Sign Language, Slang, and Play
As a moral force for the nation, the largest Islamic social organisation in Indonesia, historian Johan Huizinga stated that humans are players who engage in play (homo ludens). Within play, there is social interaction, inclusion, creativity, group identity, communication, and rules. Therefore, play can be seen as a foundation of human civilisation. As the saying goes, ‘Play within the game, but do not play with the game. Play for happiness, but do not play with happiness.’
The concept of homo ludens is clearly evident in language and its derivatives, such as literature. Sign language, sarcasm, puns, humour, euphemisms, anecdotes, rhymes, proverbs, and slang can all be viewed as forms of play.
Global civilisation recognises that the right to language is a human right. In Indonesia, the right to language is guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution. This right is linked to several other fundamental rights: the right to culture, expression, opinion, communication, and access to information. The right to language as a means of expression and communication also encompasses access to sign language, tactile sign language, and slang.
Sign language utilises body movements to fulfil the human rights of the Deaf and deaf-blind communities. The Deaf community uses sign language, while the deaf-blind use Tactile Sign Language. Both are essential in public services, including education and the judicial process, where the state is obligated to provide interpreters or Braille.
In Indonesia, the Deaf community utilises various forms of sign language. BISINDO (Indonesian Sign Language) grew naturally and is influenced by local cultures, whereas SIBI (Indmitted Indonesian Sign Language) is used in formal education and is adapted from American Sign Language (ASL).
The preference for the term ‘Deaf’ (Tuli) over ‘hearing impaired’ (tunarungu) is also a matter of human rights. The term ‘tuna’ implies deficiency or disability, which, according to international human rights instruments and Law No. 8 of 2016 on Persons with Disabilities, carries stigma and discrimination. While ‘tunarungu’ describes a physical inability, the term ‘disability’ emphasises the importance of overcoming barriers through specialised facilities to ensure full participation. The disabled body is a part of human diversity.
Slang grows as an identity for young people and netizens on social media. Freedom of expression has encouraged the expansion of slang, including ‘bahasa binan’ as an identity for gender-diverse communities. The internet, social media, creativity, and the need for casual communication have driven this expansion. With the rise of citizen journalism, new terms such as ‘gas terus’, ‘gaje’, ‘pansos’, and ‘gemoy’ have emerged, eventually being integrated into the Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language (KBML).
However, social media also reflects societal biases, such as patriarchy and sexism. Terms like ‘cegil’ (crazy girl) or ‘aura maghrib’ (referring to dark skin) demonstrate how gender bias and intersectional discrimination can be constructed in digital communication. Language is like a living organism; words emerge, flourish, and disappear. As awareness of gender equality and human rights for vulnerable groups grows, sexist, stereotypical, or discriminatory words are gradually fading from public use.