Javanese-Indonesian Acculturation in Big Cities in Indonesia: A Sociolinguistic Study in an Effort to Maintain the Wisdom of Indigenous Language

The phenomenon of language acculturation in urban communities in Indonesia is inevitable, particularly in the interaction between Javanese and Indonesian. Javanese, as one of the largest local languages in Indonesia, plays a crucial role in preserving local wisdom, while Indonesian serves as the national language and a symbol of unity. This study aims to analyze patterns of Javanese-Indonesian acculturation in the lives of Indonesian urban communities and examine its implications for the preservation of indigenous language wisdom. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach with a sociolinguistic theoretical framework. Data were obtained through observation, interviews, and discourse analysis of interactions between Javanese migrants in large cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya, and Semarang. The results indicate that urban language use exhibits hybridity: Indonesian in formal settings is mixed with elements of Javanese vocabulary and style in informal settings. This acculturation process produces a new language form that demonstrates the flexibility of linguistic identity, but also poses challenges in the form of a reduced use of polite Javanese form, known as krama, and a shift towards Indonesian as the dominant language. The discussion emphasizes that efforts to preserve local wisdom can be achieved by integrating Javanese in education, media, and cultural communities. The conclusion of this research is that Javanese-Indonesian acculturation in urban areas is not merely a linguistic phenomenon, but also a reflection of the dynamics of identity, social mobility, and community strategies in maintaining and adapting local wisdom in the modern era.