The Use of Taboo Words in The Film “Dirty Grandpa”
on
DOI: 10.24843/JH.2018.v22.i04.p40
ISSN: 2302-920X
Jurnal Humanis, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya Unud
Vol 22.4 Nopember 2018: 1124-1131
The Use of Taboo Words in The Film “Dirty Grandpa”
Kadek Dwi Indrayasa
English Department – Faculty of Arts – Udayana University [[email protected]]
*Corresponding Author
Abstract
Taboo words are cultural or religious custom that is not allowed to be used to someone else. However, taboo words are also found in daily conversation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the types, function and meaning of taboo words found in the film. The data of this analysis were taken from a film entitled “Dirty Grandpa”. The data were collected through documentation method and note-taking technique. The data were descriptively analyzed based on the types, function and meaning of taboo words. The result of this analysis shows 10 (ten) types of taboo words in the film, namely Epithets, Profanity, Blasphemy, Obscenity, Cursing, Taboo, Vulgarity, Slang, Insult and slur, Scatology. 6 (six) function of taboo words were found; they are Create Attention, Discredit, Provoke Violent Confrontation, Endearment, The Creation of Strong Interpersonal Identification and Provide Catharsis and only three meanings were found, namely affective meaning, social meaning and connotative meaning.
Keywords: Taboo words, Types, Function, Meaning
Abstrak
Kata-kata tabu adalah kebiasaan yang seseorang tidak diizinkan untuk digunakan kepada orang lain. Tetapi, kata-kata tabu juga ditemukan dalam percakapan sehari-hari. Oleh karena itu, tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis tipe-tipe, fungsi dan arti dari kata-kata tabu yang ditemukan didalam film. Data dari analisis ini telah diambil dari sebuah film yang diberi judul “Dirty Grandpa”. Data tersebut dikumpulkan melalui metode dokumentasi dengan diikuti oleh tehnik mencatat. Data tersebut dianalisis secara descriptive berdasarkan pada tipe-tipe, fungsi dan arti dari kata-kata tabu. Hasil dari analisis ini menunjukan 10 tipe kata tabu didalam film tersebut, yaitu julukan, senonoh, penghujatan, kecabulan, kutukan, tabu, vulgar, slang, menghina dan penghinaan, penyebaran. Sedangkan untuk fungsi, telah ditemukan 6 fungsi dari katakata tabu yaitu menciptakan perhatian, mendiskreditkan, memprovokasi konfrontasi kekerasan, kasih sayang, menciptaan identifikasi antarpribadi yang kuat dan memberikan katarsis. Dan hanya ditemukan tiga arti yaitu makna afektif, makna sosial dan makna konotatif.
Kata kunci : Kata-kata tabu, tipe-tipe, fungsi, arti
People communicate with other people always using language to build the conversation. There are many kinds of non-standard languages and cultural identities formed by language; one of non-standard and cultural identities language are the taboo words.
Taboo words came from Polynesia language, namely tabu. A taboo is behavior which is believed to be supernatural or highly immoral and very improper which is prohibited for irrational rather than rational. The taboo is a cultural or religious custom that does not allow people to do, use or talk about a particular thing as people find it offensive or embarrassing; taboo words are words that many people consider offensive or shocking.
Language taboo can be the expressions for someone which are not commonly used, usually indicating shocking, and offensive indecent when it is used. A tabooed subject can be very widely: sex, death, illness, excretion, bodily function, religious, the supernatural. But quite often they extend to other aspects of social life.
In general, taboo words are used in our daily conversation, especially informal situation, people usually use a taboo word when they communicate with one another. Taboo words are also used in the literary language such as novel or magazine and film. Age should be avoided in English conversation; on the other hand, if taboo language is used in daily conversation it can make another person fell offended.
a.What types of taboo words are used in the conversation of “Dirty Grandpa”?
b.What function and meaning of taboo words are expressed in the film “Dirty Grandpa”?
a.To find the types of taboo words which are used in the film “Dirty Grandpa”
b.To analyze the function and meaning of taboo words in the film of “Dirty Grandpa”
The research method can be divided into four. They are: data source, method and technique of collecting data, and method, technique of analyzing data and method and technique of presenting data analysis.
