Lexicostatistics of Gayo Language with Mandailing Language
Dardanila
1
, Mulyadi
1
, and Isma Tantawi
1
1
Department of Indonesian Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas
Sumatera Utara, St. Universitas no. 19 Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan.
Keywords: Lexicostatistics, Time Apart, Gayo Language, and Mandailing Language.
Abstract: This working paper is a report of research on lexicostatistics of Gayo language with Mandailing language.
The research method used in this research is comparative method with lexicostatistics technique. The results
of this study show quantitatively shown that closely related kinship relation on cognate percentage of 37%
kinship level between Gayo language with Mandailing language. The calculation of the Gayo language split
with the Mandailing language was 2,292 thousand years ago. Or, in other words, the computation time of
Gayo language with Mandailing language can be declared a single language about 2,292 thousand years ago.
1 INTRODUCTION
Lexicostatistics is a technique that allows us to
determine the level of relations between the two
languages, using the most convenient way, eg by
comparing the vocabulary in those languages which
can then be viewed and determined the level of
similarity between the vocabulary of the two
languages. The thus, the extent to which a kinship
relation of one language to another can be known.
All languages of the world, especially in certain
regions, have kinship levels including languages in
Aceh and in North Sumatra. The kinship rate of a
language is based on the resemblance of form and
lexical meaning due to direct inheritance. This is in
line with those suggested by Keraf (1984: 37) that the
basis for establishing kinship levels is the similarity
of form and meaning to direct inheritance. Similar
word forms between different languages with similar
or similar meanings reinforced with similarities of
grammatical elements, will lead us to conclude that
the languages are derived from the same Proto
language. In the Indonesian encyclopaedia mentioned
that the words of relatives are words that are still
derived from the same source.
In this study, the two languages studied ie Gayo
language with Mandailing language which became
the target in this study will be proved the level of
kinship of both languages. Then proceed with
counting the time separation of the two languages.
This research is very important for the
preservation of the Gayo regional language with the
Mandailing regional language.
2 METHOD
This study was studied using comparative method.
The comparative method of comparing 200 of
Swadesh's basic vocabulary which is translated in
Gayo and Mandailing languages to obtain the related
data is analyzed quantitatively using lexicostatic
techniques. With this technique can be obtained the
number of percentage of each language cognate.
The next step is to calculate the level of kinship of
the language compared, with the formula put forward
by Keraf, (1984: 172).
C = K x 100% (1)
G
C = kognates or a related word
K = number of related vocabulary
G = number of glos
Then calculate the time separation of the two
languages by counting using the formula put forward
by (Crowley, 1992: 178; Keraf, 1984: 130).
t = logc (2)
2 logs
t = time of separation in thousands (melenium) years
ago
r = retention or percentage constant in 1000, or also
called index
c = percentage of relatives
log = logarithm of
Dardanila, ., Mulyadi, . and Tantawi, I.
Lexicostatistics of Gayo Language with Mandailing Language.
DOI: 10.5220/0010069511991203
In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramification Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages
1199-1203
ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7
Copyright
c
 2020 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
1199

The above formula can be completed by going
through the stages:
(1) First step, look for the logarithms c and r in the
logarithm list
(2) Multiply the logarithm r by 2
(3) The result of logarithm c is divided by the result
of (2)
(4) The result of division (3) denotes the time
separation in thousands of years. This last result
can be converted into regular years after
multiplying by 1000 years. Since the separation
does not occur within a certain year, it is better to
maintain it in the form of thousands of years
(melenium).
3 ANALYSIS
Based on the method used above, found a number of
vocabulary relatives between Gayo language with
Mandailing language.
