LANGUAGE REPETITION IN PANDEMIC TIMES: A NEW HABITUS BEHIND SOCIAL
INTERACTION
Andi Sukri Syamsuri (1), Muh Faisal (2)
(1) Alauddin State Islamic University Makassar
(2) University of Muhammadiyah Makassar [email protected]
ABSTRACT
This study describes how the social situation during the COVID-19 pandemic is influenced by the pressure and dominance of the use of language, as well as symbolic texts in society. The use of language is described from language configuration to language repetition, which textually and gradually forms contextual patterns. In that position, it is then found how the language works in seeing adaptation and social change during the pandemic.
This research was conducted in Makassar using a qualitative-explanatory method with a phenomenological theory approach in discussing the formation of the nature and elements of language which is carried out continuously (read: language repetition) in generating new meanings as well as new values. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation. Meanwhile, to test the validity and reliability, a literature review approach is used, namely comparing references and scientific manuscripts that have been tested for truth.
In this study, it shows that repetition of language use becomes a symbolic pattern that is present in the community as a result of social affirmations that experience the same conditions and views on the impacts resulting from the pandemic. This is shown through the use of language dominance and textual symbolic markers which then have an impact on new contextualization patterns that try to reposition the old social structure. Thomas Khun's theory of paradigm change (1962) and Pierre Bourdieu's theory of social practice (1977) were used to complement the findings on the transition of new social structures in the face of the current global pandemic.
Furthermore, the conclusion of this study shows that language repetition is present as a representation of changes in ideological knowledge and symbolic knowledge which gradually becomes a pattern of social interaction during the pandemic. These changes manifest new social habits and practices as indicators of global change.
Keywords: Language repetition, pandemic, social change, new habitus.
A. PRELIMINARY
Language as an instrument of human ideological knowledge is constantly developing as well as changing which is influenced by the situation and socio-cultural dynamics. Whereas culture which includes aspects of language is basically not static, because it is in line with changes in the social values around it. Therefore, changes in language manifest changes in socio-cultural values, and vice versa. Thus, the values that grow in society are an effort to respond to changes, including language changes.
In line with changes in values, terms and the use of new vocabulary in the language grow and develop. The term is an attempt to explain the complexity of human knowledge in responding to life. Whereas the development of complexity in interpreting social events today, the use of new terms and vocabulary becomes an important part in understanding complexity. Including parables using the language of medical terms, biology, geography, and so on in describing the state of social reality.
Departing from the state of reality, the existence of the covid-19 pandemic or generally referred to as the corona virus that has hit the global community today, including Indonesia and more specifically the City of Makassar which is believed to have threatened human safety by using statistical data on human deaths that continues to grow. In the notes of the Friday edition of the Kompas Daily, July 30th , 2021, 1,808 patients died out of a total of 97,291 deaths since the Covid-19 case was first announced on March 2nd, 2020. The pandemic phenomenon has implications for changes in the values of society which then gradually become changes in social practices. This includes language changes which include the development of new terms as well as repetition of terms in the language (read: repetitions) in establishing social emphasis and discipline as an effort for a country that is considered capable of breaking the chain of transmission of the corona virus. The inculcation of new values through language repetition then becomes an indicator in reading multi-sectoral changes during the pandemic. According to Foucault (1994), language as a discourse system is not only understood as a series of words or propositions in a text, but discourse is something that produces something else (an idea, concept, or effect).
Based on the phenomenon of social reality above, then this research will further describe how the use of forms of terminology, diction, vocabulary, or other symbolic markers is produced through language repetition in producing
lexical meaning, grammatical meaning, and pragmatic meaning. The following is a gradual change in social interaction.
