Language Dynamics of Simalungun Bandar Dialect

By : Purba Masrul Dasuha , S.Pd

Introduction
Simalungun language is a speech medium of the community inhabiting some areas in North Sumatra covering Simalungun regency and Siantar City as the base region, Serdang Bedagai regency and Tebing Tinggi City, and Deli Serdang and Lubuk Pakam, part of Asahan and Batubara. Simalungun language as a mother tongue has an important role in defining the personality of the Simalungun or manifests all things related to Simalungun both abstract and concrete. Dr. Petrus Voorhoeve (1955) in his elaborating of the Batak language states that Batak language is divided into two clumps, namely the northern clump (Pakpak, Karo, and Alas) and south (Toba, Mandailing, and Angkola). Of the two clumps, Simalungun language is not included in one of them, but he obviously Voorhoeve, standing in between the two clumps, north and south. 

On advanced research conducted by Adelaar (1981), he expressed that Simalungun language actually came from southern clumps, which then split off (no known cause) before the Toba, Mandailing, and Angkola language formed. From this description the authors conclude that Simalungun language is older than the age of three languages​​, proved Simalungun language had existed before other Batak languages are formed. Accordingly, Uli Kozok (1999:14 ) states if judging from the distribution of the Batak language and literacy, language and script Simalungun thinks much older than the language and script Batak others. In the development of language Simalungun continue to experience dynamic life in line with the dynamics of the community through Simalungun. Diverse phenomena of life and cultural upheaval prolonged ranging from social conflict, population movement (migration), marriage, and the process of assimilation resulted in a shift by shift occurs gradually without any element of intent. Social conflict in Simalungun in ancient times is not a certainty, in the fact history has proven the Raya kingdom during Tuan Rondahaim Saragih Garingging through aid of Partahi from Sidamanik had been fighting Sidamanik kingdom until burning the bodies of Tuan Itok (Tuan Na Hu Langit) and killed a number of other relatives. A penyumpit (pangultop) of Pakpakland with ingenuity managed to seize the throne from the hands of Tuan Simalobong Dasuha. Brothers dissension shown by Raja Rubun to his brother Tuan Suha Bolag, also disputes between the Purba Sidadolog with his brother Purba Sidagambir.

Factors triggering social conflict in Simalungun society generally assumed by the injustice, imbalance, jealousy, and discrimination, it was already entrenched and embedded in the joints of their lives since centuries with diverse roles and behaviors that they played. In addition to social conflict, migration and the massive exodus of formerly had also occurred, it caused outbreaks of Sampar (a type of cholera) in their midst who was then regarded as a disease that is very frightening and difficult to heal. As a solution they then decided to flee to other regions, there is nothing left for the island of Samosir, Humbang, Silindung, and to Toba. Another group some are migrated to the highland of Karo, Deli Serdang, Padang, Bedagai, Asahan, and Batubara to get to the coastal Melaka strait. When they arrived at the colony and mingle with the local community, absorption and mix of cultures is inevitable until regeneration. When epidemic diseases ends, some people of Simalungun returned to their homeland, but not a few who remain on the ground overseas. As a result of this exodus, many changes in the order of life of Simalungun people ranging from lifestyle, customs practices, clan identity, language usage, and ideology.

Moving on from the above phenomenon is shaped trigger the birth of regional variations in language dialect Simalungun. The variety of dialects is that dialect Sin Raya, Sin Dolog, Sin Panei, Sin Purba, and Sin Bandar. Sin Raya dialect is spoken by the people who live in the district of Raya and Raya Kahean, Sin Dolog dialect is spoken in the district of Purba, Dolog Silou, and Bangun Purba. While dialect Sin Panei is spoken in the district of Panei, Panombeian Panei, and Siantar. Then, Sin Purba dialect is spoken in the district Purba, Haranggaol Horisan, Silimakuta, and Pamatang Silimakuta. At last, Sin Bandar dialect is spoken by people in the district of Bandar, Pamatang Bandar, Bandar Huluan, and Bandar Masilam and extends to the district Gunung Malela and Gunung Maligas both of which used to be Partuanon of Siantar landscape, Dolog Batu Nanggar (district of Panei), and Bosar Maligas (district of Tanoh Jawa). As mentioned in previous posts (Sauhur, Edition I-II in 2007), from the dialect who finished as the benchmark and reference standards of Simalungun language is dialect Sin Raya, why? Because the Kingdom is recognized as a dialect of Simalungun language that hindered form the influence of around language like Karo, Toba, Mandailing, Angkola, Malay, and Javanese.

Sin Bandar Dialect
As the above description, the center of the Sin Bandar dialect speakers who inhabit the topographic lied in low-lying areas (hataran) and downstream (kaheian/jahei), with the social life of the people who often come into contact with the Malay community in the border Simalungun-Asahan. Communication between them has been going on for hundreds of years, so it does not close the possibility of transformation of culture and ideology, as well as in the district of Bandar Masilam, most of Simalungun people speak Malay. The phenomenon does not indicate a gap with another Simalungun community, especially those who live in the upper part (huluan), the fact history proves Bandar is a former royal kingdom parallel position with another Simalungun kingdom like Dolog Silou, Panei, Tanoh Java, Siantar, Purba, Silimakuta, and Raya. In order custom wedding, Bandar kingdom is a "Anak Boru" of the Raya kingdom, as it is entitled to assume that organizational position as king in the kingdom of Bandar must be born form Puang Bolon Boru Saragih Garingging of Raya kingdom.

