Code Mixing as a Communication Strategy among Indonesian

Japanese Students

Adriana Hasibuan

, Rani Arfianty

and Nandi S.

Program Study of Japanese Literature, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara

Keywords: communication strategy, code mix, Japanese language.

Abstract: The strategies used are systematic techniques that can be used to convey messages that are faced

with difficulties when communicating because they do not have knowledge of L2 (Japanese).

Indonesian Japanese students use mixed code as a strategy to communicate with Japanese Native

Speakers (JNS). The use of mixed code in Indonesian Japanese Students in communicating with

JNS is a syntactic category that is mixing in 69%-word form, 17% phrase and 14% clause. Matrix

language that is used in mixed code is Japanese language that is inserted with English and

Indonesian. Based on student’s role with value (average) 3,97 using mixed code in question form

because of lack in understanding Japanese language that is pronounced by JNS. Meanwhile, JNS

use mixed code with value 3,52% in discussing. This is done to help Indonesian Japanese students

fluent their communication

1 INTRODUCTION

Communication is used to convey the message from

speakers to the spoken partner by using the language,

both verbal language and non-verbal language. The

social function of language is as a communication

tool. Language as a means of communication tool and

interaction is studied internally and externally.

Internally, language studies include phonological

structures, morphological structures, and syntactic

structures, whereas external studies are conducted on

factors outside the language, such as language usage

by speakers within the community. This study is

called sociolinguistics. Fassold (1984), stated that

sociolinguistics analyses language variations. In

general, language variation consists of 2 types of

formal language (standard) and non-formal (non-

standard). Informal play is used in daily

conversations and unofficial situations. In life, the

ability of people in speaking different languages,

there are people who are able to use only one

language (monolingual) there are also people able to

use two or more languages. The ability of more than

any language is called bilingual

According to Fishman in Chaer and Agustina

(2004: 84) bilingualism is the use of two or more

languages by a speaker in association with others

alternately. To be able to use two or more languages

of course someone must master both languages. First,

the mother tongue or the first language (L1) and the

second is another language that becomes the second

language (L2). In bilingual speech, societies often

arise linguistic problems as a result of language

contact. L1 a bilingual speaker will affect its L2 or

vice versa, L2 will affect its L1.

Each language has a different language system,

and this difference will cause problems for learning.

Mastering a meaningful language has the competence

to communicate with the language it learns. Tarone

(1988: 59) asserted in his study that only a few L2

learners could finally master L2 perfectly as native

speakers of the foreign language. The majority of

learners are at one point in the inter language between

the L1 to L2 switching rates. Krashen in Corder

(1975: 86) explains that learners can use their L1 to

initiate speeches if they do not have enough

knowledge needed for the targeted language.

Indonesian Japanese Language Students (IJLS)

establishes a separate system as a communication

strategy and seeks to communicate in Japanese with

Japanese native speakers (JNS). Bialystok (1990:

138), explains the communication strategy is the

dynamic interaction of the language processing

component to balance the degree of engagement with

each other.

1168

Hasibuan, A., Arﬁanty, R. and S., N.

Code Mixing as a Communication Strategy among Indonesian Japanese Students.

DOI: 10.5220/0010068911681172

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

1168-1172

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

Due to the lack of knowledge and the limitations

of Japanese's vocabularies, Indonesian Japanese

students slipped many pieces of L1 or L2 to

perpetuate their communication with Indonesian

Japanese students use mixed code in their

communications. Indonesian Japanese students

borrow and insert L1 and L2 into Japanese language

they use when communicating with the JNS.

Based on the problems above, this study further

finds the forms of code mix used by Indonesian

Japanese students when communicating with the

JNS, so the subject matter for the research is as

follows:

1. How does Indonesian Japanese Students used

code-mixing when they communicated with JNS?

2. Why Indonesian Japanese students used code-

mixing when they have communicated with the

JNS?

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Ridwan (2003), mentions in his research about mixed

English code into Indonesian language on UMN

students rely on mixed out code (code mixing

outside) that UMN students use English code

interculture in Indonesian communication to show

their learning or position. While Maulidini (2007),

mentions in his research as a communications

customer service; The case of Nokia Care Center

Milky Way Semarang, based on mixing inner code by

inserting nonsense words, Indonesian phrases and

clauses as their regional language. John Gumperz in

Jendra (2010:79), states' mixing code, one-language

snippets used when speakers basically use other

languages.

