Language change in Indonesian

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Language Change

Language Change is a series of alterations inside various aspects of a language. These alterations can occur due to numerous causes, such as modernization, adaptation, cultural assimilation, political changes, and so forth. Unlike animals, humans have the ability to create complexity in their way of interacting and communicating with their interlocutors. This evolving language can affect every aspect of the linguistic system at a certain rate. Wadsworth (2009) stated, that the rate of language change depends on the attitude of the speakers. When a speech group value changes more than stability, therefore their language will change more quickly. When they value stability more, it will change more slowly. Language change can also result in the distribution of regional language styles.


This can be explained more broadly by taking the Indonesian language as an example. Deriving from the Malay language as lingua franca before the language was officially formed, the Indonesian language started its first development on 28 October 1928. Since then, intergenerational communication has created continuing development in many aspects of the language. Many Indonesian words were adapted from both foreign and traditional words. It occurs also due to differences in Indonesia's regional dialects, along the fact that colonialism had brought significant influence in the language, resulting in numerous types of changes.

Examples

Spelling Change

There are numerous variety of Indonesian language spelling guidelines that set the standard for correct spelling. The most popular that are still in use today would be "PUEBI" (Pedoman Umum Ejaan Bahasa Indonesia). PUEBI was made official in 2015, replacing the former "EYD" (Ejaan yang Disempurnakan) that was made official in 1972-2015. The list goes on until the first spelling guideline from prof. Charles van Ophuijsen in 1901.


Ali (1998), shows us list of spelling change sample:


Ophuysen 1901 Soewandi 1947
Pende' Pendek
Tida' Tidak
Boekoe Buku
'Adil Adil


Other Instances are:


Ophuysen 1901 LBK
sj sy
j y
tj c
e, é e
dj j

Semantic Change

Throughout Generations, the Indonesian language undergoes processes of cultural assimilation. This resulted changes in word meaning from both formal and informal form of speeches and written texts. Chaer (2003) asserted, that changes of meaning may also happen due to the development of science and technology, social interactions, differences of fields and perspectives, grammatical factors, and so forth. Examples of meaning changes will be shown in this following tables:


Word Old Meaning (KUBI 1984) New Meaning (KBBI 2008)
Nona a term for a young girl or an unmarried woman (usually for foreigners) a term for married woman ; a wife
Putri the daughter of a king or the wife of a king a biological daughter
Pembantu a helper - a person who helped the writing of a newspaper a housemaid (female)
Kacung a little boy - a newspaper boy a servant - an errand boy
Pembela a person who defends law expert appointed in defense of the defendant in a court hearing - a lawyer


Examples of meaning change in the informal form:


Word Original Meaning (KBBI) New Meaning
Garing hard and dry (like a biscuit); dry Certain acts or jokes that are not funny
Pecah scattered to pieces; cracked; broken Expression which happens when a party and/or event goes fun and wild
Cabai/cabe A Chili Young girls with an unusually open lifestyle
Receh Small valued money, usually refers to coins or pennies A Person, who easily laugh at cheap kind of jokes
Setan Unholy spirits (spirit of temptation for humans to do evil things) Name calling as a result of expression of hate towards someone

Slang

Slang words also encounter alterations. There are a lot of factors to these changes, one of which is the influence of social media in daily life. Although not much information can validate the root of these changes, as slang words are constantly changing without official guidelines with opinions from experts, there are, however, an overwhelming variety of evolution in the slang words.


Here are some following examples and its meanings:

  • Gokil - Goks : (expression) to something that is mind-blowing or awesome
  • Cabut - Cabs : (saying) goodbye to someone close or an act of going somewhere else
  • Mantap - Ntaps : Awesome
  • Yaudah - Yauds : Very well - Okay - Fine

These changes is appears as a shortened version of the words, sometimes its also refers to something that is more. For instance, Gokil means Awesome and Goks very awesome. Sometimes its only an expression when one is too lazy to say the full words.

  • Yuk - Kuy : Let's go!
  • Bisa- Sabi : (verb) can
  • Bang - Ngab : Brother - sir - bro


These changes was influenced by Bahasa Walikan (region of malang, east java) which have a unique dialect of word twisting.


References

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