Reasons of Using English in Nightclub Banners in Yogyakarta
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Based on the social factors mentioned by Holmes 2001: 8, participants consisted of who are speaking and who they are speaking to. In nightclub banners,
the participants of the intended language in nightclub banners were banner designers that represented nightclub management and their customers. Here,
banner designers attempted to communicate with their customers in accordance with the need to inform nightclub’s events and products. The customers of
nightclub mostly consisted of young people in Yogyakarta, specifically university students and young executives. Those were the group of people that learnt and
were familiar with English. Therefore, they needed such language that was not only able to
communicate the message but also held high prestige in nightclub community. Customers would pay more attention to prestigious language in the banners rather
than the language that was considered ordinary. Hence, nightclub management chose English. The phrase like example [23], Model from Netherland brought the
matter of prestige rather than translating the phrase into Indonesian. It was supported by the statement of Respondent 2:
“…We use English to increase people’s curiosity on our events, get more customers, and maintain our prestige.” Respondent 2, Interview
Further, as part of the attempt to communicate the message to customers, nightclub management needed the language that was able to convey message
directly to customers. In this case, English was seen as the right language as it was able to convey message to young community. This supported the second reason of
using English in nightclub banners. The example was example [14], Black Out
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Valentine. This event name was seen as representing the meaning of the message rather than translating into Indonesian. Some words could not be translated into
Indonesian. This was stated by Respondent 3: “…in some cases, we have to put English into the banner. There are some
sentences and phrases that look odd and weird if translated to Indonesian. In some events, we use English because the guests are familiar with such
kind of language. For example, we have an event named Bali Paradise. If we make it into Indonesian, it will be Surganya Bali. See, it will be odd to
read and far away from our original concept.” Respondent 3, Interview
The statement showed that even though banner designers used English in their banners, they were able to address the message to customers as the language
was common. Moreover, considering that young community was identical with fun, banner designers also created the language that was unique and catchy. This
supported the third reason. As an example, banner designers wrote example [14] that was Black Out Valentine. This phrase would grasp customers’ attention rather
than writing the event in Indonesian. Young people tended to read such interesting name rather than the Indonesian version of Black Out Valentine.
The second factor was the setting or social context of interaction. Holmes 2001: 21 mentioned that the setting or social context of interaction was about
where the speakers are speaking. Related to the first, second, and third reason of using English in nightclub banners, there was a need to enable people to read the
banners in English as English was high-prestigious, able to convey the intended message more precisely, and able to grasp customers’ attention. Therefore,
nightclub management displayed the banners in major streets that were close to universities and offices. The choice of places was based on the consideration that
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the customers were dominated by young people in Yogyakarta. For example, they displayed the banners in Jalan Gejayan and Jalan Colombo, close to the
universities located in those streets. Nightclub management also displayed their banners in major crossroads in
Yogyakarta such as the crossroad located in Jalan Magelang and between Jalan Condongcatur and Jalan Gejayan. Those were such places in which people
stopped by at traffic lights and this condition enabled them to read the banners closely. It meant that nightclub management attempted to make more and more
people to come to the clubs, not only limited to their customers. The third social factor, the topic of the language was about “what is being
talked” Holmes, 2001: 21. The topic of the language of nightclub banners included the things that were familiar in nightclub community in English. They
were parties, DJs, music types, bands, singers, beverages, and models. Those were the materials that customers were interested in. Customers came to nightclubs in
order to have party, drink beverages, watch the DJs and enjoy their music, and watch bands’ performance and fashion show. For example, banner designers
wrote example [23], Model from Netherland in banner 9. This was such information that there would be a fashion show in the event and it was performed
by Dutch models. The other example was example [6], Addopted Sound of Zeus. This event name belonged to the material to be published in nightclub banner
since it illustrated the music type that was going to be performed in the event. Respondent 1 explained the meaning of Addopted Sound of Zeus.
“Well, at that time, the DJ came from Bandung and he played the music of a UK band named Zeus. He mixed Zeus’s music with other types of
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music, so we named it Addopted Sound of Zeus.” Respondent 1, Interview
Next, the fourth social factor, the function of the language, was about “why they are speaking” Holmes, 2003: 21. The function of the language of
nightclub banners was such tool to communicate with customers, specifically to inform nightclubs’ events and products. Later, it was important to note that the
customers mostly consisted of young people, especially university students and young executives. Therefore, the language used was such language that was high-
prestigious, common, and easy to be understood. The example was example [8], Free Entry for Ladies. This phrase was easy to be understood by customers.
Besides, such expression was common for nightclub community. It was proved through Respondent 2’s statement below:
“Sometimes, we have to write informal and nonstandard English because that should be. For example, Free for Ladies All Nite Long. This phrase is
common for nightclub community.” Respondent 2, Interview
In addition, the language used in nightclub banners was also the language that was able to grasp customers’ attention and interest to come to the clubs. It
was related to the need of selling products. Therefore, banner designers created certain language that enabled them to reach more customers. The example was
example [19], In Bed with Maxim. This was the name of an event published by Respondent 4. When reading such phrase, people would question what would be
happening in the club because there was bed in the club. Or, perhaps people questioned who Maxim was. This phrase described the language used in nightclub
banners was that that was unique, catchy, and common.
