Mystical and Magical Language in the Legend of Totok Kerot: The Characteristics of Javanese Verbal Utterances

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.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study focuses on oral literature as the primary object of analysis, specifically folklore transmitted verbally across generations. Moving beyond general thematic analysis, this article critically examines the specific characteristics of mystical and magical language embedded within the Totok Kerot Legend in Pamenang Village, Kediri Regency. A descriptive qualitative method with an anthropological approach was employed. Primary data were gathered through in-depth interviews with the site guardian (juru kunci) and local residents, utilized alongside participatory observation and document analysis. Data analysis followed the stages of reduction, presentation, and conclusion-drawing, with validity ensured through source, theory, and method triangulation. The novel findings of this study reveal that the mystical and magical language in the legend operates through structured verbal characteristics: (1) the performative power of verbal curses (sabda/kutukan) where language functions as a metaphysical instrument capable of altering physical reality, (2) the formulaic language of ritual veneration that bridges human communication with the supernatural, and (3) the narrative descriptions of heightened sensory sensitivity to unseen energy. The linguistic novelty lies in how Javanese mysticism utilizes authoritative, rigid speech acts to reinforce social regulations and moral boundaries. Based on these insights, it is recommended that literary writers utilize these authentic oral linguistic patterns and Javanese mystical speech structures to enrich the depth, magical realism, and cultural authenticity of contemporary mythological fiction. Keywords: folklore; Javanese mysticism; legend; mystical and magical language; oral literature.