Year: 2026 | Month: May | Volume: 13 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 489-502
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260545
Politeness Strategy and Kato Nan Ampek in the Minangkabau Language in Medan: A Pragmatic Study
Risnawaty1, Annim Hasibuan2, Ihsan Fadhilah3, Efendi Barus4, Emmy Erwina5, Milisi Sembiring6, Muhammad Ali Pawiro4
1Universitas Muslim Nusantara Al-Washliyah, Medan, Indonesia
2Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Islam Labuhan Batu, Rantauprapat, Indonesia
3Universitas Muhammadiyah Riau, Kota Pekanbaru, Indonesia
4Universitas Islam Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia
5Universitas Harapan Medan, Medan, Indonesia
6Universitas Methodist Indonesia, Medan, Indonesia
Corresponding Author: Annim Hasibuan
ABSTRACT
This study examines politeness strategies in the Minangkabau language through the framework of kato nan ampek (four speech styles): kato mandaki (upward), kato manurun (downward), kato mandata (equal-level), and kato malereang (indirect/figurative). Using a qualitative approach, the data were analyzed from multiple sets of naturally occurring utterances to explore how politeness is constructed across different social relations and communicative contexts. The findings reveal that imperatives dominate in kato manurun, where direct commands are considered culturally acceptable due to hierarchical authority rather than linguistic mitigation. In contrast, kato mandaki employs explicit politeness markers such as honorifics, apologies, and softening devices to show deference toward higher-status interlocutors. Meanwhile, kato mandata reflects neutral, information-oriented communication with minimal politeness marking among equals. Kato malereang plays a crucial role in maintaining social harmony through indirectness, metaphor, and figurative expressions, particularly in sensitive acts such as criticism and complaint. Across the data, indirect strategies—such as rhetorical questions, metaphorical expressions, and contextual softeners—are frequently used to reduce face-threatening acts. The study highlights that politeness in Minangkabau is primarily socially encoded, relying on hierarchy, context, and indirectness rather than purely grammatical forms. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of culturally embedded pragmatics and the role of language in sustaining social harmony within Minangkabau society.
Keywords: Minangkabau language; politeness strategies; kato nan ampek; pragmatics; social hierarchy; indirectness; metaphor; qualitative study
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