The Word Coinage of Indonesian Lesbians Disclosure on

Facebook

A. Introduction

Homosexuality is sexual behavior of individual having

same gender. According to Wikipedia, the free

encyclopedia, “Homosexuality”, states that as a sexual

orientation, homosexuality refers to “an enduring

pattern of or disposition to experience sexual,

affectional, or romantic attractions primarily or

exclusively to people of the same sex”. Homosexuality

is one of the three main categories of sexual

orientation, along with bisexuality and

heterosexuality. The common terms often used for

homosexual people are a lesbian for a woman, who is

sexually attracted to another woman and a gay for a

male homosexual.

Being gay or lesbian sometimes place them in

difficult position. Many researches show the disclosure

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of a gay or lesbian identity can entail potential risks

including social rejection, prejudice, or even acts of

violence. Researchers found that many gays and lesbians

meet with rejection, discrimination, and even violence

when they reveal their sexual orientation during their

coming out process.

Because of those risks, some of them choose to

keep their identity a secret while, some of them choose

to come out in limited circumstances. Sometimes their

families are not even informed. It happens also among

Indonesian homosexual.

Many Indonesian homosexual hesitate to come out

because of their fear of society punishment. Indonesian

society with the strong cultural attitudes considers

homosexuality as something morally dreadfully shameful.

Moreover, Indonesia is a religious country that all

religions strictly prohibit homosexuality because

having homosexual relationships can break the religious

law. Most Indonesian families still strongly emphasize

the traditional values and imply the importance of

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religion. With the difficult situation ― when their

orientation is not accepted in society, Indonesian

homosexual choose to disclose it in limited

circumstances.

One of way they used is through social online

media, Facebook. Many Indonesian gays and lesbians use

it as one of the media to disclose their sexual

orientation and to connect them, even to share their

feeling to other gays or lesbians community members.

Usually, gays or lesbians create the unique

facebook account name that makes others find out that

they are homosexual. According to Kristin P. Beals,

PhD, California State University, Fullerton and Letitia

Anne Peplau, PhD, University of California, Los

Angeles, in their research on disclosure patterns of

gays and lesbians, this pattern includes into direct

and indirect disclosure type. In this pattern type,

they directly give the information about their status,

or they give the information in an indirect manner.

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Most gays openly reveal their sexual orientation

on facebook. They come out in loud ways, proclaiming

their sexual orientation. They directly put the word

gay or other phrases that state their sexual

orientation, e.g. Ryan Gay, Andi Penyuka Lelaki, Rizal Homo etc.

so that others straightforwardly recognize that they

are gays.

As for lesbians, they do not openly announce their

sexual orientation. They implicitly write the word

lesbian on their facebook account name. They create a

new word beside the surname as their facebook account

name, e.g. Ana Less, Bunga DesaLess, Yulia Natalia Lessb etc. The

new word or the formation of the word created is a sign

to other lesbians or public.

In addition, they also borrow a word less from

English. I assume that the meaning of less meant by the

Indonesian lesbian is not the same as less of the

English word. It becomes word coinage in Indonesian

language since there is not word less in the vocabulary

list of the Indonesian language. They, perhaps, use the

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word less since the pronunciation of it sounds similar

with the first syllable of the word lesbian. This is very

much interesting to be analyzed. What they have done is

a kind of language variation in society, or a

phenomenon of language variation.

Looking at such phenomenon, this paper tries to

study how Indonesian lesbians create a new word as a

way of sexual orientation disclosure. Under

sociolinguistics and morphology theories, this paper

tries to analyze how those words are formed and what

the morphological processes they used.

A.1 Coming Out

“Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian,

gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT); people's

disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or

gender identity” (Wikipedia.org). Then, according

to Cambridge Advance Leaner’s Dictionary 3rd

Edition, 2008, “come out” means “if something

comes out, it becomes known publicly after it has

been kept secret”. In other words, coming out is

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the way of lesbians to open their feeling. So, as

a lesbian, coming out means that she identifies

herself as lesbian and discloses it to other

people.

A.2 Facebook

Facebook is a social networking service of

internet-based application used for social

interaction. Founded by Mark Zuckerberg and his

friends, it is the world’s largest social network,

with 800 million users worldwide as of September

2011. Facebook is social web used for expression

of identity or online social identity. It

represents a space in which people have the

possibility to express and expose, and define

their identity by creating user profile.

Users may create, add other users as friends,

and exchange messages, including automatic

notifications when they update their profile.

Additionally, users may join common-interest user

groups, organized by workplace, school or college,

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or other characteristics, and categorize their

friends into lists such as people from work or

close or mutual friends. Briefly, facebook helps

people to connect and to share, and to communicate

their feelings each other.

