Language Maintenance Of Dryland Farming Lexicon In Dawan Language: Eco-Linguistics Analysis

Modernization and heterogeneity of language speaker become an indicator in making language shifting especially in local language as identity in one region. This research aims at analyzing language maintenance by young speaker of Dawan language using region, the local call themselves Atoin Meto. Data was taken by using direct observation and structured interview of sixty dryland farming lexicons to Dawanese young speakers who live in Kefamenanu and Soe. Data analysis showed that most of subjects especially in Kefamenanu used in this research have no idea about lexicons in dryland farming firstly related to lexicons about plantation and wood ecosystem. The responds are vary, which is because of less reference related to them and also most of them used Indonesian and even Kupang in their daily. Moreover, it becomes logic because Kefamenanu as the capital city of Timor Tengah Utara regency becomes the center of construction where most of plantation and farming area were destructed for making living or housing area. It affected the loss of ecosystem both plantation and farming which also affect the loss of source can be identified by young generation. Furthermore, lexicons related to both ecosystem became unfamiliar due to the loss of reference. Based on that phenomena, it can be concluded that the destruction of an ecosystem gave significant effect to the language maintenance in certain region, and it should get more attention.