Patterns of Swear Words in Denpasar: Anthropological Linguistic Study

The study of swear words has emerged as a compelling topic due to their intrinsic connection to language, society, and culture. Denpasar possesses certain banned swear words that vary based on the circumstances, including the location, timing, rationale, speaker, and recipient of the utterance. Moreover, the majority of expletives in this city diverge somewhat from the overall Balinese taboo lexicon. This study examined the patterns of swear words utilized by the youth in Denpasar. The data were gathered by structured interview methodologies augmented by the elicitation approach. The findings indicate that the utilization of profanity by adolescents or youthful groups manifests in specific circumstances, including environment, participants, and purposes. Furthermore, from the standpoint of the three primary focal points in anthropological linguistics, it was discovered that, within Balinese culture, particularly among the younger generation in Denpasar, the phenomenon of profanity arises not solely from the employment of lexicon with taboo connotations, but also due to the emotive value inherent in the expression and the utilization of specific variations by and for particular participants.