Transitivity and Social Context in Balinese Folklores: A Systemic Functional Perspective

Abstract

—Mesatua “storytelling” is a tradition that is usually done by parents or grandparents in Bali. Storytelling uses Balinese folklore, which is rich in moral value. It is an effort to preserve the language and culture and develop Balinese cultural values. This study aims to determine Balinese folklore’s transitivity and social context by applying a systemic functional analysis theory. The result of the analysis showed that transitivity elements consist of process, participant, and circumstances. The situational context consists of the field of discourse, tenor of discourse, and mode of discourse. The cultural context involves mesatua “storytelling” traditions, the level of Balinese language used in the text, and religious symbolic meaning.