Cia-Cia Language: from the Era of Oral to the Era of Writing

HUMANIORA VOLUME 24 NO.30ktober2012 Halaman 324-332 CIA-CIA LANGUAGE: FROM THE ERA OF ORAL TO THE ERA OF WRITING Cho, Tae-Young* ABSTRAK Tufisan ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan latar belakang penerimaan dan penggunaan Hangeul (sistem tufisan KDrea) di masyarakat penutur bahasa Cia-Cia sebagai sistem tufisan mereka yang dimulai pelaksanaannya pada bulan Jufi 2009. Peristiwa ini sangat mengagetkan, baik se/uruh masyarakat Indonesia maupun negara-negara tetangga karena aksara Latin sedang memegang peranan kuat dalam penggunaan aksara dise/uruh dunia peda zaman ini. Dari sisi yang lain, yakni aspek sejarah perkembangan aksara di dunia ini yang berjalan dalam proses peminjaman dan penyesuaian aksara secara berulang terus membuktikan bahwa suatusistem tufisan (selain Latin) juga dopat digunakan dalam masyarakat bahasa yang lain peda abad ke-21. Seperti sejumlah besar masyarakat bahasa minaritas, masyarakat bahasa Cia-Cia punbe/um pernah memilild sistem tufisan tersendiri sehingga bahasanya tidak pernah sekafi pun ditufiskan dengan aksara apapun. Penl/fisan Hangeul dalam bahasa Cia-Cia dimulai dengan maksud untukme/estarikan bahasa minaritas. Sesuai dengan maksud tersebut. jikakelangsungan hidup bahasa Cia-Cia akan dilanjutkan dengan stabil, Hangeul akan diingat sebagai salah satu sistem tufisan yang telah me/estarikan bahasa Cia-Cia dalam sejarah perkembangan aksara di dunia ini. KIna /{unci: Bahasa Cia-Cia, bahasa minoritas, Hangeul, peminjaman aksara ABSTRACT This paper aimed to describe the background of Cia-Cia language society's adoption and useof Hangeul (Korean alphabet) as its writing system that was begun in July 2009. The issue has caused Indonesian society and neighborhood countries curious, since Latinalphabet is world widely used as the most common writing system at present time. On the other side, the historical background of writing system's development which has been implemented sustainably through borrowing and adapting process proves that any writing system can also be u~ in other language society in the 21" century. Similar to that of the most of minority language societies, Cia-Cia language has not had its own writing system. The transcription of Hangeul in Cia-Cia language was begun to support the preservation of minority language. Concern to this issue, ifthe spoken language of Cia-Cia is stabilly continued, Hangeul willbe known as one of the writing systems Whichhas preserved Cia-Cia language in world's development of writing system history. Keywords: Cia-Cia language, minority language, Hangeul, borrowing writing • Institutefor EastAsian Studies, Sogang University, South Korea 324 Cho, Tae- Young - Cia-Cia Language INTRODUCTION People produce their own oral tradition in order Linguists estimate that there are 6,700 types to stay alive. Toward this process, borrowing of languages across the globe (Nettle & Romaine, writing can be taken in particular society. The 2000:21). Ifthe types of languages are compared adaptation then plays an important role based to 230 countries around the world, it can be on local culture and inhabitants. Generally, concluded that more than one country uses more neighbourhood nations will apply same writing in than one language. Most of countries across the several variations. It is due to the issue of globe are multilingual societies. Differ from type geographicrange and similar civilization among of language, Writing system can only be found in them. Therefore, the role of human being is small number than the spoken language.Writings significantly important as the utterer, the active that have been used in the world are noted about speaker.These whole processes are done by 28-30. It is simply described that one writing human being in order to record and preserve their system plays its role to several particular oral tradition by using foreign writing after languages. adaptation process. In European continent,NorthlSouthAmerica, Indonesiaiswidely-known as a countrywhich and other European collonialization, people use hasbeen usingdilferenttypes ofwritings(includes Latin alphabet as their writing system. In several nearly-extinct ones). These all writings are countries that are influenced by Islamic culture, borrowedfrom foreign civilization.Hardiatigroups they use Arabic writing system. In East Asian Indonesian writings into three main foreign countries such as Korea and Japan, Chinese civilization, they are Indian, Arabic, and Latin character is remain used eventhough the two (Hardiati, 2002:2-3). All writings have adapted countries have their own writing system. Such based on Indonesian local language and culture. circumstances can lead an understanding that Pallawa, Kawi, Sunda, Bali, Batak, Kerinci, there are still many languages do not have their