TAMIL LANGUAGE SHIFT IN KAMPUNG MADRAS MEDAN.
TAMIL LANGUAGE SHIFT IN KAMPUNG MADRAS
MEDAN
A Thesis
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program in
Partial Fulfillment of the Registration for the Degree of
Magister Humaniora
By:
FALIZALIANI
Registration Number: 8136111020
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
MEDAN
2016
ABSTRACT
FALIZALIANI. Registration Number: 8136111020. Tamil Language Shift in
Kampung Madras Medan. A Thesis. Post Graduate School. English Applied
Linguistic Study Program. The State University of Medan. 2016.
This study deals with Tamil Language Shift in Kampung Madras in Medan. It
aims to find out the factors and reasons of Tamil language shift into Indonesia
language in Kampung Madras Medan. The data were obtained from the family of
Tamil people living in Kampung Madras Medan. The study employs qualitative
research design with a single case study to get the understanding on this study.
This subjects of this study were 10 families. The subjects were dicided into two
groups, namely parents and children. The reason for dividing the subjects into two
groups because language shift happens across the generation. Questionnaires,
interview and observation were used to obtain the data. The status of Indonesia
language as the official language and social success are the reasons for Tamil
language to shift Indonesia language. The findings showed that the shift of Tamil
language shift into Indonesia language in Kampung Madras Medan is
bilingualism, migration, economic factor, social faktor, demographic factor,
instutional support, and attitude. Data analysis showed the reason of Tamil
Language shift for the second generation are National language, economic matter,
Social success and Education and for the third generation are National language,
social success and education.
i
ABSTRAK
FALIZALIANI. Nomor Induk Mahasiswa: 8136111020. Pergeseran Bahasa
Tamil di Kampung Madras Medan. Tesis. Sekolah Pascasarjana, Program Studi
Linguistik Terapan Bahasa Indonesia. Universitas Negeri Medan. 2016
Penelitian ini mengkaji tentang pergeseran bahasa Tamil di Kampung Madras
Medan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan faktor-faktor yang
mempengaruhi pergeseran bahasa Tamil dan alasan-alasan pergeseran bahasa
tamil di Kampung Madras Medan. Data penelitian ini diperoleh dari keluarga
suku Tamil yang tinggal di Kampung Madras Medan. Desain penelitian yang
digunakan dalam penelitian kualitatif dengan studi kasus untuk memperoleh
pemahaman mengenai pergeseran bahasa Tamil di Kampung Madras Medan.
Subjek dari penelitian ini adalah 10 keluarga. Subjek dibagi dua grup yaitu orang
tua dan anak-anak. Alasan pembagian subjek penelitian menjadi dua karena
karena pergeseran bahasa terjadi antar generasi. Data penelitian ini diperoleh
dengan menggunakan tahapan pengumpulan data, pemilahan data, pemaparan
data, dan verifikasi data. Temuan dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa faktor –
faktor terjadinya pergeseran bahasa Tamil kedalam bahasa Indonesia adalah
kedwibahasaan, migrasi, ekonomi, sosial, demografi, lembaga, dan sikap. Data
analisis menunjukkan alasan pergeseran bahasa Tamil pada generasi kedua
adalah bahasa nasional, masalah ekonomi, kesuksesan sosial dan pendidikan dan
pada generasi ketiga adalah bahasa Indonesia, sukses sosial dan pendidikan.
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In completing this thesis, the writer thanks to Allah SWT the Almighty for
his blessing in the completion of this thesis. Praise are also addressed to our
prophet Muhammad SAW who guided us to the better life.
The completion of this thesis is made possible with the assistance of lots
of people. It is impossible to mention the names of all those people here. But in
this opportunity, the writer extends her thanks to some of those people who have
given a special supervision, review, and motivation to strengthen her to complete
this thesis.
First of all, her thanks to advisors, Prof. T. Silvana Sinar, M.A. Ph.D as
her first advisor and Dr. Zainuddin, M.Hum as her second advisor for their all
guidance through the completion of this thesis.
Furthermore, her thanks to her three examiners, Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning,
M. Pd., Dr. Siti Aisyah Ginting, M. Pd., and Dr. Rahmad Husein, M.Ed. for their
constructive suggestions to the improvement of this thesis.
