LANGUAGE, SUBCULTURE, AND POPULAR MUSIC: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE “KICAU MANIA” REGISTER IN THE SONG LYRICS OF NDARBOY GENK
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70210/amrj.v4i2.219Keywords:
sociolinguistics, popular music, kicau mania, Ndarboy Genk, linguistic habitus, social identityAbstract
Language in contemporary Javanese popular music no longer functions merely as an aesthetic medium; it has become a dynamic arena for negotiating social identity and the symbolic resistance of the working class. This study aims to dissect the linguistic representation of the kicau mania (bird-singing enthusiast) subculture in the lyrics of “Kicau Mania” (2026), performed by Ndarboy Genk, Banditoz Yaow 86, and BoyCord. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach and a content-analysis method integrated with the ethnography of communication, this study analyzes twenty-four (24) linguistic units classified into three main corpora: in-group marker lexicon, communal solidarity construction, and code-mixing patterns. The theoretical analysis was conducted through triangulation of Dell Hymes’ Speech Community theory, Bonny Norton’s Social Identity theory, and Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of linguistic habitus. The findings show that exclusive lexical items such as gacor and nggantang have undergone linguistic translocation from an isolated physical space to the macro digital marketplace. Furthermore, sociocultural metaphors such as kalah kondangan are actively constructed to democratize Javanese masculine identity and to build communal solidarity. Finally, the hybrid code-mixing patterns reflect the linguistic habitus of the urban working class, adapting to modernity without losing the authenticity of its locality.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ramadan Adianto Budiman, Titis Ary Laksanti I Desak Ketut, Dessy Dwijayanti, Sofia Safira
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