A SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY ON LANGUAGE, IDENTITY AND ETHNICITY

TOWARDS FOOD IN LUBUKLINGGAU

Linda Agustin
STKIP PGRI Lubuklinggau, Indonesia.
E-mail: lindaagustin911@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This research aimed to determine the language use of Padang, Javanese and Lubuklinggau
ethnicity to show their identity towards food in Lubuklinggau. The kind of this research is
descriptive qualitative research. The subject of this research is informants from Padang,
Javanese, and Lubuklinggau ethnicity that living in Lubuklinggau. The method used
observation method. Data collection techniques in this study using three continuance
techniques; they are Participation Observation Technique, Record and Note Taking
Techniques. The result of this research showed there are three finding result from the data
record about food talk to show their identity. The three result finding that found are: ethnics
Padang, Javanese and Lubuklinggau showed their identity through praising their food and
demeaning other food, second, they explained the situational food to describe certain event, and
the last their identity tend spicy taste with superiority power and sweet taste has inferiority
power.
Keywords: language use, ethnicity, identity, food and Lubuklinggau

ABSTRAK

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui penggunaan bahasa dari etnis Padang, Jawa dan
Lubuklinggau untuk menunjukkan identitas mereka terhadap makanan di Lubuklinggau. Jenis
penelitian ini adalah penelitian kualitatif deskriptif. Subjek penelitian ini adalah informan dari
etnis Padang, Jawa, dan Lubuklinggau yang tinggal di Lubuklinggau. Metode yang digunakan
adalah metode observasi. Teknik pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan tiga
teknik lanjutan; mereka Teknik Observasi Partisipasi, Teknik Merekam dan Teknik Mencatat.
Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan ada tiga hasil temuan dari catatan data tentang makanan
berbicara untuk menunjukkan identitas mereka. Tiga temuan hasil yang ditemukan adalah etnis
Padang, Jawa dan Lubuklinggau telah menunjukkan identitas mereka dengan memuji makanan
mereka dan meremehkan makanan lain, kedua, mereka menjelaskan makanan situasional untuk
menggambarkan peristiwa tertentu, dan yang terakhir identitas mereka cenderung rasa pedas
dengan kekuatan superior dan rasa manis memiliki inferiority power.

Kata kunci: penggunaan bahasa, etnis, identitas, makanan dan Lubuklinggau

INTRODUCTION

Language is a system of communication between individuals and society phenomenon.

As such, a language is not only an individual’s possession, but it also belongs to the whole
speech community that practices it. According to Fromkin, Rodman, and Hyams (2003: 3)
stated that people live in a world of language. A world where people can talk and interact to
their parents, their families and relatives, their friends, their communities, theirwife and
husbands, their lovers, their teachers, their rivals, and even their enemies. Its mean that
language is a tool or media to communicate and interact each other. Language is part of culture
because every language can influence its culture which is it created based on language user
community.one of the subject that study about language and society is sociolinguistics
(Holmes, 2013: 1). Sociolinguistics is a study that discuss about language and society
phenomenon. The society phenomenon that pupoler now is food.

Food plays a vital role in daily life because without food people cannot survive
(Ayeonomi, 2011: 50). Food is an essential part of people’s lives, and as such is much more
than just a means of survival but also food can support the humans’ healthy. Beside food is not
only source of nutrition for human, but also plays various roles in daily life, beliefs, and
socioeconomics. According to Ma (2015: 195), Food has many symbolic meanings, it not only
express but also establish the relationship between people and their environment as well as
between people and what they believe. On other hand, Food can not only indicate the social
status, but also can be used as a character of one group, divided by regions, families, races or
religions (Ma, 2015: 196). Each country has a State Banquet, for instance Indonesia is famous
for their cuisine, delicious food and food cultural. Indonesia has a lot of culture, diversity of
language and food. There is this diversity show that every ethnic has identity.