Then, her appreciation also goes to Dr. Rahmad Husein, M.Ed. as the head
of English Applied Linguistics Study Program, Dr. Anni Holila Pulungan, M.Hum
as the secretary of English Applied Linguistics Study Program, Farid Ma’ruf as
the staff of English Applied Linguistics Study Program for the whole
administrative aid they have shared.
Last but not least, the writer also extends her thanks to her beloved family,
her husband and daughter for their lovely care which give her motivation,
inspiration and strength to complete her study.
May God the Almighty bless them all.
Medan, 2 September 2016
The Writer
Falizaliani
Reg. No. 8136111020
iii
CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................... i
ABSTRAK ............................................................................................................ ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................. iii
CONTENTS ........................................................................................................ iv
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1. The Background of the Study................................................................. 1
1.2. The Problem of The Study ..................................................................... 4
1.3. The Objectives of The study .................................................................. 4
1.4. The Scope of the Study .......................................................................... 5
1.5. Thes Significances of the Study ............................................................. 5
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1. Language Shift ...................................................................................... 6
2.1.1. Bilingualism ............................................................................... 11
2.1.2. Migration ................................................................................... 11
2.1.3. Economic Factors ....................................................................... 12
2.1.4. Social Factors................................................................................13
2.1.5. Demographic Factors ................................................................. 14
2.1.6. Instutional Support ..................................................................... 14
2.1.7. Attitude ...................................................................................... 15
2.2. Kinds of Language Shift ....................................................................... 18
2.3. The Reason of Language Shift .............................................................. 19
2.4. Tamil in Kampung Madras, Medan ....................................................... 21
2.5. Previous Studies ................................................................................... 22
iv
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD
3.1. Research Design ................................................................................... 25
3.2. Subject and Object of The Research ...................................................... 25
3.3. Instrument of Data Collection ............................................................... 26
3.4. Technique of Data Analysis .................................................................. 27
3.5. The Trustworthiness of Study ............................................................... 30
CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
4.1. The Data and Data Analysis .................................................................. 33
4.1.1 Factors that Influence Tamil Language in Kel. Madras Hulu,
Medan........................................................................................ 33
4.1.1.1 Bilingualism ................................................................... 34
4.1.1.2 Migration ....................................................................... 35
4.1.1.3 Economic Factor ............................................................ 36
4.1.1.4 Social Factor .................................................................. 38
4.1.1.5 Institutional factor .......................................................... 39
4.1.1.6 Demographic Factor ....................................................... 40
4.1.1.7 Attitude Factor ............................................................... 41
4.1.2 The Reason of Tamil Shift Into Indonesia Language ..................................... 42
4.2. Findings ............................................................................................... 43
4.3. Discussion ............................................................................................ 43
4.3.1 The Factors of Tamil Language Shift ........................................... 44
4.3.2 The Reason of Tamil Language Shift ........................................... 45
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1. Conclusions .......................................................................................... 47
5.2. Suggestions .......................................................................................... 48
REFFERENCES ................................................................................................. 49
APPENDIX ......................................................................................................... 51
v
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Background of the Study
People use language as a means of thinking and feeling, as well as a means
of expressing thought and feeling in a society. There are millions of languages
used in the world. It is because language is a product of culture, which means that
different cultures may have different languages or different dialects. It is also
functioned to show their existence, identity and culture in the society. In other
words, a community's way of using language is a part of the community's culture,
is a way of displaying group identity. Ways of speaking function not only to
facilitate communication, but also to identify the social position of the speaker. As
Crystal (1997) states that people keep maintaining their language in order to
create cultural diversity, keep ethnic identity, enable social adaptability,
increasing security for the children psychologically, and increase the linguistic
sensitivity.
Indonesia is a multilingual country, language shifts potentially happen.
Language shift simply means that a community gives up a language completely in
favor of another one.
Language shift is the process by which a speech community in a contact
situation gradually stops using one of its two languages in favor of the other. In
this case Tamil language is shifted in usage to the Tamil community in Kel.
Madras Hulu, Medan. If the disfavored language is one that has as its last speakers
1
2
the members of the community in question, then the language faces endangerment
and eventually, language death.
Language shift and language maintenance is similar to two sides of coin
which cannot be divided each other (Fasold, 1984: 213). They form a collective
result of choice. He says language shift simply means that a community gives up a
language completely in favor of another one. Language shift is the progressive
process whereby a speech community of a language shifts to speak another
language. It is in fact crucial for the language survival.
