Dehumanization in Javanese metaphorical insults

This study employs a descriptive-analytical qualitative method to investigate the utilization of metaphorical insults in the Javanese language through the perspective of social semantics with regard to dehumanization. Metaphorical insults that compare humans with non-humans have metaphorical implications. The research aims to understand the emotional connotations of insults that associate humans with non-human entities, such as anger, hatred, or even closeness. The findings demonstrate that insults referencing animals are often employed as curses, based on the nature of the animal in question. Additionally, the study reveals that insults referencing inanimate objects are rooted in their functions, values, or negative qualities. Furthermore, the study posits that metaphorical insults referencing plants or plant parts tend to be based on the perceived value or qualities of the plant, the change of a certain plant’s form, as well as disproportionate juxtaposition. These insults referencing plants can be considered as a new form of dehumanization. The study concludes that metaphorical insults constitute a soft form of symbolic violence in Javanese society, perpetuated through language as a cultural and social practice wherein one individual exerts dominance over another.