Mother tongue is a cultural heritage that plays an important role in shaping individual and community identity. However, in the midst of the rapid flow of globalization, the use of mother tongue in various regions is facing major challenges. This phenomenon will be highlighted in the 114th Tuesday Legen Discussion which will be held by Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) on Monday (2/17/2025) evening.
Entitled “Mother Tongue, How Are You?”, the discussion which will take place at the UNNES Cultural Village will present the Head of the Central Java Provincial Language Center, Dr. Syarifuddin; and Prof. Dr. Yusro Edy Nugroho, an academic of Javanese Literature, FBS UNNES. The event, which will be moderated by Nadia Ardiwinata, a Radio Idola announcer, aims to review the importance of collective efforts in preserving the mother tongue.
Dr. Dhoni Zustiyantoro from the UNNES Tuesday Legen Event Division emphasized that the decreasing number of regional language speakers is an increasingly worrying issue. “Mother tongue is identity. If regional languages are increasingly rarely used, then we lose a part of our own culture,” he said.
According to him, urbanization, modernization, and the development of information technology are the main factors influencing the shift in the use of mother tongues. Global languages such as English and national languages are increasingly dominant in everyday communication. “In many urban families, children are more fluent in Indonesian or even English than in their own regional languages,” said Dhoni.
UNESCO has designated February 21 as International Mother Language Day as a reminder of the importance of linguistic diversity and efforts to preserve them. In Indonesia, which has more than 700 regional languages, the challenge of preserving mother tongues is increasingly great. Academics, government, cultural communities, and the wider community are expected to play an active role in efforts to revitalize regional languages.
In this workshop, various ideas for preserving mother tongues will also be discussed. Prof. Dr. Yusro Edy Nugroho assessed that strengthening regional language-based education and utilizing technology in learning mother tongues are the main keys. “Making regional languages more relevant in the digital era can be an important strategy. Educational content based on regional languages needs to be increased so that the younger generation remains interested,” he said.
Head of the Central Java Language Center, Dr. Syarifuddin, added that regional government policies also play a role in preserving mother tongues. “Mandatory regional language programs in schools, speech or writing competitions in regional languages, and the use of social media to promote mother tongues can be concrete steps,” he said.
This workshop is open to the public and is expected to receive high enthusiasm from various groups. The event, which will take place from 19.30 to 22.00 WIB, is expected to be a momentum to increase awareness of the importance of mother tongues and efforts to preserve them. (DHZ)