The data of this study were taken from the film entitled “Dirty Grandpa” directed by Dan Mazer and written by John Philips. It was released on January 22, 2016 in North America with duration 102 minutes; merely this film is for adults. The data in this thesis are the taboo words taken from the conversation in the film. The main characters in this film were Jason Kelly and his grandfather Dick Kelly. There were supporting characters as follows: Shadia, Lenora, Bradley, Pam, Cody and Brah. The film of “Dirty “Grandpa” was a film about a lawyer who drives his grandfather to Florida during the spring break. Jason Kelly is a lawyer who works for his father. Jason’s grandmother passed away, and after the funeral, his army veteran grandfather, Dick asks Jason to drive him to Boca Raton, Florida. Jason is getting married to his controlling fiancée, Meredith in one week, but decided to take his grandfather anyway. On the way there, the two meet Jason’s old photography classmate, Shadia, along with her friends Lenora and Bradley. Dick and Lenora are instantly attracted to each other. Dick tells the girl that he is a professor and that Jason is a photographer. After the brief meeting, they all go their separate
ways, but Dick Kelly convinces Jason that they should meet the girls at Daytona Beach, Florida, because Dick wants to have sex with Lenora. On their way to meet the girls Jason and Dick Kelly face many problems. And because Dick’s ambition is to have sex with Lenora, Jason faces many problems too until his marriage is also threatened. This film has been translated into several languages. There were many scenes in this film expressed through taboo words.
The method used in collecting the data was the documentation method with a note-taking technique. The script was read carefully and then compared with the film. There were several steps done in collecting the data: First, the film and script were downloaded from the internet www.cinemaindo.com and then, the film was watched several times, second the script was matched with the conversation in the film. Then the taboo words found in the script were collected.
The data were analyzed descriptively. After the relevant data were collected. First, the meaning of every taboo words was explained; second, the taboo words were categorized based on the types of taboo words according to Jay (1992), and function of taboo words according to Liedlich (1973) and the meaning of each taboo word was explained based on Leech (1981).
The research used descriptive qualitative method. Descriptive
qualitative method means that the data were presented descriptively based on the
theories by explaining and describing it into sentences through some steps as follow: first, the data were classified into several types, functions and meaning of taboo words. Second, the data were described descriptively and were related with the theories used in this paper for each data.
Taboo words are used by speakers, because they cannot find better words to express themselves or lack vocabulary. We can find many of taboo words in every part of our daily life, such as film, novel, magazine, and song lyric. People use taboo words in order to express their emotion. They curse and swear other people because, they feel angry, upset or disappointed. The concern in this study are the types, function and meaning of taboo words in a film.
In this chapter there are identification of English taboo words based on the types, function and meaning used in the conversation of a film “Dirty Grandpa”. It is an American sex comedy about lawyer who drives his grandfather to Florida during the spring break. The characters are shown in this film as follows: Jason (Dick’s grandson or son of David), Dick Kelly (Jason grandfather), Shadia (Jason's old photography classmate), Lenora (Shadia’s best friend), Bradley (Shadia and Lenora’s male friend), Pam ( the shopkeeper in the Daytona beach ), Nick ( Jason’s cousin), Meredith (Jason’s fiancée), David Kelly ( Jason’s father or Dick’s son), Stinky ( Dick’s friend), Cody and Brah (Shadia’s friend), Gery and Jean (as officer in the Daytona beach).
-
5.2 The Types of Taboo Words in the Film of “Dirty Grandpa”
-
a. Epithets
Nick : I’ll see you at the crossroads, grandma.
Jason : What are you doing ?
Are you kidding me? Right now?
Jason : Hey, get your shit together!
My dad and my fiancée are literary standing right next to us.
Nick is Jason’s cousin, they were in funeral and there was an accident. The accident happened when Nick looked drunk and Jason knew that Nick did something stupid in that event. The word shit means stuff carried by Nick. Jason said shit because Jason saw Nick carried alcohol in the grandma’s funeral Jason and also sprinkled the alcohol in the photo.
Jason :Hey!, Hey!
Shadia :God, he's like a mitt Romney Terminator.
Jason :Excuse me!
Shadia :Uh, sorry, my shift is actually over, so... sorry...
The conversation above took place in the restaurant, while they were having breakfast. The word of God was said by Shadia to indicate her feeling being annoyed about Jason’s shout call her name. This taboo word was expressed by Shadia with the purpose that she wanted to run because she pretended to be a waitress in the restaurant when Jason wanted to pay his food.
Dick Kelly : She was the love of my life. I'll miss her every goddamn day.
But she told me on her deathbed, "you get back out there again. "I haven't had sex in 15 years, Jason,
Jason : Oh, so that's what this is all about? This whole thing. You didn't want
to be with me. You wanted me to drive you down to Boca so I could be your fucking wingman?
Dick Kelly : Well, obviously i made a bad decision because you're nothing but a cock-blocking machine.
The conversation above happened when Jason and Dick Kelly was playing golf together. In the above conversation Dick Kelly spit his anger because Jason did not understand what Grandpa wanted.
Dick Kelly : We have a long-standing bet. Who's the better golfer.
