Mother Tongue As a Symbol Of Identity Within Biolinguistics Diversity In Denpasar

Abstract

, This is a biolinguistic diversity study in multilingual communities. If a language is not acquired, mastered, and used from birth, the language is very likely to be classified as an endangered language. This study focuses on the status of Balinese as a mother tongue within multilingual communities in Denpasar city. The study aims at: 1) analysing the level of mastery of Balinese at the age of transitional period, 2) determining the status of Balinese as mother tongue, and 3) investigating the use of Balinese as the language of instruction in schools. This study used mixed methods. Data were analysed by using both quantitative and qualitative methods by applying sequential explanatory strategy. The theory of mother tongue (Calvet 2006), multilingual society (Romaine 1989) and language mastery (Holmes 2001) were applied as a basic framework of the study. The result of the study shows that the status of Balinese language in Denpasar city is no longer as the mother tongue. Consequently, the existence of Balinese has been in the position between vulnerable/unsafe and definitely endangered. However, children during the age of transitional period are very aware of the importance of language as one of Balinese ethnic identities. Therefore, they were encouraged to absorb and learn for a highly level of mastery of the Balinese language, which has a strong support from both individuals and social institutions but not from school, in order to avoid a more severe threat of Balinese language in the future.