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| Illustration: Ai |
Author: Raihan Sabila, Nurhati Rahmatillah, Syifa Khairunnisa, Naila Amira, Naila Syakira (Student of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, English Language Education Study Program, Syiah Kuala University).
Nowadays, many people worry that using English too much can make local languages disappear, including Acehnese. However, English is not always a bad thing for local languages. For young people in Aceh, English can actually help us share our culture and language to a wider audience through social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. By combining both English and Acehnese, we can keep our local language alive while also introducing it to the world. By using social media and digital platforms, young people can share Acehnese culture, traditions, and language with people around the world. Therefore, mastering English and using digital media can be an effective way to keep the Acehnese language alive in modern society. Young people can take several concrete steps to preserve the Acehnese language in this digital era.
First, the use of English in digital media serves as a “global megaphone” that can introduce our regional languages to the world. Additionally, the dominance of English in internet algorithms is very strong; therefore, when creating digital content in English, the chances of it appearing and being easily found are very high. This is evident when young people start to use digital platforms like TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram to discuss their hometowns, culture, and traditions in English, they can also preserve their Acehnese language and raise global awareness of it. In this way, by using English, young people can introduce the Acehnese language to a wider audience.
In addition, the use of English through digital platforms helps the Acehnese language become more popular among younger generations. Many young people feel that using the Acehnese language in the modern era looks outdated. Thus, the use of English media might change their perspectives on the Acehnese language, particularly when young people create short videos about daily conversations using a mix of English and Acehnese.
Second, Acehnese youth who are mastering English and are active on digital platforms have a bigger opportunity in promoting their local language and traditions. To illustrate, young Acehnese creators can use English captions in their videos to explain, while the videos are in Acehnese language. In this way, they are making the content accessible worldwide without abandoning their roots. Additionally, English does not act as a threat but as a bridge that carries Acehnese voices to a wider audience, ensuring that the Acehnese language continues to grow in this modern digital era.
To conclude, the younger generation in Aceh plays a crucial role in preserving the Acehnese language amidst the rapid rise of globalization and advances in digital technology. We should not see English as a threat to our local language. Instead, English can be used as a way to introduce Acehnese culture and language to people around the world. Through digital platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, young people can create creative content about culture, traditions, and even everyday conversations in Acehnese, using English as a supporting medium. By doing so, the Acehnese language is not only kept alive by the younger generation but can also be made known more widely to the outside world. However, English proficiency and efforts to preserve the local language must be balanced so that Acehnese cultural identity remains intact while also being able to adapt to the times.
Opinion writing is the responsibility of the author.
