LINGUA LITERA : journal of english linguistics and literature

WRITTEN ENGLISH AT PUBLIC SPACES IN PADANG : A COMMUNICATION TOOL OR A BRANDING LANGUAGE?

Oktavianus Oktavianus — 2026-07-05

This study examined whether written English serves as a communication tool or a branding language in Padang. The study focuses on English as a communication tool and branding language, its structural features as a branding language, and the motives for using it in this capacity. This study uses a qualitative, quantitative, and Linguistic Landscape approach. The Data for this study are the use and placement of English in public spaces in Padang City, including on public roads, markets, malls, hotels, cafes, the names of business units, tourist attractions, and other strategic places. The questionnaire was distributed via Google Forms to 94 respondents to gather their views on the role of English as a branding language. Written English posted or used in public spaces, as mentioned above, was photographed. Data analysis was conducted using the intralingual extralingual method. The results of this study indicate that written English in public spaces in Padang primarily serves as branding language. When compared with Indonesian and Minangkabau, English and Minangkabau are more likely to convey information. Except for places like hotels and educational institutions, especially universities, English serves as both a branding language and a means of conveying information.

STUDENTS’ POLITENESS PRINCIPLES AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE : EVIDENCE FROM HIGHER EDUCATION CONTEXTS

Yessy Prima Putri — 2026-07-05

Language politeness plays an important role in academic communication because it influences how students interact with lecturers, peers, and the wider academic community. Effective and polite communication may contribute to creating a positive learning environment that supports students’ academic success. This study aims to examine the relationship between students’ politeness principles and their Grade Point Average (GPA) in higher education. The study employed a quantitative correlational design involving undergraduate students from Universitas Metamedia. Data were collected through a politeness questionnaire developed based on Leech’s Politeness Principle, covering the maxims of tact, generosity, approbation, modesty, agreement, and sympathy. Students’ GPA data were obtained from academic records with participants’ consent. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. The findings are expected to reveal whether language politeness significantly correlates with students’ academic achievement. The study contributes to pragmatic research by highlighting the potential role of politeness in academic communication and student performance. Furthermore, the findings may provide implications for character education and communication ethics in higher education.

VERBAL ABUSE IN MOBILE LEGENDS BANG BANG LIVE STREAMING: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY

Desy Trsnaa — 2026-07-05

recorded Mobile Legends: Bang Bang live-streaming sessions on YouTube from a sociolinguistic perspective. The research addresses two main problems: identifying the forms of verbal abuse and examining the motives underlying their use during gameplay interactions. The study applies the sociolinguistic theory of verbal abuse proposed by Blackburn and Kwak (2015) to linguistic behavior in competitive online gaming environments. A qualitative research design was employed using qualitative content analysis. The data were collected from a recorded YouTube live stream by an Indonesian amateur streamer. Observation sheets were used as research instruments to document abusive utterances and explore viewers’ perceptions. The findings revealed four dominant types of verbal abuse: insults and name-calling, blaming and reporting threats, obscene and aggressive language, and threats of in-game sabotage. A total of 54 verbal abuse expressions were identified, with insults and name-calling appearing most frequently. The motives behind verbal abuse included frustration from poor performance, behavioral shifts, emotional disengagement from the team, and the online disinhibition effect.

NEGOTIATING HAENYEO CULTURAL IDENTITY DURING JAPANESE COLONIZATION IN LISA SEE’S THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN

Marlina Sabalotok — 2026-07-05

This study examines the representation of women’s cultural identity negotiation in Lisa See’s The Island of Sea Women from a postcolonial perspective. The novel offers an alternative portrayal of women during the Japanese colonial period in Korea, challenging dominant colonial narratives that often position women as passive victims of oppression. Through the experiences of the haenyeo characters, Mi-ja and Young-sook, the study explores how women actively preserved, negotiated, and reconstructed their cultural identity under colonial domination. Employing a qualitative textual analysis, this research draws on Homi K. Bhabha’s postcolonial theory to examine narrative elements, symbols, and character representations that reveal the dynamics of power relations between the colonizer and the colonized, as well as women’s strategies of symbolic resistance. The findings demonstrate that the female characters not only resisted colonial authority but also engaged in complex forms of cultural negotiation that led to the formation of a hybrid cultural identity. This hybrid identity enabled them to preserve indigenous cultural values while adapting to the social and political pressures of colonial rule, highlighting women’s agency in shaping identity under colonial conditions and contributing to discussions of gender and cultural identity in postcolonial contexts.

JARGONS USED BY INDONESAN AND MALAYSIAN THRIFTERS

Andry Azhari — 2026-07-05

This research aimed to discuss the meaning and forms of jargons used by thirfters especially in Indonesia and Malaysia. Jargons have been used by several communities and they might not be understood by the outside circle of the community. Thrifters is one of the communities that have created and regularly used their own jargons that might not be understood by by others outside their circle. This research was conducted by using qualitative method. The data of this research was taken from an observation to some thrifters communities in West Sumatera. The researcher used Geoffrey leech’s theory to analyze the meaning of the jargons and Halinggan’s Theory to analyze the forms of jargons. There were 40 jargons found in this research. All types of meaning described by leech can be found from the jargons. Moreover, form four forms of jargons, only acronym cannot be found from the Jargons. The others such as word, phrase, and abbreviation can be found in this research. In other words, this research aims to identify and analyze the jargons used by thrifters (individuals passionate about hunting for original branded secondhand clothes) in Malaysia and Indonesia. Specifically, the study focuses on investigating both the linguistic forms and the contextual meanings of the specialized expressions such as Bundle, barang kaki, crack manja, ekor ball, and AOP frequently employed within the thrifting community. By documenting and analyzing these specific terms, this study seeks to bridge the communication gap between insiders and outsiders of the thrifting subculture, ultimately providing additional linguistic and cultural knowledge to the general public.

