INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL LINGUISTICS II

DIALECTOLOGY RESEARCH
Present by: NADIA TURRAHMI 1010732014

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF LETTERS ANDALAS UNIVERSITY

This research do on June, 2009

1. The Writer: Name Birthdate Birth place Education : Afri Meldam : April, 21st 1987 : Calau : Kindergarten until Junior High School in Calau Public High School in Kayu Tanam Graduated S1 in Andalas University at English Department

2. Research Background Mobility such as urbanization and migration of a group of speaker to another area will bring some changes into the language spoken by the immigrants. In the regards of this, Peter Auer (2005) points out that migration and the subsequent dialect contact between a brought-along variety and the one spoken in the receiving area can lead to a durable change in speech habits of the immigrant group.

3. Research Problems This research concerns on discussion about the influences of urbanization and migration toward the language choice of Sumpur Kudus people, especially the students and the workers , who have had a contact with different (respectively) dialects and language

4. Research Destination To evaluate whatever the changes of dialect that caused by the student, who study in another regional or the labour who work in Malaysia. Then when they come back to Sijunjung they bring some different dialect.

5. Research Methodology I think this research use a qualitative method, because explore about social condition and humanioras problems. This approach concern and give some describing about the words, and point of view of respondent, and then do a natural research. And the type is ethnography, because the author study about the attitude, habitually, and ethnography of the research. The author also participate in social, and doing it with the interview. So, the author interact with each other about the language or attitude of this community.

6. Research Performance a. The differenciate between the original Sumpur and Minangkabau

Standard Minang

Sumpur Kudus dialect

Meaning

Angok Bancah Lalok Paniang Galok

Ongok boncah Lolok Poniang Golok

Breathe Swamp Sleep Dizzy Dark

b. The differenciate between Malay and Indonesian

Malay

Indonesian

Meaning

Helmet IC (they pronounceesi) Baki Len Mesej

Helm KTP Pulsa Sinyal/jaringan SMS

Helmet Identity Card/IC (ai si) Credit Network/signal Message(SMS)

c. The differenciate between Old and New dialect

Old dialect word

New dialect word

Meaning.

Tenggen Owun Babiak Osan Ibuik

Stres Harum Basah Basi Angin

Stress Smell good Wet Expired Wind

7. My Argument I think this research is a good research, because describing about the changes of dialect, and the real condition. The dialect can be change by the habitually, such as the student who study in another regional can bring the dialect into their original dialect. In this era, many student forget their original dialect, because they grow up in another district and then the change of dialect become a habitually. Not only in Sijunjung, but also in another one.

Dialectology

Urbanization, migration, language choice and prestige: A case study of students and workers from Sumpur Kudus, Sijunjung, West Sumatra
By Afri Meldam

Mobility such as urbanization and migration of a group of speaker to another area will bring some changes into the language spoken by the immigrants. In the regards of this, Peter Auer (2005) points out that migration and the subsequent dialect contact between a broughtalong variety and the one spoken in the receiving area can lead to a durable change in speech habits of the immigrant group. What he means is that a permanent moving of a group of speaker to certain places (within the same language area) will influence the language of the speakers; that the recieving language (dialect) will affect them so much.

This research concerns on discussion about the influences of urbanization and migration toward the language choice of Sumpur Kudus people, especially the students and the workers , who have had a contact with different (respectively) dialects and language. The influences I will concern on include the choice of words (lexical level) and the choice of kinship terms as well. In the end, I will relate these circusmstances to language prestige. The last objection of the research will explain the motivations of the people to choose certain vocabularies or words for the language they speak.

Sumpur Kudus and the language at a glance Sumpur Kudus is a sub-district (nagari) in Sijunjung regency, West Sumatra. The people speak Minangkabau (Sumpur Kudus dialect) as their mother tongue, which is closely related to Payakumbuh dialect, as both are geographically near. The characteristic of Sumpur Kudus (as well as Payakumbuh) dialect is it uses many o as replacement for a in a standard Minangkabau.

For example:

Standard Minang

Sumpur Kudus dialect

Meaning

Angok Bancah Lalok Paniang Galok

Ongok boncah Lolok Poniang Golok

Breathe Swamp Sleep Dizzy Dark

Table 1. Comparison of Sumpur Kudus local dialect with the standard Minang. Urbanization and effects on word choice.

