LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE IN INTER-ETHNIC COUPLES.
LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE IN INTER-ETHNIC COUPLES
A Thesis
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program Postgraduate School
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Magister Humaniora
By:
VIVI NOVALIA SITINJAK
Registration Number: 8106111041
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2013
LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE IN INTER-ETHNIC COUPLES
A Thesis
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program Postgraduate School
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Magister Humaniora
By:
VIVI NOVALIA SITINJAK
Registration Number: 8106111041
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2013
ABSTRAK
Sitinjak, Vivi Novalia. LanguageMaintenance in inter-ethnic couples (Pemertahanan
bahasa pada pasangan beda suku). Tesis. Program Studi Linguistik Terapan Bahasa
Inggris. Sekolah Pasca Sarjana Universitas Negeri Medan 2013.
Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menjelaskan tentang pemertahanan bahasa pada pasangan
beda suku, khususnya pada pasangan Jawa (suami)- Batak (istri) dan Batak (suami)- Jawa (istri)
di Medan. Subyek yang diteliti adalah delapan pasangan; empat pasangan terdiri dari suku Jawa
(suami)- Batak (istri) dan empat pasangan untuk Batak (suami)- Jawa (istri). Subyek di pilih
secara khusus karena harus memenuhi criteria sudah memiliki anak, bisa berbicara bahasa suku
sendiri secara fasi. Data yang diperoleh dengan menggunakan wawancara dan observasi. Subyek
terlebih dahulu diobservasi kemudian diwawancarai. Wawancara yang dimaksud untuk
memperoleh informasi yang mendalam tentang alasan mereka melakukan pemertahanan bahasa.
Pada analisis data ditemukan bahwa 1) sikap terhadap bahasa dan identitas etnik merupakan
faktor yang paling dominan dari empat faktor yang mempengaruhi pemertahanan bahasa dalam
pernikahan beda suku. 2) Pemertahanan bahasa dalam pernikahan beda suku dilakukan dengan
empat cara yaitu: pendidikan informal, partisipasi dalam kegiatan sosial, bergabung dengan
gereja suku, mengunjungi kampung halaman. 3) Alasan pemilihan cara itu adalah untuk
mencegah kecanggungan pada anak.
ABSTRACT
Sitinjak, Vivi Novalia. Language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples.Thesis.Applied
Linguistics Study Program.Graduate School.The State University of Medan. 2013.
The aim of this study is to describe about language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples,
especially Javanese (husband)-Batak (wife) and Batak (husband)-Javanese (wife) couples in
Medan. The subjects of this study consist of eight couples; four couples for Javanese (husband)Batak (wife) and four couples for Batak (husband)-Javanese (wife). The subjects are chosen
specially because they must fulfill the criteria that must have children and can speak vernacular
language fluently. The data are resulted by interview and observation. The subjects are observed
first then interviewed. The interview is done in order to get the deep information about their
reasons in doing language maintenance. In the data analysis it is found that 1) Attitude and
identity is the most dominant factor from four factors which influence the language maintenance
in inter-ethnic couples. 2) Language maintenance can be done through four ways, they are:
informal education, participating in social fields, joining ethnic church services, and visiting
homeland. 3) The reason in choosing those ways is to prevent the clumsiness.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..……………………………….…………………….........i
TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………….………….…..iii
ABSTRACT……………………………………..…………………………..……...…..v
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION…………………....……….…………………………1
1.1
The background of the study……….…………………..……………….1
1.2
The problem of the study…………………………………...…..…….…3
1.3
The objective of the study….…………………………...…………….…4
1.4
The significance of the study….…………………………...…...…….…4
1.5
The scope of the study….……………………………………………….4
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL CONCEPTS……………………………..….…...…...6
2.1
Language maintenance in bilingualism………...……….……………...6
2.2
Language maintenance and language contact…………….…………...7
2.3
Language maintenance…..…………………………………..………...8
2.4
The relationship between language shift and language maintenance…15
2.5
Inter-ethnic couples and language maintenance …………...….…..…17
2.6
Steps in maintaining the language…………...………………….….....20
2.7
The Inter-ethnic communication culture...............................................22
2.7.1 The Batak attitude to their language………..……….…….......29
2.7.2 The Javanese attitude to their language…..….…………...…...29
2.8
