Sundanese Epistemic Modality “Kudu”: A Linguistic Manipulation

Abstract

The enactment and reproduction of ethnic inequality are argued to be reproduced by linguistic “tools”. In this case, the current study is undertaken to investigate Sundanese necessity modal “kudu” (‘must’), a particle functioned as a function word, associated with an epistemic interpretation and false consciousness in presupposition, exploiting data from Mangle, an ethnocentric mass media. For the analysis itself, perspective of linguistic manipulation is envisaged. The theoretical framework has been designed in considering to discourse and performative pragmatics, language as drama. The methodology of this inquiry has applied qualitative research based on discourse analysis. By viewing the evidence, the analysis shows that Sundanese modality “kudu” supports social structure of participants to control over public discourse and lead to broadly shared public opinions. In other words, Sundanese modality “kudu”, argued as an indicator of linguistic manipulation, conveys implicit meaning by flouting maxim but still relying on deeper underlying rules to arise ethnocentrism and national excitement.