People who were born and grew up in Jakarta would notice that there are different between Betawi Language, Jakarta dialect, and Indonesian language. Most people would think Jakarta dialect and Betawi language are the same but they are actually different.
Before discussing the language, let's define who are Betawi and who are Jakarta people.
Betawi, an ethnic group who lived in Batavia, Netherland Indies who started defined themselves in the late of 19th century. Their culture were mixed between Chinese, Arab, Portuguese, and local.
There are two opinion who this Betawi people are:
1. those who believed they are descendant of Malay people who have lived in Jakarta-Bogor-Bekasi-Tangerang area since 9th era. There was Kebon Kopi II inscription;
2. those who concluded that Betawi people are descendant of slaves and merchant who were either forced or invited to live in Batavia by VOC/Dutch. They were originally came from different background: Portuguese slaves, Bali slaves, Makassar warrior, Javanese slaves and warrior, Arab preacher, Chinese merchants, etc. The Dutch originally put them in separate location and yet, some people escape the Dutch control, mixed with other ethnic and eventually, they made new identity in 19th century.
Jakarta people, people who were born or grew, and lived in Jakarta after Indonesia gain independence.. Since December 1949, Jakarta became the capital of Indonesia and attracted people from different ethnic. Their children still retained their parents' original ethnic identity.
So basically:
1. Betawi language is a dialect of Malay, mixed with Chinese loan words and locals (Sunda and Javanese). There are two Betawi dialect: Betawi Kota and Betawi Pinggiran or some of them named them as Betawi A and Betawi E.
Some of Betawi words who are not part of Indonesian words:
- jingkrik - jumping like monkey jump
- ndeprok - sit on the floor
- ngentot -> entot - copulation
- ngewe -> ewe - copulation
2. Indonesian language is a constructed language based on Malay -- it was said to be based on Riau Malay. At first, the proposal retained the name 'Malay' but Tabrani from Madura ethnic argued that it should be renamed so every ethnic would accept the language. In 1928, it was agreed that all ethnic in Netherland Indies would communicate with unifying language: Indonesian language. The more detail discussion about Indonesian language was discussed in 1938, in the first Indonesian Language Congress (Kongres Baahasa Indonesia).
3. Jakarta dialect is an informal dialect of Indonesian language by Jakarta people.
The affixes in Jakarta dialect was heavily influenced by Betawi Language:
a. nge-in instead of me-i or me-kan .
For Example: - ngeluarin instead of mengeluarkan;
- ngelemparin instead of melempari or melemparkan;
- ngurusin instead of mengurusi or menguruskan.
Yes, as you can see, sometimes we have ambiguity in Jakarta dialect. The word ngurusin can stem from either kurus (thin) or urus (maintain or solving).
- Saya sedang ngurusin (mengurusi) persoalannya. I am solving his problem.
- Saya sedang ngurusin (menguruskan) badan. I am on diet.
b. prefix ke- instead of ter-.
For example:
- kepukul instead of terpukul
- kelindas instead of terlindas.
Jakarta dialect also use some of Betawi words:
- gue instead of saya/aku - first person singular pronoun;
- lo instead of kamu - second person singular pronoun;
- cepek instead of
seratus- ceban instead of sepuluh ribu
However, not all of Betawi words is used in Jakarta dialect. Some of Malay or Indonesian words used by Jakarta instead of Betawi words. For example, Jakarta people prefer to say nggak or gak instead of Betawi's kagak.
And since the speaker of Jakarta dialect mostly came from other ethnic, they don't use Betawi words for their family member. They would use either Indonesian words or their ethnic words for family member. For example:
- Mother: Ibu / Bunda / Mama instead of Enyak;
- Father: Ayah / Bapak / Abah (Sunda) instead of Babeh;
- Big Sister: Kakak / Uni (Minang) / Mbak (Javanese) instead of Mpok;
- Grandfather: Kakek instead of Engkong
- Older Uncle: Pakdhe (Javanese) instead of Encang;
- Younger Uncle: Pakle (Javanese) instead of Encing.