The position of gender in inter-ethnic couples…………..……..……32
2.9
Conceptual framework...………..…………………………………..33
CHAPTER III MEHOD OF RESEARCH...……………………….…………….…..34
3.1
The research design………………..……...………………………….34
3.2
The data and instrument of data collection………………….....…….34
3.3
The Subject of the study……………………………..………………35
3.4
The technique of data analysis………………………...….…………35
3.5
Trustworthiness of data……………………………….………………35
CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS,RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION.39
4.1 Data Analysis…………………….… ………………………………….......39
4.1.1 Factors affecting language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples.. 40
4.1.1.1 Attitude, value, and identity………………….. 40
4.1.1.2 Social factor……………………….………........57
4.1.1.3 Religion factor…………………………,,,,,,……64
4.1.1.4 Demographic factor…………………..…………67
4.1.2 The ways in maintaining vernacular language……………............73
4.1.2.3 Reason of choosing that way…………………………………..83
4.2 Research Findings………………………………………………………....84
4.3 Discussion………………………………………………………………....85
4.3.1 Attitude, value, and identity factor………………………....…..85
4.3.2 The ways in maintaining vernacular language…………..…..…..86
4.3.3 Reason of choosing those ways………………………………….87
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTION…………………………..….89
5.1 Conclusions…………………………………….………………..…………89
5.2 Suggestion…………………………………………………………………90
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………….….91
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1
The Background of the Study
The existence of language cannot be separated from human life.According to Holmes
(2002), 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 through the
language the interaction among tribes, ethnic groups, and religions canhappen. In Indonesia,
there are so many languages because it has so many ethnic groups. The competition among
languages happens in Indonesia. Based on the data of UNESCO in the year of 2001, there are
6,900 languages in the world. 2,500 of them are extincting. UNESCO says that Indonesia is a
country which has multi varieties of languages, but it is also facing a very big danger of language
shift.Based on the data of UNESCO, almost 200 languages do not exist anylonger after three
generations, because they lost their speakers. 900 languages in the world are in danger of
extinction nowadays. 199 languages in the world are mastered by less than a dozen of speakers;
for example Lengilu language in East Borneo, Indonesia used by only 4 people. There are other
178 languages in the world which are extincting, because they are used by 10 to 150 people only.
Based on the record of UNESCO, India is at the first rank in facing language shift. There are 196
shifting languages in India now. America takes the second position with 192 shifting languages.
Indonesia takes the third position with 147 shifting languages. 169 ethnic languages of 742 in
Indonesia are facing danger of extinction because their speakers are less than 500 people
(UNESCO, 2001).
The data above are supported by the data of language shift which is happened in
Indonesia from 1980-2008. In comparing the data from 1980 and 1990, the number of Javanese
users in daily conversation decreased until 16.3 percent, whereas the number of Indonesian users
in daily conversation increased until 38.9 percent. The grandparents who use Indonesian are 11
percent. Parents who use Indonesian to their children are 13 percent. Children who speak
Indonesian to their friends are 65 percent. In 1998, Indonesian users increased 65 percent. From
2001 to 2007, the Indonesian users increased until 87 percent. Grandparents who speak
Indonesian are 15 percent and who speak Javanese language are 2 percent. Parents who speak
Indonesian are 20 percent and who speak Javanese are 7 percent. Children who speak Indonesian
are 65 percent and who speak Javanese are 20 percent.In 2008, the number of Indonesians who
can speak their national language well is over 90 percent. Grandparents who speak Indonesian
are 42 percent. Parents who speak Indonesian are 46 percent and children who speak Indonesian
are 75 percent ( Ahmad in Gunawan 2008).
Those data show that the language shift happens in Indonesia continually. Weinreich
(1968) defines that languageshift is often used to refer to change at a community level and the
terms language loss or non-acquisition of language areused in reference to an individual’s
declining or infrequent use of a group’s original language with concurrent increased or dominant
use of another more widely used language.If the language shift cannot be stopped, the minority
language will lose. Language is one of ethnic identity symbols. It means Indonesia will lose one
of its ethnic identities. In keeping the existence of ethnic identity needs language maintenance.