A. 3 Word Coinage

Word coinage is the invention of a new word. It is

the process whereby new words are created

outright, either deliberately or accidentally, to

fit some purpose that may be in the process of

entering common use, but has not yet been accepted

into mainstream language. Usually, words are

coined to express, new ideas, products, etc. in

the language. For example brand names such as

Kleenex, Xerox, Kodak, etc. the invention of new words

is sometimes based on the existing word such

Kleenex on clean or based on phrases that they

stand for such as laser. However, many words are

more often created without basing on pre-existing

words.

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B. Method of Research

The data that will be analyzed were taken from facebook

account names of Indonesian lesbians. They were taken

randomly, and then they were sorted based on the form

of word creation. After that, the writer took 200 names

to be analyzed.

In attempt to analyze the words created, the data

will be analyzed under morphology approach particularly

how words coinage created.

C. Theoretical Approach

C. 1 Sociolinguistics

“Sociolinguistics is the descriptive study of the

effect of any and all aspects of society, including

cultural norms, expectations, and context, on the way

language is used, and the effects of language use on

society.” (Wikipedia.org). According to Wardaugh in his

book An Introduction to Sociolinguistic,

sociolinguistics is concerned with the relationships

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between language and society that aims to know a

language structure and how language function in

communication. Sociolinguistics, then, is the study of

language in human society, how social factors: social

class, educational level, age, etc. can influence the

structure and use of language. It also studies how

language varieties differ among society and variation

in the language used by a group of people such as

bilingualism, language attitudes, etc. For that reason,

language variation requires both attention to grammar

and attention to society so that the identifying the

variation requires the understanding of many

grammatical aspect. One of them is morphological

variation.

C. 2 Morphology

Morphology is the study of the structure of a language.

It identifies, analyzes, and describes the structure of

morphemes and other linguistics units such as words,

affixes, parts of speech, and intonation in a language.

As a subdivision of theoretical linguistics, morphology

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studies how words are structured and how they are put

together from smaller parts.

To understand the structure of a word, we have to

understand the morphological processes, Bauer (19-42).

Morphological processes are the processes of changing

one lexeme into real words with certain forms or the

processes of word formation. Some morphological

processes involved in the formation of new words for

example affixation, compounding, reduplication,

modification of the base and so on and so forth. Those

processes affect roots and stems that lead to the

production of new words. Other than common

morphological process, some processes are not

necessarily of a morphological nature. The processes

are:

C. 2. 1 Clipping

Clipping is the process whereby new words are

formed by shortening other

words i.e. by eliminating the initial part, the

last part, or both parts of those

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words. For example phone from (tele)phone, plane from

(air)plane, ad from ad(vertisement), exam from exam(ination),

flu from (in)flu(enza), etc. The short form represents

the word in its entirely; however, it does not

have to be the most important part of the original

word. Also, clipping may not be used in the same

context as the longer word. For example the word

exam is mostly used to refer to academic

examinations not to medical examinations.

C. 2. 2 Borrowing

Borrowing is the process whereby new words are

formed by adopting words from other languages. For

example, tango, taco from Spanish, pizza, mafia from

Italian, etc. Usually, the pronunciation of the

borrowed words is adopted to the language which

adopts the words.

C. 2. 3 Blending

Blending is the process whereby new words are

formed by combining parts of two words. For

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example, brunch from (breakfast + lunch), motel from (motor

+ hotel), heliport from (helicopter + airport), etc.

D. Data Presentation

From 200 facebook account names of Indonesian lesbians

taken, there are 29 patterns of formed names. They put

the word less along with their surname. Some of them

only put the word less after the surname. Some of them

put and blend it with other word, vocal(s), or

consonant(s), or they put it between the surname and

last name. The patterns formed as follow:

1. surname + less Ana less, Adinda Less, Agnes Less, Aimie Less, Ain Less, Aini Less, Alie Less, Aliya Less, Amanda Less, Ambar Less, AmheliaLess, Andiney Less,Andini Less, Angel Less, Angelia Less,Anggi Less, Anisa Less, Yosimi Less, Devita Less, Elisabet Tini Less

2. surname + phrase(s) + (less) Caca Marica ( cha cha Sii Less), SaniBeyyan

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slaluciemutzterus (Less)

3. surname + phrase(s) + less Dewi Jadi Less, Mega Ingin less

4. surname + (phrase(s)- + -less) Angel Sexless, AnaGemaless, Bunga DesaLess

5. surname + less + phrase(s) Adina Less Swara, Dewi Less Boy

6. surname + (less- + -phrase(s)) Angel Lessforever, Ana Lesslady, Inttan Guevara Lessedjati