B. RESEARCH METHODS
This research is a phenomenological research that describes the state of the formation of a social paradigm during a pandemic through language repetition that is ongoing and is being experienced in general on a wider scale. The location of the research was carried out in Makassar City as well as a research sample that could be generalized based on the determination of national policies in responding to the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the period from March 2020. This research was qualitative-explanative in describing the formation of the characteristics and elements of language which was carried out systematically and continuously (read:
language repetition) in producing lexical meaning, grammatical meaning, and pragmatic meaning as a new value system in society in the midst of a pandemic. Data collection was carried out by observing the use of language and symbolic devices in the social field, interviews based on key informants in order to obtain wider and deeper data (snow ball sampling). Then, the documentation technique was done through searching for visual documents in various sources in the network (online) as well as recording devices such as audio-visual cameras.
Furthermore, to test the validity and reliability, a literature review approach was used, namely comparing references and scientific manuscripts that have been tested for truth. To complement the findings on the transition to a new social structure in the face of the current global pandemic, Thomas Khun's theory of paradigm change (1962) and Pierre Bourdieu's theory of social practice (1972) were used.
C. DISCUSSION
Results This study departs from the origin of the configuration of language use as a reaction to pandemic events and phenomena faced by the community with a fairly long time span. Furthermore, the next section explains how the language configuration formed a system of values and social norms through language repetition.
These values affirmed the discourse system in giving birth to new meanings through dialectics and social paradigms. In this position, the social paradigm was linked to social practices during a pandemic through adaptation and changes in social interactions.
The research results are systematically described as follows:
1. Language Configuration During Pandemic
The use of language structures in society as a vital instrument in giving communicative messages, is in line with human existence in responding to their social culture. Matthiesse (1992) asserts that the language function is categorized based on ideational function, interpersonal function, and textual function. That language configuration functions in explaining as well as constructing knowledge systems that work to respond to the surrounding phenomena.
In the phenomenon of the pandemic period in Makassar, the use of language was demonstrated through human efforts to protect safety from the threat of virus outbreaks in various social situations encountered. That there were many social situations that have the potential to transmit epidemics through direct encounters and interactions with humans and objects, as well as goods.
Human efforts in maintaining their safety against the transmission of the virus are the main variables in building a social paradigm through the use of verbal language and visual language. The language facility is also a medium of communication in informing government policies in shaping social discipline.
The following is a language configuration through the terms used in the pandemic phenomenon:
No Language Configuration Emphasis 1. Lockdown ( Kuncitara : from a
combination of words lock temporarily )
Close access to social space.
Both login and access out which allow for the spread and expansion of viral transmission.
2. Quarantine Separation of people or
territories susceptible to virus infection with those who are not infected with the virus.
3. Social distancing
(Social Distancing) Preventive Expansion
spread of virus through certain activity restrictions
to society to suspected infected area
disease.
4. Physical Restrictions
(Physical Distancing) Preventive expansion spread of the virus through physical restrictions. However
social relations are maintained.
5. Health Protocol Equip 5 M support facilities (Washing hands, Wearing masks, Keeping a distance, Staying away from crowds, and reduced mobility)
5. Just stay at home (stay at
home) Work and study activities
centered at home.
New Normal (New Normal)
Changes in patterns of social interaction as an effort to prevent the transmission of COVID-19
6 Quick test (Rapid Test) Screening Covid-19 patients with a quick examination method using a tool cartridge to see the presence of
antibodies in the body when infected with a virus 7 Wipe Test (Swab Test) Screening Covid-19 patients by
detecting the presence of antigens or parts of the corona virus in the body by taking a sample of mucus from the nose or
throat.
8 Vaccination Efforts to form immunity or
immune substances
(antibodies) to minimize Covid-19 transmission
The language configuration above is one of the uses of terms that grows and develops in the structure of social layers, as shown through terms in public policy, medical-health terms, prevention terms, education terms, social service world terms, and so on.
The configuration of the language terms was translated back in a specification
(breakdown) by the community into social interaction. It means that, these language configuration relationships then produce new meanings in social life.
2. Language Repetition as a Social Paradigm Construction
Departing from the configuration of language as a form of terminology that is presented from the phenomena and events of the pandemic that afflicted. Then, the language configuration becomes the dominant term in suppressing the transmission and spread of the virus. The language that becomes the most dominant thing is shown through the repetition of language in social interaction.