Language maintenance is generally applied to individuals or a community of speakers continuing
to use their language in a situation of language contact, ie. where there is competition from one
or more languages to be the sole language used in particular domains or situations (Pauwels,
2005). So, maintaining the language is important. It is supported by Holmes (2002), he said that
Language as a symbol of ethnic identity which must be maintained.
The previous researcher, Simon Musgrave from Monash University, discussed language
shift and language maintenance in Indonesia.But the explanation which is given by him is not
clear enough. That is the first reason why the writer chooses language maintenance as her topic.
And the second reason, Indonesia consists of many ethnics and languages. So, there is a tendency
to be happened inter-ethnic marriage. Inter-ethnic marriages are a combination of two people
from different ethnics and languages also. It means that there are two languages exist in interethnic marriage couples. The existence of two languages means the competition between two
languages. So, the writer is interested in investigating this phenomenon. It is also because the
writer’s parents are inter-ethnic couple: Father is Javanese and mother is Batak. In fact, in
communication, sometimes the writer’s parents use Indonesia language and sometimes they use
Batak language, they never use Javanese. That is why the writer is interested in investigating
language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples.
1.2
The Problems of the Study
Based on the above background of the study, the problems of the study areformulated as
follows:
1.
What is the dominant factoraffecting language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples?
2.
How do inter-ethnic couples maintain their vernacular?
3.
Why do they choose that way?
1.3The Objectives of the Study
Based on the problems of the study above, the objectives of this study are:
1.
to find out the factors for language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples in Medan.
2.
to find out the processof language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples.
3.
to find out the reason for their ways in maintaining language.
1.4 The Scope of the Study
This study only focuses on the language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples in Medan. It
will be conducted only for Javenese (husband)-Batak (wife) and Batak (husband)-Javanese
(wife).
1.5 The Significance of the Study
The findings of this study are expected to be significantly relevant theoritically and
practically. Theoritically, the research findings are expected to enrich the theories of language
maintenance. This study considers being useful initially to provide the information of language
maintenance in inter-ethnic couples. Consequently, it will give better understanding and new
insight of language maintenance study. This contribution will in turn give tentative framework
for a comprehensive analysis of language maintenance.
Practically, since the research focuses on language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples,
hopefully it is useful for teachers and lecturers of sociolinguistics to apply the language
maintenance, specifically to sociolinguistics students either University or high school. It helps
them to know the process of vernacular language maintains in inter-ethnic couples, to know the
reason for ways which are chosen by inter-ethnic couples in maintaining their vernacular
language, to show the factor which influence language maintenance dominantly in inter-ethnic
couples and also to look for some efforts to prevent language shift in inter-ethnic couples.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusions
The study which is concerned on language maintenance in inter ethnic couples was aimed
to described the factors influence language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples, the ways in
maintaining the language and the reasons in choosing the ways. The conclusions are drawn as the
following:
1.
In general, attitude, value, identity factor, social factor, religion factor and demographic
factor are the factors which influencing language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples.
Attitude, value and identity factor is found in six couples. Then, social factor is found in
four factors. Next, Religion factor is found in two subjects. Finally, demographic factor is
found in one subject. Thus, attitude, value and identity factor is the most dominant factor
in this study. It is seen from the number of subjects which influencing by this factor.
2.
Informal education, participation in social fields, and bringing children to visiting
homeland are the ways which are chosen to maintain the language by inter-ethnic
couples. Informal education is choosen by four subjects. Next, participating in social
fields is choosen by all couples. Finally, visiting homeland is choosen by five couples.
3.
They choose those ways because they want to prevent the children get clumsiness in
using the language when they are adult and to show their character which is more
powerful in family.
5.2Suggestions
Dealing with the findings, suggestions are stated as following:
1.
It is suggested that parents should motivate their positive attitude to their languages.
2.
It is suggested that children should have attitude to the vernacular language.
3.
It is suggested that the vernacular language researchers should be more concerned with
the language use in inter-ethnic couples in order to maintain the vernacular language use
in inter-ethnic couples.
