writer expects. This can be done by using expressions that state requests or appeals. They can be identified from greeting words or in the form of appeal words. The words shown in the above data can be seen in the sentence: "Spend the night in its cozy room and let your beautiful mind wander through!" Readers who read the post are invited to spend the night in a comfortable Artotel hotel room and make their beautiful minds wander in a comfortable atmosphere.

The above data shows the functions of other instrumental registers because in the posting of the data you can see words of invitation to take part in 'THIS EARTH HOUR' activities. The word or sentence of invitation referred to is 'Get your friends and join us to celebrate our planet'. In Indonesian it means more or less 'Invite your friends and together we celebrate our planet'. In addition to the data, it also contains an information function because the language used is informative language regarding the activities that take place at the Discovery Shopping Mall entitled 'THIS EARTH HOUR'

CONCLUSION

In concluding the research, the identification of the English usage in social media Instagram was found in relatively small numbers.

The @infodenpasar account displays more advertising or promotional information. Some of the English registers encountered dominantly shown in phrases, but also in word and abbreviation, such as: Give away time, win, repost now. This video aims to, Watch the video. spend the night at, let your beautiful mind wander through! book your rooms, get the best stay rates! Today is the day, join us We’re back, experience, get lucky dip, win, opening discount, take your selfie at our store, post your picture, re-opening promotions, get free membership. Talks, Trends, Tea,

Four Key Speakers, Event Highlights, RSVP, please call us, lucky draw. All the register functions encountered in data analysis are informational and instrumental functions.

For future research it will be more comprehensive if the register topic can be combined with another scope of study such as; semiotic or semantic analysis to research more comprehensive regarding the utilized registered by the individual account in social media Instagram in order to know what is the literal or nonliteral meaning found behind the register application.

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