Last modified: 2025-07-02
Abstract
Through language, a person or a country will be recognized by people around the world. Indonesia consists of many tribes that are known to be friendly, polite, and respectful. This is reflected in their smooth and polite speech, especially when it comes to verbal communication in Makassar culture. These words are more than just linguistic elements; they symbolize the underlying values of Makassar society.This article discusses the meaning of the words of respect from Makassar culture such as saribattang, kamanakang and purina with the aim of getting to know more deeply what the meaning contained in the three words. in this study using a qualitative descriptive method with an in-depth interview instrument with the indigenous people of jeneponto who understand more deeply the meaning of the three words. the meaning of the word saribattang itself is siblings and kamanakang and purina are children and brothers of our father and mother, the results of this study found that the three words of respect have a close relationship in the family and are interconnected between the words. this research is only limited to the context of its meaning and future researchers can find out more in the context of its use in the current generation whether it is still used or not..the research aims to highlight how language serves as a vehicle for maintaining respect and upholding cultural identity amidst modern influences..