Almost all minority groups who live in such multilingual circumstance
lack political and economic power; minority groups often become bilingual in the
dominant language for both instrumental and psychological reasons. Even the
speakers who are in the process of shifting do not show the same degree of shift
all at once in all of the purposes or situations for which they use any language.
Further, from the stand of dominant group the presence of minority groups
can be an obstacle to communication and, more importantly, to national
integration, it may sound cynical but history supports the comment of Laponce
(1987: 198) that dominant groups tolerate minorities “only on condition that they
accept at least partial linguistic assimilation (learn the dominant language) and
keep their numbers small.”
Medan is one of the province in Indonesia. It is one of the big city in
Indonesia which has many kinds of different ethnics who live side by side. The
city has diverse communities, reflecting its history. For instance there is a Tamil
ethnic community, largely made up of the descendants of people transported from
3
India in the last century to be employed as contract workers in various plantations
in Medan.
Beside indigenous ethnics, there are several other majorities ethnics found
in Medan, such as Javanese, Bataknese, China, Malaynese and Tamil. Each of
those ethnics live and create their community in a place. One of them is Tamil
people. They live in Kampung Madras or as we have ever known before as
“Kampung Keling”. This Place is the land marked “Indian Tamil” in Medan.
Tamil people in Kampung Madras interacted each others speak by using Tamil
language. Tamil language is spoken not only as means of communication among
Tamil people, but it was used to the events such as ritual ceremony, trading,
wedding and holi. But at this moment time, Tamil language did not spoke all the
layers of aspect life. But while Tamil language include as one of language has
undergone shifted. Tamil language was used to in wedding, at home, ritual
ceremony and so forth. In the fact, at the wedding, when a Tamil woman presents
the wedding occasion. For instance :
Gayetri (woman) : hai ..Vannakam, Enna ceyti? (Salam... How are you
today?)
Simran
you
: hi .. Gayetri...aduhh ..kau ngomong apa sihh ? ngomong
Indonesia aja lha. (Salam...oughhh...what are you talking
about..sih?just speak Indonesia lha).
Gayetri : ihhh ..... ni illai mutiyum moli tamil! (Ihh..can not
speak Tamil)
Simran
: aduhh gimana mau pake bahasa tamil aku pun sehari hari pake
nya bahasa Indonesia. Lagi pula di sekolah dan di rumah terus
sama teman, tetangga, aku pun aku harus pake bahasa
Indonesia.(ough...how could I sepak Tamil Language. Everyday
I speak Indonesia language. Eventhough at school, at home and
then with neighbour ...I have to speak Indonesia)
4
Based on data transcript data above, it is clear that Tamil language shift
occur shifting. It is caused by bilingualism. When Gayetri speaks Tamil language,
but Simran answered by speaking Indonesia. It is marked with “ngomong
Indonesia aja lha” (Simran).
Considering all of situation explained above, it is important to conduct a
study on Tamil languiage shift. It is very important to analyze the language shift
in Tamil language, to make a good language planning for reversing a language
shift. Therefore thus study will be conducted in order to observe such language
shift in Tamil language based on environment in Kampung Madras, Medan.
1.2 The Problem of The Study
Based on the explanation in the background, the problems of the study are
formulated as the following.
1. What are the factors that influence Tamil language shift into Indonesia
language in Kampung Madras, Medan.
2. Why does Tamil language shift into Indonesia language
1.3 The Objectives of The Study
In line with problems, the objectives of the study are:
1. To find out the factors of Tamil language shift in Kampung Madras,
Medan.
2. To find out the reason Tamil language shift in Kampung Madras, Medan.
5
1.4 The Scope of the Study
Language shift covers variuos. This study focused on the factors and
reason for this shift of Tamil people by its speakers into Indonesia language. The
two aspects are in focus since they are highly assumed to related in the study of
the shift. It is of interest to note that the shift is sucpected to bel related aspects in
the study.
1.5 The Significance of the Study
Theoretically, the study is considered to enrich the theories of language
planning especially about Tamil language in Tamil community in Kampung
Madras Medan, the factors influence Tamil language shift in Kampung Madras
Medan, and the reason of tamil language shift occur to the teenager.
