Multiculturalism, Javanese Language, and Social Identity: A Conceptual Discussion from the Sociological Perspective

In this study, I investigate the relationship between Javanese language and social identity in the multicultural era. Both conceptions are investigated via the lens of habitus, a concept introduced by Pierre Bourdieu to better understand the origins of human behavior. Indonesian speaks at least their native tongue and Bahasa Indonesia, the country's official language, due to the country's thousands of islands and dialects. One of the most widely spoken mother tongues in Java is the Javanese language. People in the east and central parts of Java Island utilize it in their daily communications. Thus, it is safe to infer that Javanese people keep their legacy language while keeping their culture. However, due to its complexity, learning the language is challenging because the language's complexity must be considered. The study begins with a discussion of bilingualism in a global context. Many people are bilingual nowadays. Some requirements necessitate being multilingual. Then the discussion goes on how language, especially Javanese, may influence social identity. Identity and language are linked when one becomes a part of a new group and communicates in a new language. After that, the discussion is on the history about the beginning of the modification of the Javanese language, that can be linked to social identity from the lens of habitus. I conclude that habitus might help us understand the concept of interlocutors' identity in the Javanese language.