Language Shift In Minority Language

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Language is a tool that uses to communicate in a group of people that understood each other. The existence of language cannot be separated from human life. According to Holmes (1992), every language represents the temple in which the speaker’s soul is his/her devotee. It seems that everything related to human life in the society involves language because it is through the language that interaction among ethnic groups, tribes, and religions can happen. However, language is not always able to maintain by the ethnic group especially in the multilingual societies. A language can be shifted by another language because the speakers want to be different with other or want to be same with the other. Hoffman (1991) in Amrullah states that a community …show more content…

As the consequence, the minority language will experience a shift to majority language or even it will dissapear. That process, according to Sumarsono (1993) in Amrullah, involves three generations, each of which has its own characteristics. The first generation will preserve that ethnical language as well as possible. In this case, the speakers always use this language in their daily life. Later, the second generation becomes bilingual and master the second language better than their mother tongue. Finally, the third generation refers to the ones who are unable to master their ethnical language anymore.
The researchers saw that there is a phenomenon of gradual language shift occured in their society, especially in families. And there are some families taking efforts in maintaining their ethnic languages. This phenomenon makes the researchers feel that it is necessary to describe this phenomenon and to find out the factors influencing the language shift in society especially in the families. Thus, the researchers feel that it is important to share the knowledge of language shift that happens in society so that the society can be aware of the steps to …show more content…

Language shift happens when a group progressively abandons its language of origin, at the same time adopting the language of the socially or economically dominant group (Fishman 1971, Baker-Jones 1998). The study focuses on the Language Shift that happen around the Balinese people in Liligundi, Sukasada, Buleleng regency in communication in their daily life become the object of the study.

1.5 Significance of the Study
In this study, students are expected to be able to realize the Language Shift Balinese in Singaraja so that they can identify the causes of Language Shift. This study will helpful for another researcher that will indentify Language Shift phenomenon in Singaraja.
The result of this study is expected useful for the students of English Education Department UNDIKSHA, teacher and the other researcher as reference.
a. For the Students
The result of this study is happily as useful information for the students and they will know identification of language shift.
b. For Families In Liligundi
The result of this study help the families in Liligundi to realize that language shift must be control to maintainance Balinese

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