This study investigates the MOOD system in the Awig-Awig text of the Denpasar Customary Village to explain how interpersonal relations between the customary village and its members are constructed, as well as how MOOD choices represent the obligations of community members. The analysis adopts the Systemic Functional Linguistics framework, particularly the interpersonal metafunction, focusing on clause structure, polarity, and modality. The findings show that interpersonal relations are predominantly realized through declarative MOOD. Customary rules are presented as normative information perceived as objective and mutually accepted, rather than as direct commands directed at community members. Through declarative MOOD, the customary village is positioned as a source of cultural authority without overt assertion of power, while community members are positioned as ethical subjects engaged in the implementation of social norms. Obligation is expressed through obligation modality, whereas prohibitions are conveyed through declarative MOOD marked by negative polarity. These findings fill a gap in linguistic studies on Balinese customary legal texts and demonstrate that the language of awig-awig functions not only as a regulatory instrument but also as a mechanism for sustaining social order and cultural continuity.
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