7. surname + morpheme(s) + less Echa To Less, LellySie Less, Amelia Luph Less

8. surname + (morpheme(s)- + -less)

Vallen Slluless, Fifi Jeless, Helen Herless, Risma Ngeless, Aiuug Luvless

9. surname + (less- + -morpheme(s))

Sussy Lessba, RiskaLessbi, Laura Lessbi, Mina Lessbi, Julia Lessbi, Devi Lessbong, Celsy Lessbonk, Asti Lucinta Lesson

10. surname + less + morpheme(s)

Angel Less Aj, AmelLess Niez, Ratna Less Bi, Anita LessBi, Curiosa Less Bi, Sojia Less Bi, Lola Less Bi, Mishell Less Bi An,Chika Less Bong, Melisa Less Bong, Lia Diana Less

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Bong, Ajenkz Less Bee, Laura Less Bonk, Ana Less Bie

11. surname + (less- + -vocal(s))

Lissa Lessia

12. surname + (consonant(s)- + -less)

Alexandia Bless ,Donita MyLess, Meeny Myless

13. surname + (less- + -consonant(s))

Ajeng Hervita Lessb, Ade Lessb, Lydia Lessb, AmandaLessb, Lianna Lessb, Shinta Lessb, leny Lessb, Chika lessb, Yulia Natalia Lessb, Anastasia LessB, Kania LessB, Mind LessB, Maria Rea LessB, Siska Luvy LessB, Nita LessB, Tany LessB, Siska LessB, Risma Lessby, Aulia Lessby, Imel Lessby, Vicka Lessby, Ferra Lessby, Arni Lessby, Melisa Lessby, Cici Lessy,Sue Lessy, VirginiaLessy, Dianz Lessy,Nadya Lessy Novariza, Wannie Lessy, Rachel Lessy, Tasya Lessy,Mawar Lessy, Maya Lessy, Zyzy lessty,

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Nana Lessty, VievieLessty, Elly Lessty, Aulia Lessty, Viona Lessty, Anisa Lessti, Lyla Lessly, Chely Ripcurl Lessh, Susan Lesst, AmeliaLessbn

14. surname + (less- + consonant) + phrase(s)

Angel Lessb Yang Slluceriaandcute

15. surname + less + last name Dessi Less Melisa, Diah Less Srikandi,Anggi Less Oktavia,Angelia Less Triana, Amel less Tary, Amel Less Tary, Tari Less Tary, Dinni Less Tary, Nunie’ Less Tary, Naila Less Tary, Cutee Less Tary, Mandaq Less Tary, Maya Less Tari, Dewi Less Tari, Enzky Less Tari, Rani Less Tari, Vannisa Less Tari, Rumy Less Tari, Ririn Less Tari, Citra Less tari, Ana Less Ani,Shintia Less Tari

16. surname + (less- + -lastname)

Amelia Lesstari, Ami Lesstari, AngelLesstary, Bunga Lesstary, Diah Lesstari, Diah

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Ratna Lesstari,Vidya Lesstari, Silvie Lesstari, Indah AyuLesstari, Melani Lesstari, Dewi Ayunya Lesstari, Naomy Lesstari, Pricil Lesstari, Litha Lesstarie, Icha Lessyanti, Memey Lessyanti, Dian Nayabi Lessyanti, Setiana Lessyanti, Rara Lesyanti, Tini Lesyanti, Tini Lesyanti, Tamara Lesyanti, Kelly Lessvia, Nana Lessindria, Melly Lessyana, Alena Lesstiany, Cika LessTianthy, Aulia Lessviana, Mella Barbie Lessvina

17. surname + less + less Anita Less Less, Jum jum Less Less, Aryanti Dhini Less Less, Chacha Less less, Sri Less Less

18. less + surname Less Chyntaa, Less Nia, Less Nur, LessLyli, Less Tary Diana, Less Tary

19. less + surname + morpheme Less Ana Bi20. (less- + -consonant) +

surnameLessy Nadhine, Lessty Awidyawati, Lessty Cordoba

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21. (less- + -consonant) + phrase

Lessty Imuot

22. (less- + -consonant) + less Lessy Less23. (less- + -consonant) +

surname + lessLessy Virgin Less

24. surname + (morpheme- + -lezz)

N Poetri CewLezz

25. surname + (lezz- + consonant(s))

Ferla Lezzby, Lucy Lezzy, Linna Lezzy

26. surname + (Lezz- + -lastname)

