A dialect geography in Yogyakarta-Surakarta isolect in Wedi District: An examination of permutation and phonological dialectometry as an endeavor to preserve Javanese language in Indonesia

Abstract

This study reveals the status of Javanese isolect in Wedi District, Klaten Regency which is influenced by Yogyakarta and Surakarta isolect. This is a quantitative descriptive study. Our data was collected from the residents of Wedi District, Klaten. The data was collected from 15 points of observation areas (villages) based on a dialectometric triangle. It includes the speech of local people. We employed the listening and speaking method. The listening method was equipped with note taking and tapping techniques, while the speaking method was equipped with by probing, face-to-face, and recording techniques. The techniques to analyze our data included reciprocal understanding, dialectometry, permutation and isogloss file. Based on our analysis, we find that the isolect status is based on different vocabularies, speeches, subdialects and dialects. This shows that the language diversity in the typical isolect still exists. These findings also prove that the Yogyakarta and Surakarta dialect holds isolect diversity as a representation and evidence of language diversity.

Keywords

• Geographic dialect
• Isolect
• Yogyakarta-Surakarta dialect
• Diversity
• Border area
• Permutation and dialectometry