ISSN: 2581-2742

Proceedings of The 1st National Conference on Teachers' Professional Development September 30, 2017, Banda ,

THE CHANGE OF MEANING IN ACEHNESE (PASEE DIALECT)

Dohra Fitrisia1,2*

1University of Utara, Medan, Indonesia 2Syiah Kuala University, , Indonesia *Email: [email protected]

Abstract

Pase dialect is one of the Acehnese languages that is spoken in Aceh. It is a derivative of the Proto-Austronesian (PAN) that also has a change in the meaning of the lexicon. This brief study is aimed at explaining the change of meaning in the Acehnese dialect of Pase. The change of meaning is categorized into five according to Crowley and Bowern (2010). However this study focuses on the pattern of changes in the original meaning to be broader and narrower.

Keywords: Acehnese, Pasee dialect, noun, broadening, narrowing, meaning.

INTRODUCTION This study is a part of Linguistic Historical Comparative that is also known as Linguistic Diachronic. It is attempted to study the language in different times to observe the way in which languages change and examine the causes of change in language. This is in contrast to Synchronic Linguistics, which seeks to learn the language over the same period. According to Bynon (1990) diachronic linguistics which includes pure linguistic studies has

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Proceedings of The 1st National Conference on Teachers' Professional Development, September 30, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia an important role as part of general linguistics. This linguistic branch makes a valuable contribution to the understanding of the nature of language work and the development of even the changing of languages in general. Basically, talking about change is inseparable from speaking a different language in the same family or the same language but in different periods of time. For example comparing the existing differences in Indonesian with the current Acehnese language, or comparing the Acehnese language used in ancient times. Crowley (1983, p. 9) says that the changes that occur in a language are absolute and natural. The changes at the linguistic level include phonological changes (including phonetics), lexical changes, grammatical changes and semantic changes (Crowley, 1983). This brief study is aimed at explaining the change of meaning in the Acehnese dialect of Pase, especially the nouns. Blust (2013, p. 78) and Cowan (1981, p. 523) say that the Acehnese is a derivative of the Austronesian language and also has a resemblance to the language of the Chamic. Blust (2013, p. 78) adds that unlike most languages of western Indonesia, Acehnese has at least ten contrasting vowels, and as many distinct diphthongs, as well as voiceless aspirated stop and murmured voiced stops. The Acehnese language belongs to the , but even situated in Sumatra, it has its nearest relatives in the of the South-East Asian continent (Blust, 2013; Crowley, 2010; Keraf, 1984). This language also has a change in the meaning of lexicon that becomes the object of his interesting study. The change of meaning is categorized into five, which are (1) Amelioration and Pejoration, (2) Broadening, (3) Narrowing, (4) Bifurcation, and (5) Shift (Crowley & Bowern, 2010, pp. 200-201). Broadening is used to refer to a change in meaning that it originally had, thus it still retains those original meaning as a part of original meaning. Narrowing causes the change in meaning when a word comes to refer the only part of original meaning. Bifurcation (shift) describes the change by which a word acquires another meaning which relates in some way to

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The Change of Meaning in Acehnese (Pasee Dialect) (Dohra Fitrisia)

the original meaning. Shift refers to the change of word into completely loses its original meaning and acquires a new meaning. However, this study only focuses on the broadening and narrowing of meaning available in the Acehnese dialect Pase in particular of noun.

METHODS This research is carried out using descriptive qualitative research. The data collection was taken from English Finderlist of Reconstruction in Austronesian Languages reconstructed (Wurm & Wilson, 1978). The data was presented in the form of cognate sets that share the same characteristics in terms of form and meaning of PAN and Acehnese. The data which has been selected as cognate sets from the result study are then confirmed to the informants in the actual use in Acehnese. There were five native speakers of Acehnese language selected based on certain criteria (Pase dialect), physically and mentally healthy, understand and master the culture of Aceh, and rarely leave their villages.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In general, the changes in the meaning of lexicon associated with socio-cultural factors. However, Mbete says the tracking of symptoms of language change at the semantic level is difficult to obtain in high certainty (Mbete, 2001, p. 80). He illustrates that Proto-language including its semantic picture is not a real reality because proto-language has disappeared during the time. Meanwhile, the reality of the contemporary language is believed to be a continuation of the past, and these languages are the result of the historical process that the present reality can serve as a tracking ground for assumed changes that have occurred in the past. The changes in the level of meaning of the word in particular are universe and based on the symptoms of change found. The grouping of Austronesian languages referring to the basic framework of Esser, and it is supplemented with Dyen's records,