Practically, the results of the study are considered to contribute
information about language shift in Tamil language in the Tamil community
members in some places for students, lecturers, researchers, and also the
government. Secondly, the teachers, students, and Tamil can use it to support the
reversing of the Tamil language shift in Kampung Madras Medan. Thirdly, the
result of this study can be a previous knowledge for the next researcher who has
intended to gain a deep insight especially in Tamil language in Tamil
communities in Kampung Madras Medan. and generally in language planning
theories. The last, in this case Pusat Bahasa, hopefully the result of this study
helps them to make a well planned of language planning particularly to keep
maintaining the Tamil language, so the language is not lost.
49
References
Adisaputera, A. (2009). Potensi Kepunahan Bahasa Pada Komunitas Melayu
Langkat di Stabat, Kabupaten Langkat, Sumatera Utara. Jurnal Ilmiah
Bahasa dan Sastra, Volume 5 No 1 April 2009.Medan: Universitas Negeri
Medan
Alford, B.and Beck, A. 1998. The Integrative power of cognitive therapy.New
York: Guilford Press.
Asmitazkirah. 2013. Language Shift in Arabic Language. Unpublished Thesis,
Pasca Sarjana Universitas Negeri Medan
Baker, C.2001.Keys Issues in Bilingualism and Bilingual Education.Clevedon:
Multilingual Matters .
Bogdan, RC.,Biklen, SK (1992) Qualitative Research foe Education: An
Introduction to Theory and Methods (2nd .Ed).Sydney: Allyn and Bacon.
Chalak, A.,&Kassian, Z. (2010). Motivation and Attitudes of Iranian
Undergraduate EFL students Towards Learning English.GEMA Online
Journal of Language Studies, 10( 2),37-56.
Garvin,P.L., Mathiot, M (1968). The urbanization of Guarani Language: Problem
in Language and culture .in Fishman, J.A. (Ed.) Reading in Test sociology
of Language. Mounton: Paris-The Hague.
Crano, W.D.&Prislin, R.(Eds) (2008) Frontiers of Social Psychology: Attitudes
and Attitude Change. New York: Pschology Press.
Crytal, D. (2000). Language Death. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Fishbein, M. &Ajzen, I (1975). Belief, Attitude, Intention, and Behavior: An
Introduction Theory and Research. Sydney: Addison-Wesley
Fishman,J,A (1972) . Language in Sociocultural Change. Standford: Standford
University Press.
Holmes, J. (2001). Holmes, Janet.2001 An Introduction to Sociolinguistics
(2nded). Edinburgh Gate: Pearson Education Unlimited.
Meshtrie, R (2009). Introducing Sosiolinguistics. Second Edition. Edinburgh
Lingusitics Press.
Miles, M.B., &Huberman, A.M (2014).Qualitative Data Analysis. Califormnia:
Sage.
Napitupulu, Burju Martua. 1992. Eksistensi Masyarakat Tamil di Kota Medan:
Suatu tinjauan Historis; [Skripsi] Jurusan Sejarah FS USU.
Pusatbahasa.(2009). Bahasa dan Peta Bahasa di Indonesia. Pusat Bahasa,
Departemen
Pendidikan
Nasional.
Retrived
from
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Http://pusatbahasa.kemdiknas.go.id/lamanv42/?q=detail_berita/555/2015/
09/html.
Saragih,A.(2012).Pemertahanan dan Revitalisasi
http://imas-usu.blogspot.com/2015/09/.html.
Bahasa.
Retrieved
from
Sidabariba, A. (2014) Sikap Bahasa Siswa Smpn 2 Simanindo Di Simarmata
Kecamatan Simanindo Kabupaten Samosir Terhadap Bahasa Indonesia.
Retrieved from http://digilib.unimed.ac.id/UNIMED-Undergraduate-sk
130506A/33072/2015/09/.html.
Tuwakham, M (2005) Language Vitality and Language Attitude Among the young
People in Lamphung Province: A SociolinguisticsStudy(Magister Thesis).
MEDAN
A Thesis
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program in
Partial Fulfillment of the Registration for the Degree of
Magister Humaniora
By:
FALIZALIANI
Registration Number: 8136111020
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
MEDAN
2016
ABSTRACT
FALIZALIANI. Registration Number: 8136111020. Tamil Language Shift in
Kampung Madras Medan. A Thesis. Post Graduate School. English Applied
Linguistic Study Program. The State University of Medan. 2016.
