THE EXPRESSIONS OF EXCLAMATION: A CROSS- CULTURAL ANALYSIS IN AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH AND BAHASA INDONESIA

This study investigated and compared exclamatory expressions performed by native speakers of Australian English and Bahasa Indonesia. Three different contexts and situations were selected as the prompts for the respondents to express their exclamations: (a) surprise; (b) enthusiasm; and (c) annoyance. Based on data from 36 respondents of both languages, the findings revealed that both Australian English and Bahasa Indonesia were likely to utilize different types of exclamatory words, phrases or expressions of surprise, enthusiastic and annoyance. Te expressions seemed to be systematic in their constructions and the selection of words or phrases remained personal and indicated the speakers‟ feeling, attitude, and emotion. In expressing surprise and enthusiasm, in particular, the selection of words or phrases by both language communities tended to use positive and socially acceptable exclamatory expressions. However, when they turned to express annoyance, most of the words, phrases, or expressions used were often taboo and socially unacceptable.


INTRODUCTION
Age and gender of the exclaimers were included to see if there were any differences in its use according to these aspects.

METHODS Sample
The study was conducted in

Data Analysis
All In expressing surprise, the words or phrases "Great!" or "This is (just) great!", "Wow!", "Well done!", appeared very frequently in Australian English (15 times).In addition, "Congratulations!", "Incredible (Unbelievable)!","Marvellous!", and "Fantastic!", were also frequent.In general, there were no noticeable differences in the word selections according to gender of the speakers.However, phrases like: "Well done!" and "Fantastic!" seemed to be used more frequently by females.In addition, there were a few phrases which only occurred in females" expressions.Such expressions were as: "Gee!", "What up dude!", "Oh my God!", "Yeaww!", and "Good Heavens!".The occurrence of these expressions seemed to be unpredictable.In other words, there were no reasons which accounted for their occurrence in females" expressions.
Quite often, in real situation, there were no indications of whether they were preferable to males or females only.In Bahasa Indonesia, on the other hand, the words or phrases "Aduh!" or "Duh!" or "Waduh", "Masa (iya)?", "Hebat!", and "Luar biasa!" were very common in expressing surprise.
Most of the expressions were used by both males and females."Masa (iya)?" (really?) tended to appear more in males" expressions.
"Damn!" or "Damn this (it)!" or "Damnation!", "Hell!" or "Bloody Hell!", "Fuck!" or "Fuck out!" were also frequent.There was a tendency for males to use words or phrases which were more sensitive in their meaning and use in society.These expressions were such as: "Shit!" or "Bulshit" and "Fuck!" or "Fuck out!".Such expressions appeared more frequently in the expressions of males of below 25 age category.
The following table shows a detailed description of these words or phrases.
Note: Freq: frequency; F: female; M: male; T: total and which remain sensitive in their use and meaning, like "Anjing!" (dog), "Monyet!" (monkey), "Bangsat!"(scoundrel) and "Babi It appeared that the younger the and see if there was any cultural relevance between them.The analysis focused on the use of exclamation or interjection in expressing surprise, enthusiasm, and annoyance.
exclaimed and shared by the exclaimer.To some extent, it can also be used as a strategy to open a conversation as the expression requires the hearer to respond to it.When tag question forms are used, the speaker is, in fact, trying to be indirect in his/her remarks cognitive (those which have in their meaning the component "I think something" or "I know something") (see Wierzbicka, 1991: 291).From this classification, however, such distinct meanings may be frequently interpreted interchangeably in their real use.Here, context and situation as well as the topic of exclamation play an important role in interpreting what an interjection actually means.In addition, the intonation markers may frequently remain influential as well.Expressions like "Wow!" or "Aha!", for example, may represent emotive notion like: damn!, Christ!, bloody (hell)!, bugger!, shit!, Damn it!, etc.In more details, he classifies the words and phrases used in expressing annoyance (swearing) as words which refer to: (a) names of supernatural or infernal power, of gods, angels, and devils (Crist!, Jesus! etc); (b) names connected to sacred matters of religion (God"s blood!); and future life (Heavens!, Hell!, Damn!,).
, again, based on the study limitation, such data was not feasible.DCTs have been frequently used as an alternative technique in pragmatics studies.As suggested by Wouk (2006), the majority of crosscultural pragmatic data have been based on a DCT.She defines DCT as a form of questionnaire in which situations are described and respondents are asked what they would say in those situations.Tran (2008, p.2) remarks, "In a DCT, a number of situations are described in writing with spaces for research participants to fill in what they would say in such situations".
word "Thanks" was used to indicate the speaker"s happiness and thankfulness.In Bahasa Indonesia, "Nah!" or "Nah (ini) gitu dong!", "Alhamdulillah", "Masa (iya)?" were often used in expressing enthusiasm.In general, there were no association in their use according to gender and the age of the speakers.However, phrases like: "Betul juga perasaan saya" (That"s what I thought), "Asyik!" (no exact synonym in English) and "Bukan main!" (Incredible) occurred only in males" expressions.Like "Thanks" in Australian English, the word "Alhamdulillah" (religious words, means "Prays to God" or "Thanks Godness") was also used in Bahasa Indonesia.It was as an evidence of the speakers" thankfulness to the God or as a reflection of their happiness, especially when receiving good news.It appeared that, such a word was frequently used by the older exclaimers (mostly by the speakers of above 36 years old).The use of "Alhamdulillah" could be seen as an evidence of the religious awareness of the Indonesian society.
") which was socially insulting and offensive in their use, occurred more frequently in males" expressions than in females".There were also words or phrases which referred to the name of God found in the expressions of annoyance in both languages.Obviously, they were not insulting and offensive at all in their use and meaning.They were probably used to release the speaker"s stress by referring or saying the name of God.Such expressions were as:"Oh God!" and "Ya Allah!" (Bahasa Indonesia).Another sensitive word which only occurred once in the data is "Pantek".In fact, this word is well known as a very taboo word in Minang society only (people of West Sumatera).However, the use of this word might have spread to other societies in Indonesia.

Table 2
Exclamatory Words or Phrases Used in Expressing Surprise

Table 3
Exclamatory Words or Phrases Used in Expressing Enthusiasm