Toba Batak Language Shift in Rantau Selatan
Helfi Vinawari S., Prof. Sumarsih, M.Pd., Dr. Rahmad Husein, M. Ed
Pascasarjana Universitas Negeri Medan
Abstract
ABSTRACT Helfi Vinawari S, Toba Batak Language Shift in Rantau Selatan. A Thesis. Postgraduate School, English Applied Linguistics Study Program. State University of Medan. 2019. This study observed Toba Batak Language Shift in Rantau Selatan. The objectives of the study were to answer the research problems under study that are (1) to describe the level of maintenance of the Toba Batak language in Rantau Selatan district. (2) to elaborate how the shift realized in their linguistic repertoire across language domain in Rantau Selatan district. (3) to explain the reasons why the language shift occur in the ways they do in Rantau Selatan district. The method of this study was qualitative research. The subjects were twenty eight Toba Batak people who live in Kampung Batak, Urung Kompas, Rantau Selatan district. The subjects were divided into two groups; first group as the second generation (parents) and the second group as third generation (children). The data were taken from the interview, questionnaire and observation. The findings show that (1) the level of mastery or maintenance of the Toba Batak language for the second generation is Severely Endangered at grade two. And the level of mastery or maintenance of the Toba Batak language for third generation or children is Critically Endangered at grade one. (2) the dominant domains are education domain and work place domain. (3) the reasons of Toba Batak language shift into Bahasa Indonesia; bilingualism factor, migration factor, economic factor, social factor, demographic factor, institutional factor, attitude factor, environment factor, status, and social success. Attitude is crucial factor influencing language shift. If the speaker has positive attitude about Toba Batak language, it can be maintain the Toba Batak language but if the speaker has negative attitude about Toba Batak language, the Toba Batak language can be extinct.
Keywords: Language Shift, Toba Batak Language, Language Endangerment, Language Domain.
Topic: Social,Language and Cultural Education