This study deals with Tamil Language Shift in Kampung Madras in Medan. It
aims to find out the factors and reasons of Tamil language shift into Indonesia
language in Kampung Madras Medan. The data were obtained from the family of
Tamil people living in Kampung Madras Medan. The study employs qualitative
research design with a single case study to get the understanding on this study.
This subjects of this study were 10 families. The subjects were dicided into two
groups, namely parents and children. The reason for dividing the subjects into two
groups because language shift happens across the generation. Questionnaires,
interview and observation were used to obtain the data. The status of Indonesia
language as the official language and social success are the reasons for Tamil
language to shift Indonesia language. The findings showed that the shift of Tamil
language shift into Indonesia language in Kampung Madras Medan is
bilingualism, migration, economic factor, social faktor, demographic factor,
instutional support, and attitude. Data analysis showed the reason of Tamil
Language shift for the second generation are National language, economic matter,
Social success and Education and for the third generation are National language,
social success and education.
i
ABSTRAK
FALIZALIANI. Nomor Induk Mahasiswa: 8136111020. Pergeseran Bahasa
Tamil di Kampung Madras Medan. Tesis. Sekolah Pascasarjana, Program Studi
Linguistik Terapan Bahasa Indonesia. Universitas Negeri Medan. 2016
Penelitian ini mengkaji tentang pergeseran bahasa Tamil di Kampung Madras
Medan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan faktor-faktor yang
mempengaruhi pergeseran bahasa Tamil dan alasan-alasan pergeseran bahasa
tamil di Kampung Madras Medan. Data penelitian ini diperoleh dari keluarga
suku Tamil yang tinggal di Kampung Madras Medan. Desain penelitian yang
digunakan dalam penelitian kualitatif dengan studi kasus untuk memperoleh
pemahaman mengenai pergeseran bahasa Tamil di Kampung Madras Medan.
Subjek dari penelitian ini adalah 10 keluarga. Subjek dibagi dua grup yaitu orang
tua dan anak-anak. Alasan pembagian subjek penelitian menjadi dua karena
karena pergeseran bahasa terjadi antar generasi. Data penelitian ini diperoleh
dengan menggunakan tahapan pengumpulan data, pemilahan data, pemaparan
data, dan verifikasi data. Temuan dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa faktor –
faktor terjadinya pergeseran bahasa Tamil kedalam bahasa Indonesia adalah
kedwibahasaan, migrasi, ekonomi, sosial, demografi, lembaga, dan sikap. Data
analisis menunjukkan alasan pergeseran bahasa Tamil pada generasi kedua
adalah bahasa nasional, masalah ekonomi, kesuksesan sosial dan pendidikan dan
pada generasi ketiga adalah bahasa Indonesia, sukses sosial dan pendidikan.
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In completing this thesis, the writer thanks to Allah SWT the Almighty for
his blessing in the completion of this thesis. Praise are also addressed to our
prophet Muhammad SAW who guided us to the better life.
The completion of this thesis is made possible with the assistance of lots
of people. It is impossible to mention the names of all those people here. But in
this opportunity, the writer extends her thanks to some of those people who have
given a special supervision, review, and motivation to strengthen her to complete
this thesis.
First of all, her thanks to advisors, Prof. T. Silvana Sinar, M.A. Ph.D as
her first advisor and Dr. Zainuddin, M.Hum as her second advisor for their all
guidance through the completion of this thesis.
Furthermore, her thanks to her three examiners, Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning,
M. Pd., Dr. Siti Aisyah Ginting, M. Pd., and Dr. Rahmad Husein, M.Ed. for their
constructive suggestions to the improvement of this thesis.
Then, her appreciation also goes to Dr. Rahmad Husein, M.Ed. as the head
of English Applied Linguistics Study Program, Dr. Anni Holila Pulungan, M.Hum
as the secretary of English Applied Linguistics Study Program, Farid Ma’ruf as
the staff of English Applied Linguistics Study Program for the whole
administrative aid they have shared.
Last but not least, the writer also extends her thanks to her beloved family,
her husband and daughter for their lovely care which give her motivation,
inspiration and strength to complete her study.
May God the Almighty bless them all.
