Grammaticalization of Nazal Affixes in the Archaic Lexicon of Balinese Language: A Diachronic Study

Abstract

Balinese has a communication system called Anggah-Ungguhing Basa (language levels). This language level coexists with the social stratification of society. Thus, the language activities of Balinese speakers are influenced by the social stratification of Balinese society. Social stratification and the Anggah-Ungguhing Basa system cause Balinese speakers to have various levels of language taste and variations in its use. In general, Anggah-Ungguhing Basa shows politeness in language. From linguistic studies, of course, such language signs need to be studied, especially regarding the grammatical processes of inherited elements in Balinese. The grammatical process that is the focus is the form and function of nasal affixes in the Balinese language. In this regard, it is very important to study the various grammaticalizations of the Balinese language further, so that these lexicons are appropriate to the language level in Bali. This research aims to thoroughly describe the inherited grammatical units in Modern Balinese. Normatively, these operational concepts are contained in the theory of comparative historical linguistics. Diachronically, the form of nasal affixes in Balinese can be traced. The affixes an-, am-, ang-, any- in Old Javanese are partly reflected in Old Balinese. The changes in each form are the basic morpheme to which it is attached. The basic morpheme begins with the phoneme bilabial, so the appropriate nasal affix is nasal bilabial. This process is called homorganization. In formal texts and traditional Balinese literary works, the affixes an-, am-, ang-, any- are still used. However, in Balinese Lumrah it changes to n-, m-, ny-, ng-.