Urbanization is a mobility of a rural (village) area people to the urban (city). In Minangkabau. culture, the mobility to another place has been rooted and occured since a long time, in particularly for the youths. The Minangkabau term for this called marantau, which basically has three purposes, they are academic (to study outside), economic (to trade) and to seek new experience. Urbanization process of Sumpur Kudus people develops rapidly after the opening of road toward the area (early 1970s). Before that, the access to and from Sumpur Kudus was very difficult since the only transportation mode used was kudo boban (a small-sized horse that was functioning as goods and commodities carrier). But, in the late 1970s, as the road access to Sumpur Kudus was pioneered and the modern transportations such as motorbikes, buses and cars made their way to break the isolated area, the relationship with another regions became easier. The people frequently travel to neighboring regencies such as Batusangkar, Payakumbuh, Bukittinggi, Padang, etc.

The mobility and contact with people from various different backgrounds in those areas for such a long period give influence towards the language in terms of words choice used by the students, traders or workers from Sumpur Kudus. As they have had contact with the people outside their native village, the Sumpur Kudus people are influenced to change the words they used to refer to something. Though in their native Sumpur Kudus dialect they have such a term

for certain words, but they will prefer to use a standard Minangkabau (which has been also got a more or less influence from Bahasa Indonesia).

Thus, the process of changes of word choice in Sumpur Kudus occurs in two steps. First, Bahasa Indonesia affects the standard Minangkabau (used in Padang, Bukittinggi, etc, where students and workers form Sumpur Kudus live(d)). Second, the standard Minangkabau affects the Sumpur Kudus dialect, in terms of lexical level.

As I emphasized before, urbanization makes some changes in terms of word choices (vocabulary) and also a bit in accent. For example: when a man speak to a woman, in Sumpur Kudus its common and sound polite if the man just call her with (k)au and call yourself (a)den. But, for some people who ever have experienced to live in another region (where Minang is still used as the first language), some changes occur. To the pronoun I, for instance, a man will opt to use awak rather than aden. Kau (you) will be replaced by the name of the girl he speaks to. It is in accorance with Aikenvald (2002) statement that the choice of a word or even a pronunciation of a word may signal social and attitudinal information over and above the purely information carried by the word itself (102).

The tendency to adjust the word choice when speaking to someone indicates that the speaker wants to give some impression toward his adresse. In the case above (the conversation between man and woman), the man wants to show the woman that he is a polite guy. In other words, as Aikenvald goes on, the different ways of talking carry different social meaning, perhaps signalling casualness and intimacy, or authority, formality and prestige.

Sumpur Kudus people who never go outside the village might not know the meaning of such words as pink (as they call it sigha mudo), biru (blue) or marun (maroon), because they call them ijau lawik and ati ayam respectively.Besides, some old generations prefer to use tangah duo, tangah tigo or tangah ompek to refer to one and a half, two and a half, and three and a half respectively. Meanwhile, the younger ones use satu satangah, dua satangah, and tigo satangah correspondingly.

People in nagari (village) will consider someone who speaks different words of Sumpur Kudus dialect as nondong (show off) and langguak (arrogant). This circumstance will be understood clearlly when we relate the language with prestige. It is obviously seen that the reasons of the poeple to judge some members of society who choose such an influential word in a native-native-communication as arrogant since they feel that the language dominate them. The further explanation about this issue will be discussed in the language and prestige part of this research. Urbanization effects on kinship terms.

Urbanization also influences the way people in Sumpur Kudus call their relatives (kinship terms). The terms Tuo, Ongah, Udo and Oncu which were used commonly to call the eldest, the middle, the third, and the youngest respectively have been rarely used and changed to kakak (to call older sister) and abang (to older brother). In some cases, even the kinship term mamak (which simply means uncle, but in Minangkabau sense it reflects higher position of mothers brothers), has been changed also to be oom, which is generally accepted as the standard Bahasa Indonesia.

Furthermore, there is a range variety of the way people call their parents. Before the 1950s , the natives used to call their parents by amak (for mother) and apak or abak (for father). As stated above, at the time, the migration of Sumpur Kudus people to other regions remained rare due to difficult access to go outside the area. But, after the modern transportation modes find their way to Sumpur Kudus, the mobility of the poeple as well as intensity of contact with another people are increasing. Apart from its positive impacts toward the life of the people, it also influences the kinship terms they use for calling their parents. Since then, the kinship terms used by Sumpur Kudus remains various such as Ibu, (M)ama,and Bunda (for mother), whereas (p)apa, aba,and Ayah are widely used to call father. .