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Therefore, it could be concluded that English held referential function in nightclub banners. Holmes 2001: 88 said that referential function was about
giving and sharing information among participants. It meant, the language in nightclub banners provided information about nightclubs’ events and products for
customers. Customers could find the name of the event or product, the time, the dancers, the DJs, the models and other rules to come to the clubs. The example
was example [1], 50 Off by Showing Student ID for All Beverages except Brandy and Cognac. The phrase informed that customers might have got a 50-
discount for all beverages except Brandy and Cognac if they showed their student ID at that event.
The fifth factor, the social distance, was about “whether the speakers are friends, strangers, brothers, or relatives” Holmes, 2001: 25. Banner designers
that represented nightclub management and customers might have not known each other. However, there was a need of selling products in the relationship. Hence,
banner designers used the language that was high-prestigious and could accommodate their need to sell their products and grasp customers’ interest to
come to their clubs. The choice of language, of course, concerned the fact that the customers mostly consisted of university students and young executives.
Considering this fact, banner designers used English in creative and attractive style. The language was also common for customers and easy to be understood.
It also happened in sixth factor, the status relationship between people. Holmes 2001: 25 said that social role could be an important factor contributing
social status. The role of nightclub management was seller. Therefore, the status
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relationship between nightclub management and customers were seller-customer. As seller, nightclub management provided event that included DJs, dancers,
models, food, and beverages. The thing to do was making people to come to the clubs so that they paid for the entry ticket and bought nightclubs’ products such as
food and beverages. Therefore, nightclub management needed to inform their events and products to their customers. As the customers mostly consisted of
young people in Yogyakarta, nightclub management used English that was composed simply, catchy, and easily understood. This language was high-
prestigious, able to deliver the intended message, and aimed to grasp customers’ interest to come to the clubs to see what would be happening after reading the
banner and later buy nightclubs’ products. Then, the seventh social factor was the formality Holmes, 2001: 25. As
a matter of fact, nightclub was such leisure place. People came to nightclub in order to have party, watch band performance and fashion show, or drink
beverages. It meant that this was entertainment community. Besides, nightclub customers mostly consisted of young people. Young people, as a matter of fact,
were identical with fun. Therefore, the language used in nightclub community was informal language. The example was example [7], Get Discount Up to 60
for All Beverage All Nite Long. The phrase showed that banner designers changed night into nite. It proved that banner designers or nightclub management tended to
use informal language in nightclub community. Respondent 1 said: “We only make nonstandard English, not standard and formal English
because we think that the language should be.” Respondent 1, Interview
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The statement above also strengthened the tendency of using informal language in nightclub community. The use of nonstandard and informal English
built the sense of entertainment world that was popular as being free and creative. This was the language that could accommodate young people’s interest.
Finally, the eighth social factor was the function or goal of interaction Holmes, 2001: 25. In nightclub banner, there were two functions or goals of
interaction. Firstly, it was to inform nightclubs’ events and products. Therefore, the information conveyed in the banners was about certain nightclubs’ events and
products. The banners mentioned the DJs who were going to perform their music in the events, the day, date, and time of the event, the dancers, the bands, the
singers, or what products to be sold. The example was example [20], Maxim Girls Indonesia. This phrase informed that there would be a fashion show performed by
Indonesian Maxim models. Maxim was the name of international adult magazine. The other example was example [28], Ages Restriction: Boys 21+, Girls 18+.
This phrase explained one of the rules to enter the club that the customers should have been 21 years old minimally for male and 18 years old minimally for female.
The examples illustrated that the language in the banners focused on the first function, informing nightclubs’ events and products.
Secondly, the function or goal of interaction was to grasp people’s interest to come to the clubs. In this case, the language used played role as the media to
influence people to come to the clubs. It meant that after reading the message in the banners, people were interested in the themes published and curious to know
what would be happening in the events. To realize this goal, banner designers
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used the language that was considered as high-prestigious in nightclub community so that people were interested to read the message. Banner designers also created
the language creatively so that it looked catchy and interesting. As an example, example [9], Locally Session was taken from the Indonesian word, Lokalisasi for
the name of a local band competition in a nightclub. Respondent 1 explained the meaning of Locally Session:
“…Once, we published an event named Locally Session. Actually, this is the nonstandard English from Lokalisasi in Indonesian. Locally means
lokal, and session is sesi. This is an event for local indie bands in Yogyakarta.” Respondent 1, Interview
The phrase showed how banner designers composed English name for grasping people’s interest and attention. Banner designers tried to make people
correlate Locally Session with the literal meaning of Lokalisasi in Indonesian. Banner designers’ way of composing an event name that was related to
Indonesian word implied their goal of grasping readers’ attention as they spoke Indonesian.
Those eight social factors contributed the three reasons of using English in nightclub banners. English that was high-prestigious, able to convey the message
more precisely, and provided creativity to create such interesting words accommodated nightclubs’ needs to sell their products and make people to come
to the clubs. The choice of English was based on the social factors of selecting certain language in certain community.
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