cirebon natural tourism by Apriliawan Putra Pratama
Mundu District, Cirebon Regency,
serves as a strong example of how local languages remain alive and vibrant
amid the in uences of modern times. Located along the coast, this community
not only preserves cultural traditions but also continually adapts its spoken
language to suit the pace and needs of daily life.
Phonology of Suci Mundu Cirebonese
A notable phonological characteristic in Suci is the tendency to shorten words
for the sake of smoother daily interaction. Initial consonants are often softened
or changed into nasal sounds, such as “buka” becoming “mbuka” and “pukul”
turning into “nyukul”. These changes help speech ow more easily and re ect
the energetic rhythm of coastal communication.
Morphology of Suci Mundu Cirebonese
Morphologically, the language combines traditional Cirebonese roots with
modern in uences. Nasal pre xes like “ng-”, “mb-”, and “ny-” are common:
“nggawa” (carry), “nyekel” (hold). Base Indonesian verbs are often restructured
using Cirebonese patterns: “lempar” becomes “ngelempar”, “ambil” becomes
“njupuk”, and “duduk” becomes “lungguh”. These morphological features show
the dynamic and creative way the community mixes the national language with
local avor.
Lexicon of Suci Mundu Cirebonese
The vocabulary in Suci is rich and expressive. For instance, “water” is often
referred to as banyu, “child” becomes bocah or cilik, and “black” becomes ireng.
Cold is not just dingin, but more commonly expressed as adem or atis. For
actions like washing and cleaning, locals say ngumbah (to wash) and ngapus or
ngelap (to wipe/erase). Words like langite (sky), srengenge (sun), and udan (rain)
re ect deeply rooted imagery and environmental connection.
Kinship terms show affection and respect. The father is called Rama, and the
mother is Mimi. Everyday terms also carry strong local identity: bird is manuk,
sh is iwak, and snake becomes ula. Body parts use local variants like mripat
(eyes), cangkem or ilat (mouth/tongue), and rambute (hair). People talk about
cleanliness using terms like resik (clean) and reged (dirty).
Pronouns re ect social nuance: “kowe” (you – informal), “panjenengan” (you
respectful), “dheweke” (they), and “para wong” (those people). This rich variety
highlights how language shapes and re ects local values, social structure, and
emotional expression
