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DIGLOSSIA IN BALINESE SOCIETY

I.G.A Gd Ngr Kresna Adi S.

1101305008

Email: [email protected]

ABSTRAK

Bali adalah sebuah Pulau yang penuh dengan budaya. Budaya saangat menmpel pada masyarakat Bali. Kasta pada masyarakat masih terlihat jelas, dan juga sistem bahasa (Sor Singgih) yang digunakan oleh satu kasta berkomunikasi dengan kasta lainnya. Dengan adanya phenomena ini, masyarakat menggunakan 2 varietas bahasa, varietas tinggi dan rendah. Masyarakat juga menggunakan tingkat bahasa tertentu tergantung dari situasi di mana merka berada, atau register.

Kata Kunci: Diglossia, High and Low Variety, Registers

  • I.    INTRODUCTION

Language is the method of human communication, either spoken, written, or even with the movement of body. It consists of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. Language cannot be separated from human, because it is the only way to communicate with each other. Most people speak only one language, which is the language where they were born; in some places people are using two kind of languages.

People who speak two languages usually use one of them as the High Variety and the other one is Low Variety, this phenomenon called Diglossia. Diglossia ia a characteristic of speech communities rather than individuals. Individual may be bilingual. Societies or communities are diglossic. In other words, the term diglossia describes societal or intitusionalised bilingualism, where two varieties are required to cover all the community’s domains.

J.A. Fishman’s analysis of Ferguson’s text (“Bilingualism with and without Diglossia, Diglossia with and without Bilingualism”, Journal of Social Issues, n. 32, 1967) cited in http://diglossia2011.blogspot.com/p/diglossia.html

“First, he [Fishman] places much less emphasis on the presence of two codes (there can be more, although he thinks that usually the situation comes down to an opposition between High and Low varieties). Secondly, he suggests that diglossia emerges as soon as there is a functional difference between two languages, whatever the degree of difference” (L.J. Calvet, “A multilingual world”, opus cit.)

Social factors and context of situation are important in accounting for the choice between the High and Low variety. Some social factors that influnced Diglossia in Bali are the social status, status relationship, and the goal of the interaction. In this case, this Journal will discuss about the usage of High and Low Variety of the Balinese Language in Pasar Jimbaran Pura Ulun Siwi and also what factors which influenced Diglossia.

  • II.    MATERIALS AND METHODS

    • 2.1    Materials

The data in this study taken from the dialog between seller and the customer, and also between seller and another seller in Pasar Jimbaran Pura Ulun Siwi.

  • 2.2    Method

The data was collected from field research in Pasar Jimbaran Pura Ulun Siwi. The method of analysis is qualitative method based on the theories of Diglossia bay Ferguson (1959) and theory of Registers by Halliday (1985)

  • 2.2.1    Diglossia

According to Ferguson about Diglossia in his article ’Diglossia’ is “One particular kind of standardization where two varieties of a language exist side by side throughout the community, with each having a definite role to play”. (Vol. 15, 1959, pp. 325-40.1). The essential unit of Diglossic

situation is the High and Low variety. Most of the vocabulary of H and L is the same. However, since it is used in more formal domains, the H vocabulary formal and technical terms, while L has words for everyday object.

  • 2.2.2    Registers

According to Halliday’s (1985) theory of language variation, the particuar views of register detremine the functional variety of the language. The three parameters that can be used to specify the context of situation are: - Field

It is defined as the ‘event’ in which the text is functioning, together with the purpose activity of the speaker.

  • -    Mode

It refers to ‘the function of the text in the event, including therefore both the channel taken by the language’.

  • -    Tenor

Describes the people that take part in the event as well a their relationship and status. “

  • III.    RESULT AND DISCUSSION

    • 3.1    Social Status in Bali (Kasta)

Bali has a system which arrange the social status in society, that is Kasta. Kasta is based on patrilineal lineage. Kasta system really influences how people talking to each other. There are 3 types of Kasta

  • -    Brahmana

It is the highest social status in Bali. Someone who has this status would be a saint, or pedanda which lead s ceremony.

  • -    Ksatria

This status shows an important position in govermental or political place in kingdom age.

  • -    Sudra

This is the lower status in Bali, which the pople should use high variety when talking to two others social status.

  • 3.2    Types of Balinese Language (Sor Singgih)

Balinese people have differentiate their language into 5 types, according to the usage of the language. Those types are:

  • -    Alus Singgih (ASI)

A person use this type of Language to show respect to other person who has higher social status.

  • -    Alus Mider (AMI)

People use this language when they are talking to other people from various social status. The vocabulary considered in the middle class, and fit to use them to many people

  • -    Alus Sor (ASO)

When we are talking to other person who has higher status, for example we are a Sudra and we are talking to Brahmana, we reffers to be lower than them, but sthe vocabulary is still in High Variety.

  • -    Lengkara Andap

This is considered as in the middle class of language, this type used in everyday conversation, that’s why it’s considered as Low Variety.

  • -    Lengkara Kasar

This language appears when someone is angry, and show the language which is considered taboo. However, this language can be used to show how close relationship to a friend that already known for a long time.

