Speech Act Analysis of Serat Joko Lodhang Made by Ranggawarsita

Kundharu Saddhono, Bagus Wahyu Setyawan, Rio Devilito, Yusuf Muflikh Raharjo

Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Serat Joko Lodhang, Ranggawarsita, Speech Act Analysis.

Abstract: Javanese literary works especially serat were written by royal authors who were intentionally advised by the

King who intended to deliver the narratives as the public ethics Therefore, such Serat in Javanese term are

categorized as sastra piwulang or teaching literature, intended to provide life guidance for public people. This

research is qualitative descriptive research using pragmatics approach. Source of data is Serat Joko Lodhang

text made by Ranggawarsita. Data collected technique using literature review and in-depth interview with

some expert informant. Data analysis using content analysis with the phase is data collection, data reduction,

data display, and conclusion drawing. From this research find that in Serat Joko Lodhang made by

Ranggawarsita contains guidelines for action. The types of speech acts include assertive speech acts in telling

and forecasting, and directive speech act that serves to urge people to take action. This directive speech act

has a relationship with the function of Serat Joko Lodhang as sastra piwulang.

1 INTRODUCTION

As one of domains in structural linguistics discourse

is the most complete language unit; in the

grammatical hierarchy it is the highest or greatest

grammatical unit (Koyama, 2016, p. 2). Discourse

may appear in the form of composite essays (novel,

book, encyclopedia series, etc.), paragraph, sentences

or words that carry the complete message (Goebel,

Jukes, and Morin, 2017, p. 276). Referring to the

discourse of the above discourse, we can say that the

manifestation or the form of a discourse is very

diverse, it can be an essay, a paragraph, a sentence, or

a word which all contain a complete message,

including a literary work.

Literature is an essay of the author's ideas

presented in a very diverse form, ranging from long

compositions (novels, anthologies, story, hymns,

kawi, etc.) or short-form (short stories, cerkak,

geguritan, song, etc.). Authors in writing or creating

a work definitely has a purpose or a message to

convey through his work (Setyawan, Saddhono, and

Rakhmawati, 2017, p. 145). Therefore, literature has

a very diverse function. Wellek and Warren (Wellek

and Warren, 2014, p. 23) state that literature serves to

entertain and simultaneously teach something.

Literature is not only seen from a purely aesthetic

point of view, but also [from] the essence or content

of the message contained in the literary works which

should be considered by readers who may find

meaning when they read and study literature

thoroughly. Regarding the function of literature as a

means of teaching something or as a means of

delivery of messages, known the existence of

literature piwulang in the realm of Javanese literature.

From of background of the research, it can create

a problem will find of this research is what type of

speech act contain in Serat Joko Lodhang made by

Ranggawarsita? And what the function of that speech

act in Serat Joko Lodhang?

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Sastra Piwulang or sometimes called sastra niti or

wulang means literature of teachings and was

produced during the new Javanese period or around

the 18th century by royal authors in the Surakarta

kingdom and they were intentionally requested by

King who needed public ethical guidance for his

people. Sastra Wulang was written by palace writers,

especially the writers of the Surakarta palace because

of the request of the king at that time who wanted a

guidance of behavior for his people (Darusuprapta in

Widyastuti, 2014, p. 114). Some types of piwulang

literature, for instance Serat Wulangreh, Serat

Wedhatama, Serat Centhini, Serat Wulangputri,

Serat Wulang Sunu, Wulang Dalem Warna Warni,

Saddhono, K., Setyawan, B., Devilitio, R. and Raharjo, Y.

Speech Act Analysis of Serat Joko Lodhang Made by Ranggawarsita.

DOI: 10.5220/0008886104170421

In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR 2018) - , pages 417-421

ISBN: 978-989-758-437-4

417

Serat Joko Lodhang, Serat Gendhing, and many

others have been developed in the community and

until now they still exist to be the guidance of society

in the palace environment (Boyd, 2016, p. 25). The

paper focuses on Serat Joko Lodhang which was

written by R. Ng. Ranggawarsita.

Serat Joko Lodhang taught the society that at that

time was being hit by a character crisis (Griffiths,

2012, p. 478). Most people forgot their identities as

human beings and their surroundings and they were

seduced by world and wealth, and just thought of

themselves without caring for other people.

Prominent people also forgot their duties and

responsibilities. Some of these events are described

and tell in Serat Joko Lodhang made by

Ranggawarsita.

In conveying the messages in the Serat Joko

Lodhang, Ranggawarsita used very subtle language

and gave examples of events implied from Joko

Lodhang character (Joko Lodhang means a very

clever young man). Each event recommended people

to act and in the pragmatics, this is called speech acts

(Saddhono, Wardani and Ulya, 2015, p. 27).

