Bahasa Binan (or bahasa Béncong) is a distinctive Indonesian speech variety originating from the gay community. It has several regular patterns of word formation and is documented in both writing and speech.Boellstorf (2004): 248
One pattern of word formation modifies standard Indonesian roots (normally composed of two syllables) to have as the first vowel and closing the second syllable—hence providing regular assonance with the standard Indonesian word , a male homosexual, trans woman, or male crossdresser.
Another word formation pattern adds infixes to other Indonesian roots. The best example is the word itself, formed with the word , 'male transvestite', to which the infix has been added and from which the second syllable has been dropped. Bahasa Binan also uses a range of standard Indonesian words with altered meaning. The standard word for 'cat', , is used in Bahasa Binan to denote a male sex worker. Another word with wide currency in Bahasa Binan, but actually typical of standard Indonesian informal word formation, is from ('woman') + ('man'), meaning 'transvestite'.
See also
Ablaut Affix Gayle IsiNgqumo Morpheme Polari :id:Betty Bencong Slebor (Indonesian Wikipedia) :id:Joko Wiryanto Suwito (Indonesian Wikipedia)
Notes and references
Bibliography
Boellstorff, Tom (2007). A coincidence of desires: anthropology, queer studies, Indonesia. Duke University Press. Boellstorf, Tom (2005). The gay archipelago: sexuality and nation in Indonesia. Princeton University Press.
Boellstorff, Tom (2003). '"Authentic, of course!": gay language in Indonesia and cultures of belonging'. Chapter 7, pages 181–201 in William Leap, Tom Boellstorff (eds). Speaking in queer tongues: globalization and gay language. University of Illinois Press. Offord, Baden and Leon Cantrell (2001). "Homosexual Rights as Human Rights in Indonesia". Pages 233–252 in Gerard Sullivan and Peter A. Jackson (eds). Gay and lesbian Asia: culture, identity, community. Haworth Press. TYO (2005). "Bahasa 'Binan' dan Trendi". Lampung Post 23 January.
External links GAYa NUSANTARA – official website of GAYa Nusantara Gaya Nusantara – National Library of Australia subscription to GAYa Nusantara Bahasa Binan: Detik Forum – moderated open online forum for Bahasa Binan posts, hosted by detikForum