Obviously I've got the bigger 3-wood... Lenore : Good. Maybe you can use it to hit your balls right into my vagina.
Jason : Holy shit!
This happened in the parking lot at a restaurant when Jason chased Shadia and his friends.
The word balls refers to the word testicle. Lenore used that word to hide the real meaning; she wanted to make love or have sex with the grandpa that we can see in this conversation.
Jason :This is Meredith calling... Shit!
Dick Kelly :Now, look what you did, you dropped it in the car's vagina.
Jason :God damn it, i have to put it on speaker. Don't say anything.
Dick Kelly: I will not say a word. Ballbags!
The conversation took place in the Daytona Beach; Jason was forced go to the Daytona Beach only for his grandfather. The curse phrase of God damn it was generally used in nonreligious. In this situation the word said by Jason was used to express his feeling. Jason was very upset with his phone and his grandfather, because he dropped it
under the car couch, and also he had to put it on the speaker to answer the call from his girlfriend.
Dick Kelly : The robots should sent you instead of
Arnold Schwarzenegger, you could have Cock-blocked John
Connor’s parents and, He would never have been born!
Jason :Shut up, grandpa! Shut up!
Dick Kelly :What got into you? I remember you in high You were ripping people's dicks off on the football field,
The conversation above still happened in the golf place. Dick Kelly saw that young girls were leaving, making very mad to Jason. Jason wanted grandpa to stop talking. Jason said shut up because Dick Kelly constantly mocked him, making Jason fall mad and his grandpa was very noisy.
Dick Kelly: talking on the phone, and someone came right up behind me and stuck their thumb up my ass. Did you see who it was… jamba!
Jason :Ow! Fuck! Stop doing that!
It happened in the Daytona beach conference, when Jason and Dick Kelly was looking for Shadia and her friends in the conference. Literally, the word ass is said by a stupid person. But in the conversation Dick Kelly said ass which refers to the buttock. Grandpa directly hit Jason’s ass until he startled.
Jason : Grandpa, are you sure you're okay?
Dick Kelly: Thanks for doing this, by the way. Those fuckheads
down at the dmv, took my goddamn license away because
of these fucking cataracts in my eye.
This conversation happened in the Dick Kelly’s house. Jason picked up Dick Kelly to take him breakfast. The word fuckheads means stupid person in this conversation. Dick Kelly said that word because he cursed the people who took his dmv and license caused by his cataract in his eyes, making Grandpa not able to travel alone; therefore, Dick Kelly took Jason to accompany him.
Shadia : Guys?, listen to me. Let’s go.
Lenora : What? Bitch, what?
Shadia : Shut the fuck up! Go! Oh, my god!
This conversation happened at the restaurant when Shadia and her friends were having breakfast. The word bitch can be said as the most insulting word someone can say to a woman. This cursing word was used by Lenora; she was confused with Shadia why they must live in a hurry, and also Shadia looked panic even they had not finished with their food.
Jason : Being a corporate lawyer is awesome, I get to handle sec compliance...
Dick Kelly :No shit! You handle sec compliance?
Jason :Yeah. Yeah. Lp agreements.
Dick Kelly :Oh, man, I didn't know that.
Jason :Llc agreements.
Dick Kelly :You're shitting me!
Jason : Being a corporate lawyer, it's got its upsides.
Dick Kelly :You know what I'd rather do? I'd rather let Queen Latifah
Shit in my mouth from a fucking hot air balloon. henpecked, poop-dick country clubber.
The conversation took place in the restaurant when Jason and Dick Kelly
were having breakfast. Jason looked happy and with his job as a lawyer. Dick Kelly was very surprised and upset with Jason because Jason said he got handle sec compliance and he thought that Jason was very weak if Jason was working in the field of law. The word shit in this conversation refers to the bodily waste (faces).
-
5.3 The Function of Taboo words in the Film “Dirty Grandpa”
-
a. Create attention
Jason :What's up, Nick?
Nick :Fucking sucks dick about grandma, huh?
Jason :Yeah.
Nick : Old woman fucking murdered like that.
Jason :Nick, she had cancer.
The above conversation took place during Jason grandma’s funeral. Nick looked drunk and walked to come to Jason and said fucking; it doesn’t mean that he had a sexual intercourse in order, but to create attention function to around people to intensify the word he uttered. Based on the above explanation it could be assumed that the word fucking had affective meaning.
Shadia : Are you getting married next weekend?
Jason : I was. I was getting married, but then I met you, and now I don't...
Shadia : Oh, my god! No. Don't pull that shit. I feel fucking
Stupid enough as it is. So you're not a professor? Are you even a photographer?
Jason :I'm a lawyer. I handle sec compliance. Llc agreements.
I came up here to...
Shadia : Get the fuck out, Jason. Seriously.