In addition, the same story happens to kinship terms used for grandparents. To call their grandmother, one would use uwo or inyiak, whereas the terms pakntuo was used to refer to a grandfather. But, nowadays such terms have been left since people find other terms which are considered more modern like nenek for the former and kakek for the latter. Besides, some

people use atu(a)k to call their grandfather. It is likely the term atu(a)k was derived from Riau Malay datuk

Migration and Malay influences

Malaysia is the most popular destination of rantau area for Sumpur Kudus youths. Since 1970s, many youths has made their way to Malaysia to find a job. They come to Malaysia as illegal or legal workers who work in some kilang (company) in the neighboring country, and live for years. To adapt with their working environment, the workers adjust the language they use in their daily life. Some new terms they never knew before (especially technical terms used in company they work and terms for technology devices) add to their vocabularies. When coming back to Sumpur Kudus, they still use such terms to communicate with other poeple. As consequence, Malay also gives influence towards the language (at the lexical level) in Sumpur Kudus.

The following instances illustrate the words choices intentionally or unintentionally used by Sumpur Kudus youths who once worked in Malaysia.

Malay

Indonesian

Meaning

Helmet IC (they pronounceesi) Baki Len Mesej Polis Snoke(r) Kumpulan Baya Moto Kereta

Helm KTP Pulsa Sinyal/jaringan SMS Polisi Bilyar Grupband Kabel Motor Mobil

Helmet Identity Card/IC (ai si) Credit Network/signal Message(SMS) Police Billiard Band Wire Motorbike Car

Bisikal Leto Swite Ekon Bas Megi Cakap Awak Hal Hun Repot Hewe Jem Lesen Fotostek Busstop Bandar raya RELA Cikgu Sekuriti Orijinal Melabur Beza Dicaba(r)

Sepeda Korekapi Sweater AC(ase) Bus Mie Bicara Kamu Masalah Sentimeter Lapor Tol Macet SIM fotocopy halte pamong hansip guru satpam Asli Investor beda Ditantang

Bicycle Matches Sweater AC Bus Noodle Speak You Matter Centimeter Report Highway Jam/congestion License Photocopy Bus stop Civil service Security force Teacher Security Original Investor Distinct/different Is being challenged

Table 2. Some new words brought and spoken by workers who once worked as illegal workforce in Malaysia (The data above are based on phone interview with Rinaldi, 22, a brother of

Indonesian worker in Malaysia, on June 19th 2009).

The words listed above are used nowadays in daily conversations by the ex-workers in Sumpur Kudus. Besides that, due to the high intensity of using such words, they also make a space among people who have ever communicated with the ex-workers. What I am trying to say is that the ex-workers influence the poeple in their circle, especially those who have no contact with oustiders (most of them are the old generations).

In the case of the workers, language change occurs because of some reasons. Firstly, before going to Malaysia to be labors, they did not know such a technical terms used in Bahasa Indonesia to call some technological devices such as handpohone facilities since in Sumpur Kudus they did not have any. After they come back to Sumpur Kudus, they teach their relatives to call such terms as they do. For example, a man was just back home, and gave a new handphone to his sister (who never had any). He tild his sister that inside the cellphone there is a card which has to be charged with some baki (credit) in order to be connected. The sister then will remember the term baki to call credit and will use it afterwards. Secondly, the use of Malay due to their asumptions that the language has a higher prestige than Bahasa Indonesia.The latter issue will be discussed further in language and prestige part below.

Language choice and prestige.

Wardaugh (1996) points out that speakers usually feel that languages are generally better than dialects in some sense. Language, therefore has a signicant correlation with prestige, which means that a language used by certain speech community is not only simpy used for communication, but also to show their prestige. Prestige, as proposed by Milroy (2007) is a property of speakers, or groups of speakers, some of whom are occured higher social prestige than others, and this is very clearly related to varying social class or status (p.137). In the level of word, it seems clear that the use of some terms is aimed to show someones consideration about that language.

