Friday Sermon of Java as an Effort to Maintain Indigenous

Language: Sociolinguistic Studies in Central Java and Yogyakarta

Ani Rakhmawati, Kundharu Saddhono

Universitas Sebelas Maret, Indonesia

Keywords: Friday Sermon, Sociolinguistic, Indigenous Language.

Abstract: The Friday sermon Java language is one effort in keeping the local language knowledge in Central Java and

Yogyakarta. This study aims to determine the shape and function of the Java language utterances in

religious contexts. The focus of this study is to describe the structure of the Friday sermon discourse in

Javanese in Central Java and Yogyakarta by linking khotib’s background, the phenomenon of code-mixing

and transfer of the code contained in the Friday sermons, as well as the characteristics of the Java language

Friday sermon. The method used is descriptive qualitative sociolinguistic approach. The data source of this

study include the Friday sermon in Central Java and Yogyakarta, the Friday sermon speech transcription

documents, informants, and other events that directly or indirectly affects the Java language speech Friday

sermon in Central Java and Yogyakarta. The result of this research is to create a complete picture of the

Friday sermon discourse in Javanese in Central Java and Yogyakarta that shows the peculiarities of

sociocultural then the wisdom of local language (Java) is maintained. The implications of this research are

becoming more regions in Central Java and Yogyakarta who use the Java language as an introduction to the

sermon on Friday.

1 INTRODUCTION

A sermon is a one-way speech that has different

degrees of differentiation with one-way

communication in general. The sermon has a sacred

variety, that is, having a divine, religious-value

situation and condition. The sacredness of the

sermon is also influenced by the content of sermon

material that has the power of influence on the

people or congregation who listen to it. This is also

suspected with the content of the sermon laden with

the word of God and the words of the Prophet.

However, the sacredness is still influenced by the

khotib (Islamic preacher) as the speakers and

sociocultural community. This is what makes the

discourse on Friday sermons interesting when

examined from the sociolinguistic aspect because it

can sharpen the socio-cultural study of the

community and its speakers.

A fairly comprehensive study related to Friday's

sermon was conducted by Saddhono concluding that

Friday sermons included oral discourse that had a

regular discourse structure (Saddhono, & Wijana,

2011). This is because Friday's sermon is one of a

series of worship in Friday prayers so the situation is

sacred. This situation is reinforced by the existence

of rules, commandment, and terms in Friday

sermons. The existence of the aforementioned traits,

the structure of the Friday sermon is distinctive,

standard, and definite. The languages used are

Indonesian, Arabic, Javanese, and English. Many of

the terms that appear because of the existence of

Friday sermon as a register in the field of Islam.

As for the characteristics of vocabulary use is

based on the mosque environment that is family,

religious, education, network, and social. The

mosque environment will have an impact on the

language and vocabulary of the Friday sermon.

Because the speaker factor, the speech partner, the

location of the speech, and the topic of speech affect

the language and vocabulary. Although the Friday

sermon has clear rules but in the existing speech is

influenced by the speaker factor. Speakers or khotib

have the freedom to preach in their own language

but remain to the rules (Saddhono, 2011).

The study of the discourse of the sermon cannot

be separated from the sociolinguistic approach. This

approach places the study of language within the

framework of thinking that language is a social fact.

Language is the most important communication tool

for human in social interaction. By using language,

humans try to maintain togetherness and community

408

Rakhmawati, A. and Saddhono, K.

Friday Sermon of Java as an Effort to Maintain Indigenous Language: Sociolinguistic Studies in Central Java and Yogyakarta.

DOI: 10.5220/0009021900002297

In Proceedings of the Borneo International Conference on Education and Social Sciences (BICESS 2018), pages 408-411

ISBN: 978-989-758-470-1

or share information, attitudes, ideas, and mutual

understanding (Treece, 1986). The study of language

that views language as a communication tool in

society, as a communication system and social

system is called sociolinguistic (Suwito, 1983).

Discourse review sermons are closely related to

the understanding of the term context in

sociolinguistics. The term context is also known in

pure linguistic studies, but has a different meaning to

the concept of context in sociolinguistics. Context in

pure linguistics refers to the understanding of the

context of lingual intercultural or the context of the

linguistic unit with other linguistic units, such as

phonemes with phonological, morphemes and

morphemes in morphological units, words with

syntactic terms, etc. (Usdiyanto, 2004).

The context in the sociolinguistic study is a

nonlinguistic environment of utterances which is a

tool for detailing the characteristics of the situation

needed to understand the situation (Moeliono, 1999).

A similar utterance can mean different things if they

occur in different contexts. An example is the word

"dog", this word can mean an animal, but in the

context of situations and ways of expressing

different words it can be a curse to someone. This is

in line with Verhaar's linguistic concept that

socioliguistic studies relate to linguistics which

mentions the emergence theory of the meaning of

language following the sequence of expressions -

situations – meanings (Verhaar, 1980). That is, in

the socioliguistic meaning of language is determined

after the expression in the form of a lingual unit is in

contact with the situation as a nonlingual unit.