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Publishers
A Thesis
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program Postgraduate School
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Magister Humaniora
By:
VIVI NOVALIA SITINJAK
Registration Number: 8106111041
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2013
LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE IN INTER-ETHNIC COUPLES
A Thesis
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program Postgraduate School
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Magister Humaniora
By:
VIVI NOVALIA SITINJAK
Registration Number: 8106111041
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2013
ABSTRAK
Sitinjak, Vivi Novalia. LanguageMaintenance in inter-ethnic couples (Pemertahanan
bahasa pada pasangan beda suku). Tesis. Program Studi Linguistik Terapan Bahasa
Inggris. Sekolah Pasca Sarjana Universitas Negeri Medan 2013.
Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menjelaskan tentang pemertahanan bahasa pada pasangan
beda suku, khususnya pada pasangan Jawa (suami)- Batak (istri) dan Batak (suami)- Jawa (istri)
di Medan. Subyek yang diteliti adalah delapan pasangan; empat pasangan terdiri dari suku Jawa
(suami)- Batak (istri) dan empat pasangan untuk Batak (suami)- Jawa (istri). Subyek di pilih
secara khusus karena harus memenuhi criteria sudah memiliki anak, bisa berbicara bahasa suku
sendiri secara fasi. Data yang diperoleh dengan menggunakan wawancara dan observasi. Subyek
terlebih dahulu diobservasi kemudian diwawancarai. Wawancara yang dimaksud untuk
memperoleh informasi yang mendalam tentang alasan mereka melakukan pemertahanan bahasa.
Pada analisis data ditemukan bahwa 1) sikap terhadap bahasa dan identitas etnik merupakan
faktor yang paling dominan dari empat faktor yang mempengaruhi pemertahanan bahasa dalam
pernikahan beda suku. 2) Pemertahanan bahasa dalam pernikahan beda suku dilakukan dengan
empat cara yaitu: pendidikan informal, partisipasi dalam kegiatan sosial, bergabung dengan
gereja suku, mengunjungi kampung halaman. 3) Alasan pemilihan cara itu adalah untuk
mencegah kecanggungan pada anak.
ABSTRACT
Sitinjak, Vivi Novalia. Language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples.Thesis.Applied
Linguistics Study Program.Graduate School.The State University of Medan. 2013.
The aim of this study is to describe about language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples,
especially Javanese (husband)-Batak (wife) and Batak (husband)-Javanese (wife) couples in
Medan. The subjects of this study consist of eight couples; four couples for Javanese (husband)Batak (wife) and four couples for Batak (husband)-Javanese (wife). The subjects are chosen
specially because they must fulfill the criteria that must have children and can speak vernacular
language fluently. The data are resulted by interview and observation. The subjects are observed
first then interviewed. The interview is done in order to get the deep information about their
reasons in doing language maintenance. In the data analysis it is found that 1) Attitude and
identity is the most dominant factor from four factors which influence the language maintenance
in inter-ethnic couples. 2) Language maintenance can be done through four ways, they are:
informal education, participating in social fields, joining ethnic church services, and visiting
homeland. 3) The reason in choosing those ways is to prevent the clumsiness.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..……………………………….…………………….........i
TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………….………….…..iii
ABSTRACT……………………………………..…………………………..……...…..v
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION…………………....……….…………………………1
1.1
The background of the study……….…………………..……………….1
1.2
The problem of the study…………………………………...…..…….…3
1.3
The objective of the study….…………………………...…………….…4
1.4
The significance of the study….…………………………...…...…….…4
1.5
The scope of the study….……………………………………………….4
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL CONCEPTS……………………………..….…...…...6
2.1
Language maintenance in bilingualism………...……….……………...6
2.2
Language maintenance and language contact…………….…………...7
2.3
Language maintenance…..…………………………………..………...8
2.4
The relationship between language shift and language maintenance…15
2.5
Inter-ethnic couples and language maintenance …………...….…..…17
2.6
Steps in maintaining the language…………...………………….….....20
2.7
The Inter-ethnic communication culture...............................................22
2.7.1 The Batak attitude to their language………..……….…….......29
2.7.2 The Javanese attitude to their language…..….…………...…...29
2.8
The position of gender in inter-ethnic couples…………..……..……32
2.9
