The Kinship Relation of Orang Rimba in Jambi Province Viewed from Dialectology

Abstract

This study was a dialectological research studying the isolect kinship relationship of Orang Rimba (Wild People) in three regencies of Jambi Province.  Each regency was represented by two groups of Orang Rimba. The determination of isolect status for such the area was very important to determine whether or not such the area is in one the same or different language. The kinship relation between Orang Rimba groups can define its isolect status. This observation area was selected based on the Orang Rimba population number, their geographical residence, and area openness.The objectives of research were to identify the Malayan isolect of Orang Rimba in Muaro Jambi, Sarolangun, and Tebo Regencies either lexically or phonologically; to describe the Proto Austronesian and Proto Malayic reflexes in the Malayan isolect of Orang Rimba in Muaro Jambi, Sarolangun, and Tebo Regencies. The types of research employed were qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative research employed the comparative method with Top-Down Reconstruction, and the quantitative one employed the comparative method with dialectrometrical technique.The result of research was firstly, considering the result of lexical, phonological dialectrometry and dialectometrical triangle calculation, the isolect of Orang Rimba (OR) in Jambi Province encompassing three regencies consisted of four dialects and two sub-dialects. The observation areas belonging to different dialect were Orang Rimba Paku Aji, Orang Rimba Nyogan, Orang Rimba Nebang Parah, and Orang Rimba Tanah Garo dialects. Those belonging to different sub dialect were Orang Rimba Singosari and Orang Rimba Kedondong Mudo sub dialects. Secondly, PAN (Proto Austronesian) and PM (Proto Malayic) reflexes in Malayan sub-dialects of Orang Rimba in Muaro Jambi, Sarolangun and Tebo Regencies were a) PAN-OR, the observation areas (DP) with the highest innovation were DP 1 and DP 4 each of which contained 144 innovations; DP with the highest relic were DP 5 and DP 6 each of which contained 10 relics. Meanwhile, the DP with the lowest innovation were DP 5 and DP 6, each of which contained 139, whereas those with the lowest relics were DP 1 and DP 4, each of which contained 5 relics. (b) PM-OR. Firstly, the DP with the highest innovation were DP 1 and DP 4 each of which contained 93 innovations; DP with the highest relic were DP 5 and DP 6 each of which contained 42 relics. Meanwhile, the DP with the lowest innovation were DP 5 and DP 6, each of which contained 86, whereas those with the lowest relics were DP 1 and DP 4, each of which contained 32 relics.

Keywords: Dialectology, Dialectometric, Innovation, Relic.