Mystical and Magical Language in the Legend of Totok Kerot: The Characteristics of Javanese Verbal Utterances
IJLECR - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE EDUCATION AND CULTURE REVIEW June 14, 2026 Encil Puspitoningrum, Djoko Saryono, Dwi Sulistiorini
Oral literature, particularly folklore passed down through generations, contains distinctive mystical and magical language. Analyzing the Totok Kerot Legend from Pamenang Village, Kediri Regency, using a descriptive qualitative method with an anthropological approach, the study identifies three structured verbal characteristics: performative verbal curses (sabda/kutukan) that function as metaphysical instruments altering physical reality, formulaic ritual veneration language bridging human and supernatural communication, and narrative descriptions of heightened sensory sensitivity to unseen energy. The linguistic novelty lies in how Javanese mysticism uses authoritative, rigid speech acts to reinforce social regulations and moral boundaries.