The Use of Slang on Tiktok Comments in East Kalimantan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v13i2.6829Keywords:
Slang; TikTok Comments; East KalimantanAbstract
This research seeks to investigate the study of slang discourse seen in the TikTok comment sections of East Kalimantan users. Slang is a kind of informal language that sounds very entertaining, trendy, and creative. Normally, the usage of the language is mostly by young people so that they can express their feelings, interact with others, and follow what is trending in the digital world. For this reason, this research aims to unveil what types of slang people use, its uses, and how it reflects identity and communication strategies. The research utilizes qualitative descriptive methodologies for data collection, which is gathered from TikTok comments and interviews conducted with eight users from East Kalimantan. The findings reveal that various etiquettes of slang are greatly influenced by both the world and local culture. Some popular terms include “anjay,” “gacor,” “slay,” and “rizz,” among others. Most users learn slang from TikTok and Instagram and extend it in a way that makes them sound modern, funny, or relatable. Slang also helps people feel part of a group and, at the same time, more quickly communicate their thoughts.
References
Allan, K., & Burridge, K. (2006). Forbidden words: Taboo and the censoring of language. Cambridge University Press.
Abduh, N. K., & Masruddin, M. (2023). Structural Studies of Robert Stanton in The Folklore of Luwu (Worongporong dan Pariama). IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 11(1), 117-126.
Chaerunnisa Jaya, S., Tawakkal, A., Sartika, J. I., & Max, D. (2025). An analysis of slang words on TikTok by Gen Z. Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Budaya, 9(2), 267–
276. http://dx.doi.org/10.30872/jbssb.v9i2.16995
Crystal, D. (2001). Language and the internet. Cambridge University Press.
Dewi, N. P. J. L. (2024). Penggunaan variasi bahasa “slang language” pada platform TikTok untuk generasi Z: Kajian sosiolinguistik. Scholars, 2(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.31959/js.v2i1.2352
Eble, C. (1996). Slang and sociability: In-group language among college students.
University of North Carolina Press.
Eti, S. H., & Rosalinah, Y. (2024). An analysis of Gen Z’s digital slang: Patterns from TikTok comment sections. IDEAS Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 12(2), 3250–3262. https://doi.org/10.2456/ideas
Jeresano, E. M., & Carretero, M. D. (2022). Digital culture and social media slang of Gen Z. UIJRT | United International Journal for Research & Technology, 3(4), 1–6. Mustapha, N. S., & Marzuki, E. (2023). Use of TikTok slang among Malaysian Generation Z. Trends in Undergraduate Research, 6(2), f12–f17. https://doi.org/10.33736/tur.5516.2023
Masruddin, M., Amir, F., Langaji, A., & Rusdiansyah, R. (2023). Conceptualizing linguistic politeness in light of age. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 11(3), 41-55.
Putri, A. R., & Nurhayati, I. K. (2023). Exploring cyberculture: A virtual ethnographic perspective on Generation Z slang on TikTok. School of Communication and Social Science, Telkom University.
Syafa’ah, L. A., & Haryanto, S. (2023). Slang semantic analysis on TikTok social media generation Z. Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta.
Tufail, S., Asgher, M., & Ali, I. (2024). Deciphering the digital vernacular: A study of
Generation Z slang on social media platforms. Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review, 8(2), 835–847. https://doi.org/10.47205/plhr.2024(8-II)75
Wedananta, K. A., Padmadewi, N. N., Artini, L. P., & Budasi, I. G. (2023). Slang words used by Balinese Generation Z in Instagram communication. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 13(8), 2097–2106. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1308.26
Wenas, R. A. P., Murniati, C. T., & Hartono, H. (2024). Teaching & literature ISSN. A journal of culture, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.24167/celt.v24i1
Yahya, A., Husnaini, H., & Putri, N. I. W. (2024). Developing a Common Expressions Book in Indonesian Traditional Market in Three Languages (English-Indonesian-Mandarin). Language Circle: Journal of Language and Literature, 18(2), 288-295.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Siti Nisrina Azzahra, Ida Wardani, Aridah Aridah, Maria Teodora Ping, Ventje Jany Kalukar

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See the Effect of Open Access)