Conceptual framework...………..…………………………………..33
CHAPTER III MEHOD OF RESEARCH...……………………….…………….…..34
3.1
The research design………………..……...………………………….34
3.2
The data and instrument of data collection………………….....…….34
3.3
The Subject of the study……………………………..………………35
3.4
The technique of data analysis………………………...….…………35
3.5
Trustworthiness of data……………………………….………………35
CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS,RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION.39
4.1 Data Analysis…………………….… ………………………………….......39
4.1.1 Factors affecting language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples.. 40
4.1.1.1 Attitude, value, and identity………………….. 40
4.1.1.2 Social factor……………………….………........57
4.1.1.3 Religion factor…………………………,,,,,,……64
4.1.1.4 Demographic factor…………………..…………67
4.1.2 The ways in maintaining vernacular language……………............73
4.1.2.3 Reason of choosing that way…………………………………..83
4.2 Research Findings………………………………………………………....84
4.3 Discussion………………………………………………………………....85
4.3.1 Attitude, value, and identity factor………………………....…..85
4.3.2 The ways in maintaining vernacular language…………..…..…..86
4.3.3 Reason of choosing those ways………………………………….87
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTION…………………………..….89
5.1 Conclusions…………………………………….………………..…………89
5.2 Suggestion…………………………………………………………………90
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………….….91
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1
The Background of the Study
The existence of language cannot be separated from human life.According to Holmes
(2002), 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 through the
language the interaction among tribes, ethnic groups, and religions canhappen. In Indonesia,
there are so many languages because it has so many ethnic groups. The competition among
languages happens in Indonesia. Based on the data of UNESCO in the year of 2001, there are
6,900 languages in the world. 2,500 of them are extincting. UNESCO says that Indonesia is a
country which has multi varieties of languages, but it is also facing a very big danger of language
shift.Based on the data of UNESCO, almost 200 languages do not exist anylonger after three
generations, because they lost their speakers. 900 languages in the world are in danger of
extinction nowadays. 199 languages in the world are mastered by less than a dozen of speakers;
for example Lengilu language in East Borneo, Indonesia used by only 4 people. There are other
178 languages in the world which are extincting, because they are used by 10 to 150 people only.
Based on the record of UNESCO, India is at the first rank in facing language shift. There are 196
shifting languages in India now. America takes the second position with 192 shifting languages.
Indonesia takes the third position with 147 shifting languages. 169 ethnic languages of 742 in
Indonesia are facing danger of extinction because their speakers are less than 500 people
(UNESCO, 2001).
The data above are supported by the data of language shift which is happened in
Indonesia from 1980-2008. In comparing the data from 1980 and 1990, the number of Javanese
users in daily conversation decreased until 16.3 percent, whereas the number of Indonesian users
in daily conversation increased until 38.9 percent. The grandparents who use Indonesian are 11
percent. Parents who use Indonesian to their children are 13 percent. Children who speak
Indonesian to their friends are 65 percent. In 1998, Indonesian users increased 65 percent. From
2001 to 2007, the Indonesian users increased until 87 percent. Grandparents who speak
Indonesian are 15 percent and who speak Javanese language are 2 percent. Parents who speak
Indonesian are 20 percent and who speak Javanese are 7 percent. Children who speak Indonesian
are 65 percent and who speak Javanese are 20 percent.In 2008, the number of Indonesians who
can speak their national language well is over 90 percent. Grandparents who speak Indonesian
are 42 percent. Parents who speak Indonesian are 46 percent and children who speak Indonesian
are 75 percent ( Ahmad in Gunawan 2008).
Those data show that the language shift happens in Indonesia continually. Weinreich
(1968) defines that languageshift is often used to refer to change at a community level and the
terms language loss or non-acquisition of language areused in reference to an individual’s
declining or infrequent use of a group’s original language with concurrent increased or dominant
use of another more widely used language.If the language shift cannot be stopped, the minority
language will lose. Language is one of ethnic identity symbols. It means Indonesia will lose one
of its ethnic identities. In keeping the existence of ethnic identity needs language maintenance.