PARENTAL ANXIETY AND DEFENCE MECHANISM REFLECTED IN JODI PICOULT’S MY SISTER’S KEEPER

Yohanes Tuaderu — 2026-07-05

This study examines parental anxiety and defense mechanisms in Jodi Picoult's novel My Sister's Keeper through a literary psychoanalytic approach. The focus of this study is the psychological response of Sara and Brian Fitzgerald – the parents - to the severe leukemia that threatens the life of their daughter, Kate. It also examines how this response affects their relationship with Anna, the savior sister. This study asks three fundamental questions related to: (1) the causes of parental anxiety, (2) the manifestations of defense mechanisms, and (3) the consequences of these mechanisms on the parent-child relationship between the parents and Anna. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method, with close reading as the primary data-collection technique. The analysis is based on Sigmund Freud's theory of anxiety and Anna Freud's theory of defense mechanisms. At the end of the study, the researchers found that the main source of parental anxiety was the constant threat of losing Kate, which caused emotional distress, fear, and helplessness. To cope with this anxiety, Sara and Brian unconsciously used defense mechanisms such as denial, rationalization, repression, and suppression. These psychological responses shaped their decisions, including the controversial choice to conceive Anna as a genetically compatible donor. Furthermore, this study found that this defense mechanism significantly impacted family relationships, particularly by creating emotional tension and undermining Anna's autonomy as a savior sibling. The study concluded that the parents' actions in My Sister's Keeper were not only driven by love and sacrifice but also shaped by unconscious psychological processes.

WHO'S GLOBAL NUTRITION CAMPAIGN ON INSTAGRAM: VISUAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND STRENGTHENING DIGITAL NUTRITION LITERACY

Yeyep Natrio — 2026-07-05

This study investigates how the World Health Organization (WHO) uses visual communication strategies on Instagram to promote global dietary risk reduction and enhance digital nutritional literacy within the community. Using a descriptive qualitative method, the study analyzes 13 infographics posted by @who from August 2025 to May 2026, selected through purposive sampling. The data analysis combines the qualitative framework of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña with multimodal discourse analysis based on Kress and van Leeuwen's Visual Grammar. Results indicate that WHO effectively employs flexible and causal visual grammar to clarify complex macronutrient issues, such as using engaging imperative sentences to promote reduced sugar and salt intake. Additionally, the study reveals a transition in WHO's Instagram role from serving as a digital info board to functioning as a policy advocacy platform, encouraging health taxes at the national level. This research highlights that successful health promotion depends on visual adaptations that reduce psychological resistance from digital audiences while fostering their ability to critically evaluate nutritional information online.

THE MALE GAZE: SEXUAL OBJECTIFICATION ON WOMEN’S BODY IN THE SUBSTANCE, A MOVIE SCRIPT BY CORALIE FARGEAT

Melania Priska Mendrofa — 2026-07-05

This study examines how The Substance portrays the sexual objectification of women’s bodies through the framework of the male gaze, with the aim of understanding how media representations contribute to the psychological of women. The research is grounded in concerns that women are often reduced to visual objects, valued more for appearance than identity or capability. A qualitative method is employed, drawing on Fredrickson and Roberts’ (1997) Sexual Objectification Theory to analyze key concepts such as male gaze, body shame, and anxiety. The analysis is conducted through close reading of dialogues, visual scenes, and character behavior, allowing for the identification of how the masculine perspective in media narratives fosters internalized objectification. Findings reveal that the female protagonist, Elisabeth Sparkle, is consistently depicted through a fragmented and sexualized lens that reinforces patriarchal ideologies. This portrayal leads her to internalize objectification, resulting in psychological consequences including anxiety, shame, and a fractured sense of self. The study concludes that The Substance illustrates how women who fail to conform to imposed ideals are systematically marginalized or replaced, underscoring the need for critical scrutiny of gendered visual narratives in contemporary media.

A A SYNTACTIC PORTRAYAL OF PRIMARY AUXILIARY VERBS IN O.HENRY'S THE GIFT OF MAGI

Wa Ozisokhi Nazara — 2026-07-05

This is a brief analysis of the primary auxiliary verbs in the classic short story The Gift of the Magi authored by O. Henry. It typically portrays how the primary auxiliary be, do and have are constructed and distributed within the sentences of O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi. This analysis employs qualitative syntactic approach. The data analyzed for the sentences containing the primary auxiliary verbs be, do and/or have in The Gift of the Magi. The data gathered using non-participatory observation were analyzed using distributional method. The result of the analysis confirms that the primary auxiliary verbs bear grammatical meaning, signal aspect, or form voice. They Among the three primary auxiliaries identified with sentences of the short story, the primary auxiliary be appears most dominant, mostly distributed directly behind the subject.