Regional Languages Spoken : Website4

Get to know the West Javanese Regional Language that is often used

West Java’s regional language has very unique features and is interesting to learn. Even if you don’t know the language used by the people of West Java, you are definitely familiar with its unique accent, for example listening to celebrities from West Java or having Sundanese friends.

For us ordinary people, it must be very interesting to show the language or accent of West Java. Basically, each region has different language features, be it Central Java, Maluku, East Java, Sumatra etc. Likewise with the language from West Java that we will discuss.

By listening to the accent alone, you’ve definitely guessed if it’s a language from West Java or not. But, it is difficult for us to know the meaning of what is said if we do not know or do not understand the language of West Java. That’s why it sounds fun to learn West Java.

In this article, we not only discuss which languages are often used by the people of West Java, but also variations of language, history and language dissemination, language writing systems for the west Javanese language that is certainly very interesting to learn.

Regional Languages Spoken

Website

The Sundanese are the most commonly found tribe in West Java, so it’s no wonder the most commonly spoken regional language is Sundanese. Despite this, there are other languages that are also spoken by west Java residents, such as cirebon for people in the regency or the city of Cirebon.

The Cirebon language is almost the same as the Banyumasan language, using only the typical Brebes dialect that is very unique. These two regional languages of West Java , namely Sundanese and Cirebon are the most spoken languages in everyday life, both in Cirebon, Priangan and on areas.

Compared to Cirebon, Sundanese is more outspoken than people in West Java. One of the reasons is because Sundanese culture is so intertwined and widespread in various regions in West Java. This is inseparable from the history of the ancient Mataram Kingdom that conquered West Java.

That is why in this reviewwe will discuss more Sundanese language because it is used more often than people in West Java. You will find several interesting facts about the Sundanese language and better understand what you need to know about the West Javanese language.

Variations in Sundanese

In general, the Sundanese language has a variety of variations, ranging from the Sundanese-Central Javanese dialect to the Sundanese-Banten dialect with different features. In addition to these two dialects, who thought that there are still some variations in the dialect that we often encounter in the middle of Sunni culture in everyday life.

Many experts distinguish the Sundanese language in 6 different dialects, namely the western dialect, the northern dialect, the southern dialect, the eastern mid-eastern dialect, the northeastern dialect and the southeast dialect. Each dialect has a different style and the regions that use it are also different, depending on the language mix.

For example, west Java’s regional language with a western dialect commonly used by people in the Pandeglang and Lebak regions, except for South Tangerang, Tangerang city and Tangerang regency. In contrast to the southeastern dialect often spoken by residents of Banjar, Cilacap, Pangandaran, Ciamis for the western part of Banyumas.

Before the existence of the Sundanese language as it is today, there was an Old Sundanese language often found in some written records, such as those found on dry leaf sheets and on stones. So far, it is not known how the Old Sundanese language has changed to a modern Sundanese language.

History and Dissemination of the Sundanese Language

In addition to getting to know the variations of the Sundanese language, it is also interesting to discuss the history and dissemination of the Sundanese language in West Java. Sundanese is a language spoken by people west of java island or precisely in Pasundan or Tatar Sunda (formerly called West Java).

In fact, this West Javanese language is also spoken in the western part of Central Java, such as the Ci lacap and Brebes regions because these two regions were once part of the Galuh Kingdom. No wonder there are many regional names in Cilacap that sound like Sundanese, such as the Dayeuhluhur District.

According to the story, around the 6th century the Sundanese language reached its narrative area to the Dieng Plateau, Central Java. The name Dieng also comes from the Sundanese language, which is dihyangmeaning Old Sundanese language. Only then was there transmigration and immigration of ethnic Sundanese to various regions outside Java.

Some of the areas that are the destinations of Sundani ethnicity, including West Kalimantan, South Sumatra, Southeast Sulawesi, Riau, Lampung, to Jambi. In addition, there are actually many other areas visited by ethnic Sundanese, but some of the areas already mentioned are the main areas.

Sundanese Copywriting System

In the Sundanese writing system, you will get to know the Sundanese script, the Sundanese alphabet, cacarakan, and the Sundanese pegon alphabet. In the past, the Sundanese language was written using the Sundanese script as a Brahmi family script derived from the Pallawa script through the Kawi script. You can see the evidence of this writing from the inscription.

On November 3, 1705, the ancient Sundanese script and Cirebon Rikasara began to become extinct after VOC released its ultimatum. At that time, people were only allowed to write in the Pegon alphabet, the Latin script, and the Latin alphabet for Javanese and Sundanese, so the Latin alphabet was intensified to transcribe Sundanese works.

In addition, West Javanese or Sundanese language writing is also cacarakan-related as a Javanese script to write the Sundanese language at that time. This script was already used after the VOC ultimatum was released. So far, the cacarakan script has been in use for over 300 years and is still maintained to this day.

The Pegon Sundanese alphabet is also the script used to write the ancient Sundanese language. The Pegon alphabet’s writing features standard Arabic letters and new designs. Although some consist of standard Arabic letters, but Arabs will not be able to understand them if they do not master the Sundanese language.

Undak-Usuk Sundanese

In the 17th century, the West Java region was under the rule of the Mataram Kingdom so that the Javanese language also influenced the use of the Sundanese language in West Java. This is what creates the existence of undak-usuk basa in the regional language of West Java. So, what does this basis mean?

The use of the Sundanese language should be adjusted to the social level and this is the so-called undak-usuk basa. As a result of the bases, several terms appear to be understood, i.e. harsh, medium, very harsh lemes (Cohag or rough pisan) and very fine (sublime or pisan lemes).

Subtle language is usually used when we are converging with newly recognised people, parents, officials or public figures. Meanwhile, abusive language is usually used when talking to your friends or close friends to sound more familiar if you use rather harsh language.

The Sundanese language has its own uniqueness in making anyone interested in learning it. Especially with the typical dialect that makes the Sundanese language even more enjoyable for hearing. For more details, you need to learn more about the West Javanese language.