Unen-Unen as a Javanese Proverb on Social Media: Lexical Meaning and Its Significance as a Means of Cultural Inheritance

Abstract

Unen-unen is a traditional Javanese expression in the form of a series of words and phrases that contain special meanings. Unen-unen contains valuable messages derived from the educational values of the life of the ancestors.Along with the era of information technology, unen-unen is now often found on social media as a means to share values and advice. This paper aims to discuss the lexical meaning and cultural significance. This research method is based on qualitative descriptive. The theoretical approaches used are lexical semantics and cultural semantic analysis. Data sources in the form of unen-unen downloads from Facebook and Instagram. Data is analyzed with independent and interdisciplinary techniques. The results of the analysis of unen-unen posted in social media contain meanings: (1) moral values, (2) religious messages, (3) advice, (4) motivation, and ( 5) expectations. These values can be a means of binding and strengthening the pride of people of Javanese descent and rebuilding relationships through online social life in the international community. The phenomenon of the use of unen-unen in cyberspace revitalizes the desires of the diaspora of Javanese descendants who now live all over the world. The use of unen-unen through social media is an important means to preserve Javanese values and culture.

Preserving Javanese Proverbs in the Digital Age

“…In Javanese proverbs, there is no direct advice (Siswoyo & Nirmala, 2021). The values unen-unen in Javanese elements can be a means of binding and strengthening the pride of the Javanese people in building relationships through online media in the international world (Rakhmawati & Istiana, 2021). Javanese proverbs can be used as a guide to attitude (Nirmala, 2013).…”