Semantic Study of the Impact of the Use of Slang on the Social Identity of Adolescents in Indonesia
Abstract
This study investigates the semantic functions of slang and its role in shaping Indonesian adolescents’ social identity. This research focuses on urban and semi-urban youth aged 15 to 19 and explores how slang is used as a linguistic tool for group affiliation, resistance, humor, status assertion, and gender expression. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, natural language samples, and digital conversation archives using a qualitative descriptive method grounded in semantic and discourse analysis. In total, 120 slang terms were identified and categorized into five major semantic fields. The findings reveal that slang is predominantly used to establish in-group solidarity and express social identity in peer interactions. The analysis also highlights the dynamic nature of slang, particularly its rapid semantic shifts influenced by digital media platforms. This research contributes to sociolinguistic and youth identity studies by offering a comprehensive semantic mapping of contemporary Indonesian slang. The study emphasizes the need to understand youth language as a meaningful component of identity formation and social engagement in the digital era.
Keywords: slang, semantics, adolescent identity, youth language, Indonesia, sociolinguistics, digital discourse.
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