Identity is defined as distinctive features or symbols that have its meaning to be easily
recognized, such as name (Joseph, 2004: 2). When people used a language, they do as
individuals with social histories. Their histories are defined in part by their membership in a
range of social groups into which people are born such as gender, social class, religion and
race. One of many factors that influenced in using language to show identity is ethnicity.
Ethnicity, on the other hand, has traditionally been defined in terms of characteristics such as
common language, culture, and national origin (Quintana, 2007: 260).

Lubuklinggau is one of the municipalities in the province of South Sumatra and

becomes a transit or meeting cities of various social, economic and cultural interests
(lubuklinggau.go.id). Lubuklinggau also has a mother tongue that is Col language or Sindang
language (Noermanzah, 2017: 2). Col language is native language which is become identity for
origin society of Lubuklinggau. Beside the language as identity, there are many other identities
that created by society of Lubuklinggau, such as food. Lubuklinggau has ethnic groups
themselves, society living in this city is diversity. They came from various regions such as,
Javanese, Sundanese, Padang, Chinese, etc. The diversity has influenced language, manner,
customs, food, and so on that is develop in Lubuklinggau. Lubuklinggau already has a café,
western restaurant, and traditional food stall that sell various types of food and beverages. For
this reason, the writer interested to analyze language that use by Padang, Javanese, and
Lubuklinggau ethnics to show their identity towards existing food in Lubuklinggau. The writer
had conducted research how the diversity of ethnics uses language to show identity towards
food in Lubuklinggau.
 This study will be discussed whether diversity of ethnicity in Lubuklinggau can
influence language to show identity towards food. The objectives of this study there are three
points, they are; first, to find out Padang uses the language to show identity towards food in
Lubuklinggau, second, to find out Javanese uses the language to show identity towards food in
Lubuklinggau and last, to describe Lubuklinggau uses the language to show identity towards
food in Lubuklinggau
METHODOLOGY
In this study, the writer used descriptive qualitative research as research design. Based
on Creswell (2009: 4), qualitative research is a means for exploring and understanding the
meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem. This study discussed and
analyzed how Padang, Javanese and Linggau Melayu ethnics used their language towards food
that can show their identity in Lubuklinggau City.
The data had collected with participation observation, record, and note taking
techniques by Mahsun (2012: 93). After the data are collected, the writer classified based on
the setting and ethnic of the informant. Next, the writer identified the utterance and words in
sentences of informant’s conversation that show an ethnic identity. The last, the writer
concluded the result of study. subject of the research were the informants of Padang, Javanese,
and Lubuklinggau ethnics in Lubuklinggau city. According to Djajasudarma (2010: 21) stated
that the number of informants can be determined, based on the research interests themselves. In
this study, the informant was taken more than one from every ethnic. It is depending on the
researcher needed. In this thesis, the informants consist: 3 Informant of Padang, 7 informants of
Javanese, and 6 informants of Lubuklinggau.
In this study, instrument for collecting the data were the recorder, note taking
instrument and human instrument or the writer herself. In this study, the data sources divided
into two parts of data: primary and secondary data. According to Hox and Boeije (2005: 593),
Primary data are that are collected for the specific research problem at hand, using procedures
that fit research problem best. Increasingly, this material created by other researchers is made
available for reuse by the general research community; it is then called secondary data. The
primary data is taken from the informant from every ethnic that living in Lubuklinggau through
audio records, and the secondary data as supporting data are taken from several sociolinguistics
books and journals relate of language and identity, language and food, ethnicity, articles relate
of language, identity and ethnicity, and then some information from internet relate to this study.

