LANGUAGE SHIFTING CONTEXT ON STATUS RELATIONSHIP

Abstract

The mental process in the mind plays an important role on how people used
language. This issue was raised in this study as this study tries to reveal the
existence of the contextual changing when people are in different status.
Descriptive analytical method was used in this study while the technique to collect the data was document technique. The data were taken from some documents of written conversations of five subjects around 20 years-old. The data was in form of locutions in WA conversations that were recorded within the subjects and their friends, and the subjects and special-friends. This study revealed that in the opening conversation, when viewed in terms of language, there have been differences in the choice of the type of function of the relationship between the subjects and their special friends and ordinary friends. In a relationship with special-friends, the words uttered tend to use words that have a form of expressive speech which has the function of expressive and pathic. On the other hand, the status of ordinary friends has function of representative and directive. In this case, it is proven that the mental process in the mind which is the different thoughts or feelings towards the recipients influenced the choice on what type of utterances will be delivered.
Keywords: functional type, language shifting, sociolinguistics, status
relationship.