Devari’s Corner

Introduction to Nusa Penida Language

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Thursday, September 27th, 2007

Balinese language is the official language which is used at any formal situation in the Balinese society such as community meeting, wedding ceremony, priest speech at the temple etc. Generally Balinese language is divided into three categories; the high Balinese language (HB) which is used at the situation above, middle Balinese (MB) which is usually used in the daily life situation and the low Balinese language (LB) which is used among close friends and colleague.Example: the word I in Balinese language;
titiang (HB), rage/tiang (MB) and cang/icang (LB)

There are some dialects of Balinese language in Bali, usually based on the regency it spoken, so commonly there is Gianyar dialect, Bangli dialect, Tabanan dialect, Negara dialect and so on. However, no matter what dialect it is, basically it is the same both in term of grammar and syntax. They are just slight different in the tone/rhythm and pronunciation. Most importantly, Balinese people from different dialects still can understand each other.

What about Nusa Penida language (NPL)? There is something special here. Nusa Penida supposed to have Balinese language with Klungkung dialect but its language is totally different with Balinese language. It is not just different dialect it is completely different Balinese language. So people from other regency in Bali will not be able to understand this language.

 

Tiang/rage/cang of Balinese is kale in NPL
Ragane/cai/ci of Balinese is ede in NPL
irage (kita) of Balinese is ebe in NPLExample;
Tiang naar tipat tuni semeng (middle Balinese).
Kale ngesop tepat tonian semungante (NPL)
I ate tipat (rice cooked with coconut leaf) this morning (English)

The analysis is
tiang = kale, naar = ngesop, tipat = tepat, tuni =tonian, semeng = semungante

Example;
Dija ragane mare? (Middle Balinese)
Jape ede bahu? (NPL)
Where have you been? (English)The analysis is dija = jape, ragene= ede, mare= bahu

Example;
Ngiring sareng –sareng irage ngae cubang (MB)
Mahe barong barong ebe ngahe cobang (NPL)
Let us dig a well (English)

The analysis is ngiring = mahe, sareng2 = barong2, irage = ebe, ngae = ngahe, cubang = cobang

Most words in NPL especially noun and verb are derived from Balinese language with different phonology (sound).

Example;
oyah = uyah
cobang = cubang
nginem = ngenom
ujan = ojan
umah = omah
nginep = ngenop
tajen = tajon
tipat = tepat
sirah = serah
uban = oban
ubad = obad
pedidi = pedihi (didian cang kemu (pedihile kemo)
sambel = sambol
sube = sobe

There is also irregular word formation which is completely different from Balinese language, example

dija = jape
duur =boboan
jeg = babar (jeg irage adi peliange = babar ebe saget pelihange)
luh = lohuhe
etc.

Please note that NPL is not used at formal situation only in daily life among Nusa Penida society.

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