Language Variation in Patalagan Village: Between Tradition and Modernity

Patalagan Village, located in the Pancalang Subdistrict, Kuningan Regency, West Java, is an agrarian community rich in tradition and local culture. In their daily lives, the majority of the villagers use Sundanese as their primary means of communication, reflecting the cultural identity and values that have been passed down through generations.

The Use of Sundanese in Daily Life

The Sundanese spoken in Patalagan belongs to the “Sunda Wewengkon Kuningan” dialect, which has distinctive characteristics compared to other Sundanese dialects, such as that of Bandung. This dialect is marked by a firmer intonation and unique vocabulary found only in the Kuningan area. For example, the word “teoh” is used for “bawah” (below), whereas in standard Sundanese, the word “handap” is used. Similarly, “menit” means “pusing” (dizzy), which differs from the standard Sundanese “lieur.”

In daily interactions, Patalagan residents use Sundanese in various contexts, whether at home, in the fields, or in the marketplace. Expressions such as “rek ka kebon heula” (going to the garden first), “acan dahar” (haven’t eaten yet), or “kamana wae atuh?” (where have you been?) are commonly used and reflect social closeness as well as the preservation of local culture.

Indonesian Language in Formal Contexts

Indonesian is used in formal situations, such as at school and in village administrative matters. Teachers use Indonesian in accordance with the national curriculum, while village officials use it for official communication and correspondence. However, outside these formal contexts, villagers easily switch back to Sundanese, which remains the dominant language in their social lives.

Language Change Among the Youth

The younger generation in Patalagan shows a tendency to mix Sundanese with Indonesian in their daily conversations. This phenomenon reflects the influence of school environments, social media, and language habits on digital platforms. For example, a teenager might say:

“Tadi abdi main bola jeung barudak, terus langsung ngopi di warung.”

This code-mixing shows that while young people still use Sundanese, they are also exposed to Indonesian usage in everyday life. The word “abdi” means “I”, and “jeung” means “with.”

Preservation of Sundanese by the Older Generation

Meanwhile, adults and the elderly in Patalagan continue to use Sundanese in a more formal and complex form. They often share advice, folktales, or traditional Sundanese jokes in the local language, especially during village events such as religious gatherings, community meetings, and traditional celebrations. Sundanese is used with pride and serves as a symbol of unity and the preservation of local culture.

This language use in Patalagan Village reflects the dynamic between cultural preservation and adaptation to modern influences. Although the younger generation has begun mixing Sundanese with Indonesian, the efforts of the older generation and the use of Sundanese in social and cultural contexts help maintain the continuity of the language as a local identity.

Sundanese Language Variations in Patalagan Village

Patalagan residents clearly demonstrate this variation through the vocabulary they use in daily life. These language variations can be categorized into three types:

1. Phonological: Changes in pronunciation.
2. Lexical: Use of entirely different words.
3. Morphological: Changes in word structure and the addition of affixes

The following is an analysis of the Sundanese language variations in Patalagan Village as observed among older and younger speakers:

Lexical Variations in Sundanese Language

Lexical variation refers to differences in word choice to express the same meaning. These differences typically arise due to the influence of location, social background, or the environment in which the respondents live. Although the meanings are the same, the words used are different. As shown in the table above, these words have the same meaning in Indonesian but differ between respondent one and respondent two.

Morphological Variations in Sundanese Language

Morphological variation relates to changes in word forms, primarily due to the affixation process. This type of variation shows how a base word can change when prefixes, suffixes, or both are added.

Phonological Variations in Sundanese Language

Phonological variation is the difference in sound or pronunciation, although the intended meaning remains the same. These variations often occur due to dialectal influences, local customs, or the distinct accents of each speaker.

Penulis: Almer Javier Tamanyira