Language repetitions in this study are the dominant terms used in social interaction. The emphasis is on textual and contextual repetitions that are considered as a result of human efforts to avoid the impact of the spread of the virus. So from the dominance and repetition of the language then gradually form emphasis, propriety, and regularity in a paradigmatic way. This means that the formation of paradigmatic values is constructed repetitively or through repetition, discipline, habituation, and learning through language terms intensively and continuously. Habituation and repetition of these terms form a new value system in the social structure. As Deleuze and Guattari (1990) put it, symbolic repetition is a condition of action before it becomes a concept of reflection. We produce something new only under the conditions that we repeat.
Furthermore, how language repetition works in shaping the social paradigm can be seen in the following table:
No Language Configuration Repetition Form
1. Quarantine - Self quarantine
- Social quarantine - Territorial quarantine - home quarantine - Hospital quarantine - Quarantine of special
facilities (etc) 2. Enforcement of Large-
Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) and Restrictions
- Restrictions on
economic activities in the community
- Restrictions on worship activities in places of worship
Community Activities
(PPKM) - Restrictions on event
activities in public spaces - Limitation of face-to-face
learning activities in schools - Restrictions on
transportation access
- Restrictions on banquet activities in the
community
- Restrictions on tourist attractions, (etc) 3. Just stay at home
(stay at home) - Work at home
- Study at home - Activity at home - Shop at home
- Graduation at home (etc) 4. Vaccinations/Vaccines - Covid-19 Vaccination
- Massive vaccination - Vaccination stage I - Vaccination stage II - Antigen Vaccination - Bio Farma Vaccines,
AstraZeneca, Moderna, Sinopharm, Sinovac, BioNTech. (etc) 5. Health Protocol (prokes) - banquet process
- Shopping process - Educational process - Public facility process - Office process
- Transportation process (etc)
The series of repetition formation processes above are samples of the many uses of repetitive language. Likewise, the domain of repetitive language then forms new structures, interpretations, and meanings in its use (language taxonomy).
Although its use is very dominant, basically language repetition does not stand alone. Language repetition during a pandemic is influenced by the emphasis on social emergencies. The emergency not only threatens humans as subjects, but also affects the future sustainability of the sectoral life structure. Then, these postulates become the main basis in creating emphasis, discipline, habituation, and social order in order to save the sustainability and future existence of humans. Therefore, efforts to create discipline and social order are emphasized through language repetition through warnings, appeals, policies, rules, and regulations.
The following is a repetition pattern during a pandemic:
No Source Instrument Reps
1. - Public policy - Candy, Presidential Decree, Candy, Regional
Regulation, etc.
- Repeated extension of regulations, from the Central
government to the regions.
2. - Technology Informatio n
- Print media, social media, electronic media, virtual media, etc.
- The show
continuously and repeatedly
3. - Symbolic
marker - Language,
Symbol/logo, image, color, code, jargon, hashtag, and sound, etc.
- Usage massively and dominantly
The description above shows how repetition of text and context work through social disciplinary discourse. If it is associated with Foucault's (1977) concept with the above case, then through language repetition, the disciplinary process ultimately produces subjects through hierarchical grouping and naming, through rationality of efficiency, productivity and normalization. Foucault's most famous metaphor for this system of disciplines is the panopticon. This means that the supervision of
practice during the pandemic is carried out based on the dominance of knowledge aimed at disciplining discourse orientation. Foucault (1994), explains that the disciplinary mechanism is not only subject to the will of himself because there is a process, but is a form of relationship that is presented from the mechanism itself.
In other words, discipline through language is part of mutually binding relationships. Therefore, language repetition is part of a disciplinary mechanism which then gradually influences the formation of new social paradigms and behaviors.
3. New Habitus: Adaptation and Social Change
Based on the socio-linguistic approach, textual repetition indicates the formation of contextual repetition. The habits and traditions of life patterns that take place gradually are part of contextual repetition. This position explains that text as a symbolic marker is both a guide and a light in creating new social practices. According to Yasraf (2011), language as a sign system is a space or 'world' (the world of sign) where the pattern of life is given a symbolic meaning.
