Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – When communicating, Indonesians always center their approach on the heart. The heart is the core of emotions, morality, and spirituality. From the heart, the fundamental value of communication is derived, namely budi, which in operational communication concepts manifests as budi bahasa (gracious speech) and budi bicara (thoughtful speech).
This was conveyed by Prof. Dr. Anter Venus, MA, Comm, in his Inaugural Speech for the Professorship in Communication Studies at the National Development University “Veteran” Jakarta on Friday, February 14, 2025. His speech was titled Indonesian Communication Values: Exploration for a Systemic Model.
In his address, Venus explained that in the Indonesian language, communication is represented by five words: berbicara (speaking), bercakap (conversing), berkata (saying), bertutur (narrating), and berbincang (discussing). Beyond these five terms, there is another word that can be equated with communication: berbahasa (using language).
These six words, which represent the act of communication, are closely linked to significant values, especially when connected to the concept of budi (virtue). The behavior of using language or communicating well and politely is always associated with virtuous conduct.
Additionally, these six words often relate to the concept of the heart. For example, phrases such as berbicara dalam hati (speaking in the heart), berbicara dengan hati (speaking with the heart), and berbicara dengan hati-hati (speaking carefully) reflect how Indonesians perceive communication.
According to the Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language), Venus explained that the word hati (heart) has 18 subentries, ranging from kata hati (inner voice), hati-hati (cautious), sehati (like-minded), to diperhatikan (being noticed). Out of these 18 subentries, only one refers to the biological heart as an organ. The remaining 17 define hati metaphorically or figuratively.
“Based on research, there are 434 words, expressions, proverbs, or other phrases that use the word hati, and it is estimated that even more remain undocumented,” Venus stated. This remarkable number demonstrates the strong presence of the heart concept in Indonesia’s belief and value system.
“The dominant function of the word hati in Indonesian culture and language is primarily for social interaction,” emphasized Venus. “The heart serves as the center of life, encompassing emotional, spiritual, and moral aspects.”
In essence, our ability to manage our hearts determines the quality of our communication. If the heart is good, communication will be good.
So, where do reason and logic stand in Indonesian perspectives? Are they unimportant? Venus’s research found only 114 dictionary entries related to akal (reason) and 85 related to pikir (thought). This means that hati is far more dominant in the Indonesian worldview, particularly regarding communication.
Venus cited literature on Malay culture, referencing Lim Kim Hui (2012) and Effendy (1989 and 2012), who also emphasized the heart’s importance as the center of life for the Malay people. In the Indonesian context, Venus’s research arrived at the same conclusion, supported by extensive and exploratory data.
Each of the six communication-related words generates expressions linked to hati, which embody Indonesian cultural values. For instance, berbicara (speaking) leads to the phrase berbicara dari hati ke hati (heart-to-heart talk), while berbahasa (using language) connects to bahasa hati (language of the heart), and berkata (saying) relates to kata hati (inner voice).
These hati-related expressions are not merely emotional, like iri hati (jealous), senang hati (happy heart), or kekasih hati (beloved). Instead, they often carry moral and spiritual meanings.
For example, kata hati (inner voice) has a different weight than senang hati (happy heart), which merely expresses emotion. Similarly, berbicara dari hati ke hati (heart-to-heart talk) carries intrinsic value beyond the phrase iri hati (jealousy). This intrinsic value is a key factor in addition to the sheer frequency of hati usage.
The use of hati-related expressions is massive, potentially reaching 600 words, with only 434 currently identified. “According to linguistic relativity theory, the frequent use of hati signifies its importance in the daily lives of Indonesians,” Venus explained.
Venus noted that the concept of hati exists across various Indonesian cultures, from Javanese (ati, hati), Sundanese (ati, hate), to Minahasan (nate). “This means that Indonesia is also united by a shared worldview that centers on the heart. This also implies that Indonesia’s diversity must be managed with empathy and timbang rasa (mutual consideration), both of which are heart-centered,” said Venus.
Venus also highlighted that budi bahasa represents polite communication, while budi bicara implies that speaking should involve reason, not just courtesy. “That is why, in certain situations, the heart can become troubled, influenced by emotions, or darkened, as reflected in the proverb ikut hati mati, ikut rasa binasa (following the heart leads to ruin, following emotions leads to destruction),” he stated. “This also emphasizes the importance of reason in communication, as seen in the saying pikir itu pelita hati (thought is the lamp of the heart),” Venus added.