The concept of speech acts acknowledged by

Gordon (Gordon, 2013, p. 571) is divided into five

categories including (1) assertive or representative,

speech acts that binds the speaker to the truth of what

he says. This speech explains how something is; (2) a

directive, the speech acts by speaker, with the

intention that the hearer performs the action contained

in utterance (e.g. begging, demanding, suggesting,

challenging, (3) expressive , speech acts done with

the intention to be interpreted as an evaluation of the

things mentioned within the utterances (e.g. praising,

thanking, criticizing, complaining); (4) commissive is

speech act which binds speaker to carry out what is

mentioned in his utterance (e.g. promise, swear,

threaten), (5) declarations, speech acts committed by

the speaker with the intention to create (status,

circumstances, etc.) (e.g. to decide, cancel, ban,

permit, sorry.) But in this paper Searle‘s speech

acting concept is used as the basis in analyzing

directive speech act in serat Joko Lodhang.

Serat Joko Lodhang in the form of tembang

macapat uses arkhais language which is definitely

very difficult for common people to understand it if

they are not helped with good translation by experts

(Turri, 2010, p. 80). Who have the capabilities to

catch the messages The process of transliteration or

translation also cannot be done by anyone and must

be done by expert. It is feared there will be a

misinterpretation that makes the translated meaning

is different from the intention or message that will be

delivered by Ranggawarsita through this Serat Joko

Lodhang.

3 RESEARCH METHOD

This research is descriptive qualitative as stated by

Sutopo (Sutopo, 2002, p. 111) descriptive research in

qualitative research case study leads to detailed and

depth description about portrait condition about what

really happened according to what it is in field study

and the main data source is taken from Serat Joko

Lodhang by R. Ng. Ranggawarsita. The data or

information collected and analyzed in this research is

qualitative data. The data were obtained through

reading Serat Joko Lodhang by R. Ng.

Ranggawarsita and analyzed. Some data containing

directive speech were selected. Techniques of data

collection involved recording and documents

analysis and the technique of data analysis used Miles

and Huberman’s (Miles and Huberman, 2009, p. 18)

theory of flow techniques containing data reduction,

data display, and drawing conclusion.

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Serat Joko Lodhang containing the form of sekar

macapat, consists of three pupuh (collection), such

as pupuh gambuh, pupuh sinom, and pupuh

megatruh. It is prophecy because there are several

usages of disputes that refer to the years and events

that occurred in old days.

The first quotation is taken from pupuh gambuh

as shown in the followings: directive speech act is

quoted in the following: contained in pupuh gambuh

as following excerpt:

1. Joko Lodhang Gumandhul | Praptaning

ngethengkrang sru muwus | Eling-eling pasthi

kersaning Hyang Widhi | Gunung mendhak

jurang mbrejul [….]

‘Joko Lodhang swinging from the branch then

said to remember the God's will, high mountain

will be humbled and the deep chasm will appear

on the surface.’

The imperative meaning of the speech acts above

is that Joko Lodhang tells or reminds the people that

they must always remember God. If God is willing,

anything can happen, the high mountains can be torn

down and a very deep chasm can be raised (Saddhono

and Supeni, 2014, p. 4). So, quotation 1 is a call or an

appeal for people to always remember God.

ICMR 2018 - International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research

418

Furthermore, the act of directive from gambuh

pupuh is also found in quotation

2. Nanging aywa kliru | Sumurupa kandha kang

tinamtu | Nadyan mendhak-mendhaking gunung

wus pasti | Beda lawan jurang gesong | Nadyan

bisa mbrejul Tanpa tawing enggal jugrugipun |

Kalakone karsaning Hyang wus pinasthi.

‘But do not get it wrong or misinterpret the words,

acknowledge certain words. Although the

mountain can be modest but still leaves the trace,

different with a deep chasm. Although it can be

high, but if it does not have a strong foundation or

dike (tawing) it will be easy to slide (jugrug).

Because what becomes God’s will is sure to

happen.’

The utterance has implicit meaning that in

interpreting a statement we should be able to choose

which information or statements are true and which

are not. Thus, the act of directive speech in the above

context has a mode for not easily get deceived in

words or statements that are not yet obviously certain.

Do not just look at the circumstances which are seen

by the eyes, because if God wants, all can be turned

back according to His will.

Furthermore, in pupuh sinom of Serat Joko

Lodhang, assertive speech acts [of circumstances are

found as shown in 3].

3. Sasedyane tanpa dadya | Sacipta-cipta tan poleh |

Kang reraton-raton rantas

Mrih luhur asor pinanggih | Bebendu gung nekani

| Kongas ing kanisthanipun

Wong agung nis gungira | Sudirang wiring jrih

lalis | Ingkang cilik tan toleh ring cilikira

‘All that is desired and aspired will not come true,

what is planned to fall apart. All that is planned

carefully in the end will ruin, get lose instead of

win. This is because of the punishment of God, all

is seen only disgraceful deeds. The rulers or great

men lose their dignity, it is better than death, while

poor people do not want to understand their

situation that they are poor.