Research is expected to be able to compile a

deep and comprehensive theory about the discourse

on Friday sermons in Javanese based on the latest,

real, and actual conditions. The theory used so far in

reviewing the discourse of Friday sermon in only

one scientific perspective so that the result is not

comprehensive. In relation to this right, this research

is expected to develop other sociolinguistic and

science theories, such as anthropolinguistics,

sociology of religion, sociology of culture based on

the findings in research.

Based on the explanation above, the preparation

of a new study and theory about the discourse on

Friday in Javanese sermon would be urgent. This

study has a strategic position as a basis for the

development of further research and can practically

be used as a reference of knowledge on the discourse

of Friday sermons in Javanese language widely. As

the research description and statements from experts

and previous researchers, Friday sermons can be

understood from three perspectives, namely

language, social culture, and religion.

2 METHODOLOGY

This study examined the use of the discourse of

Friday sermons of Javanese based on context and

situation. This type of research is in the form of

descriptive qualitative with the setting of what is

(natural setting) which basically describes

qualitatively in the form of words and not

mathematical or statistical numbers (Lindlof, 1994).

The object of this study was of Javanese-speaking

sermons Friday in Central Java and Yogyakarta. The

Javanese Friday sermon discourse taken as a sample

was data that had character according to the data

desired by the researcher and was considered to

represent the whole. This refers to the opinion of

Subroto, that the sample in the study is part of the

population that is used as the object of research.

Sampling technique in this research is purposive

sampling (Subroto, 2007). This study is closely

related to context, so that each context must be

handled based on its own context (Lincoln, 1985).

That is, statistical generalization is impossible,

because each context is likely to differ in terms of its

nature, character, circumstances, depth, and function

with other contexts. The sample used in this study

may also be called internal sampling, i.e. the sample

taken represents information and not solely because

the number of informants drawn from the existing

population (Bogdan, & Biklen, 1982).

Poedjosoedarmo stated that sociolinguistic

research, such as the research on the Javanese

sermon on Friday, is basically contextual research

(Poedjosoedarmo, 2011). Contextual research is

research about the form of speech (language) by

paying attention to the social context that

accompanies the occurrence of a speech. In the data

analysis will be taken into account the social context

in the form of speech components. The speech

components that are taken into account in the

research data analysis are (1) speakers, (2) speech

partners, (3) speech situations, (4) speech goals, and

(5) things that are told (Sudaryanto, 1995). The five

components of the speech were chosen with the

consideration that the five components of the speech

are closely related to the discourse of Friday sermon

in Javanese in Central Java and Yogyakarta. Data

Analysis Techniques in this research also used

interactive analysis method that is data reduction,

data presentation, and verification (Miles &

Huberman, 1992).

Friday Sermon of Java as an Effort to Maintain Indigenous Language: Sociolinguistic Studies in Central Java and Yogyakarta

409

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Friday sermon as a whole is a complete discourse.

Therefore in Friday Sermon can be identified its

structure. Friday sermon consists of two parts,

namely the first sermon and the second sermon. In

the Friday Sermon the boundary between the first

sermon and the second sermon is marked by the

preacher sitting on a chair. Each section of the

sermon consists of opening, content, and cover. In

general the structure of the Friday Sermon consists

of greetings, prayer call, hamdalah recitation,

Shahada recitation, selawat recitation, godly

testament, Quran recitation, and prayers. The

structure of the second Friday Sermon consists of

recitation of hamdalah, shahada, selawat, godly

testament, conclusions, and closing prayers

(Saddhono, Wardani, & Ulya, 2015).

Friday sermon on the first sermon can be divided

into Arabic and Javanese sermons. At every

preaching the sermons khotib uses the Arabic speech

which is the pillar of the Friday sermon and

Javanese right after. Each sermon then closes with a

prayer that uses Arabic. The first Friday Sermon

structure consists of greetings, call to prayer,

recitation of hamdalah, shahada, and selawat, godly

testament, Quran recitation, and prayers. The

structure of the first sermon can be identified the

opening, the contents, and closings. In the opening

section consists of reading salam, prayer calling,

recitation of hamdalah, syahadat, and selawat, and

godly testament. In the contents section can be

identified from the material presented by the

preacher by quoting the recitation of Quran as a

pillar of a Friday Sermon. On the closing is

indicated by the reading a short prayer before the

preacher sat between two sermons.

The second sermon has an opening, content, and

closing elements. In the opening section the second

sermon is marked by the recitation of hamdalah,

shahada, selawat, and godly testament. In the

contents section in the form of emphasis on the

material of the sermon which contains in general is a

conclusion of the Friday Sermon. As for the closing

of the closing prayer and destined for the Muslims.

