Conserving the Simalungun Language Maintenance through Demographic Community: The Analysis of Taboo Words Across Times

Abstract

The research was intended to describe the use of Simalungun taboo words across times in Simalungun (1930-2021). The language of Simalungun is spoken by people living outside the district of Simalungun, North of Sumatera and other people. This research was carried out in a multi-case descriptive qualitative design. Descriptual qualitative research design was defined as a social science research approach that emphasised the collection, use of inductive thinking and understanding of descriptive data in natural environments. While multi case is defined as a study which is using two or more subjects, settings, or depositories of data (Bogdan & Biklen, 1982). Documentation, interviews and observations of participants were used to collect data on linguistic taboos. The data sources were collected from 45 informants of different ages (1930-2021) and sexes who reside in Pematangsiantar, Pematangraya and Saribudolok. After having analyzed the collected data, the research finding showed that there were 62 words out of 106 the taboo words of ten categories: sexual organ, sexual activity, cursing, swearing, calling people, action, disease, dwelling ghost and name of God which were  used stably across time (from 1930 to 2021) in Simalungun are 62 words, out of 106 words.