Jákl (Jákl, 2016, p. 167) argues that the quotation

3 tells about the state of those times. Furthermore,

assertive speech acts in quotation 4 contained in the

next which describes the state of people in the

bebendu era. This can be seen in the following song

excerpt:

4. Wong alim-alim pulasan | Njaba putih njero

kuning | Ngulama’ mangsah maksiat |Madat

madon minum main | Kaji-kaji ambataning |

Dulban kethu putih mrampung | Wadon nir

wdoniira | Prabaweng saloka rukmi | Kabeh-

kabeh mung marnono tingalira | Para saudhagar

ingarya | Jroning jaman keneng sarik | Marmane

saisingrat | Sansarane saya mencit

‘A lot of people seem to be pious but disguise, the

contrast of outside and inside of heart. The

scholars even commit bad deed, furious, playful,

drinking, and gambling. The pilgrims threw their

surban and head tie. The women lose their dignity,

because of the influence of property, it is because

world as their main goal. Merchants with treasury

will get respect, money and wealth will be

honored. It made the whole world becomes

severely miserable.

The statements in 4 are assertive functioning as

information. Ranggawarsita tried to illustrate the

kalabendu age when most people forgot their

identities. The prominent people who were role

models became disrespectful and committed crimes

(Ricklefs, 2015, p. 545). At that time money was

worshipped and made misery on the earth. The author

alsobelieved such sufferings would come eventually

as shown in 5.

Nir sad estining urip | Iku ta sengkalanipun |

Pantoging nandhang sudra Yen wus tobat tanpa

mosik | Sru nalangsa narima ngandel ing suksma

'In 1860 in Javanese calendar or in 1930 AD,

sufferings would end when people gave their

repentance and surrender to God'

The statement in 5 is an assertive when

Ranggawarsita predicted that sufferinsg would end

when human beings repented and surrendered to God.

The Javanese concept of surrender to God is called

pasrah marang Gusti which becomes a high-level

status of faith (Setyawan and Saddhono, 2017, p.

9991).

Furthermore, in the Megatruh which is the last

narrative in Joko Lodhang another directive is noted.

6. Joko Lodhang Nabda malih | Nanging ana

marmanipun | Ing waca kang wus pinesthi |

Estinen murih kelakon

The quotation 6 Ranggawarsita reminded his

society that cause-effect law did really exist and

might occur, so, go and work for dream (Lis, 2014, p.

Speech Act Analysis of Serat Joko Lodhang Made by Ranggawarsita

419

510). Directives are seen from the words estinen

murih kelakon or 'try to achieve what is being

aspired'. So it can be said that the speech in the

context of the above excerpt is a verbal directive that

has the mode of enabling people to achieve what has

been dreamed.

In the next narrative, there is an example of an

assertive that has a mode or predictive meaning as

shown in 7.

7. Sangkalane maksih nunggal jamanipun | Neng

sajroning madya akir | Wiku sapta ngesthi ratu |

Adil parimareming dasih | Ing kono kersanng

manon | Tinemune wong ngantuk anemu kethuk |

Malenu samargi-margi |Marmane bungah kang

nemu | Marga jroning kethuk isi | Kencana

sesotya abor

Ranggawarsita predicted that in the 1877 of

Javanese year, the time wiku sapta ngesthi ratu (Wiku

= 7, Sapta = 7, Ngesthi = 8, Ratu = 1) or in 1945 AD

there would be a time of justice for humanity, because

of God's will. In the next verse, he also explained that

in those days it was as if a sleepy man could find a

little gold gong and scattered on the streets (Grave,

2014, p. 50). Small Gong or kethuk contains gold by

Ranggawarsita made a symbol of happiness. So, the

predictions of Ranggawarsita in the 1945s would be a

lot of people who were happy, until it is pictured that

sleepy person are able to find gold on the roadside.

The speech can be categorized in assertive speech act

which predicted.

5 CONCLUSIONS

From the discussion, it is concluded that there are

several acts of speech, including such as assertive or

representative and directive speech act. The assertive

speech acts consist of information in the form of

satireJoko Lodhang story illustrated the days before

1920 in which human beings lost their identity only

pursued wealth which caused them lose their dignity.

Ranggawarsita also predicted that in 1930 the

sufferings would be diminished and in 1945 there

would be an age of justice where many people were

happy. Furthermore, the directive speech acts were

about command to do something. This is inseparable

from piwulang's literary function which guided

people to act based on what the king ordered or

mandated.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The research project is supported by a grant from the

Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher

Education, Indonesia.

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