Medan, 2 September 2016
The Writer
Falizaliani
Reg. No. 8136111020
iii
CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................... i
ABSTRAK ............................................................................................................ ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................. iii
CONTENTS ........................................................................................................ iv
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1. The Background of the Study................................................................. 1
1.2. The Problem of The Study ..................................................................... 4
1.3. The Objectives of The study .................................................................. 4
1.4. The Scope of the Study .......................................................................... 5
1.5. Thes Significances of the Study ............................................................. 5
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1. Language Shift ...................................................................................... 6
2.1.1. Bilingualism ............................................................................... 11
2.1.2. Migration ................................................................................... 11
2.1.3. Economic Factors ....................................................................... 12
2.1.4. Social Factors................................................................................13
2.1.5. Demographic Factors ................................................................. 14
2.1.6. Instutional Support ..................................................................... 14
2.1.7. Attitude ...................................................................................... 15
2.2. Kinds of Language Shift ....................................................................... 18
2.3. The Reason of Language Shift .............................................................. 19
2.4. Tamil in Kampung Madras, Medan ....................................................... 21
2.5. Previous Studies ................................................................................... 22
iv
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD
3.1. Research Design ................................................................................... 25
3.2. Subject and Object of The Research ...................................................... 25
3.3. Instrument of Data Collection ............................................................... 26
3.4. Technique of Data Analysis .................................................................. 27
3.5. The Trustworthiness of Study ............................................................... 30
CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
4.1. The Data and Data Analysis .................................................................. 33
4.1.1 Factors that Influence Tamil Language in Kel. Madras Hulu,
Medan........................................................................................ 33
4.1.1.1 Bilingualism ................................................................... 34
4.1.1.2 Migration ....................................................................... 35
4.1.1.3 Economic Factor ............................................................ 36
4.1.1.4 Social Factor .................................................................. 38
4.1.1.5 Institutional factor .......................................................... 39
4.1.1.6 Demographic Factor ....................................................... 40
4.1.1.7 Attitude Factor ............................................................... 41
4.1.2 The Reason of Tamil Shift Into Indonesia Language ..................................... 42
4.2. Findings ............................................................................................... 43
4.3. Discussion ............................................................................................ 43
4.3.1 The Factors of Tamil Language Shift ........................................... 44
4.3.2 The Reason of Tamil Language Shift ........................................... 45
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1. Conclusions .......................................................................................... 47
5.2. Suggestions .......................................................................................... 48
REFFERENCES ................................................................................................. 49
APPENDIX ......................................................................................................... 51
v
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Background of the Study
People use language as a means of thinking and feeling, as well as a means
of expressing thought and feeling in a society. There are millions of languages
used in the world. It is because language is a product of culture, which means that
different cultures may have different languages or different dialects. It is also
functioned to show their existence, identity and culture in the society. In other
words, a community's way of using language is a part of the community's culture,
is a way of displaying group identity. Ways of speaking function not only to
facilitate communication, but also to identify the social position of the speaker. As
Crystal (1997) states that people keep maintaining their language in order to
create cultural diversity, keep ethnic identity, enable social adaptability,
increasing security for the children psychologically, and increase the linguistic
sensitivity.
Indonesia is a multilingual country, language shifts potentially happen.
Language shift simply means that a community gives up a language completely in
favor of another one.
Language shift is the process by which a speech community in a contact
situation gradually stops using one of its two languages in favor of the other. In
this case Tamil language is shifted in usage to the Tamil community in Kel.
Madras Hulu, Medan. If the disfavored language is one that has as its last speakers
1
2
the members of the community in question, then the language faces endangerment
and eventually, language death.
Language shift and language maintenance is similar to two sides of coin
which cannot be divided each other (Fasold, 1984: 213). They form a collective
result of choice. He says language shift simply means that a community gives up a
language completely in favor of another one. Language shift is the progressive
process whereby a speech community of a language shifts to speak another
language. It is in fact crucial for the language survival.
Almost all minority groups who live in such multilingual circumstance
lack political and economic power; minority groups often become bilingual in the
dominant language for both instrumental and psychological reasons. Even the
speakers who are in the process of shifting do not show the same degree of shift
all at once in all of the purposes or situations for which they use any language.
Further, from the stand of dominant group the presence of minority groups
can be an obstacle to communication and, more importantly, to national
integration, it may sound cynical but history supports the comment of Laponce
(1987: 198) that dominant groups tolerate minorities “only on condition that they
accept at least partial linguistic assimilation (learn the dominant language) and
keep their numbers small.”