The researcher used Observation Method in this research. Mahsun (2012: 92) argued
that observation method is a method to get the data which is the researcher do it with observe
and listen the language usage. The researcher did Participation Observation, the researcher had
took record the whole conversation and write the important note in note taking instrument to
get data. The recording is run by recorder equipment. In the process of recording, the researcher
must be able to hide the recorder equipment that is for keeping the original of data. The process
of recording was done together with make a note the data that have not recorded. The
researcher wrote some the important notes from informant that necessary. The researcher used
social network to get the data of informant from every ethnic before. The researcher also gave
some questions for informant through ethnographic interview
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
1. Findings
The findings of this study deal with the result of the data analyzed. The following data
included the transcript of utterances on the conversation of informants, in this findings
discussed about food talk as a marker from ethnic identity. They are; 1) Praising their foods and
demeaning other foods, 2) Situational food to describe certain event, 3) Taste and power.
a. Praising their foods and demeaning other foods
Food is one of popular thing because it broadcasted through social media which is it
come from various state. Indirectly, food is to be tradition in several certain events. This case
made food as a distinctive feature in every ethnic. Indonesia is a state that has a lot of ethnic
where is every ethnic has several distinctive foods as symbol. There are many kinds of food
that it created as identity, so that people every ethnic are competing to show off their food.
They introduced and praised their foods and even demeaned other food.

The one example of the data that found is the situation was happened when a group
informant of Padang ethnic that they were eating for dinner in Nurul’s house. The following
excerpt was shown by Nurul and Amel as informant from ethnic Padang was praising their
foods:
Nurul : aku tu yang seneng,,, ini ni seneng kalo makanan lauk nyo
seneng jengkol
Nurul : I think I like,,, I like this food but to side dish of food, I like
Jengkol
Peneliti : uyy,,,
Researcher: really,,,
Nurul : tapi beda… agak beda kalo aku nengok jengkol wong jawo
tu yo dibersihi dulu direndam, kalo ibu aku langsung goreng
bae.
Nurul : but it is different…it is bit different when I see Jengkol
cuisine that cooked by Javanese, they cleaned and then
soaked it, but my mother immediately fries it.

The identity that showed in this conversation is when Nurul said seneng jengkol that it is one of
utterance which is jengkol is the delicious food and the appreciation food from her ethnic where
is the people knew that jengkol balado is popular food with spicy and good taste in Padang. She
also proud the food of jengkol that cooked by her mother than jengkol from other. It showed
from utterance beda that it is more special from other and also utterance kalo ibu aku langsung
goreng bae, it means she expressed that ibu in the conversation is her mother that have Padang
ethnic was cooked jengkol as special and delicious food. She also demeaned food from other
like her utterance beda kalo aku nengok jengkol wong jawo tu, it means that jengkol from
Javanese it not more special than jengkol was cooked by her mother as one of society of Padang
ethnic.

b. Situational food to describe certain event

Food is a form of human’s creates as the identity of each ethnic group. Essentially, food
is a culture that was introduced in certain events from each country, city, ethnic or tribe. So that
people thought that food is a form of ethnic identity. The certain event that found in the data
there are 4 events that describe by the situational food. They are a family gathering, Mubarak
day, wedding celebration and thanksgiving event. For example in the Javanese ethnic in below:
 In Javanese data, the researcher took the data from a teacher of elementary school in
Lubuklinggau. She is Desi that has Javanese ethnic. The utterance in the below:

Desi : biasonyo kalo acara ngumpul-ngumpul cak itu ado, misal

kayak lebaran kemaren kan misalnyo ado ini cak wajik, getuk
terus….. dominan manis kan biasonyo wong jawo kan, manis-manis
cak itu, kayak kue jawo tu lah.
Desi : usually if there is a gathering together like that, for example
Mubarak yesterday there are foods like wajik, getuk .... The
dominant sweet taste of the Javanese is usually, the food is sweet, such
as the cake is Javanese

This utterance describe that wajik and getuk are situational food in certain event. In the excerpt,
Desi stated when her family is gathering, it is a certain event which is the food of wajik and
getuk are made and served. When she said “acara ngumpul-ngumpul”, it proved that wajik and
getuk are some of situational food from Javanese that served in family gathering. And then the
expression of "manis-manis cak itu" stated that there are many other foods with sweet taste that
can be used as situational food in certain event.
c. Taste and Power
Food usually has a variety of flavors that are typical of each ethnic. The taste of each
ethnic that is created depends on the circumstances, situation and culture of the place of origin.
For example the Javanese ethnic is very identical to the cuisine with cuisine of Javanese people
and spicy taste is identical to cuisine of Padang and Lubuklinggau ethnics. Based on the data,
the researcher found sweet taste with inferior power and spicy taste with superior power. For
example in Lubuklinggau ethnic in below:

The conversation is happened between Yulia and Hera as Linggau Melayu ethnic:
Yulia : e’e ku dak seneng tu banyak, Itu tu yo banyak ini nyo banyak
kecap nyo manis jadi kito kurang mie jawo
Yulia : yeah, I did not like it, that is a lot of soy sauce and it very
sweet, so we do not prefer chicken noodle of Javanese
Hera : he’e enek minyak nyo terlalu banyak.
Hera : yes, nauseated taste because a lot of the oil

Yulia stated that she did not like food which is have more soy sauce. It came from the utterance
banyak kecap manis. It means that she hate the food sweet taste. In this excerpt had also
showed the inferior statement about food with sweet taste just for people that came from
Javanese ethnic. From the utterance mie jawo means that is noodle of Javanese is identically
food that cooked by Javanese people and it became inferior power in other ethnic assumption.

In the other ethnic data, the spicy taste with superior power is also stated by
Lubuklinggau informant. The utterance such as in the below:
Peneliti : apakah kamu suka makanan yang tidak pedas?
Researcher : do you like food that is not spicy?
Lessi : gak teman itu seperti hambar gak pedas
Lessi : no, friend. It is bland taste if not spicy
Peneliti : makanan kamu pedas semua ya?
Researcher : is all of your food spicy?
Lessi : iya gak ada cabe tu gak enak
 Lessi : yes if there is no chili, it is not tasty

In the utterance, the researcher gave question to informant about spicy taste, whether she likes
the food without the spicy taste. Lessi as the informant said “hambar gak pedas”, it means all
of the food is bland taste if there is no spicy taste. Her statement showed that spicy taste is the
taste that often she eats. This is a proud statement toward spicy taste on foods. She also stated
“gak ada cabe tu gak enak”, it gave symbol that chili with spicy taste has superiority power.

2. Discussions
In this study, the writer had analyzed the language use of food talk to show their
identity based on their ethnicity. Food has many symbolic meanings; it not only expresses but
also establishes the relationship between people and their environment (Ma, 2015). Food in this
study has function as subject to show identity based on ethnicity because according to Stajcic
(2013) stated “food is also an identity of a nation”. It means that food is a marker of each
ethnic.
Each group in the society has an identity which distinguishes them from other groups.
That is, the people’s way of life, set of beliefs and customs. One aspect of other cultural
heritage or tradition is the type of food and plants they cultivate for their consumption
(Ayoenomi, 2011: 50). It described that every ethnicity will protect their ethnic identity from
other culture. For example, they gave the name of food with native language to defend their
identity. According Szatrowski (2014: 13) argued that “their use of loanwords as demarcation/
(negative) evaluation strategy to distance themselves from foreign food reinforced their food
identity”. This reason is also showed by Padang ethnic that living in Lubuklinggau. They were
praising their food to defend their food identity. It happened in conversation when nurul said
“seneng jengkol” which is it showed jengkol cuisine that often found in Padang society that
usually people knew as jengkol balado as distinctive food of Padang. Praising their own food is
a form of protection for their food by showing their identity through food talk.

