The Dynamics of the Graphemic Transcription of the Javanese Language in the Instant Messaging Apps, Line and WhatsApp

Abstract

In social media, the development of Javanese is primarily evident from the variations in its graphemic transcription. Such variations occur not only at the phonological level but also morphological level. Javanese sound system and word formation, including its graphemic conventions, have been prescribed in Pedoman Umum Ejaan Bahasa Jawa yang Disempurnakan (Balai Bahasa Yogyakarta, in Pedoman Umum Ejaan Bahasa Jawa yang Disempurnakan [General Guidelines for the Improved Javanese Spelling], revised edn. Penerbit Kanisius, 2006). However, the use of Javanese in social media, particularly in nine chat groups on instant messaging apps Line and WhatsApp, shows some graphemic deviations from the prescribed system. This research uses a qualitative method by describing variations of Javanese graphemic transcription found in the data. The analysis reveals that there are at least three categories of Javanese graphemic variation found in social media, namely variation in vowel transcription (for phonemes /a/, /i/, and /u/), variation in consonant transcription (for phonemes /dh/, /t/, and /th/), and reduction in phoneme transcription (phonemes /y/ and /u/). These findings demonstrate how netizens who represent the younger generation of Javanese speakers use graphemic transcriptions based on the sounds they hear, without consulting the prescribed Javanese spelling system. In other words, Javanese in social media is the writing form of oral language.