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Proceedings of The 1st National Conference on Teachers' Professional Development, September 30, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia mention that the Acehnese language is a Western Austronesian language group (Keraf, 1984, p. 206; Sudarno, 1994, p. 112).

1. Sumatra Family 1. Acehnese 2. Java Family 2. Gayo Alas 3. Kalimantan Family 3. Bataknese Toba 4. Bali-Sasak Family 4. Minangkabau Karo 5. Philippine Family 5. Melayu Dairi 6. Gorontalo Family 6. Central Melayu Pakpak 7.Tomini Family 7. Rejang Lebong 8.Toraja Family 8. Lampung Languages in 9. Loinang Family 9. Simalur Indonesia 10.Nias 10. Bungku-Laki Family 11. Mentawai 11. South Sulawesi Family 12. Enggano 12. Muna-Butung Family 13. Loncong 13. Bima-Sumba Family 14. Lom 14. East Ambon Family 15. Orang Laut 15.Sula-Bacan Family 16. South Halmahera- West Irian 17. Melanesia Family

Chart 1: Language grouping in Indonesia by Esser (1938) in Saidi (1994, p. 21)

Broadening Broadening exists in a number of words in the Acehnese dialect Pase. The broader of meaning occurs because the original meaning of the word experienced additional meaning in addition to the original meaning it has. Some examples are described as follows:

PAN * utak 'brain' The broadening of meaning occurs because its original meaning is the brain extends into another meaning that denotes negative behavior. Consider the example below.

(a) ‘Pakon ka rhom rumoh lon? Cukop hana utak kah!’ Why you (2sg) throw house my? Do not have brain (b) ‘Utak leumo na bak kah’ Brain cow is on you (2sg) The meaning of the brain which has the original meaning as the human brain is also interpreted the meaning of negative

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The Change of Meaning in Acehnese (Pasee Dialect) (Dohra Fitrisia)

behavior that is not polite. It does not show the person who does not have brain because it is missing but the meaning describes the attitude and intelligence. Meanwhile, example (b) refer to someone attitude like animal or cow behavior. It is not mean someone uses cow's brain.

PANDLO * zaNgut ‘beard’ janggôt The proto meaning is someone hair of beard which grows on man’s chin. The broader meaning happens because the original meaning is ‘beard’ or janggôt in Acehnese has other meanings. (c) ‘Janggôt ayah panyang that ka’ Beard father long very (d) ‘Tulong ka peugleh janggôt jagông nyoe’ Please you (2sg) clean corn this So, in addition to meaningful beards for people, the word 'janggôt' in Acehnese also refers to the meaning of feathers that exist in corn.

PAN *ulu ‘top’;’ source’; ‘beginning’ (e) Pakon akai kah brok that? Why mind you (2sg) bad very (f) Pat ka pueduek ule? Bak aki? Where you (2sg) put head?at feet? The meaning of proto originally meant the source of the first or the beginning or the top. However, it expanded extends into the head as a part of one's body. In the example above is the head of a person who refers to the reasonable attitude of the person or his/her mind.

PAN * ain ‘wind’ (Acehnese ;angen). The broadening of the word 'angen' meaning wind in Indonesian refers to good or bad behavior (attitude). (g) uroe nyo angen timu sang, pakon? Today's got the east wind, why? Today wind east maybe ? why ? (h) Nyan ka meuangen badan lon This has wind body me

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Proceedings of The 1st National Conference on Teachers' Professional Development, September 30, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia

The above example in addition refers to the behavior, attitude as well as the meaning of 'meuangen' means a person's body is possessed by evil spirits.

