Language Variation in Leuweunggajah Village from Generation to Generation

Leuweunggajah Village, located in Ciledug Sub-district, Cirebon Regency, is one of the places rich in language variation. Residents in this village use a wide variety of dialects and languages in their daily activities. While Sundanese remains the most commonly used language for casual conversation in the community, the influence of Indonesian and Cirebonan dialects is starting to show, especially among young people. This linguistic diversity truly reflects the evolving social and cultural dynamics of the area. In Leuweunggajah Village, Sundanese is still the primary language for daily communication, especially among older people and the traditional community.

The use of both coarse and fine Sundanese depends on the situation, the interlocutor, and the level of formality of the event. For example, in traditional events such as recitation or celebration, people usually use subtle Sundanese as a form of respect. This shows that variations in Sundanese speech levels are still relatively well preserved in this village.

Although the people in this area still predominantly use Sundanese, they also often use Indonesian, especially in educational and governmental settings and when interacting with outsiders. School children and teenagers usually mix the use of Sundanese, Indonesian, and Cirebonan in their daily conversations. For example, they may start speaking in Sundanese, then insert Cirebonan words such as “kabeh” (all), and finally end with an Indonesian sentence. This phenomenon reflects language change influenced by social mobility and the development of increasingly advanced technology.

In Leuweunggajah Village, we can see differences in Sundanese phonology, especially in the way people pronounce certain words. One characteristic that is easy to find is the change in vowels in some words. For example, in standard Sundanese, the word “leuweung” (forest) is pronounced with a clear “u” vowel. Still in Leuweunggajah, the “u” vowel usually sounds shorter and seems to turn into “leweng”. These minor differences show that the culture and habits of the local people influence local variations in pronunciation. So, each of these different pronunciations is actually a marker of the identity of the people there. Other examples from Indonesia to Sunda include:

Hati (heart) – Hate (Vowel change from i to e)

Kuning (yellow) – Koneng (Vowel change from i to e)

Lelaki (man) – Lalaki (vowel change from e to a)

Pikir (think) – Mikir (Initial consonant change from p to m)

Potong (cut) – Motong (Initial consonant change from p to m)

Then, morphologically, the Sundanese language used in Leuweunggajah Village shows various variations. One of them is the use of affixes that differ from standard Sundanese. For example, in the verb form, verbs that use the affix “ng-” in standard Sundanese, such as “nginum” (drinking), are often shortened to “inum” in daily conversation. In addition, the word “ngagoloncor” which in standard Sundanese means “to flow” is often shortened to “goloncor” when speaking informally. These morphological variations reflect a more practical and efficient way of speaking in the daily life of the villagers. There are some other examples, such as:

Apung (float) – Ngambang (The preposition “ng-” indicates an active verb, meaning “to float”)

Baring (lay) – Ngarengkol (The affix “nga-” indicates the action of lying down)

In the lexical world, in Leuweunggajah Village, there are many words whose meanings and usages are slightly different from standard Sundanese. For example, in official Sundanese, the word “Lantaran” means “because”. But in Leuweunggajah Village, people often use the word “nyongan geu” which is more closely related to informal conditions. There are also differences in the choice of words for everyday objects or activities. For example, formal Sundanese typically uses the word ‘Ameng’ to refer to ‘playing.’ But in Leuweunggajah, people prefer to call it “ulin” with a typical regional pronunciation. This use of local vocabulary demonstrates how regional characteristics can develop and enrich the language, thereby shaping a unique and distinct cultural identity. For other examples, such as:

Binatang (animals) – Sasatoan

Bunga (flower) – Kembang

Duduk (sit) – Calik

Hantam (hit) – Gebug

Hisap (suck) – Kenyot

Lain (not) – Sanes

Mata (eye) – Panon

Malam (night) – Weungi

Nafas (breath) – Ambekan

In addition to differences in phonology, morphology, and lexical variation, the village also has differences in the language used by young children, teenagers, and adults in Leuweunggajah Village, showing how communication patterns change with age and life experience. Young children tend to use direct language, often imitating the words of adults without paying much attention to the level of politeness. Meanwhile, teenagers are more flexible in their choice of words and style of speech, conforming to their peers and starting to pay attention to the use of more polite forms when speaking to older people.

Mothers usually talk in a more formal tone and pay attention to manners, using softer and more considerate language in everyday conversations. Grandmothers, on the other hand, often use more traditional and formal language, with word choices that are rich in cultural values. They tend to speak gently and affectionately, especially to the younger generation.

In general, language variation in Leuweunggajah Village shows a wealth of dynamics in phonological, morphological, and lexical aspects. Differences in word pronunciation, verb structure, and word choice reflect the influence of local social and cultural customs. This makes their language more relevant to the daily communication needs of the villagers, while strengthening their linguistic identity. With this analysis, we can see that language variation is not just a difference in word forms, but also a representation of how people adapt to their environment linguistically.