Table 1. Vocabulary Relatives
No.U/
Data BG BM Glos
1/3 uyǝt urat ‘vein’
2/4 anak anak ‘child’
3/19 bataŋ bataŋ ‘stem’
4/20 atu batu ‘stone’
5/23 bǝtul botul correct’
6/25 bǝrǝt borat ‘heavy’
7/30 rǝmalan mardalan ‘to walk
8/32 nipi marmipi ‘dream’
9/33 bǝlusa osa ‘breath’
10/34 bǝrpikir marpikir ‘thinking’
11/37 bintaŋ bintaŋ ‘star’
12/38 uah buah ‘fruit’
13/39 ulǝn bulan ‘moon’
14/41 buŋǝ buŋo `flower’
15/43 buruk busuk ‘rotten’
16/47 danau danau ‘lake’
17/48 rayoh daroh ‘blood’
18/50 uluŋ buluŋ ‘leaf’
19/51 awu abu ‘dust’
20/52 i i ‘in’
21/54 tuyoh toru ‘under’
22/59 roa dua ‘two’
23/60 kunul hundul ‘sit’
24/61 uki ikur ‘tail’
25/62 opat opat ‘four’
26/63 ko ho ‘you’
27/64 sira sira ‘salt’
28/65 ipon ipon ‘tooth’
29/66 gugur roŋgur ‘thunder’
30/68 ate ate-ate ‘liver’
31/69 iyuŋ iguŋ ‘nose’
32/70 etuŋ etoŋ ‘count’
33/74 urǝn udan ‘rain’
34/82 ralan dalan ‘road’
35/92 kayu hayu ‘wood’
36/94 uluŋ ulu ‘head’
37/95 keriŋ horiŋ ‘dry’
38/96 kilǝt kilat ‘flash’
39/98 kitǝ hita ‘us’
40/100 kulit hulit ‘skin’
41/102 kutu utu ‘louse’
42/106 laŋit laŋit ‘sky’
43/107 lut laut ‘sea’
44/111 delah dila ‘tongue’
45/112 maŋan maŋan ‘eat’
46/115 mata mata ‘eye’
47/116 mate mate ‘die’
48/121 manutuŋ manutuŋ ‘burn’
49/122 bǝlah bolah ‘crack’
50/125 unuh mambunuh ‘kill’
51/128 pilih pilih ‘chose’
52/131 tanom mananom ‘plant’
53/138 munǝtok manoktok ‘knock’
54/151 inum inum ‘drink’
55/154 nik naek ‘up’
56/155 gǝrǝl goar ‘name’
57/156 rǝŋit roŋit ‘mosquito’
ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramification Researches
1200

58/157 jǝma jolma ‘people’
59/167 uok obuk ‘hair’
60/171 sara sada ‘one’
61/172 aku au ‘I’
62/174 tǝmuni tabuni ‘hide’
63/175 sǝmpit sompit ‘narrow’
64/179 bǝtih boto ‘know’
65/180 tun taon ‘year’
66/181 tǝjǝm tajom ‘sharp’
67/183 tali tali ‘string’
68/184 tanoh tano ‘land’
69/188 pirǝ pira ‘egg’
70/189 tǝrbaŋ habaŋ ‘fly’
71/193 tulu tolu ‘three’
72/195 nipis nipis ‘thin’
73/198 tumpul tuppul ‘dull’
3.1 Gayo and Mandailing Language
Lexicostatistics
Gayo and Mandailing languages are two closely
related languages whose historical relationship is
very close. On this occasion will be described
quantitative analysis of the relationship between
Gayo language with Mandailing language precedes
qualitative analysis. The purpose of the quantitative
analysis is to find a glimpse of the relation of kinship
between the languages compared in order to establish
a quantitative family tree diagram. In addition, based
on the results obtained at that stage, the next step is
taken in the form of qualitative analysis.
Of the two hundred basic words of Swadesh
(Blust Revision, 1980), 73 words are found to be
related between Gayo and Mandailing languages.
Thus we can calculate the kinship rates between the
two by using lexicostatic calculations:
Kinship level:
C = K x 100% (3)
G
C = cognates or a related word
K = number of related vocabulary
G = number of glos
= K x 100% = 73 x 100% = 37%
200 200
Using a reference from Crowley and Keraf, Gayo
languages with Mandailing languages are in the
category of a single clump or stock.
3.1.1 Graph of Gayo Language Percentage
and Mandailing Language
At this stage can be determined percentage of cognate
between the corresponding languages compared can
be seen in the following graph :
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
BG-BM
Figure 1: percentage of cognate between the corresponding
languages
The graph above shows that the percentage of the
word relatives of the Gayo language with the
Mandailing language is 37%. Based on percentage
comparison, it can be concluded that between Gayo
language with Mandailing language have close
kinship level.
