Madurese Language in West Kalimantan Context: The Overlapping of Social Groups and the Enactment of Social Identity.

Abstract

This article discusses the linguistic shift experienced by the Madurese language used in West Kalimantan as well as the socio-cultural influences on the creation of a linguistic variation of the language. This language which was brought by the Madurese people as immigrants from Madura Island to West Kalimantan in the 18th century has transformed into a new variety of a language as the result of having direct and close linguistic encounters with the local language. The transformation seems to be apparent in the introduction of Malay-rooted lexical items and the understanding of Madurese stratification. It, in turn, has led to the construction of a new variety of the language as well as the creation of a new social identity for Madurese people in Kalimantan.