Hate Speech in Balinese Language on Social Media: A Forensic Linguistic Perspective

Abstract

This study examines hostile expressions in Balinese language comments on social media concerning discussions of Ngaben and cremation practices from a forensic linguistic perspective, with particular attention to their potential relation to hate speech and their illocutionary functions. The study aims to identify forms of hostile or potentially hateful expressions found in Balinese language social media comments and to analyze the illocutionary acts performed through these expressions. A qualitative descriptive method was employed using Balinese language comments related to Ngaben discourse on social media as the data source. The data were collected through documentation and analyzed by considering their linguistic forms, targets, contextual meanings, and pragmatic functions. The analysis was informed by the Indonesian National Police Circular Letter No. SE/6/X/2015 concerning the handling of hate speech, supported by Brown (2015) and Waldron (2012), while illocutionary acts were analyzed based on Austin (1962) and Searle (1979). The findings indicate that the selected comments predominantly contain individual-directed hostile expressions rather than clearly established identity based hate speech. The expressions include implicit intimidation, personal reprimand, and hostile or mocking warnings. In terms of illocutionary acts, the comments perform primarily expressive and directive functions. Expressive acts are used to convey hostility, irritation, mockery, or disapproval, while directive acts are employed to influence the addressee's behavior, including telling the addressee to stop interfering in other people's affairs. The findings demonstrate that offensive or hostile language should not automatically be classified as hate speech. Instead, forensic linguistic analysis requires consideration of the target, contextual meaning, identity related elements, and communicative function of each utterance. The study contributes to the analysis of Balinese language digital discourse by demonstrating the importance of distinguishing interpersonal hostility from identity based hate speech through a combination of forensic linguistic and pragmatic analysis.