Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Relations of Makassarese Language Users: Ages, Social Status, and Politeness Strategies

Abstract

This research was conducted to explore how ages and social status can be revealed by the used of Makassar language. The data were taken by interviewing 14 people who have lived in Makassar since they were born. This research was descriptive using a qualitative approach. The methods used in collected data were recording and transcribing. The findings of this research showed that the participants used politeness strategies as their indirect ways to show ages and social status differences. Those strategies are divided into six, which are; deference in kinship, deference in non-kinship, intimacy in kinship, intimacy in non-kinship, hierarchy inkinship and hierarchy in non-kinship.