Nabhila Fuji Lezztari, Tianny C Lezztari

27. others Aleesyaless MawarLess, Mhala’less Dhyeka Jellek, Angel V-less, Anna LeEzz, Melisa Seliyanti Lessehan, Cie Crizty Lessbynona, IiNlhyn Lezs ‘jua’,Dien Aimeeli FemmeLess, Dian Ambless, Eccy Aryany lezzliee III, maryam Tantelessb II, Lessy Maruu, Lessy Gurlz

E. Discussion

From the data presented, it could be seen that most of

the Indonesian lesbians used the word less in many

formations for their facebook account name. They clipped

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the word lesbian by eliminating the last part of the

word: (les)bian. Since there was the word les in the

vocabulary list of the Indonesian language, they, then,

borrowed the English word less that the pronunciation of

it was similar with the word les. It could be understood

because if they used the word les on their facebook

account name, there was possibility that they were not

a lesbian. It was because the word les in Indonesian

language meant extracurricular tutorial lesson.

Based on the patterns found, they put the word less

after their surname, between the surname and last name

and before the surname.

(i) Ana Less, Adinda Less

(ii) Dessi Less Melisa, Anggi Less Oktavia

(iii) Less Chyntaa, Less Lyli

Sometimes they bound it with the last name or put two

the words less after their surname.

(v) Amelia Less(tari), Icha Less(yanti), Nana

Less(indria), Kelly

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Less(via), Aulia Less(viana) (less- +

-lastname)

(iv) Anita Less Less, Chacha Less less, Aryanti

Dhini Less Less

Beside shortening and adopting words, they

combined the word less with other words whether it was

free or bound words.

(vi) Dewi Jadi Less, Bunga (Desa)Less, Adina

Less Swara, Ana

Less(lady)

As well, they bound it with vocal(s) or consonant(s)

and then put the word formed whether as the initial

part, the last part or both part of their facebook

account name.

(vi) Less(y) Nadhine (less- + -consonant)

(vii) Lissa Less(ia) (less- + -vocals)

Ajeng Hervita Less(b) (less- + -

consonant)

Donita (My)less (consonants- + -less)

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(viii) Less(y) Virgin less (less- + -

consonant) + less

In addition, they combined it with both consonant(s)

and other word(s).

(ix) Angel Less(b) Yang Slluceriaandcute

(less- + consonant) +

phrase(s)

Besides, they also bound or combined the word less

with morpheme whether as prefix or suffix. Then, they

put the word formed as the last part of their facebook

account name or their surname was between the word

less and morpheme.

(x) Sussy Less(ba), Riska Less(bi), Celsy

Less(bonk), Asti Lucinta

Less(on) (less- + -morpheme)

(xi) Fifi (Je)less, Helen (Her)less, Risma

(Nge)less, Vallen (Sllu)less

(morpheme- + -less)

(xii) Echa To Less, Amelia Luph Less, Lelly Sie

Less (morpheme +

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less)

(xiii) Angel Less Aj, Amel Less Niez, Ana Less

Bie, Ratna Less Bi

(less + morpheme)

(xiv) Less Ana Bi (less + surname + morpheme)

From 27 patterns on the data above, they also

made variation in phonetic

alphabet in which letter s was changed into z.

(xv) N Poetri Cew(Lezz) (morpheme- + -lezz)

Ferla Lezz(by) (lezz- +

consonants)

Linna C Lezz(tari) (lezz- + -

lastname)

Moreover, they coined words through several ways of

forming a word in which it was rather difficult to

analyze its pattern.

(xvi) Angel V-less, Melisa Seliyanti Lessehan,

Cie Cristy Lessbynona,

Dian Ambless, Eccy Aryany

lezzliee III, Aimeelii FemmeLess

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F. Conclusion

From this research, 27 patterns of word formation have

been found in which each word is formed through the

morphological processes. The morphological processes

used are clipping, borrowing, and blending. The words

formed become the new words in the Indonesian

vocabulary list. It can be said that they have coined a

word, although those words have not yet been accepted

into the mainstream Indonesian language.

What interesting for me in analyzing the

Indonesian Lesbian facebook account names is the way

they disclose their sexual orientation to the public.

Because of their worry about the family and society

rejection, they try to tell their sexual orientation in

the indirect manner. They choose facebook as the media

to disclosure it because through this media they can

tell others, especially lesbian community members,

about their existence without worry about the family

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and society rejection. They can feel free to share

their feeling each other.

The most interesting part is their facebook account

names. They create the unique names that make other

lesbians straightforwardly recognize that they are a

lesbian too. Looking at their account names, almost all

the Indonesian lesbians use the word less for the

facebook account name. In my opinion, there is an

agreement among the Indonesian lesbians in using the

word less as the sign of their identity. However, we

need to research more deeply on it that probably; it

can be analyzed from psychological aspect.