Cirebon historical tourism 
Language is not merely a tool for communication, but a reflection of culture. People from various backgrounds, including Javanese and Sundanese migrants, make up the community in Karangdawa Village. In daily life, they speak not only Indonesian but also insert local Javanese words rich in meaning and culture.
Interviews with both young (20-30years) and old (50–60 years) revealed the diversity and dynamism of language It shifts depending on generation, context, and habit. Each word, though simple, holds stories—passed down by elders, reshaped by youth. For example, older speakers often use the word bocah or pecil instead of anak, while younger people simply say anak. Likewise, elders say jeburan for berenang, whereas the youth continue to use berenang or renang.
These subtle differences keep local languages alive and evolving. Global languages’ rise has made some youth lose fluency and confidence in their mother tongue. Some may understand their local language but feel embarrassed to use it, thinking it sounds “villager-like” or unsophisticated. As the next generation, we must protect our regional languages as cultural heritage.
This does not mean we should avoid learning foreign languages like English or Japanese. On the contrary, it’s good to learn know them. We must balance using Indonesian and local languages to keep our mother tongues alive.
This post documents Indonesian–Javanese word pairings from daily village life. This is not just about lexical differences, but also includes variations in phonology and morphology.
Phonological
Speakers create phonological variation when they change how a word sounds or is pronounced while keeping its meaning and grammatical form the same. From the interviews with the locals in Karangdawa Timur Village, we found several examples of Indonesian words that shift to Javanese mostly through sound changes only:
• Asap – Asep: the vowel changes from a to e
• Batu – Watu: the letter changes from b to w
• Bulan – Wulan: again, b changes to w
• Ini – Iki: the middle consonant changes from n to k
• Jalan – Dalan: the starting consonant changes from j to d
These kinds of changes are called phonological because they only affect pronunciation, not the actual meaning of the word. Some of the reasons why this happens include. First, differences in sound systems between Indonesian and Javanese. Second, sound assimilation during speech. In daily conversation, people prefer simpler forms, revealing how languages evolve and persist over time.
Morphological
Morphological variation happens when a word changes its form due to morphological processes like the addition of prefixes, suffixes, or reduplication but. Still, the core meaning of the word stays the same.
Based on the data I collected from the translation of Indonesian to Javanese, many words change because of the addition of certain specific prefixes such as “ngu-” and “ng-“,to the Javanese language. Here are some examples:
- Alir → ngalir: The prefix “ng-“ forms an active verb, meaning “to flow.”
- Balik → ngualik: The prefix “ngu-“ shows an active action of returning or flipping.
- Hitung → ngitung: “ng-“ is used for the active verb “to count.”
This kind of morphological variation exists because Javanese has its own unique system of affixation and word formation. On top of that, people tend to choose word forms that are more concise, straightforward or already familiar in their local environment so. Hence, it feels more natural and practical in daily conversations.
Lexical
Lexical refers to the complete change of a word into a different equivalent, usually without any connection in form or sound. For example: a word is replaced by another word that has the same meaning, but the form and pronunciation are significantly different.
| Indonesian | Javanese |
| Air | Banyu |
| Akar | Oyod |
| Anak | Bocah/Pecil |
| Api | Geni |
| Bagaiman | Kepriben |
| Baik | Bener |
| Banyak | Akeh |
| Baru | Anyar |
| Berat | Abot |
| besar | Gede |
| Binatang | Satoan |
| Bintang | Lintang |
| Bunga | Kembang |
| Darah | Getih |
| Datang | Teka |
| Daun | Godong |
| Dengan | Bari |
| Dingin | Adem |
| Garam | Uyah |
| Ikat | Taleni |
So, why does this kind of lexical variation happen? Each local language has vocabulary shaped by the culture, history, and way of life of its people. For example, the word “banyu,” meaning “water,” is more familiar to Javanese speakers even though the Indonesian word is “air.” Daily environment and habits also influence word use, especially in villages where local languages are more dominant. In addition, age and generational differences contribute to word variation, with older people often using different terms than younger ones. Lexical variation reflects how language evolves alongside cultural and generational changes.
The language variations found in Karangdawa Timur Village demonstrate how dynamic language is in the daily lives of its people. Through lexical, morphological, and phonological analysis, we can see how factors such as age differences, cultural backgrounds, and speech habits contribute to the diversity in language us, particularly in the transition from Indonesian to Javanese.
These variations are not signs of linguistic error, but rather evidence of a living local language that continues to preserve the cultural identity of its speakers. Therefore, documenting and preserving these forms of regional language variation is essential to ensure that future generations remain familiar with and proud of their mother tongue.
