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Panguragan, Kabupaten Cirebon – Panguragan Wetan Village is located in Panguragan District, Cirebon Regency, West Java. The village is home to a vibrant linguistic culture rooted in a local variation of the Javanese language. Within the Panguragan District, locals commonly speak using two dialects – dialect “a” and dialect “o”. For instance, the word “apa” (what) may appear as “apo”, with logat o being more dominant in everyday speech.
Across generations, most villagers continue to use the local dialect. Elders and community leaders often speak in Bahasa Bebasan, a traditional and refined variation. Meanwhile, a small number of younger people, especially from Gen Z and Gen Alpha, incorporate slang and expressions influenced by social media. Others occasionally use Bahasa Indonesia in formal or educational contexts. Despite these minor variations, the local language remains dominant and widely respected. However, in this article, we will focus on discussing the language commonly used by the residents of Panguragan Wetan village.
Phonological Analysis in Panguragan Wetan
Phonology is the study of the sound systems in languages, including how people pronounce, modify, and organize speech sounds. In Panguragan Wetan, we observe several phonological changes:
Consonant Shifts
- Abu (ash) → awu (/b/ → /w/)
- Bulu (fur)→ wulu (/b/ → /w/)
- Bintang (star) → lintang (/b/ → /l/)
- Pikir (think) → mikir (/p/ → /m/)
- Bulan (month/moon) → wulan (/b/ → /w/)
- Benar (right)→ bener (/a/ → /e/)
- Sedikit (A little) → setitik (/d/, /k/ → /t/)
- Makan (Eat)→ mangan (/k/ → /ng/)
Consonant Deletion
- Hati (heart) → ati (loss of /h/)
- Tahun (year) → taun (loss of /h/)
- Siapa (Who) → sapa (loss of /i/)
- Ular (snake) → ulo (loss of /r/)
Reduplication
- Kalian (you all) → iro-iro or ira-ira
These shifts demonstrate the fluid nature of sound adaptation in local speech and the tendency toward simplification and assimilation within community interactions.
Morphological Analysis
Morphology refers to the structure of words and how new forms develop through affixes, replacements, or periphrastic expressions. The local language in Panguragan Wetan shows a number of such morphological patterns:
Prefixation
- Memberi (give) → ngupai (prefix ng-)
- Minum (drink) → nginum (prefix ng-)
- Alir (flow) → ngalir (prefix ng-)
- Bakar (burn) → mbakar (prefix m-)
Full Lexical Replacement
- Cium (kiss) → sun
Periphrastic Expression
- Mereka (they) → golongane kaen (a descriptive phrase meaning “those people”)
These examples highlight how the local language evolves to express meaning efficiently while preserving cultural context.
Lexical Analysis
Lexicon refers to the vocabulary of a language. In Panguragan Wetan, the lexical choices include synonyms, regional variations, and entirely distinct words. Some notable examples include:
- Akar (root) → oyod
- Busuk (rotten) → bosok
- Karena (Because) → asale• Asap (smoke) → kebul
- Baring (lying down) → turon, nggloso
- Lempar (throw) → balang
- Ini (This) → iki, kien
Such lexical variation enriches daily conversations and reflects the depth of local knowledge embedded in language.
The local language of Panguragan Wetan serves not only as a communication tool but also as a symbol of cultural identity. Through observable changes in phonology, word formation, and vocabulary, the language reflects a deep connection between generations and a strong sense of place. In the face of digital trends and national language influence, the community continues to preserve its unique linguistic heritage. This article encourages villagers, especially the youth, to recognize, value, and proudly use their regional language in daily life.