After knowing the percentage of relatives of the
language compared, the next step compiles a
genealogy chart (stammbaum) from Gayo and
Mandailing languages.
37%
Lexicostatistics of Gayo Language with Mandailing Language
1201

3.1.2 Genealogical Grotes of Gayo Language
and Mandailing Languages
Figure 2: Percentage of comparison of Gayo language with
Mandailing language,
According to Swadesh (1955: 101) if the relationship
between languages shows the percentage of cognate
from 36% to 80% then the percentage indicates the
relationship as a family of language. If the
lexicostatistics criterion is applied here, the
percentage range between the compared languages is
Gayo language with Mandailing language, the
percentage number of 37% is as a language-family
relation. Thus, the results achieved in this
lexicostatistic analysis can be a working hypothesis
for the next research phase, that is qualitative
analysis.
3.2 Gayo Language Timer with
Mandailing Language
To calculate the time separation, used the formula: t
=
t = time of separation in thousands (melenium) years
ago
r = retention or percentage constant in 1000, or also
called index
C = percentage of relatives
Log = logarithm of
ݐൌ
୪୭୥ ௖
ଶ୪୭୥ ௥
(4)
= log 37%
2 log 80,5%
= -0,431
-0,188
= 2.292 thousand of years
The calculation of the Gayo language split with
the Mandailing language was 2,292 thousand years
ago. Or, in other words, the computation time of Gayo
language with Mandailing language can be stated:
1. Gayo language with Mandailing language is
considered to be a single language about 2,292
thousand of years ago,
2. Gayo language with Mandailing language is
expected to begin to separate from a proto
language sometime around the third century BC.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Based on the analysis can be drawn the following
conclusions:
4.1 Kinship Level
Both languages that have been studied are Gayo
language with Mandailing language has been proven
its relation as a related language. Quantitatively it is
shown that the kinship relation between Gayo
language with Mandailing language 37% of 73
related words, in laminicatatistic classification
kinship at 37% level referred to as family status
(family).
4.2 Calculation of Language Split Time
The calculation of the Gayo language split with the
Mandailing language was 2,292 thousand years ago.
Or, in other words, the computation time of Gayo
ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramification Researches
1202

language with Mandailing language can be declared
a single language about 2,292 thousand years ago.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The researcher would like to thank the
Kemenristekdikti who has funded this research
sourced from the Directorate of Research and
Community Service of Directorate General of
Research and Technology Research and
Development Higher Research, Technology and
Higher Education Research and Development
Kemetrian in accordance with Funding Agreement of
Research and Service to the Community of 2018
budget year.
REFERENCES
Blust, R.A. 2013. The Austronesia Languages.
Astralia:Asia-Pasific Linguistics.
Dardanila. 2005. “Bunyi Vokal Bahasa Gayo Dialek Gayo
Lut”. Dalam jurnal Ilmu-ilmu Bahasa dan Sastra
“LOGAT” Vol. 1 No. 1, 1-5.
Dardanila. 2015. “The Types of Sound the Proto
Austronesia into Gayo Language”. Beijing Conference
Educational and Inovation in Perspietive of The Asean
Cina.
Dardanila. 2015. “Cognities Among the Karo, Alas, and
Gayo Languages”. International Journal of Humanities
and Social Science Vol. 5/No. 12/2015, 55-58.
Dardanila. 2017. ”Lexicons in The Gayo Isolectal
Variations: A Dialektology Study”. International
Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 4/No.
11/2017, 72-77.
Masrukhi, Moh. 2002. “Refleksi Fonologis Protobahasa
Austronesia (PAN) pada Bahasa Lubu (BL)” Jurnal
Humaniora. 14(1) : 86-93.
Steffensen, Sune Vork and Alwin Fill. 2014.
“Ecolinguistics: The State of the Art and
Future Horizons”.Dalam Language Sciences
Journal. Language Sciences 41 (2014) 6-25.
Widayati, Dwi. 2015. Buku Ajar Linguistik Historis
Komparatif. Medan: Mitra.
Lexicostatistics of Gayo Language with Mandailing Language
1203