The pandemic phenomenon that has plagued social life shows that there is a social paradigm related to habitual patterns shown through textual repetition into contextual repetition. This matter is also emphasized by Khun (1977) who explains that the social paradigm is related to continuous habits, decisions, general rules, and research results accepted by society.
Based on the social paradigm above, the pandemic phenomenon that has lasted for almost two years has plagued the community, allowing a shift in values and social changes. The indications are shown through patterns of habits, regularities, tendencies that are internalized through social practice, or the term commonly used by Boudieu (1977) as "Habitus" to describe social practices which emphasize capital and the social realm. According to Bourdieu (1984: 18), the habitus is in the minds of the actors, while the field is outside their minds. Dialectically, habitus is "a product of the internalization of structures". In fact, we can think of habitus as “social structures that are internalized, 'created'” (Bourdieu, 1984a-468). In this case,
In the following, the form of internalization of the structure of social practice during the pandemic is as follows:
No Social Emphasis New Habits 1. Physical restrictions
and social restrictions
Screen world
internalization, Network interaction
(online).
2. Direct learning restrictions Internalization of creativity and learning innovation through the virtual world (network learning, teacher room
applications, webinars, digital literature,
etc.
3. Restrictions on economic activity in public spaces
Internalization of innovative economic practices. Such as Online
shop, virtual money (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Stellar, etc.)
4. Restrictions on
performances (events) Screen world internalization (virtual exhibition, digital installation, screen arts, etc.)
5. Direct social service
restrictions Internalization and interaction in the network (online). One- stop service effectiveness, algorithm-based service and Artificial Intelligence/AI.
4. Health Protocol
room public Internalize healthy patterns with
foster confidence in biotech and biochemistry.
5. Just stay at home (stay at
home) Internalization of the values
of efficiency and effectiveness indoing social practice.
(etc)
The sample above is a part of several patterns of value internalization in shaping social behavior and practices (read: new habitus). In the habitus, there is a cognitive structure that mediates the individual and social reality. That individuals use habitus in dealing with social facts (Faisal 2018:132).
Concerning habitus as an action structure that is internalized through the cognition system, the use of the term New Normal is habitus which explains the internalization between social facts and social behavior. It led to many thoughts about a new social definition. Likewise with the use of the term "new habitus" in this study, it explains how social practices during the pandemic bring on to changes in new values.
If using the concept of habitus Boudieu, the phenomenon of the Covid-19 pandemic is seen from four main capitals in social practice, namely: Knowledge Capital or cultural capital, Economic capital, Social capital, and Symbolic Capital.
a. Knowledge Capital
In this context, it relates to the way society responds, interprets, and rationalizes social facts during a pandemic. The social facts in question are: value systems, norm systems, rules, regulations, and other legal instruments that are binding. In this term, the community creates and uses new knowledge, ideas, and paradigms in responding to the pandemic situation they are facing. To increase knowledge and information capital during the pandemic, the tendency of social behavior begins to adapt literacy, communication, and digital information. This means that the pandemic phenomenon is closely related to knowledge capital in forming the basic values of a new culture.
b. Economic Capital
The prolonged pandemic situation indicates the importance of economic capital as a condition for survival in the social life during the pandemic. The indications are shown by reduced economic activity and the occurrence of an economic recession. In this term, people are forced to adapt to the world of creativity, innovation, and productivity as a way out to continue the economy. Economic involvement has begun to be associated with digital economic systems such as online transactions, online shops (Lazada, Tokopedia, Shopee, Bli bli, JD.ID, etc.), as well as the tendency of people to adapt virtual exchange rates such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Stellar, etc.
