KO AND RIKA IN JAVANESE OF TEGAL

Abstract

Javanese has a variety of dialects and one of them is the one spoken in Tegal and its surrounding regions such as Pemalang and Brebes. The language variation used in the region is characterized, among others, by the pronunciation of some words which are different from the Javanese standard language spoken in Surakarta and Yogyakarta. To give an example, the Javanese word “sapa”, is pronounced [sapa] in Tegal, while the same word is pronounced [sOpO] in Surakarta and Yogyakarta. This paper will try to explore the word ko and rika, two address terms used in Tegal region. The discussion will cover the questions such as: what are these two words, when and where do we use them, whom do we speak to using the words and what factors may influence the use of the two words.