Lontarak, Jawi, Pegon, Serang, and Wolio are own writing system in recording their spoken the result of borrowing-adapting process from languages. In other words, some nations may Indiaand Arabic writings, in order topreserve oral continue their civilizationwithout using one single tradition in Indonesia.The occurance of these writing system. writings can be seen as reflectionof a long history Gelb who conductedresearch on writing of writing development. However, in Indonesia system, the-so-called Grammatologyexplained alone there are a lot of ethnics which have not that Writing exists only in a civilization and a been in touch with the importance of writing and civilization cannot exist without writing its long-inhabitted history. (Gelb,1952:v, 222). Writing is tightly related to In the past thflle years, one ethnic in human civilization in all aspects of life. Based on Indonesiabegan to adapt and use foreign writing. Gelbs' idea, can we conclude a nation with no The circumstance has taken variety of attentions writing has already built its own civilization? This from scholars and linguists of neighborhood question is rarely taken seriously, however the countries. However, the history of writing occurance of writing in a language society is fully development remains conducted. The writer will related to its own civilization.The issue can be introduce the background of receiVing and exploredfrom history-of-wriling pointof view.Most implementing Hangeul (Korean writing) into Cia of linguists agreed that the historyof writing based Cia language society in Indonesia. This article on borrowing and adapting process done aims at (1) observing the history of writing system continually among nations. During the process, development in Indonesia through new writing is more developedbothgenealogicallyand perspective, which is related to the adaptation of typologically. new writing outside India, Arab, and Latin, (2) Every society desires to descend and reinvestigating the existence of worlds' history of preserve itsown oraltraditionas a partof cultures. writingdevelopment,and (3) buildingunderstand- 325 Human/ora, Vol. 24, No.3 Oktobar2012: 324 - 332 ingtoward thehistory ofBulan Island inthecurrent Unlike otherethnic groups in Indonesia, Cia situation, duetotheimplementation of Hangeul. Cia has neverexperiences using of any writing system. Theutterer have not beenintouch with CIA-eIA LANGUAGE SOCIETY any particular writing such as Walia, Lontarak, 'Bhinneka Tunggallka' (Unity inDiversity) as or Seranq, which have been used by Indonesian national slogan declares diversity of neighborhood ethnic groups, Buginese and ethnic, religion, language, and other cultural Makasarese ofButon. However, Cia-Gia still has aspect that are all unite in Indonesia (KBBI, its own oral tradition, expreeses in its spoken 1988:112). Taking a lookofthisslogan, Indonesia language without any particular writing. Cia-Cia has variety and huge numbers of ethnics with language society isoneofthepartsof Indonesia their own language and culture. Based on SIL whoisactively utterIndonesian language written data, Indonesia has731 existing languages (SIL, in Latin alphabet. Hence, they symbolize their 2001:1). This number of language can be also spoken language in Latin. concluded as the number of ethnics across From the minority point of view, Cia-Cia Indonesian archipelago. society doesnothaveonesinglewriting system Among different ethnic groups, Cia-Cia whose thatcan represent theexact sound oftheirspoken namederived fromtheword'cia (meaning no)'in language intowritten text. Therefore, theynever Cia-Cia language and its dialects situated in record anyoftheiroraltradition inwritten text. In Buton Island, Southeast Sulawesi (Hamzah thisterribly circumstance, Cia-Gia society needs Lajura creates the name 'Cia-Cia', Mustafa, to struggle in preserving their nearly-extinct 1991:7).Cia-Cia is oneofthelanguages spoken language. Cia-Gia spoken language is notactively in Buton Island, outsideneighbor languages are uttered by their own young generation. On the Walia, Muna and Liabuku.Cia-Cia is using by 2007 National Symposium of Indonesian 79,000 peopleliving in Southern of Buton Island Language, JusufKalla mentioned forthepast20 asshows below (Based onSILdata in2005 year, years oftime, 30%ofIndonesian locallanguage there are 79,000 Cia-Cia language native shave fallen to extinction (Tamim, 2010:27 speakers). Buton Island, Cia-Gia language utterer requoted by Chun Tai-Hyun, 2010b:182).The canbefoundin Batuata Island, Binongko Island number pottentially increases in the upcoming and Moromaho Island as the native homes. future, specifically languages without their own Makassar, Kendari, even Maluku arealsosome writing systems. home for minority Cia-Cia people. ISLAND BUTDN SOUTH

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