If you do a comparison with various existing Simalungun dialect, Sin Bandar dialect seems much closer resemblance to Sin Raya dialect both in terms of accent, intonation (melody) and vocabulary. Vocabulary of comparison between the two is clearly visible similarities and dissimilarities. However, when attached in detail throughout the second dialect vocabulary, percentage of similarity produced more prominent than the dissimilarities. The use of vocabulary is spread at some point region, while as the user base of these dialects are those who live in the district Pamatang Bandar, the former capital of the kingdom of Bandar. Simalungun Bandar people recognizes many words that changed from its original form, and not a few vocabulary words that used to be used , but is now rarely used .

The use of possessive pronoun -ni and -si and then the final phoneme h, g, d, b, and diphthongs ui, ou, and ei is consistently present in Sin Bandar dialect. In addition, the dialect Sin Bandar also know its special characters, use these very familiar characters are used in communication, theoretically this script is placed at the base verb (infinitive) starting with the letters s and preceded by the prefix maN- and paN-. The use of prefix maN- such as in word manungkun become manyungkun, manisei--manyisei, manuan--manyuan, manerleng--manyerleng. For the words use prefix paN- seen in panungkun become panyungkun, panisei--panyisei, panuan--panyuan, panerleng--panyerleng. When referring to the Simalungun letter namely 19 letters (surat sappuluh siah), this script is found, but in practice the communication is almost never used, perhaps only Sin Bandar dialect is familiar with the use of this script.

Relating to the literary arts, dialect literature airport pretty much know either verbally or in writing, some of which were composed in the form of singing as Doding Mananggei (outside Bandar call with Taurtaur Simbandar) and Inggou Simbandar. There are also presented in the form of prose (turiturian) as folklore Bah Tobu, Tuan Simalango, Keramat Kubah, Panak Boru Na Martuah and many other folklore. In Bandar also found some relics in writing, including Pustaha Parmongmong Bandar Sakuda, this Pustaha inherited by Tuan Alip Damanik Bariba.

Influence and Background
In today era, the use of Sin Bandar dialect as the language of communication has experienced a shift slowly, most people prefer to use Indonesian and partly there are more fond of the Java language, this happens due to the rapid influence of the Javanese community whose population is greater than the rate Simalungun people. This condition describes the circumstances that Simalungun community in this area suffered severe crush wet already difficult to be released. Essentially if you look at the current situation of the user language specifically Simalungun language of Sin Bandar dialect only a handful in number when compared to those who have already switched (salih) into another language.

In addition, Sin Bandar dialect also heavily influenced of Toba language, the vocabulary comparison list above shows the existence of some similarity vocabulary. The existence of Toba communities in Bandar is also a significant amount and influence of their language is automatically also difficult to stop, but because of ideological differences in beliefs between the two communities on the interaction between them was not fully effective, even though they live together. Influx of Toba immigrants to Bandar since the weakening of the power of the Bandar king stem the flow of immigrants, thus triggering the explosion of population movements on a large scale that come from both North Tapanuli and South Tapanuli. It's been a long time, but the swift migration waves occurred in the leadership of Bandar King 6th namely Tuan Sawadim Damanik. The weak force is not due to Bandar king political tactics of the Dutch Colonial (divide et impera), which makes them (the Bandar king) as a puppet that can be arranged and deceived in order to achieve their colonial's goals.

The colonial strategy turns out to run smooth, and finally post-proclaimed Indonesian independence, the people flocked Simalungun oppose and undermine the sovereignty of the king and brought the issue of feudalism and anti-colonial as Social Revolution. Kingdom of Bandar who was then already rests with the Tuan Distabulan Damanik was not spared from the threat, with the help of a group of Toba he managed to escape. For their help, Tuan Distabulan then presented to them several parcels of land to be used as residential.

Related to the Toba existence in Simalungun, especially in Bandar, where they appeared to get a big challenge and criticism from indigenous tribes (Simalungun) they simply do not want to accept their presence, it proved not the least of them is used as a slave of the king and a group of ordinary people (paruma). To curb this, so many of them are affiliated with the Simalungun, hide their real identity and pose as the Simalungun. Among the Toba clans affiliated to the Simalungun in Bandar royal sovereign territory, namely Silalahi (Simandalahi), Sipayung, Tambunan (Tambun), Manurung, Sitorus, Sirait, Butar-Butar (Sidabutar), and Sinurat. These clans are generally pooled into sub clan Sinaga.

Various upheaval is the basic cause of the power outage Simalungun, so that implies a distrust ourselves to defend what is rightfully theirs. For example, a Simalungun will be Toba when dealing with Toba people, so it will be Karo, if they are often associated with Karo people, that's so. Unification process that often done by Simalungun people into other communities, will automatically eliminate their identity, perhaps he would feel reluctant to speak Simalungun, cultured style Simalungun, and further he will simply replace clan with clan of the community which he entered.

Conclusion
From above description is concluded that the Simalungun langauge know some dialects spread across the Simalungun even penetrates to the outside. Each of these dialects have differences with each other, even in the communication between cross-dialect they did not understand each other. In Bandar area that is geographically bordered by the Malay of Asahan and Batubara, communication in Simalungun language is still exist, however, the influence of the Malay language to some extent also influence its development, it is seen from the vocabulary word (lexical) and the sound system (phonetics) contained in it. Additionally Sin Bandar dialect also influenced by the Toba language and Java. So not a surprising sight when at some point in Bandar area encountered a group of people who are more active in using the Java or Toba language than Simalungun.

Socio-political upheaval and the culture that surrounds Simalungun tribes for centuries was instrumental in crushing and crippling Simalungun culture, it is also bad implications on the development of language. Their personalities are always considerate and often feel isolated, it is often played by Simalungun people and what they have practically neglected.