AMBIGUOUS EXPRESSIONS: A SEMANTIC STUDY ON SLANG IN GEN Z NARRATIVE DIALOGUES

• Trinita Ivana Rumapea

  Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar

  Author

• Bernieke Anggita Ristia Damanik

  Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar

  Author

This study investigates the phenomenon of semantic ambiguity in narrative conversations among Generation Z. Ambiguity arises when a slang word or phrase may have more than one interpretation depending on context, speaker intention, or group understanding. The research uses a qualitative descriptive method with a semantic approach, focusing on 15 simulated narrative dialogues reflecting authentic Gen Z slang usage. Results show that ambiguous terms such as "slay," "cap," "fire," and "ghost" frequently cause misunderstanding without context-based clarification. Analysis reveals that ambiguity primarily stems from polysemy (62.5%), followed by homonymy (25%) and contextually fluid meanings (12.5%). This indicates a need for improved pragmatic awareness in both teaching and understanding informal digital discourse.

1. Trinita Ivana Rumapea, Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar

   English Department, Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar, Indonesia

2. Bernieke Anggita Ristia Damanik, Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar

   English Department, Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar, Indonesia

Bucholtz, M. (2009). From stance to style: Gender, interaction, and indexicality in Mexican immigrant youth slang. In A. Jaffe (Ed.), Stance: Sociolinguistic Perspectives (pp. 146–170). Oxford University Press.

Chaer, A., & Agustina, L. (2010). Sosiolinguistik: Perkenalan awal. Rineka Cipta.

Coleman, J. (2012). The life of slang. Oxford University Press.

Cruse, D. A. (2000). Meaning in language: An introduction to semantics and pragmatics. Oxford University Press.

Crystal, D. (2006). Language and the internet. Cambridge University Press.

Djajasudarma, F. (2009). Semantik. Refika Aditama.

Eble, C. (1996). Slang and sociability: In-group language among college students. University of North Carolina Press.

Hurford, J. R., Heasley, B., & Smith, M. B. (2007). Semantics: A coursebook (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. University of Chicago Press.

Lyons, J. (1977). Semantics. Cambridge University Press.

Mey, J. L. (2001). Pragmatics: An introduction (2nd ed.). Blackwell Publishing.

Tarigan, H. G. (2011). Pengajaran semantik. Angkasa.

Traugott, E. C., & Dasher, R. B. (2001). Regularity in semantic change. Cambridge University Press.

Yule, G. (2020). The study of language (7th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

• pdf

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.