Furthermore Fasold (1984) states that a person

uses a single word or a phrase from a single language,

he has mixed the code. While Thelander in Chaer

(2004: 15) ordered to include the events of one clause

and phrase which also and each clause and phrase that

no longer support its own function, then it is mixed

code. Suwito (1985:78) divides the code-mixed form

as follows;

1. Tangible elements of the word

2. The elements of the phrase

3. Basics of tangible elements

4. Elements of tangible repetition of words

5. Elements of tangible expression or

idiomatic elements

6. Elements of tangible clauses.

Nababan (1991: 31) mentions the factors that

cause the use of mixed code is;

1. Informal situation

2. Habits

3. There is no proper expression in the

language he is using

4. Speakers want to show off their

positions.

Furthermore, Bialystok (1990: 138) explains the

communication strategy is the dynamic interaction of

language processing components to balance the level

of involvement with each other. While Poulisse

(1992: 192-193) says the compensation, strategy is

the process of conceptual representation and

linguistic knowledge adopted by the language user in

creating alternatives during linguistic deficiencies,

making it impossible to communicate the intended

meaning.

3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This study uses quantitative methods adapted by

Brown, J.D and Rodgers, T.S (2002). This

quantitative method is used to analyze the use of code

mix as a communication strategy for Japanese

Japanese students when communicating with the

PABJ and providing descriptive statistics for

quantitative analysis. Respondents of this research are

students of Department of Japanese Literature

Faculty of Cultural Science University of North

Sumatra and Andalas Padang University in semester

6 and 8. Respondents are divided into 7 groups; one

group consists of 6 students and 6 Japanese. 7

Japanese as native speakers of Japanese are Japanese

language teachers and partners in high schools in

Medan and Padang.

The Japanese language teacher partner is the Japan

Foundation's assistance program for Japanese

language development at the high school level.

Respondents were asked to converse with PABJ on a

predetermined topic. Conversations by students with

PABJ were analyzed by applying the use of code

mixing as a communication strategy by Gumperz

(2010), Fasold (1984) Thelander (2004), Bialystok

(1990) and Poulisse (1992).

4 FINDINGS

4.1 Mixed Code

The use of mixed code in Indonesian Japanese student

communication with JNS is a syntactic category that

is mixing in the form of words, phrases and clauses.

Code Mixing as a Communication Strategy among Indonesian Japanese Students

1169

The matrix language used in the code mix is Japanese

language which is inserted by Indonesian and English

fragments.



Figure 1. Percentage of Mixed Code



Above graph shows the percentages of mixed

code which made Indonesian Japanese student when

they have communicated with JNS by using Japanese

language. Based on graph above, it reveals that the

percentage of mix code in words has the highest

percentage as much as 69%, whereas the mixing code

in clauses is only 14%. The percentage of mixing

code in phrases is known as much as 17% only. It

shows that the percentage of errors in mix-codes is

the most common mistake made by students. Students

tend to mix-code when communicating in Japanese

when they don't know a word in Japanese by

exchanging it for English.

4.2 The Reason using Mixed Code

Indonesian Japanese students use mixed English and

Indonesian language codes in their conversations as a

strategy when communicating with the JNS. Students

do not find the exact equivalent in Japanese language

and Japanese language's lack of linguistic knowledge

as L2 to communicate their ideas. JNS also uses

English and Indonesian language fragments as a code

mix as a communication strategy to help students

communicate their communication. JNS uses mixed

code in the form of words, phrases or clauses. JNS

has been living in Medan and Padang for about 6

months, therefore they understand a little Indonesian,

and use English flakes, because JNS know English is

an International language, of course Indonesian

Japanese students understand English.

Due to lack of Japanese linguistics causing

Indonesian Japanese students made their own system

rules which are code-mixing between Indonesian

language and English as communication strategies.

Also, the students tend to build communication with

JNL in English.

Table 1 The Reason of Using Mixed Code

Mean The Reason

Using Mixed

Code

Mixed Code

Japanese

Native

Speaker

(JNS)

3,52 Listener’s

ability in

asking

something and

discussing

English and

Indonesian

Language

Indonesian

Japanese

Students

3.97 Listener’s

ability in

asking

something and

discussing

English and

Indonesian

Language

The examples of mixed code in the form of words

are as follows:

1. Repetition Words (reduplication)

a. Hai, demo ne, translate, translate

(Yes, but,..)

2. Conjunction

a. Hai, uu, taihen and muzukashii

(Yes, uu, much…difficult)

3. Nouns

a. Gaji? Gaji wa ikkagetsu ikura?

