THE USE OF POLITE LANGUAGE TO CONSTRUCT CIVILIZATION VALUES IN THE SOCIETY

THE USE OF POLITE LANGUAGE TO CONSTRUCT

CIVILIZATION VALUES IN THE SOCIETY

By : Khairuddin

Abstract

Life in the society needs value system that can form civilization. Language is the basic requirement of human to interact each other. We must respect each other in order to be in peace. While the peace in our life depend on the language use that based on the politeness principles, polite or not. Language is communication media to convey our ideas, feeling, desires and etc. in our daily interaction. We need polite language to establish good social relationship each other in order to be constructed civilization values (nilai-nilai tatakrama-keadaban/peradaban).

Keywords: polite language, social relationship, civilization values, politeness principles.

Representation of global culture in the world showed on the relationship between the role of language with the process of civilization appearance become global civilization. Suitable with descriptions which is conveyed by Alaistar Pennycook in his book “The Cultural Politics of English as an International Language” indicates that language become great weapon to socialize civilization of the user of language to whole world (Hannah, Annette, and Tamar Murachver, 1999). It indicates that language has important role to construct civilization values in the society and even in the world.

As human, we need to interact with others in any business such as economic, education, politic, culture and etc. We are never separated from social life. So, the rule of language use is important for us to be paid attention.

In our interaction, everyone have to pay attention some rules of language styles that prevail in the community. Knowing politeness in language is important thing for us to establish good relationship with other. It is also important for us to minimize miscommunication.

Polite in language (politeness), courtesy, or etiquette is a procedure or custom prevailing in the society. Politeness is the rules of conduct established and agreed upon jointly by a particular community so that politeness as will be concluded by the prerequisite of social behavior. Therefore, in Indonesia this politeness is usually called "tatakrama” (manners).

There is assumption that language is formed from culture in the society. It causes the language has relationship with social context. It means that the use of polite and impolite language are different based on the characteristic and style of language that prevail in the society.

Politeness is one of the most important aspects of human communication. Human can exist in peace if certain basic conventions of politeness are observed. As civil society, we have to respect any other by using polite language. So that, civilization values can be constructed in the society. Because, civilization values can be constructed because of language used in the society.

Two functions of a language are as a means of communication and as social relationship. As a means of communication the language users should always obey to the cooperative principles so as to avoid misunderstanding or miscommunication breakdown, and as social relationship they should consider the politeness principle. However, due to these two distinct goals of communication sometimes the language users are in a difficult position whether to obey the cooperative principles or to flout this principle.

As a country, Indonesia always uphold politeness principles especially in using language. It is intended to construct good social relationship as a main capital to construct civilization values. Civilization values here, not only something which is reflected from culture but also it is taken from politeness or courtesy values in language.

Relate to the definition of civilization, Zbigniew Raw is defined that civilization is a values system in the society that require on the tolerance action and respect on the pluralism. (Tannen, Deborah, 2006). This definition indicates that civilization requires politeness or courtesy to respect the differences, such as pluralism that consist of differences of language, ethnic, culture and others. It means that whatever we do and speak must obey the rules of that prevails in the society, moreover in using language. Because language is the main factor to construct civilization. Civilization values in the country can be seen from the politeness or courtesy.

Based on such understanding, politeness can be seen from the various facets of everyday interactions as below:

First, the politeness which contains the value of demonstrating good manners or etiquette in daily interactions. When people say politely, then in a person that illustrated the value of manners or etiquette values that apply in both the communities in which someone was taken part as members. When he said to polite society give value to him, whether the appraisal is conducted immediately (sudden) as well as conventional (long, time consuming). Of course, the assessments in this long process more perpetuate the value given to him.

Second, politeness is very contextual, that is valid in a society, place, or a particular situation, but not necessarily applicable sections of the community, places, or other situations. When someone meets with a crony, he is okay to use rather harsh words out loud, but it is not polite when addressed to the guest or someone who had known. Tasting or chewing food with their mouths say sound rude, if you do it in front of the crowd in a banquet, but it was not so polite to say less when done at home.

Third, politeness is always bipolar, such as between children and parents, between young people and older people, between the host and guests, among men and women, between students and teachers.

Fourth, politeness is reflected in the dress code (dress), how to do (acting), and how to speak (language). In essence, in realizing politeness in language, we should be pay attention to four principles as below:

First, avoidance of use of the word “tabu” (taboo). In most societies, the words that smelled of sex, words that refer to body organs, commonly covered by clothing, and the words " dirty " and " rough " includes the words taboo and is not commonly used in everyday communication, except for certain purposes. He following example was successively sentence using the word taboo because it is spoken by students to lecturers when lecture.

Second, the application of the principle of politeness (politeness principle) in the language. This principle is characterized by maximizing the pleasure / wisdom, benefits, taste salute or respect, praise, fitness, and sympathetic to others' and (along with it) to minimize those things to yourself.

Third, in connection with the avoidance of taboo words, the use of euphemism. Use of this euphemism should be applied to avoid a negative impression. Examples of students who are classified as taboo sentences above would be a polite expression when modified by the use of euphemisms, such as the following:

Sir, please permit a second, I want to defecate.
Or, an even smoother:
Sir, please permit a minute, I want to go to the washroom.
Or, the most subtle:
Sir, please permit a minute, I want to go back.

Fourth, the use of honorific word choice, which is respectful phrases to speak and greet others. The uses of honorific words are not only valid for a familiar language levels, but applies also to the languages of unknown levels.

Based on the description above, I can conclude that polite language in the society need to pay attention. Because language is a basic necessity of human communication. It has some rules that is always different from one society to others. It is important for us to know about it to minimize mistakes in using language in the society in order to be in peace. So that, civilization values (nilai-nilai sopan santun) are able to be constructed in the society.

References

Hannah, Annette, and Tamar Murachver (1999). Gender and conversational style as predictors of conversational behavior. Journal of Language and Social Psychology.

Tannen, Deborah (2006). "Language and culture". In Ralph W. Fasold and Jeff Connor-Linton. An Introduction to Language and Linguistics.

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