Laughing the Pain Away: Understanding Sambat Practice among Javanese Youth

Abstract

In recent years, a verbal act of jokingly sharing grievances among Javanese youth labelled as sambat has become increasingly visible and audible both in social media and local radio. Sambat is a practice among Javanese youth where Javanese language is mixed with non-linguistic comedic touches to express a collective identity of being young, struggling with life’s problems, and feeling broken-hearted. This paper seeks to understand the emergence of sambat practice among Javanese youth on the internet and its traditional continuity within Javanese society. It explores the relation between language, emotion, and cultural practice through the lens of linguistic anthropology. The central argument is that the popularity of sambat on the internet has shifted the value of Javanese language from its traditional association with hierarchy to a comedic language that symbolises sadness, pain, and the persona of heartbroken youth.