Jonathan Culpeper (2011) in Impoliteness: Using Language to Cause Offence

Jonathan Culpeper adalah seorang ahli pragmatik dan linguistik yang dikenal atas kontribusinya dalam studi tentang impoliteness atau ketidaksopanan dalam bahasa. Melalui berbagai karyanya, terutama buku "Impoliteness: Using Language to Cause Offence" (2011), Culpeper mengeksplorasi bagaimana ketidaksopanan digunakan sebagai alat komunikasi yang efektif untuk menyampaikan pesan tertentu.

Definisi dan Konsep Dasar

Ketidaksopanan, menurut Culpeper, merujuk pada perilaku komunikatif yang menarik evaluasi negatif dalam konteks tertentu dan menyebabkan pelanggaran atau ketidaknyamanan. Ini berbeda dari ketidaksopanan yang tidak disengaja atau ketidaktahuan terhadap norma sosial; ketidaksopanan sering kali bersifat disengaja dan strategis. Culpeper menekankan bahwa ketidaksopanan bukan hanya kebalikan dari kesopanan, tetapi memiliki dinamika dan fungsi tersendiri dalam interaksi sosial.

Strategi Ketidaksopanan

Dalam upayanya untuk menguraikan anatomi ketidaksopanan, Culpeper mengidentifikasi beberapa strategi utama yang digunakan individu untuk mengekspresikan ketidaksopanan:

Verbal abuse is a form of psychological or emotional abuse

 Verbal abuse is a form of psychological or emotional abuse characterized by the use of language to demean, belittle, or control another person. It encompasses various behaviors such as name-calling, insults, threats, and manipulation, often leading to significant emotional distress for the victim. Unlike physical abuse, verbal abuse does not leave visible scars but can have profound long-term effects on mental health, including depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem127.

Reasons for Verbal Abuse

People engage in verbal abuse for several reasons:

• Control and Power: Abusers often seek to establish dominance over their victims. This power dynamic allows them to manipulate and intimidate others to fulfill their own desires without regard for the victim's well-being59.

• Insecurity: Many abusers project their insecurities onto others, using verbal attacks as a way to feel superior or to mask their own vulnerabilities29.

• Learned Behavior: Individuals who have experienced verbal abuse in their own lives may replicate these patterns in their relationships, normalizing harmful communication styles26.

Types and Patterns of Verbal Abuse

Cyberpragmatics Analysis within the Indonesian Context

 Here’s a summarized version of the ten research topics on Cyberpragmatics Analysis within the Indonesian Context:

1. Digital Politeness Strategies in Indonesian Social Media Interactions
   This study explores how Indonesians navigate politeness in digital conversations, especially in hierarchical cultural contexts. It examines how users mitigate face-threatening acts using honorifics, indirect speech, and hedging across platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter. The research could also investigate variations in politeness strategies across different demographics and communication settings.

2. Cyberpragmatic Features of Political Discourse on Indonesian Twitter (X)
   Political debates on Indonesian Twitter (X) are often emotionally charged and strategically framed. This research analyzes pragmatic features such as speech acts (persuasion, accusations, and denials), implicatures, and digital affordances (hashtags, retweets). It aims to understand how political actors, media, and the public shape discourse and mobilize opinions in Indonesia’s online political sphere.

3. The Use of Emoticons and Memes as Pragmatic Markers in Indonesian Online Communication
   Memes, emojis, and emoticons serve as pragmatic tools that enhance, contradict, or replace textual communication. This study investigates their role in Indonesian digital discourse, analyzing how they function in humor, sarcasm, agreement, and identity expression in online interactions, including group chats, comment sections, and viral social media trends.

4. Hate Speech and Cyberpragmatics: A Case Study of Online Debates in Indonesia
   Hate speech is a growing concern in Indonesia’s digital space, particularly in political and religious discussions. This study examines the pragmatic strategies involved in constructing and countering hate speech, including implicature, presupposition, and hyperbole. It also explores responses from digital communities and platform moderation policies.

5. Pragmatic Functions of Code-Switching in Indonesian Online Gaming Communities
   Online gaming fosters a unique linguistic environment where players frequently switch between Bahasa Indonesia, English, and regional languages. This research explores the pragmatic functions of code-switching, including identity signaling, in-group solidarity, humor, and strategic communication during gameplay, streaming, and esports discussions.

6. Cyberpragmatic Analysis of Religious Discourse on Indonesian Social Media