The motivation to use certain terms of a language instead of using terms in native local dialect shows that the speakers feel that the language has a better prestige compared to their own dialect. To talk further, since the language has a better prestige, the use of certain words to

replace the words in their dialect implies their reason to indirectly show their class. Thus, as Milroy goes on,prestige is conferred on language varieties by speakers, and speakers tend to confer prestige on usages that are considered to be those of the higher social classes (137). This research can be taken as a good explanation of the case of Sumpur Kudus people who prefer to use standard Minangkabau words rather than Sumpur Kudus dialect as well as to the exworkers who still use some Malay terms to call certain things.

However, it is also important to note that people in Sumpur Kudus make such an unwritten rule concerning the use of the kinship terms above. Economic status undeniably plays a great role in determining whether someone (parent) deserves to teach his/her children in order to call them or their grandparents with the new terms stated above. An upper and middle class society has a freedom to choose which term they want to use. In the other hand, the lower class one should use the old-version terms. Otherwise, the people in kampong will look down at them or even mock them as if they want to say you poor ought not to use such term, only we the rich who deserve to use them. This circumstance then makes the lower class families realize that they should indeed use the old version terms. Nonetheless, as their economic status increase, a member of the family (a daughter who has married for instance) will automatically adjust the terms she teaches to her kids).

The following examples are changing of words choice in Sumpur Kudus dialect because of urbanization:

Old dialect word

New dialect word

Meaning.

Tenggen Owun Babiak Osan Ibuik Batu jam Baju dingin

Stres Harum Basah Basi Angin Batrai jam Jeket

Stress Smell good Wet Expired Wind Battery Jacket

Pakansi Limpope Indo Jantan Tino (A)gak kajantan-jantanan (A)gak katino-tinoan Kaluagh main Main reket Dasun Minyak manih Maisok Lapiak sumbayang Lobuah Lawuak Kowa Baintaian Suduak Mandobi Salabeta Oso Tingkok Kapa tobang Elok-elok yo! Balai Kanti Kotuk-kotuk

Libur Kupu-kupu Pelangi Cowok Cewek Tomboi Banci/bencong Istirahat Bulu tangkis/badminton Bawang putiah Minyak goreng Marokok Sajadah Jalan Ikan Kopi Bapacar Pangkugh Manggosok/manstrika Sapu tangan Ciek/ Satu Pintu madan/Jendela Pesawat Hati-hati yo! Pasa Kawan/konco Tontong

Holiday Butterfly Rainbow Boy Girl Tomboy AC/DC, She-male Break time Badminton Garlic Cooking oil To smoke Praying mat Road/street Fish Coffee Dating Hoe To iron Handkerchieft One Window Airplane Take care Market Companion A tool made of

bamboo used for announcing some information in nagari Mainbol Kalimumu Bubua samba Main bola/bola kaki Ketombe Lontong Soccer Dandruff Over cooked rice

Ago Dangau Ka mano Apo Siapo Bapo Dek apo

Bola Uma Ka ma Aa Sia Baa Dek a

Ball House Where What Who How Why

Table 3. Comparison of old and new version of Sumpur Kudus dialect.

Thus, to conclude, language choice has a close correlation with language prestige. Nonetheless, the process is not that simple. At the first level, mobility of a group of speakers to another place will influence the brought-along language, mainly in terms of words choice. As they get contact with other people from various places, the immigrants find many new words to add to their vocabularies. When they are back to their natal village, they bring the influences along with them.

The people know how to call such things in their language (or dialect), but they prefer to choose terms in one language they ever contacted with. In the case of Sumpur Kudus students and workers, their language has been influenced by a standard Minangkabau and Bahasa Indonesia (for the domestic-base ones) and Malay (for those who worked in Malaysia). The urbanization and migration do not only influence the way they speak (in terms of words choice), but also the way they call their kins. The changes in kinship terms and new variations of word brought into Sumpur Kudus dialect occur because of the people consider their dialect as inferior, whist respect another language as superior (has a better prestige). Economic status also determine someones authority to use such new words changes.

References:

Aikenvald (2002). Multilingualism and language choice. pp.102-126. (In sociolinguistics reading materials)

Auer, Peter (2005) Mobility, Contact and Accomodation. In Llmas, C., L. Mullany & P. Stockwell. (2007), pp.109-115

Milroy, James (2007)The ideology of the standard language. In Llamas, C., L. Mullany & P. Stockwell. (2007), pp.133-139.

Wardaugh, R. (1996). An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. London, UK: Blackwell Publisher