Verbal Abuse of Cursing in Balinese Myths

This article analysis forms of verbal abuse of cursing in mythsof Balinese culture. The politeness of a language varies basedon its speaker’s culture. Things that are considered polite ornot polite in one culture, often associated with something thatis respected, sacred, taboo, and/or hidden, such as, beliefs of itsancestors, parents, supernatural beings, as well as body partsthat were respected or hidden. Degrading, cursing, swearing,and mocking acts appeared to be the contrary of languagepoliteness. Therefore, both politeness and verbal violence areclosely related to the culture of its speakers. In relation to theBalinese culture, some verbal violence applied in some of theBalinese myths. The verbal violence found in myth can begrouped into two types, which were first in the form of threatsand second, in the form of curse-shaped. Based on the datafound, the verbal abuses of curses found in the myth were ofdifficult childbirth, child expulsion, misfortune, and pickingup jewelry, and pregnancy.