OKARA: Jurnal Bahasa dan Sastra

Conversational Maxims and Persuasive Communication: Verbal Offer Strategies Among Sellers in Aceh Traditional Markets

2026-02-27T10:52:41+07:00

This research explores the use of conversational maxims and verbal offers in traditional market interactions in Pasar Aceh, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, aiming to expand the understanding of communication strategies that enhance seller-customer interactions. Despite extensive studies on Grice's Cooperative Principle in various contexts, limited research has examined how sellers in traditional markets strategically engage with these maxims to persuade customers. The study involved detailed observations, audio recordings, and interviews with eight Acehnese clothing sellers chosen for their active roles in daily market interactions. Using Grice's Cooperative Principle, which includes the maxims of quantity, quality, relevance, and manner, the findings reveal that these eight sellers strategically employ these maxims to persuade customers, with occasional variations encouraging smoother and more effective interactions. The analysis identified seven distinct verbal offer types: direct product mentions, polite customer calls, pricing discussions, product origin mentions, customer needs assessment, store entry invitations, and color-based product promotions. These findings provide a grounded theory of seller-customer interactions in traditional markets, presenting persuasive techniques that may enhance market engagement and consumer satisfaction. This study provides communication patterns within traditional market settings, especially in Aceh, and cross-cultural market communication research.

I Heard “Hunedresit?”: Uncovering Language Barriers Among Indonesian Diasporas in Glasgow

2026-02-28T09:43:50+07:00

Despite the history of the 30th of September Movement (Gerakan Tiga Puluh September, G30S) incident and the Indonesian diasporas' status as exiles with feelings of being haunted and separated from their homeland, many Indonesians currently reside abroad. This current study aims to uncover and scrutinize language barriers among Indonesian diasporas in Glasgow, focusing on language barriers encountered, the effects of the language barriers, and adaptation strategies to face the language barriers. The findings of this study uncover that the Indonesian diasporas in Glasgow encompass the language barriers in Glaswegian accents, vocabularies or slang, and the fast pace of Glaswegian speech. The language barrier has significantly affected their living in Glasgow, especially regarding their communication with the locals and their emotional responses. In navigating the language barriers and adjusting to their new environment, the Indonesian diasporas employ various strategies, such as engaging with locals and learning through entertainment. In shedding light on the language barriers experienced by the Indonesian diasporas in Glasgow, this study highlights the imperative to learn and understand the cultures of host countries aimed at mitigating the challenges and obstacles while living over there.

Signified Deviations in Federer’s What Every American Needs to Know About the Qur’an: A Saussurean Analysis of Islamic Themes

2026-02-27T11:01:10+07:00

Western orientalist writings on Islam often present selective historical narratives that influence public understanding of Islamic teachings. One of these works is William J. Federer’s What Every American Needs to Know about the Qur’an – A History of Islam and the United States, which portrays Islam, the Qur’an, and the Prophet Muhammad in ways that raise theological and textual concerns. This study aims to analyze how key signifiers, Islam, the Qur’an, and the Prophet Muhammad are associated with signified meanings that deviate from established Islamic interpretations. Using Ferdinand de Saussure’s semiotic framework and a qualitative descriptive method, this research identifies three major patterns of signified deviation: (1) Islam is linked to coercion and revenge despite Qur’anic principles of religious freedom and forgiveness; (2) the Qur’an is portrayed as legitimizing violence and sexual misconduct through selective readings of specific verses; and (3) the Prophet Muhammad is represented as acting based on personal desire rather than divine command. The study concludes that these deviations result from reassigning signified meanings to key Islamic signifiers, producing an ideologically framed interpretation. This research contributes to understanding how semiotic processes shape contemporary representations of Islam in orientalist discourse.

Against the Flow: Islamic Trauma and the Reinterpretation of Musso in Indonesian Literature

2026-02-27T11:03:19+07:00

The 1965 events involving the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) are considered one of the greatest human catastrophes in Indonesia. However, the 1948 Madiun PKI uprising also represents a significant historical moment. In 1965, the PKI became associated with victimhood, particularly in relation to the mass killings, while in 1948, the PKI was cast as the perpetrator of violence. This article examines two literary works that address the PKI’s 1948 involvement: Tentang Kamu by Tere Liye and Ayat-Ayat yang Disembelih by Anab Afifi and Thowaf Zuharon. Using Marianne Hirsch’s postmemory theory, the study explores how these narratives construct an Islamic counter-memory, framing the PKI as a source of trauma for the second generation of Indonesian Muslims. One strategy, termed "Re-Mussonization," involves the reimagining of the historical figure Musso as a central character, highlighting the PKI’s antagonism toward Islam. Additionally, the article examines the concept of post-Musso narratives, which challenge the dominant, 1965-centric memory of the PKI and offer an alternative perspective on Indonesia’s communist past.

Cultural Rituals and Personal Mourning: A Comparative Analysis of Grief in The Book of Life and Manchester by the Sea

2026-03-03T20:45:58+07:00

Although grief as a narrative trope is widely circulated in media intended for both children and adults, a gap remains in how contemporary grief models, particularly Continuing Bonds and the Dual Process Model, are represented in movies intended for different age groups. This study aims to provide insight into the differences and similarities in grief depictions in The Book of Life (2014) and Manchester by the Sea (2016) and whether these portrayals can be attributed to the intended age groups of the films, where the former is aimed at children and the latter is targeted toward general audiences. Using textual analysis, this research explores how contemporary grief theories manifest in the two films' narratives and cinematic elements, and the implications for the differing perspectives on grief. The findings reveal that while The Book of Life (2014) approaches grief symbolically by framing loss through communal rituals to offer hope amid loss, Manchester by the Sea (2016) presents grief as solitary and unresolved, highlighting emotional fracture and cultural complexities. Reading them together shows that the narratives of grief are shaped by cultural values and by assumptions about who the story is for.

Learning Path EXOOCO-2R Model in E-Module Based Reading and Writing Learning with Formative Assessment Tools

2026-03-06T13:00:25+07:00

Literacy is the foundation of education; it allows students to understand, evaluate, and communicate information effectively. However, many challenges arise in developing these skills, including limited access to adequate reading materials, ineffective teaching methods, and insufficient support and motivation from the surrounding environment. This research aims to develop a learning path in literacy learning, especially reading-to-write, based on e-modules with formative assessment tools. The development of learning paths in e-module-based reading-to-write learning with formative assessment tools is carried out using the ADDIE development model. This research began with a needs analysis to identify gaps in literacy learning. The e-module design and formative assessment tools are designed to provide a clear structure and continuous feedback to students. Based on the results of the research that has been carried out, it can be seen that the feasibility test results obtained an average value of 95.14%. These results show that the EXOOCO-2R learning path, formulated as an e-module, is considered very suitable for use, and this is in line with students' positive response to the learning path, with 68% included in the good category.