Language, Identity, and Community: A Comparative Study of Onee Kotoba in Japan and Bahasa Binan in Indonesia

Abstrak

This study compares Onee Kotoba in Japan and Bahasa Binan in Indonesia to explore the interplay between language, identity, and community within LGBTQ+ contexts. Using sociolinguistic and ethnolinguistic approaches, it examines their linguistic features, pragmatic functions, and socio-cultural foundations. The findings reveal that both varieties serve as markers of identity, tools of solidarity, and strategies for negotiating stigma, reflecting linguistic creativity shaped by social pressures. To deepen this comparison, the study also analyzes the use of codes and symbols in the verbal practices of gay communities in both countries. Data were collected through participatory observation, semi-structured interviews, and analyses of social media and popular literature used within these communities. All informant names are kept confidential to protect their privacy. The results show that the Japanese gay community frequently employs loanwords, phonological wordplay, and expressions influenced by pop culture, particularly those associated with okama and onee kotoba, which are characterized by feminine, expressive speaking styles. In contrast, Indonesian gay slang is shaped largely by Bahasa Binan, which incorporates regional languages and foreign lexical elements as markers of identity and as a form of social protection. Both communities use linguistic codes not only to signal in-group membership but also to conceal their identities in less accepting environments. Overall, this study provides insight into the role of language as a medium of identity construction and resistance within marginalized groups. It contributes to the fields of sociolinguistics, ethnolinguistics, and linguistic anthropology by offering a deeper understanding of queer linguistic practices in Japan and Indonesia.