(Gaji? Gaji? part 1 month how

much?)

b. Gaji wa, kyuryou wa kaisha ni yorun

desu kedo, daitai 25-30 juta janai desu

(Gaji, part salary – company – based

on – but, 25-30 milion – not )

c. Arubaito de wakarimasu ka? arubaito

wa kerja paruh waktu ?

(Part time job part – understand?

Part time job part -)

d. Maksudnya, kansai no ko wa mandiri?

(It means, Kansai – children part-)

e. Nihon no gakusei mo mandiri, jibun de

koudoushite imasu, jibun de

ugokimasu.

(Japan part – student also…, by

itself move)

f. Tabemono, mango mo arimasu, mango

toka, furuutsu(fruits)wa buah tangan

ni shimasu.

(Food, mango part have, mango is

it, fruits part souvenir)

g. Nihon no kyoku mo kikimasu, nihon no

artist mo suki desu.

(Japan part ---listening, Japan part -

--like)

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

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h. Nihon no migi to hidari ni aru umi, migi

wa samudra pasifik, hidari wa laut

yang dekat Cina.

(Japan part right and left has sea,

right part-. Left part ocean near China)

i. Taiheiyou to nihon kai desu ka? Asian

Pasific to ano..........

(Pacific ocean –part Japan sea?)

j. Happi wa demo Tokushima no orijinal

no iro toka, motif toka, yubi ga haato

(heart) no katachi ni shimasu.

(Happi part but Tokushima part-

original color, motif, finger part-heart

part shape

k. Soshite seafood ga oishikute,demo

zannen nagara sono umi kara tsunami

ga kite shimaimashita. Kanashikute,

dkara nihon ni kite kara tsunami no

memorial e itte, soko de inotte shimasu.

(Then, seafood part delicious but,

regret, sea from-tsunami part come. So

sad, Japan part come since-part,

tsunami part-go on. There praying)

l. Bokujo wa ushi toka hitsuji toka

takusan, ushi wo sodateru tokoro, soko

de tabemono ga oishii kara, fresh desu.

Aisu (ice) to milk toka oishii, cheese

mo oishii.

(Peternakan part-cow, sheep many,

cow raise place, at there food part-

delicious because. Ice to milk delicious,

also delicious)

m. Soko de yuki de monumen wo tsukutta.

(There snow part monument part-

using

n. Demo ne, entertaintment agency ni

hatarakitai.

(But, part have a job)

4. Mixed Code in Phrase form

a. Adventure no eiga ga suki desu

(….part like)

b. Hitori janai desu. Kalau......hitori

kalau, un kalau hitori sabishii.

(Not alone. If…if, ..if alone lonely)

c. Daitai 25-30 juta janai desu ga,

(Generally ….not, but)

d. Migi wa Samudra Pasifik hidari wa

laut

yang dekat Cina.

(Right part-…left part ocean near by

China

5. Mixed Code in Clause form

a. Kyou wa tesuto janai, riraku (rileks)

shite kudasai.

(Today part-test not, relax please)

b. Demo seikatsu hi ga sugoku takai node,

tidak jauh beda 3 juta rupiah de

ikkagetsu.

(But, living cost part so expensive,-

--------one month?)

c. Furuutsu (fruits) wa buah tangan ni

shimasu.

(Fruits part souvenir)

5 CONCLUSIONS

To communicate fluently with JNS, Indonesian

Japanese students use code mix as their

communication strategy. This is done because

Indonesian Japanese students are lack of Japanese

linguistic knowledge as L2 and there is no exact

match in the target language (Japanese). While JNS

uses mixed code as a communication strategy helps

the students to fluent their communication. The

mixed form of code used by Indonesian Japanese

Student and JNS students as their communication

strategy based on syntactic categories is mixed code

words form with a very high percentage of 69%, then

the percentage of mixed code form of 17% phrase and

mix code type of clause 14%. The words, phrases and

clauses that are transferred into the matrix language

are English and Indonesian reduplications,

conjunctions, and nouns. In terms of roles, students

obtain a mean of 3.97 code mixes occurring when

communicating with Japanese Native Speaker,

because the listener's or listener's ability is very weak

in understanding Jaanese language as L2.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to University Sumatera Utara’s Researh

Institutions which funded this research as stated in

contract TALENTA USU Research 2018 Nomor:

199/UN5.2.3.1/PPM/RP.TALENTA USU/2018

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