  • 3.3    Diglossia in Trading Activities in Pasar Jimbaran Pura Ulun Siwi

A seller talking to her customer

Customer : Kuda a kilo baas niki, Buk?

Seller : Niki a kilo 12 ribu, Pak.

Customer : Tiang meli 5 kilo, 50 ribu Buk, nggih?

Seller : Ten maan nika, pak. Niki baas asli Singaraja, jaen niki, Pak. 60 ribu niki 5 kilo.

Customer : Nggih, 60 ribu sampun, Buk.

A seller talking to her friend and other seller.

Seller A      : Kija ci ibi, adi selid ci suud medagang?

Seller B      : Yang ada odalan di sanggah di Tabanan, puk.

Seller A      : Men, be je suud odalanne jani?

Seller B      : Nu, men kudiang men yang nak kel medagang jani.

The seller uses High Variety and Low variety when talking to the customer and her friend based on the context of situation.

The reasons why she uses the High variety because:

  • 1.    The goal of interaction

The goals to attract people to buy her goods. She uses Alus Mider, and not Lengkara Andap because it shows respect to their customer, once customer got the respect from the seller, they will feel comfortable to do trading conversation with the seller.

  • 2.    Social Status

Social status, or kasta, is the important thing in Bali. Between seller and customer who never met before, the seller still using High Variety, because she does not know whether the customer has higher or lower status society than her. That is why she prefer to use Alus Mider, because it can be used to any class of social status or kasta.

  • 3.    Status relationship

If she has a well-known customer and already know each other, they will use Lengakara Andap, or the low variety; and if the customer is in higher

social status, it could be changed into Alus Singgih. In this case, they don’t know each other, so the seller prefer to use High Variety.

The reasons why she uses Low variety because:

  • 1.    The goal of interaction

is to get information from her friend. This is an everyday conversation between her and her friend. They must be already known each other, that’s why as Ferguson stated in his list that low variety is used in informal conversation. So, that is why they are using Lengkara Andap.

  • 2.    Social status

The social status between both seller was not recognized. However from the language they used, at least they are from the same social status.

  • 3.    Status relationship

Kasta rules these day is not strict like the old days. These days, if there is a friendship between Brahmana and Sudra, they still can use Lengkara Andap, eventhough some people still use High Variety to their friend in a everyday conversation. However, society these days shows that the closer they are, the lower their language is.

  • 3.4 Factors Influenced Diglossia in Pasar Jimbaran Pura Ulun Siwi

The context of situation is important thing that influnced diglossia. Context of situiation includes Tenor, Field, and Mode.

A seller talking to her customer

Customer    : Sampun sue driki medagang, buk?

Seller        : Nggih, tiang sampun 5 tahun driki, Pak.

Customer : Sareng sira biasane ibuk medagang?

Seller : Sareng kurenan tiang nika, tapi semeng manten ye driki, tengai

megae ring hotel nika.

Customer    : Dados napi nika?

Seller         : Cleaning Service, Pak.

A seller talking to her friend and other seller.

Seller A : Dija kuren ci, Ngah? Adi tumben sing ngenah?

Seller B : Ae ye tuni be selid sajan be berangkat megae.

Seller A : Adi Keto?

Seller B : Ae tuni timpalee nelpon, kel ada tamu penting kone. Orinne bersihin kamar enggal – enggal jak bos-ne.

- Tenor

It involves who are taking parts in the conversation. It’s according to their status and roles and the relationships between the speakers. In Bali, status and relationship are really important. In the case above, we know that the seller is talking to her, which is she already known, with Low Variety; and to the customer with High Variety to shows respect.

- Field

It concerns with what is happening. The event which she uses the language when the seller experienced with the customer, is different when she is with her friend. Both of the conversation are asking both of the seller’s husband, but when talking to the customer, he uses High Variety, because the customer does not know the seller’s husband.

- Mode

It is spoken language in a conversation; dialogue. The choice of the language used is diglossia; a stratification High class speaker, and Low speaker.

IV. CONCLUSION

Diglossia is a situation where language divided into two sratification, one is High variety, and the other one is Low Variety. People in Bali differentiate their style of language to other one from their status (Kasta)

Diglossia in Pasar Jibaran Pura Ulun Siwi occurs because there are differences of the social status, relationship status, and the goal of interaction between the customer and the seller; and the seller between other seller. Those three points are affecting the language choice of people, whether they use the High Variety, or Low Variety. Another factors that influenced Diglossia are Mode, Field, and Tenor.

REFERENCES

Ferguson, Charles F. 1959. Diglossia ‘Word’. Repr. In Hymes.1964. pp. 429-39

Halliday, M.A.K & Hasan R. 1985. Language, Context,, and Text: Aspects of Language in

Social-Semiotic Perspective. Deakin University

Sarta, Ketut Bernardus. 2012. Sistim Kasta di Bali. Downloaded in 31/12/2013, from

http://cakepane.blogspot.com/2012/07/sistim-kasta-di-bali.html

Schiffman, Harold F. Diglossia as Sociolinguistic Situation. Downloaded in 23/12/2013, From

http://www.modlinguistics.com/sociolinguistics/diglossia/Diglossia%20as%20a

%20Sociolinguistic%20Situation.htm