In second result of finding, the researcher found that people had made symbol toward
some foods to describe certain event in each ethnicity. When someone thinks of, or mentions
food, the first thing that usually comes to mind is: where does it come from and how does it
taste, and what is the story behind it? Giving the answers to these questions, people usually
refer to the cultural context (Stajcic, 2013). So that, people used food as a symbol of certain
event that was usually happening in their culture. situational food is showed by Desi. She said
that there are some distinctive snacks of Javanese that serve in the event when their family is
gathering. She stated “acara ngumpul-ngumpul” means that when their families sit together in
certain situation. She added her utterance with stated “wajik, getuk” as situational food which is
often served when the event of family gathering. It supported by the statement from Almarico
(2014). The entire family then gathers together to eat pasta and enjoy each other’s company at
nana’s (grandmother”s) house (Almarico, 2014: 5). Food is something to express their identity

Stajcic (2013) stated “food is also an identity of a nation”. This made each cuisine show
its ethnic identity, it is also can show through its taste, like ethnic Javanese in Indonesia.
According Kwon (2017: 1), “every ethnic group around the world has their own traditional
ethnic foods, with unique and distinctive flavors and tastes”. Nowadays, interest in these
traditional tastes is growing. Every food that cooked will produce a variety of flavors. Each
cuisine made several distinctive taste depending on the conditions, traditions, and regional
culture that created by them. It is also showed in other data from Lubuklinggau conversation,
the researcher found that when Yulia as Lubuklinggau informant stated “dak seneng” or she did
not like. From the utterance “mie jawo”, it means that mie Jawo has a very sweet taste, so she
did not really praise the chicken noodles that made by the Javanese. This showed that the sweet
taste is very inclined towards Javanese ethnicity and also has an inferiority power in her
perspective. Spicy food is also has superiority power for Lubuklinggau ethnic in Lubuklinggau
city. Ma, Song, Sun, & Zhao (2015) argued spicy foods are healthful for residents living in the
Southwest (including Sichuan and Hunan) and the Northeast of China, where the climate is
moist or chilly. The climate, situation and condition of ethnic is also supported the taste of their
food. For instance, Lessi said "hambar gak pedas" that proved the spicy taste has important role
of each taste of food. it same like Kwon statement, taste is a key factor when we choose what to
eat (Kwon, 2017). It showed that Lessi better choose the food that contained chili with spicy
taste. It provide when she stated that if the food is not contained chili, it is no tasty. This is also
showed the superiority power of spicy taste in Lubuklinggau ethnic.

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

The writer found three classification of food as a marker of identity ethnicity. They are;
praising their food or demeaning other food, situational food to describe certain event, the last,
taste and power. The result of the finding showed Padang ethnicity had also used language with
utterance that show their identity, the utterances are praising their food and also demeaning
other food, Second, they used the utterance situational food to describe certain event, and last
they have given statement that sweet taste has inferiority power and spicy taste has superiority
power. In this some way that found by researcher in data where the Javanese is ethnic used
language with the utterances to show their identity toward food. Javanese ethnic used language
with the utterance praising their food and also demeaning other food, they was also using the
utterance a food situational to describe certain event, and then the Javanese ethnic is also
showed their identity with stated a sweet taste as their characteristic of food. The last is data
from Lubuklinggau ethnic data showed that they used language with utterance praising their
food and demeaning other food, the other way is an utterance toward situational food to
describe certain event, and also stated that a sweet taste is identical to ethnic Javanese and then
they thought the sweet taste has inferiority power and spicy taste has superiority power.

From the result of this study, the researcher gives some suggestion as follows:
1. This study was expected to provide an additional teaching material for teacher so that it can
be used for teaching sociolinguistics especially about language and identity in the
sociolinguistic class. Therefore, the lectures can use the language and identity through the
food as teaching resources or media to teach linguistics.
2. The researcher suggests the students to give some information and knowledge about
linguistics study, especially in sociolinguistics. The result of the study can enrich students’
knowledge about the language and identity and it can also found example of food talk that
showed identity based ethnicity.
3. To other researchers, the researcher hopefully this study may give contribution to other
researchers to conduct the similar study, they can propose other problems related to
sociolinguistics language, ethnicity and identity towards food or other field.
4. For institution, the study may contribute in providing lectures, students, and other
researchers because the result of the study reveals another phenomenon in linguistics and
sociolinguistics study. The institution better provides also other studies related
sociolinguistics to enrich the references for the user.
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