Motivations of Semantic Change In Contemporary Indonesian Slang

Authors

  • Arief Armedi Universitas Negeri Medan
  • Hermayani Friska Uli Purba Universitas Negeri Medan
  • Nia Mutia Nasution Universitas Negeri Medan
  • Sabrina Amanda Universitas Negeri Medan
  • Theofany Erlim Limbong Universitas Negeri Medan
  • Meisuri Meisuri Universitas Negeri Medan

Keywords:

Semantic, Semantic Change, Blank, Social Media

Abstract

This study investigates semantic shifts in twenty Indonesian slang expressions used by Generation Z on X. Using Andreas Blank’s motivational theory, qualitative analysis reveals that cognitive association (28%) and expressivity (24%) are the primary drivers of meaning change. The findings demonstrate that slang development is a systematic response to communicative needs, providing a foundation for understanding linguistic evolution and social behavior in digital environments.

References

Aditya, R. (2024). The Pragmatics of Indonesian Youth Slang on X: A Semantic Shift Analysis. Journal of Digital Linguistics, 12(1), 45-60.

Blank, A. (1999). Why do new meanings occur? A cognitive typology of the motivations for lexicalization. In A. Blank & P. Koch (Eds.), Historical Semantics and Cognition. Mouton de Gruyter.

Campbell, L. (2021). Historical Linguistics: An Introduction (4th ed.). MIT Press.

Digital Society Forum. (2025). Slang as Social Currency: How Gen Z Redeems Language. Modern Communication Essays.

Febriani, S., & Kusuma, W. (2023). Semantic Bleaching in Gen Z Communication: A Case Study of "Literally" and "Gas". Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 13(2), 210-225.

Hidayat, T. (2022). Motivations of Slang Formation in Digital Communities. Lingua Cultura, 16(1), 88-94.

Indo-Linguist. (2024). Why Indonesian Slang Changes Faster Than Your Internet Connection. Linguistics Archive.

Li, M. (2025). Rapid Semantic Evolution: The Impact of Meme Culture on Lexical Stability. International Journal of Communication Studies, 19(1), 102-118.

Meyerhoff, M. (2023). Introducing Sociolinguistics. Routledge.

Pratama, A. (2023). Systemic Functional Linguistics and the Analysis of Social Media Slang. Linguistics and Education Today, 5(3), 15-29.

Putri, D. A. (2024). The Sociolinguistics of "Anjay": From Taboo to Expressive Marker. Journal of Language and Literature, 24(2), 301-315.

Riemer, N. (2010). Introducing Semantics. Cambridge University Press.

Sari, N. P. (2024). Analyzing Semantic Change in Indonesian Slang via Andreas Blank’s Typology. Global Journal of Philology, 8(4), 112-127.

Thompson, E. (2025). Digital Semantics: How X (Twitter) Shapes Modern English and Indonesian Dialects. Tech-Linguistics Review, 4(1), 55-70.

Wijaya, K. (2022). The Evolution of Maritime Slang in Indonesian Coastal Communities: A Semantic Study. Maritime Language Quarterly, 3(2), 12-28.

Yusuf, M. (2023). Cognitive Motivations Behind Word Meaning Shifts in Social Media Trends. Journal of Cognitive Semantics, 9(2), 245-260.

Downloads

Published

2026-04-29

How to Cite

Armedi, A., Uli Purba, H. F., Nasution, N. M., Amanda, S., Limbong, T. E., & Meisuri, M. (2026). Motivations of Semantic Change In Contemporary Indonesian Slang. Komprehensif, 4(1), 289–298. Retrieved from https://ejournal.edutechjaya.com/index.php/komprehensif/article/view/1894

Issue

Section

Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)