Regional Languages in the Midst of Advancing Times

In your daily conversations, do you often use a regional language or another tongue? For many young people in urban areas, the use of regional languages may have become unfamiliar, perhaps not exceeding the count of one hand or possibly not used at all. Amidst the onslaught of trendy modern global terms like ‘healing’ or ‘flexing’, regional languages are slowly being sidelined and disappearing. Currently, regional languages seem marginalised, considered a relic of the past that is outdated. Modern progress, particularly digitalisation and globalisation, presents a major dilemma for the preservation of regional languages in Indonesia. With the existence of more than 700 regional languages, we are now at a crucial crossroads, and this poses a threat to the culture of speaking regional languages. On one hand, mastery of the national language and international languages such as English is very important for survival and competition on the current global stage; international languages are also a key to progress so that we do not get left behind. But on the other hand, there is a heavy price to pay as we slowly lose the bond with our own mother tongues. We must realise that regional languages are an inseparable part of our identity and cultural heritage as the Indonesian nation. We need to find ways to preserve regional languages so they are not forgotten and become extinct. An initial step we can take is to teach regional languages in schools and encourage the community to use them in daily life. In this way, we can maintain the survival of regional languages while still being able to compete at the global level. Regional languages are often viewed merely as ordinary communication tools. In fact, their function is much deeper. Regional languages serve as a vessel for our collective memory, a means of storing local wisdom, and a reflection of a community’s worldview. When words from a regional language become extinct, we do not just lose a word, but also lose a part of our identity. For example, consider the concept of ‘unggah-ungguh’ in Javanese or ‘tatakrama’ in Sundanese; both are not just language rules, but a framework for showing respect and fostering empathy—values deeply embedded within the language itself. Such nuances are difficult to translate fully into foreign languages or even Indonesian. Ironically, we often consider the use of regional languages as something unmodern or outdated. Many young people feel it is ‘cooler’ to use foreign languages in daily conversation. Meanwhile, parents in urban and even rural areas are increasingly reluctant to teach regional languages to their children for fear it might hinder the child’s academic achievement. As a result, the intergenerational transmission of these languages is slowly beginning to break. If this continues, hundreds of regional languages in Indonesia could slowly become extinct forever within the next few decades. However, blaming the times or technology is not the right attitude. Fundamentally, technology is neither good nor bad; technology is merely a tool. We should view digitalisation as an opportunity, not a threat. If foreign pop culture can spread widely via the internet, why cannot regional languages do the same? Besides relying on school learning methods to preserve regional languages, teaching these languages in schools using only boring material and requiring mere memorisation is a less effective approach. We need creativity that can attract the interest of Generation Z and Generation Alpha to want to learn regional languages. We need creators who produce engaging content such as comedy sketches or podcasts in regional languages. By integrating regional languages into technology like artificial intelligence and the localisation of digital applications, we can create something captivating for the younger generation. Ultimately, preserving regional languages amidst the pace of technological advancement is not an act of closing ourselves off from the outside world; it is a matter of balancing our identity. Being modern does not mean we must sever our own cultural roots. On the contrary, the most impressive modern figures are those who can embrace global technology on one hand, yet remain fluent in speaking the language that reflects the essence of their homeland’s identity. Before our regional languages truly become historical artefacts only found in museums, let us start using our mother tongues again from today. Regional languages are not something to be ashamed of, but rather a source of pride and our identity as an Indonesian nation rich in culture.