PAN * buruᵑ 'bird' (Acehnese: burông) which means bird in proto. (i) Hai bek kajak u rumoh tuha nyan, na burong Hai, not you (2sg) go to the old house, there are birds The word burông in the Aceh language has another meaning such as ghost or witchcraft. So, it means not a bird in reality life but the bird's meaning is ghost.

PAND * tumpaᵑ 'pile, heap' (Acehnese means 'tumpôk'). The meaning extends from the meaning of the proto. (j) si gam nyan dipoh meutumpôk The man was struck down fall. So, the meaning of the pile extends into a picture of the position of one's fall.

Narrowing The following etymons reflect the changing which is called narrowing of meaning. The narrowing of meaning is happens when the meaning of a word now is only part of its original meaning. Some examples are described as follows:

(a) PAN * ᵏᵊᵗᵊᵐ 'carpenter's tool; ax'; 'plumber'. The narrowing meaning that occur in PAN * ᵏᵊᵗᵊᵐ ‘ax’ or ‘plane'. Therefore, the meaning that is contained in the PAN etymon applies to a carpenter's tool that is plane. In the Acehnese the meaning 'ᵏᵊᵗᵊᵐ' narrows into ketam ‘plane’.

(b)PAN * ᵃᵇᵘᵏ 'ashes' powder, cigarette ash, wood ash. PAN * ᵃᵇᵘᵏ is also inherited in Aceh. Etimon PAN is inherited with phonemic changes from proto 'ᵃᵇᵘᵏ' to 'Abe' meaning dust. (c)PAN * manuk 'bird'. The narrowed meanings change occurs in the PAN inheritance of 'birds'. The meaning contained in this PAN

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etymon applies to all bird species but in the Acehnese the meaning is narrowed. It means that 'chicken' only. In Acehnese is called 'manôk'.

(c) PAN * reed 'grass or cookware from bamboo'. Etymon PAN * reeds also inheritace in Acehnese which is called 'buloh'. This etymon refers to bamboo reeds.

(d) PAN * arrow 'weapon to shoot'. The changes of meaning narrowly inherited in PAN * arrows that referring to the form of weapons for archery. The arrow shape that has a sharp tip also applied to the arrow word that is used to designate direction because of its sharp pointy shape. However, this etymon refers to arrow ‘panah’ as weapon for.

CONCLUSION Acehnese as an Austronesian (PAN) derivative inherits its original features in the form and meaning of the word. PAN in the form of words has changed meaning. The change of meaning found and discussed shows the pattern of (1) broadening and (2) narrowing meaning. The change of meaning indicates a change in the history of the Acehnese language. Factors of migration of people or speakers of the language from the region of origin to other regions may occur in the history of Aceh resulting in the occurrence of language areas. Also, the transfer of speakers can affect the area to which language or dialect differences occur.

REFERENCES Blust, R. A. (2013). The Austronesian languages (Revised Edition). Canberra: Asia-Pacific Linguistics of The Australian National University. Bynon, T. (1990). Historical Linguistics. New York: Cambridge University. Cowan, H. K. J. (1981). An outline of Acehnese Phonology and Morphology. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African studies, University of London. Vol.44 No. 3 pp 522-549

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Crowley, T. (1983). An introduction to historical Linguistics. Port Moresby: University of Papua New Guinea. Crowley, T., & Bowern, C. 2010. An introduction to historical Linguistics (Fourth Edition). New York: Oxford University Press. Keraf, G. (1984). Linguistik Bandingan Historis. Jakarta: Gramedia. Mbete, A. M. (2001). Beberapa perubahan makna dalam Bahasa Lio, Flores. Jurnal Linguistika, 8(15), 79—86. Saidi, S. (1994). Linguistik bandingan nusantara. Flores-NTT: Nusa Indah. Sudarno. (1994). Perbandingan bahasa nusantara. Jakarta: Arikha Medika Cipta.

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