Parent-child Communication Strategies in Preserving Sundanese Language

Sundanese as a first language has gradually experience decline in their users’ proficiency, particularly for Sundanese living in the second language environment. This process is generally caused by both isolations from speakers of the first language and the acquisition and use of a second language. This study aims to investigate the parent-child communication strategies in preserving the Sundanese language in an environment in which Sundanese is not a major language spoken in the area. A qualitative case study was employed to analyze the topic. The data were collected by performing interviews and observations toward three Sundanese families who live in non-Sundanese language environment in Jakarta. The findings show that the parents performed two main strategies: direct language lessons and subconscious affirmations of the first language. The strategies were carried out in three phases: the initial planning, language preservation action, and feedback evaluation. It is expected that the study would contribute more insights into the preservation native languages and reduction the risk of language attrition. Keywords—interpersonal communication; parent-child communication; language preservation; Sundanese language;