DARI BAHASA KOMUNIKATIF KE BAHASA IDENTITAS: PERGESERAN FUNGSI BAHASA IBU DI RUANG DIGITAL
Abstract
Mother tongue plays an essential role not only as a means of communication but also as a marker of cultural identity. However, in the era of digital modernization, the function of the mother tongue has shifted along with changes in language use domains toward digital spaces. This article aims to describe the shift in the function of the mother tongue from a communicative language to an identity marker in the digital language practices of Balinese youth. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach within a sociolinguistic framework. The data consist of digital written utterances, including social media captions, comments, and online conversational statuses containing elements of the Balinese language. Data were collected through documentation and non-participant observation techniques and analyzed by identifying the forms and functions of Balinese language use in digital discourse. The findings indicate that Balinese is rarely used as the main medium of communication in digital spaces. Instead, it appears partially in the form of specific words or phrases functioning as markers of identity, emotional expression, humor, and social solidarity. This phenomenon reflects a shift in the function of the mother tongue from a communicative function to a symbolic and identity-related function. Although this shift may weaken the active linguistic competence of younger speakers, the presence of Balinese in digital spaces also suggests opportunities for maintaining cultural identity through digital media.
Keywords: mother tongue, Balinese language, language function shift, identity, digital discourse
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