Keywords : Sociolinguistics, taboo words, “9gag.com†website, internet memes.Taboo is one study of sociolinguistics that has relation with culture and society. Taboo describes something prohibited, forbidden or interdiction things because it is not proper with the religion and custom in the society. Taboo words are prohibited to be uttered because they are improper and viewed as bad and rude language. Nowadays, social media is one of the media where people mostly produce taboo words, and the example is 9gag.com. This website is an image-based social media website which centers on user-uploaded pictures, even if the jokes that were posted on 9gag.com came from various backgrounds, but all 9gag.com users use and understand internet memes, the typical comical sign that is used in 9gag. The posts in 9gag.com are comical stories and funny pictures that usually come up with the memes.This research only focused on the type and the purpose of English taboo words used by 9gag.com users in January 1 to 31, 2013. The purpose of this research is to find out the types of English taboo words and the purposes of using taboo words by 9gag.com users from 1 to 31 January 2013. In this study the writer used qualitative approach because the data of this research are in the form of word rather than number.In analyzing the type of English taboo words in 9gag.com, the writer used the theory of Wardhaugh (1986). In analyzing the purpose of using taboo words, the writer used the theory of Liedlich (1973). The writer found 22 taboo words used by 9gag.com users in January 2013. They mostly used taboo words certain game animal, such as; „bitch please‟ and „bull shit‟. The writer also found many purposes of English taboo words used by 9gag.com users, such as; discredit, provoke violent confrontation and the common one was to create attention.The writer suggests that the next linguistics students conduct a research on taboo words not only in jokes and violence but might also be in other conditions, because most of taboo word theses were taking the object in movies, social media, and some regions. He also suggests the next researcher use different theories and methods if they want to conduct similar research. The writer also suggests the 9gag.com users consider their language before posting pictures and be wise in judging the value of the site especially in the language used.The writer also hopes that next linguistic student conduct a research on taboo words in other objects
