THE STUDY OF SLANG IN PEDESTRIAN DIALOGUE OF GTA SAN ANDREAS VIDEO GAME

Abstract

Abstract
Video game is one of communication processes to share information. Within the video game there is also slang language that is used. Mostly, the language in a game is the formal or standard language, but in some games like Grand Theft Auto (GTA) San Andreas video game used informal or non standard language which is unique compared to other video games. The pedestrian dialogue in this video game is nearly a real conversation used in reality. Therefore, the writer is interested to analyze and prove that the slang language also occurred in the game. The writer in this research uses sociolinguistic and pragmatic theories. The writer also uses observation method and note-taking technique in purpose of collecting data, then the writer uses distributional method and substituting technique by Sudaryanto to analyze the data. Meanwhile, in presenting the data the writer uses informal method. The writer in this thesis analyzes the slang language as found in Pedestrian Dialogue of GTA San Andreas Video Game. The result of the research is that the form of slang is the form of word, and also meaning of slang is more specific dealing with gangster and crimes. The meaning can be understood through context of utterances spoken by speakers and hearers, they are member of video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Keywords: Slang, Form of Slang, Meaning of Slang.
Introduction
Video game becomes so familiar in this present day. Many kids and adults people attracted to play the video game. This video game can be played by using certain systems. There are many kinds of systems to play the game such as PS One, PS2, PS3, Nintendo, Sega, PC, X-BOX, and so on. System means the device where the game disc is put inside and people can play it after doing so and of course with some other instructions. Different system means different games that can be played, and also different controller to be used. The game itself is divided into two kinds that is online game which needs internet connections, because in this kind of game, a player can chat with other human player. The other one is offline game where the player only chats to the Non Playable Character (NPC) with limited actions of chatting like system does.
Occasionally, the game in system communicates to the player directly or to the character that the player used in the game by displaying text on the screen or by sound, and sometimes both. Even though, it is limited and not as perfect as the real life. In this research, the writer chooses to analyze PS2 video game which is part of offline games which entitled Grand Theft Auto
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(GTA) San Andreas, and focuses on the Pedestrian Dialogue. Grand Theft Auto means that the player is able to jack any vehicles whether it is car, bike, speed boat, and even airplane and also the people in this game who walk on the street or in the building excluding the protagonist and the antagonist is called pedestrian. In this game, the player play as Carl Johnson (CJ) a man who comes back to his homeland in Los Santos City of San Andreas somewhere in USA and rejoin his gang and tries to protect his own family from other gangster and corrupt policeman by living as a street criminal. The writer chooses Pedestrian Dialogue because almost all dialogue are in form of slang language especially when the character do certain actions to the pedestrian like negotiating with the barber man, punching a man on the street, shooting police car and so on. Slang is a very informal speech variety used in informal situation which often called as an in-group language for a particular set of people (Richard: 490). The example of slang is as follows:
1. Beat it! (Leave).
2. Rack off! (Leave).
This kind of game is much different than usual offline game that use standard or formal text on the screen and standard or formal speech while it is chatting with the other characters of NPC or the characters that player used. Standard language is a designation in the contemporary world of one dialect of a language as the standard, correct, or pure form of the language (Akmadjian: 294). Meanwhile, Richard (362) say that non standard language differs in pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary from the standard variety of the language which is usually used in speech or writing in informal situation.
This game uses slang language which is part of non standard or informal language as tool of communication toward the character of the player or other NPC on the game. The writer is interested to analyze because the writer found the uniqueness is on the language which used in this video game especially on the form and the meaning of slang.
Slang is formed by a variety of processes. According to Patridge in Asmaranda (13), form of slang consisted by word or phrase. One single word could be slang depends on the context, and so does on phrase. Context is the setting where a communication encounter occurs, including what precedes and follows what is said and also the context affects the expectations of the participants, the meaning these participants receive, and their subsequent behavior (Verderber: 7).
There are some reasons why the writer chooses to analyze slang language used in this game. First, there is form of slang found in that game. Second, there are some meanings of slang which the meaning is a bit different than lexical meaning that is used in this game.
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GTA San Andreas video game as the data in this thesis is a popular video game that many teenagers and adults know and ever play that game. The pedestrian dialogue of this game contains many slang language. Moreover, the writer wants to prove that slang language is not only occurred in the real life of daily conversation but also in the game as well. That is the reasons why the writer chooses this game as the data of the research.
Methodology
The type of this research is qualitative research. Qualitative research is a kind of research that is explained the data by the verbal form and without any statistic technique in analyzing the data (Ibnu in Ainin: 11). In this research, the writer uses observation method to collect the data. Observation method is a method that observing the object research, likes observing the use of the language (Sudaryanto: 132). From the method, the writer observes all pedestrian dialogue that contains slang language, which is used in that game. The technique that uses to collect the data is note taking technique. Note taking technique is a technique by noting on the data card that will be classified soon (Sudaryanto: 135). So, the writer looks and reads the written text of pedestrian dialogue, first. Then, the writer takes notes and selected the data and classified the data by the purpose of this research.
