cirebon cultural tourism The language used by the people of Tegalwangi Village shows an interesting dynamic between the preservation of local culture and the influence of modernity.
In everyday life, the majority of Tegalwangi residents use Cirebonan, a local dialect that belongs to the Javanese language family but has distinctive phonological and lexical features. People widely speak it at home, in the fields, at the market, and during informal social interactions.
In conversations between neighbors or family members, Cirebonan is the language of choice. Phrases such as “arep mangkat ning pasar” (ingin berangkat ke pasar), “durung mangan” (belum makan), or “mendi bae ira?” (kemana saja kamu?), become commonplace in various corners of the village. These dialects are not only a means of communication, but also a means of passing on cultural values and identity.
People use Indonesian in more formal and official contexts. In schools, teachers conduct all teaching and learning activities in Bahasa Indonesia, following the national curriculum.
Village employee also use Indonesian language when communicating administratively or in correspondence. However, outside of these contexts, conversations often revert to the local language. Although people are fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, it is still considered a second language in the social sphere.
Interestingly, among the younger generation, there has been a shift in language. Children and teenagers are more likely to mix Cirebonan with Indonesian in their daily conversations. This mixture usually happens spontaneously and reflects the influence of the school environment, social media, and language habits on digital platforms.
For example, a teenager may say:
“Tadi kita main ning sawah bareng temen-temen, terus kita foto-foto.”
This code mix shows that they still have ties to the local language, but are also accustomed to using Indonesian as part of their lifestyle. the words “kita” and “ning” here are Cirebon language, the meaning of the word “kita” itself is me and the meaning of the word “ning” is at.
However, adults and the elderly retain the language in a more pure and complex form. They often deliver advice, stories or humor in the local language.
People use the Cirebonan language with pride during celebrations, religious recitations, and village meetings, making it a symbol of togetherness.
Cirebon Language Variation in Tegalwangi Village
Tegalwangi residents clearly show this variation through the vocabulary they use in daily life. We can categorize this language variation into three types, namely:
- Phonology: Changes in pronunciation.
- Lexical: Use of completely different words.
- Morphology: Changes in word structure and the addition of affixes.
The following is a category analysis of the variation of Cirebonan language in Tegalwangi village that emerged based on older and younger speakers:
Cirebon language variation based on Lexical:
Lexical variation refers to differences in word choice to express the same meaning. This difference usually occurs due to the influence of locality, social background or the environment where the respondent lives. Although, the meaning is the same, the words used are different.
Like some of the words above have the same meaning in Indonesian but there are differences in words from respondent one and respondent two.
Cirebon language variation based on Morphology
Morphological variation relates to changes in word form, especially due to the process of affixation. It shows how the basic form of a word can change when a prefix, suffix, or a combination of both is added.
Cirebon language variation based on Phonology
Phonological variation is a difference in sound or pronunciation, although the intended meaning remains the same. It often occurs due to the influence of dialects, local customs, or the different accents of each speaker.
Author: Evania Sema
