Language Behaviour toward Balinese Women in Inter-Caste Marriages

This paper aims at elaborating the language behaviour toward Balinese women in inter-caste marriages, such as lower-caste women who are married to the upper-caste men. The research methods applied in this paper are observation and interview. The data was taken from four Shudra women who were married to the tri wangsa men in Denpasar city. The results of the study showed that the men’s families utilised the low Balinese language (Bali Biasa) and sometimes code-mixed between Balinese and Indonesian languages when communicating with these lower-caste women. Meanwhile, these lower-caste women employed the high Balinese language (Bali Alus) even to their husbands and children as a form of respect and modesty. The difference in the language use demonstrated that there are still some borders and distinctness although the women have become part of the men’s families. On the contrary, the women’s families used the middle Balinese language (Bali Madya) when communicating with the women. This became their form of respect to the increase in their daughters’ status since they are married to the upper-caste men.Key words: Balinese women, inter-caste, intermarriage, language behaviour .