The word shit said by Shadia had a discredit function as could be seen when
Shadia was very disappointed to Jason and Dick Kelly that had told a lie to Shadia. The word shit had affective meaning. It could be seen when Shadia used it to represent her feelings lied by Jason based on the above situation.
-
c. Provoke Violent confrontation Meredith : Jason! I don’t know why you’re there, but you’d better call me From your grandfather’s house when you get there tonight, okay?
Jason : Of course, baby. I love you so much… Fuck
Dick Kelly : Marriage is hard. What’d the hot collage girls text back?
The conversation took place in the Daytona Beach. Jason said fuck! It doesn’t mean that he wanted to have a sex; the word had violent confrontation function to release his stress and being depressed caused by the ambition of his grandpa to get the hot college girls. From the above situation, the word said by Jason had affective meaning. He said the word to represent his being depressed.
Shadia : No, you guys, he was... It's so funny. He was my lab partner in photography class, freshman year.
Bradley : No shit! He's a Florida alum? Lenore, you can totally finish the trifecta.
Lenora : Oh, my god, I already have alum, remember? I fucked that crying divorced guy, Tony. With the big balls. Right. Yeah. In the porta-potty.
Yeah. At the tailgate. Yeah. I need a professor.
Shadia : He used to take the most beautiful portraits without using any filters or Photoshop...He was amazing. You guys aren't listening. I'm gonna go say hi to him. Okay?
Bradley : Cool. Slut...
The situation in the conversation above took place in the restaurant when Lenora and his friends were having breakfast. He said that the word had endearment function to show how close he was to Shadia as a friend, causing that it was okay to use that kind of word. Based on the above explanation the word uttered by Bradley had social meaning as the word slut was used by Bradley to his close friend.
Dick Kelly : I think I'm going to have to fight them all, so you're going to have to take the first punch.
Jason :What?
Dick Kelly : Okay! He's up first.
Tyrone : Whatever. You like that shit, white boy?
Shadia : Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?
Tyrone : What? You want next, bitch?
Jason and Dick Kelly fought with Tyrone and his crew because Tyrone and his crew were disturbing Bradley at the night club in the Daytona Beach. The word bitch uttered by Tyrone was to insult and threatening of Shadia but it also had a function to create a strong identification about him. From the above situation, the word said by Tyrone had social meaning. Because Tyrone was a bad person, it could be seen when he disturbed Bradley at the night club and also insulted Shadia with the harsh word.
Dick Kelly :Hey, there he is. You got blood on your pants, you know.
Jason : Your license isn't even
suspended, is it? You made all this up just so I'd come down here with you. Dick Kelly : I had to make sure you'd come.
Jason :Fuck you!
Dick Kelly :Just chill, Jason.
Jason :Who the fuck are you? I
should have known
you were fucking crazy the moment you started hitting on women
the day after grandma's funeral!
Dick Kelly : Don't you fucking judge me.
The word fuck here had a Provide Catharsis function to express his frustration in the situation that he was facing in the above conversation. Based on the above situation the word said by Jason had affective meaning. Because Jason said fuck to represent his chaotic feeling to Dick Kelly that had made many problems, causing Jason to be mad and hate Dick Kelly.
Based on the analysis there are ten types of taboo words found in the film such as Epithets, Profanity, Blasphemy, Obscenity, Cursing, Taboo, Vulgarity, Slang, Insult and slur, Scatology,. The dominant type used in the film of Dirty Grandpa is Epithets. Regarding to the function of the taboo words six functions were found, namely creating attention, discredit, provoking violent
confrontation, endearment, creating strong interpersonal identification, providing catharsis. And also three meaning were found in the film; they are : affective meaning, social meaning and connotative meaning.
Andersson, Lars-Gunnar and Trudgill, Peter. (1992) .Bad language.Clays Ltd, St IvesPlc.London.
Geoffry Leech. (1981). The study Of Meaning. Second edition, Penguin Books. England.
Halliday M. A. K and Hasan, Ruqaiya. 1989. Cohesion in English. Singapore:
Longman Singapore.
Jay Timothy. (1992). Cursing in America : A Psychological Study of Dirty Language in The Courts, in The Movie, in The Schoolyards and on The Street. Philadelphia: Benjamin Publishing Co.
Lorimer, Mildred L. (1998). Encylopedia Americana. U.S.A. Groiler
Incorporated.
Liedlich, Raymond d. (1973).Coming to terms with language: an anthology. New York, Wiley
Rudolf Arnheim, (1957). Film as an art. University Of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles. California.
Trudgill, Peter. (2000). Sociolinguistics: An Introduce to Language and Society. Fourth edition, Penguin. London.
1131
Discussion and feedback