Language maintenance is generally applied to individuals or a community of speakers continuing
to use their language in a situation of language contact, ie. where there is competition from one
or more languages to be the sole language used in particular domains or situations (Pauwels,
2005). So, maintaining the language is important. It is supported by Holmes (2002), he said that
Language as a symbol of ethnic identity which must be maintained.
The previous researcher, Simon Musgrave from Monash University, discussed language
shift and language maintenance in Indonesia.But the explanation which is given by him is not
clear enough. That is the first reason why the writer chooses language maintenance as her topic.
And the second reason, Indonesia consists of many ethnics and languages. So, there is a tendency
to be happened inter-ethnic marriage. Inter-ethnic marriages are a combination of two people
from different ethnics and languages also. It means that there are two languages exist in interethnic marriage couples. The existence of two languages means the competition between two
languages. So, the writer is interested in investigating this phenomenon. It is also because the
writer’s parents are inter-ethnic couple: Father is Javanese and mother is Batak. In fact, in
communication, sometimes the writer’s parents use Indonesia language and sometimes they use
Batak language, they never use Javanese. That is why the writer is interested in investigating
language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples.
1.2
The Problems of the Study
Based on the above background of the study, the problems of the study areformulated as
follows:
1.
What is the dominant factoraffecting language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples?
2.
How do inter-ethnic couples maintain their vernacular?
3.
Why do they choose that way?
1.3The Objectives of the Study
Based on the problems of the study above, the objectives of this study are:
1.
to find out the factors for language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples in Medan.
2.
to find out the processof language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples.
3.
to find out the reason for their ways in maintaining language.
1.4 The Scope of the Study
This study only focuses on the language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples in Medan. It
will be conducted only for Javenese (husband)-Batak (wife) and Batak (husband)-Javanese
(wife).
1.5 The Significance of the Study
The findings of this study are expected to be significantly relevant theoritically and
practically. Theoritically, the research findings are expected to enrich the theories of language
maintenance. This study considers being useful initially to provide the information of language
maintenance in inter-ethnic couples. Consequently, it will give better understanding and new
insight of language maintenance study. This contribution will in turn give tentative framework
for a comprehensive analysis of language maintenance.
Practically, since the research focuses on language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples,
hopefully it is useful for teachers and lecturers of sociolinguistics to apply the language
maintenance, specifically to sociolinguistics students either University or high school. It helps
them to know the process of vernacular language maintains in inter-ethnic couples, to know the
reason for ways which are chosen by inter-ethnic couples in maintaining their vernacular
language, to show the factor which influence language maintenance dominantly in inter-ethnic
couples and also to look for some efforts to prevent language shift in inter-ethnic couples.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusions
The study which is concerned on language maintenance in inter ethnic couples was aimed
to described the factors influence language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples, the ways in
maintaining the language and the reasons in choosing the ways. The conclusions are drawn as the
following:
1.
In general, attitude, value, identity factor, social factor, religion factor and demographic
factor are the factors which influencing language maintenance in inter-ethnic couples.
Attitude, value and identity factor is found in six couples. Then, social factor is found in
four factors. Next, Religion factor is found in two subjects. Finally, demographic factor is
found in one subject. Thus, attitude, value and identity factor is the most dominant factor
in this study. It is seen from the number of subjects which influencing by this factor.
2.
Informal education, participation in social fields, and bringing children to visiting
homeland are the ways which are chosen to maintain the language by inter-ethnic
couples. Informal education is choosen by four subjects. Next, participating in social
fields is choosen by all couples. Finally, visiting homeland is choosen by five couples.
3.
They choose those ways because they want to prevent the children get clumsiness in
using the language when they are adult and to show their character which is more
powerful in family.
5.2Suggestions
Dealing with the findings, suggestions are stated as following:
1.
It is suggested that parents should motivate their positive attitude to their languages.
2.
It is suggested that children should have attitude to the vernacular language.
3.
It is suggested that the vernacular language researchers should be more concerned with
the language use in inter-ethnic couples in order to maintain the vernacular language use
in inter-ethnic couples.
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