1. ABDUL HAKIM YASSI - Cultural Science Faculty of Hasanuddin University of Makassar, Indonesia.
2. HARLINAH SAHIB - Cultural Science Faculty of Hasanuddin University of Makassar, Indonesia.
3. REZKY RAMADHANI - Cultural Science Faculty of Hasanuddin University of Makassar, Indonesia.
4. A.ST.ALDILAH KHAERANA - Cultural Science Faculty of Hasanuddin University of Makassar, Indonesia.
5. TAMMASSE - Cultural Science Faculty of Hasanuddin University of Makassar, Indonesia.
6. MUHAMMAD ASWAD - Department of English Education, Universitas Sulawesi Barat, Majene, Indonesia.
The increased use of Indonesian language both as the official language and as the colloquial one in all aspect of daily life of Indonesian people have impacted the domains of local languages in Indonesia. The study reported here is aimed at assessing the linguistic vitality and endangerment of Konjonese, a minority language in Bulukumba regency of South Sulawesi. Data were obtained from 45 Konjonese speakers in three villages; Batang, Bonto Tangnga, and Tamalanrea of Bonto Tiro sub-district through questionnaires. Data analysis was done through the compilation of questionnaire results and the field observation by the research team during their stay in those villages, and the interview of some village figures such as the village chiefs, the religious leaders, and the school teachers. Having completed this analysis, the study proceeds to assess the linguistics vitality and endangerment of Konjonese employing Lee and Van Way’s Language Endangerment Index (LEI). The study reveals that the level number of endangerment for Konjonese is 16, of 0 – 100% scale, categorized as vulnerable. As such, it is concluded that Konjonese vitality is relatively high as the level number of endangerment is relatively low. The lower the number, the safer the language is. It has been claimed that many interrelated factors contributing to such a vitality of Konjonese. However, it is found that the language attitudes of the community members are the most remarkable as it could affect the other social factors understudy. Moreover, the study finding has lent strong support to previous ones including the Ethnologue identifying the status of Konjonese as 6b (threatened).
Ethnologue, Indonesian Language, Konjonese, Linguistics Vitality, Minority Language.