SERAWAI LANGUAGE SHIFT AND MAINTENANCE IN BENGKULU MALAY HEGEMONY IN THE CITY OF BENGKULU

Abstract

This paper talks about Serawai language shift and maintenance in Bengkulu. Often when two speakers of communication from two different communities, will tend to use otherlanguage that can bridge the language difference. The language is Bengkulu Malay. BengkuluMalay language used by all the tribes who lived and live in the city of Bengkulu, bothnewcomers Javanese, Batak, Sundanese, Chinese, Padang, Pasmah and the local indigenoustribes such as Serawai, Rejang, Lembak, and Bengkulu Malay. Language shift occurs in somedomains such as religious, educational, family, neighborhood, and workplace. Factors thatcontribute to the shift are economic, social, political, and demographic. Several maintenanceefforts should be taken include the need for government policies in education and culture.