C. Social Capital
The pandemic phenomena that are sorely felt in the community are physical restrictions and social restrictions. It is because these matters are related to the limited forms of social activities in public spaces (education, economy, politics, tourism, events, public services, etc.). On the other hand, the structure of social relations must run to carry out life together. At the same time, the COVID-19 task force
19 also carried out the intensity of socialization by using information technology media. In line with this, Rakhmadani (2020) shows the data results that the task force's communication strategy in handling the corona virus is dominantly using art collaboration with technology media, social media, radio communication, collecting important telephone numbers. So that in responding to this situation, social relations are overcome through digital technology systems and virtual facilities. (digital economy, virtual class, digital service, virtual show/exhibition, virtual communication, etc.). The tendency of the community is an attempt to establish social relations through new social practices.
D. Symbolic Capital
Symbolic capital during the pandemic is not only related to self-reputation through social predicate. But language also becomes a more dominant part of the practice. Language in this position is not only related to text. But language as a symbolic marker that has a semiotic meaning, such as images, codes, icons, logos, symbols, and so on. In a pandemic situation, the use of symbols undergoes rapid development and changes, such as movement symbols (shakes, funerals, quarantines, etc.) the social distancing symbol (X), emergency icons, medical logos, vaccine codes, infographic images, and so on. Likewise, the use of coding languages through people's tendencies in the world of digital technology such as Javascript (Google Chrome, Mozilla, Opera, Safari, etc.), Python (websites, applications, apbile mobile, etc.), Go Programs (dropbox, cloud, docker). , etc.). That the symbolic capital is related to meaning and discourse in which it indicates a social change into a new habitus.
Thomas Khun in Iftahul, (2020:12) classifies these changes through two main paradigm aspects, namely changes based on 1). Scientific paradigm, and 2). Natural paradigm. Scientific paradigm refers to a). Social facts (norms, values, rules that are coercive and binding), and b). Social behavior (stimulus from outside). Furthermore, the natural paradigm is related to the social definition. The social definition does not refer to social facts, but rather to human thought processes. Therefore, social action is not centered on social structures, but on shared definitions based on the perspectives of each individual and social group in responding to the pandemic phenomenon. This is also in line with the government's efforts and strategies in carrying out prevention efforts.
The "new habitus" in this study is a description of new social behavior during a pandemic that is formed through external stimuli such as: norms, values, and rules that emphasize the limitation of social relationships in a general way.
direct. But that does not mean that the stimulus from within does not work, because the habit and discipline then manifest the basis of the feeling that is generated from within. Setyo Wibowo (2017) terms the basis of taste as auto-affection that comes from human feelings and thoughts. That auto-affection finds life capable of feeling its own taste, is also a key term for phenomenology. In this position, a new habitus is formed, which is an auto-affective phenomenon that adapts to the values of effectiveness, efficiency, creativity, and innovation in dealing with life during a pandemic. Human intimacy towards technological instruments is then unavoidable.
That almost all forms of social interaction (education, economy, politics, health, culture, and other social services) does not escape the role and intervention of information-technology (infotek). In these conditions there are many structures of social interaction that are abandoned and taken over by technological power. The adaptation of these new values is a social fact of society during the pandemic towards changes in the new social order (new habitus).
D. CONCLUSION
This study shows that during the pandemic, language becomes a symbolic marker in constructing discourse. That discourse is all forms of human communication actions against reality, including communication actions in response to the pandemic phenomenon.
Language configuration as an initial marker in translating the pandemic reality situation, then realizing new vocabulary and terms. Likewise, when language is used to create social discipline through a system of values, norms, rules, and other social institutions. Furthermore, the communication dialectic presents language repetitions in finding new meanings as social facts. The repetition also shows the dominance of values that affect the internalization of social actions and behavior. That habit, regularity, discipline through repetition of language textually and contextually is a stimulus in shaping social behavior.
The internalization of social values during the pandemic creates a new habitus in social practice. In the habitus there are adaptations of knowledge, adaptation of economics, adaptation of social relations and symbolic adaptations in the social arena.
Likewise with the social situation during the pandemic in which there is adaptation and social change towards a new value order. That the dominance of social practice is closely related to the narrative of technological progress which has summarized space, summarized time, and summarized contemporary social behaviors today. In this position, the writer calls it a “new habit”.
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