Da'wah that serves to convey a message or a

mandate that contains moral education and religious

teachings is relatively much demanded because

usually dai/ daiyah (Muslim preacher) or people who

deliver sermon can convey the things wisely, able to

choose a proper greeting, pick topics relevant,

provide explanations and judgments (of good or bad)

objectively and display holy verses of the Quran and

hadith. Dai expresses moral or religious values

clearly with examples or stories by utilizing speech

codes that match the right tone and intonation. Dai

or daiyah also revealed appeals, criticisms, innuendo

and prohibitions. The language used is easy to

understand and does not offend other people. These

things seem to be a contributing factor that causes

his name to soar and relatively many devotees of his

da'wah.

The Friday sermon pattern is generally illustrated

in Chart 1 which is derived from (1) opening

greetings, (2) prayer calling, (3) the first sermon, (4)

the reading, (5) the greeting, (6) the content of the

Friday sermon, (7) the quote of the Qur'an and the

hadith, (8) the closing prayer of the first sermon, (9)

sitting between two sermons, (10) second sermon,

(11) readings, (12) the greeting, (13) the conclusion

of the sermon, and (14) the closing prayer. This

pattern is known as the Friday sermon.

In chart 1 Friday Sermon Pattern number 1 form

of opening greetings that read Assalamu'alaikum

Waraḥmatullāhi Wabarakātuh which means may

Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon you. The

meaning of this greeting is very deep because in

addition to the expression of the meeting can also be

said as a prayer, both for speakers and partners.

In addition to the above, Firday semon is a

typical discourse. The peculiarities contained in this

Friday sermon are specific terms or vocabulary that

appear. The term is a word or combination of words

that carefully expresses a meaning, concept, process,

circumstance, or characteristic in a particular field. If

it is understood further that the vocabulary in the

Friday Sermon can be categorized as an ideological

dialect. The situation in Indonesia which has various

religions can cause variations of language used.

There is a special term that appears in the Friday

Sermon because the discourse of the Friday Sermon

is a distinctive discourse.

Diction here is the typical vocabulary that

appears in each mosque with a different

environment. Speech locations in sociolinguistic

studies determine speakers in using their language.

If someone speaks at home it will be different when

someone speaks in the office or in the mosque. The

vocabulary that appears in each place will be

different between at home, in the office, and in the

mosque. In this study even the vocabulary that

appears in each mosque that is based on the

environment also appears difference.

Friday sermons that took place in the family

were chosen by the mosque inside the Surakarta

Hadiningrat Palace. This selection is based on the

assumption that Javanese culture is still very

dominant in the palace compared to outside the

BICESS 2018 - Borneo International Conference On Education And Social

410

palace. From the results of observers show that

many vocabulary that appears is the Javanese krama

inggil and more archaic. The decisive factor here is

the location of speech, speakers, and speech

partners.

The Javanese language that is present in the

Friday Sermon in environment is dominated by the

variety of krama inggil. This shows that the speech

location is very influential in the sermon choosing

vocabulary to be spoken. The emergence of

Javanese vocabulary is of course also influenced by

the speaker of Javanese cultural background and

partners who mostly speak Javanese culture.

Problems or topics spoken by the khotib also relates

to matters that are of public concern. Examples are

related to the category of life in humankind, 1)

happiness in the world and the hereafter, 2) happy in

the world but miserable in the afterlife, 3) misery in

the world but happy in the afterlife, and 4) misery in

the world and the hereafter.

Friday sermon in the social environment is

located in the mosque which is located around shops

and shopping center, and located right in the middle

of the city. With such a location, the place is

assumed to have a diverse community of cultural

backgrounds following the Friday prayers at the

mosque. Related to that, the decisive thing about the

vocabulary is the speaker, the speech partner, and

speech situation. Speakers are highly religious and

public scholars. With This background is certainly

reasonable if Arabic and Javanese vocabulary often

appear in the Friday sermon speech, for example

siraţal, mustaqim, amaliyah, itqumminannar, jannah,

sadaqah, Maghrib, 'Isya, Ramadhan, riya', narukallah

or Arabic expressions, such as dakwah bilkhal, al

jannatu mustaqatum, dinul islami, and others. The

various Javanese languages ngoko and rama inggil

appear in this Friday Sermon. This is certainly

related to the cultural background of speakers and

the location of the speech of Java Island.

4 CONCLUSIONS

Friday's sermon is an oral discourse, one-way

communication like a sacred speech. This is because

the Friday sermon is a discourse on the religious

domain. But the sacredness is still influenced by the

preacher as a speaker and sociocultural society. This

is what makes the discourse on Friday sermons

interesting when examined from the sociolinguistic

aspect because it can sharpen the socio-cultural

study of the community and its speakers. The results

show that Javanese language can be used as a means

to maintain the wisdom of local language. The use

of the local language of Java is influenced socio-

cultural background of khotib and congregation who

have the same cultural background. The use of this

local language helps to understand the content of the

sermon delivered so that it is easy to understand by

the congregation. Therefore, it is seen from the

functioning of the Javanese language in Central Java

and Yogyakarta that it is necessary in Friday

sermons in Central Java and Yogyakarta as a form of

the existence of local languages in oral discourse.

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