Medan is one of the province in Indonesia. It is one of the big city in
Indonesia which has many kinds of different ethnics who live side by side. The
city has diverse communities, reflecting its history. For instance there is a Tamil
ethnic community, largely made up of the descendants of people transported from
3
India in the last century to be employed as contract workers in various plantations
in Medan.
Beside indigenous ethnics, there are several other majorities ethnics found
in Medan, such as Javanese, Bataknese, China, Malaynese and Tamil. Each of
those ethnics live and create their community in a place. One of them is Tamil
people. They live in Kampung Madras or as we have ever known before as
“Kampung Keling”. This Place is the land marked “Indian Tamil” in Medan.
Tamil people in Kampung Madras interacted each others speak by using Tamil
language. Tamil language is spoken not only as means of communication among
Tamil people, but it was used to the events such as ritual ceremony, trading,
wedding and holi. But at this moment time, Tamil language did not spoke all the
layers of aspect life. But while Tamil language include as one of language has
undergone shifted. Tamil language was used to in wedding, at home, ritual
ceremony and so forth. In the fact, at the wedding, when a Tamil woman presents
the wedding occasion. For instance :
Gayetri (woman) : hai ..Vannakam, Enna ceyti? (Salam... How are you
today?)
Simran
you
: hi .. Gayetri...aduhh ..kau ngomong apa sihh ? ngomong
Indonesia aja lha. (Salam...oughhh...what are you talking
about..sih?just speak Indonesia lha).
Gayetri : ihhh ..... ni illai mutiyum moli tamil! (Ihh..can not
speak Tamil)
Simran
: aduhh gimana mau pake bahasa tamil aku pun sehari hari pake
nya bahasa Indonesia. Lagi pula di sekolah dan di rumah terus
sama teman, tetangga, aku pun aku harus pake bahasa
Indonesia.(ough...how could I sepak Tamil Language. Everyday
I speak Indonesia language. Eventhough at school, at home and
then with neighbour ...I have to speak Indonesia)
4
Based on data transcript data above, it is clear that Tamil language shift
occur shifting. It is caused by bilingualism. When Gayetri speaks Tamil language,
but Simran answered by speaking Indonesia. It is marked with “ngomong
Indonesia aja lha” (Simran).
Considering all of situation explained above, it is important to conduct a
study on Tamil languiage shift. It is very important to analyze the language shift
in Tamil language, to make a good language planning for reversing a language
shift. Therefore thus study will be conducted in order to observe such language
shift in Tamil language based on environment in Kampung Madras, Medan.
1.2 The Problem of The Study
Based on the explanation in the background, the problems of the study are
formulated as the following.
1. What are the factors that influence Tamil language shift into Indonesia
language in Kampung Madras, Medan.
2. Why does Tamil language shift into Indonesia language
1.3 The Objectives of The Study
In line with problems, the objectives of the study are:
1. To find out the factors of Tamil language shift in Kampung Madras,
Medan.
2. To find out the reason Tamil language shift in Kampung Madras, Medan.
5
1.4 The Scope of the Study
Language shift covers variuos. This study focused on the factors and
reason for this shift of Tamil people by its speakers into Indonesia language. The
two aspects are in focus since they are highly assumed to related in the study of
the shift. It is of interest to note that the shift is sucpected to bel related aspects in
the study.
1.5 The Significance of the Study
Theoretically, the study is considered to enrich the theories of language
planning especially about Tamil language in Tamil community in Kampung
Madras Medan, the factors influence Tamil language shift in Kampung Madras
Medan, and the reason of tamil language shift occur to the teenager.
Practically, the results of the study are considered to contribute
information about language shift in Tamil language in the Tamil community
members in some places for students, lecturers, researchers, and also the
government. Secondly, the teachers, students, and Tamil can use it to support the
reversing of the Tamil language shift in Kampung Madras Medan. Thirdly, the
result of this study can be a previous knowledge for the next researcher who has
intended to gain a deep insight especially in Tamil language in Tamil
communities in Kampung Madras Medan. and generally in language planning
theories. The last, in this case Pusat Bahasa, hopefully the result of this study
helps them to make a well planned of language planning particularly to keep
maintaining the Tamil language, so the language is not lost.
49
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