After collecting the data, the writer applies the Distributional method to help analyzing the data. Distributional method is a method that distributes the linguistic item into the analyzing process (Sudaryanto: 31). Then, the writer uses Substitution technique, a technique by using replacement of the same data in the research (Sudaryanto: 48). The writer analyzed data by substituting original utterance (informal) to be formal utterance. This technique used by the writer to find the form of slang and the meaning of slang in analyzing the data. In analyzing data, the writer has several ways to be done. Firstly, the writer makes a list of sentences of the game’s dialogue that the writer wants to take. Secondly, the writer classifies the sentences of the game’s dialogue related to the purpose of this research. Thirdly, the writer analyzes the data based on the theory user. Finally, the writer makes the conclusion from this analysis.
In presenting the data analysis, Sudaryanto (145) says that, there are two types of method for representation of data analysis; those are informal and formal representation. The informal method is explained in the form of brief and under stable verbal statement, meanwhile the formal is written in the form of symbol and sign figuring out the rules of going in the research. So, the writer chooses the informal
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representation by using formulation with ordinary words.
Discussion and Result
After collecting the data, the writer tries to classify into the form of slang and the meaning of slang. There is form of slang that is the form of word and also the meaning of slang which found by the writer in this game. The discussion of these explains in one analyzing data. It can be seen in the following data.
Datum:
If you want to ice your wife or stop a truck, I got what you need.
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place in Ammunation shop. The utterance was uttered by the Ammunation clerk. The clerk uttered the utterance while offering a nice fire weapon (AK-47) to the hearer (PC). This utterance appeared after PC is going inside of a gun shop, then standing on the red circle and triggered the weaponry menu on the screen.
The word “ice” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning is “frozen substantial”, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “kill”. The meaning of “kill” is supported by the physical context of the weaponry menu triggered by the PC, and the conversation takes place in a gun shop named Ammunation, also the action of the clerk offering fire weapon AK-47 to the PC. Then, the historical context shared about the transaction of fire weapon in a gun shop and usually this word uses as indirect way to say to the customer purposes to buy a gun. Therefore, based on the context, the word “ice” means “kill” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
Ah, look at all this paper!
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place on the street. The utterance was uttered by the PC. The PC uttered the utterance while PC is picking up the cash. This utterance appeared after PC is killing a man on the street and that man dropped the cash in numerous numbers.
The word “paper” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning is “a sheet used to write”, meanwhile; the meaning from the situational is “money”. The meaning of “money” is supported by the physical context of the PC action that is picking up the cash, and also the conversation takes place on the street. Then, the historical context shared about the sadistic robber and usually this word uses as a code to say so. Therefore, based on the context, the word “paper” means “money” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
You want some lead in you?
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Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place in a private club. The utterance was uttered by the PC. The PC uttered the utterance while the customer makes any move or action. This utterance appeared after PC is threatening a customer by his handgun.
The word “lead” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning is “metal water pipe”, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “bullet”. The meaning of “bullet” is supported by the physical context of the PC action threatens a customer by a handgun, and also the conversation takes place in a private club. Then, the historical context shared about the annoying victim and usually this word uses to scare the victim. Therefore, based on the context, the word “lead” means “bullet” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
You just a bitch!
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place on the street. The utterance was uttered by the PC. The PC uttered the utterance while PC is still chasing on that man. This utterance appeared after PC is punching on a man and that man suddenly runaway from PC.
The word “bitch” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning is “prostitute”, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “coward”. The meaning of “coward” is supported by the physical context of the man action that suddenly runaway from PC after punching, and also the conversation takes place on the street. Then, the historical context shared about the innocent man tries to escape from the criminal man and usually this word uses to scorn people to get mad and fight. Therefore, based on the context, the word “bitch” means “coward” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
Gimme your whip fool!
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place on the street. The PC uttered the utterance while PC is punching and pulling out the driver. This utterance appeared after PC is trying to jack a car.
The word “whip” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning is “rope”, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “car”. The meaning of “car” is supported by the physical context of the PC action tries to jack a car by punching and pulling out the driver and also the conversation takes place on the street. Then, the historical context shared about carjacking and usually this word uses to say so to the victim. Therefore, based on the context, the word “whip” means
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“car” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
They just tat’s fool. But I got the heart to back them up.
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place in the tattoo parlour. The utterance was uttered by a tattoo expert. The tattoo expert uttered the utterance while he is painting on PC’s back. This utterance appeared after PC is going inside the tattoo parlour and standing on the red circle, then PC changes his old tattoo to the new one.
The word “tat’s” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning cannot be found in common dictionary, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “tattoo”. The meaning of “tattoo” is supported by the physical context of the tattoo expert action painting on PC’s back and the conversation takes place in the tattoo parlour. Then, the historical context shared about painting tattoo and usually this word uses as a code to say so. Therefore, based on the context, the word “tat’s” means “tattoo” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
Yeah, them my ducats now.
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place on the street. The utterance was uttered by the PC. The PC uttered the utterance while PC is picking up the cash. This utterance appeared after PC is killing a woman and that woman dropped some cash.
The word “ducats” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning cannot be found in common dictionary, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “money”. The meaning of “money” is supported by the physical context of the PC action that is picking up the cash, and also the conversation takes place on the street. Then, the historical context shared about the sadistic robber and usually this word uses as a code to say so. Therefore, based on the context, the word “ducats” means “money” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
Don’t make me shoot you homie!
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place on the street. The utterance was uttered by the PC. The PC uttered the utterance while PC puts the gun on the driver’s head and pulling him out. This utterance appeared after PC is trying to jack a car.
The word “homie” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning cannot be
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found in common dictionary, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “friend”. The meaning of “friend” is supported by the physical context of the PC action pulling the driver out without shooting him, and also the conversation takes place on the street. Then, the historical context shared about the tender hijacker and usually this word uses to warn the victim to leave his car in an easy way. Therefore, based on the context, the word “homie” means “friend” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA san Andreas.
Datum:
Oh shit, I got a gat.
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place in a private club. The utterance was uttered by the PC. The PC uttered the utterance while PC drawn out his gun toward the customer’s head. This utterance appeared after PC is trying to threatening a customer.
The word “gat” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning cannot be found in common dictionary, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “gun”. The meaning of “gun” is supported by the physical context of the PC action drawn out a gun toward the customer’s head, and also the conversation takes place in a private club. Then, the historical context shared about the criminal who likes threaten someone and usually this word uses as a code to tell that the person use a gun. Therefore, based on the context, the word “gat” means “gun” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
Fuck you po-po!
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place on the street. The utterance was uttered by the PC. The PC uttered by the utterance while he busted by the police. This utterance appeared after PC commits a crime (let’s say killing people) and tries to escape, but fail.
The word “po-po” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning cannot be found in common dictionary, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “police officer”. The meaning of “police officer” is supported by the physical context of the PC action busted by the police, and the conversation takes place on the street. Then, the historical context shared about bad guy caught by the police and usually this word uses to express insulting to the police officer in a rude way. Therefore, based on the context, the word “po-po” means “police officer” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
Off the bike!
Situation:
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The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place on the street. The PC uttered the utterance while PC is punching down the rider. This utterance appeared after PC is trying to steal a bike.
The word “off” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning is “to go to”, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “leave”. The meaning of “leave” is supported by the physical context of the PC action says the word while punching down the rider and the conversation takes place on the street. Then, the historical context shared about bike stealer and usually this word uses to force the victim leave the bike. Therefore, based on the context, the word “off” means “leave” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
Ahhh, screw you, cop!
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place on the street. The utterance was uttered by the PC. The PC uttered by the utterance while he busted by the police. This utterance appeared after PC is escaping by stolen car, but fail.
The word “screw” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning is “screw driver”, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “damn”. The meaning of “damn” is supported by the physical context of the PC action escaped by stolen car and busted by the police, and also the conversation takes place on the street. Then, the historical context shared about the hopeless criminal caught by the police and usually this word uses to express insulting. Therefore, based on the context, the word “screw” means “damn” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
Gimme those chips!
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place in the casino. The utterance was uttered by the PC. The PC uttered the utterance while PC earns some cash from croupier. This utterance appeared after PC is gambling and wins the game.
The word “chips” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning is “fried potato”, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “money”. The meaning of “money” is supported by the physical context of the PC action earns some cash from croupier, and also the conversation takes place in the casino. Then, the historical context shared about gambling game and usually this word uses as a code in gambling area. Therefore, based on the context, the word “chips” means “money” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Datum:
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Hey that varmint son’bitch stole my car! Oh how am I going to get home?
Situation:
The utterance of datum above is an utterance which took place on the street. The utterance was uttered by the car owner. The man uttered the utterance while he tries to chasing down PC. This utterance appeared after PC is trying to steal a parking car, and then PC succeeds to steal that car and suddenly the car owner came and running toward PC.
The word “varmint” is considered as slang because the lexical meaning is “raccoon”, meanwhile, the meaning from the situational is “little thief”. The meaning of “little thief” is supported by the physical context of the PC action steals a parking car, and also the conversation takes place on the street. Then, the historical context shared about criminal act and usually this word uses to express insulting because of being stolen. Therefore, based on the context, the word “varmint” means “little thief” is slang because the meaning is made and understood by the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Conclusion
After analyzing the data, the writer found the form of slang that is word. This form often found in Pedestrian Dialogue of GTA San Andreas video game which differs than other usual video game. The last, the writer also found the meaning of slang which often used in this video game which is the meaning can be understood through context or by the group itself, in this case the group is the video game group of GTA San Andreas.
Gratitude
The writer would like to say the greatest thanks to Dr. Elfiondri, M.Hum as my first supervisor and Femmy Dahlan, S.S, M.Hum as my second supervisor who guide me to finish this thesis completely. Moreover, the writer also delivers thanks to:
1. Dean, vice dean, examiners, all lectures, staff, employees of Faculty of Humanities.
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