Language, Press, and Indonesian Nationalism

摘要

This paper will discuss relationship between language, the development of the press, and the emergence of Indonesian nationalism in the early twentieth century. Nationalism is a common consciousness of every individual in a community to achieve a common goal. Nationalism is the idea formed through a historical process. Therefore, the emergence of nationalism is influenced by various factors in a particular historical context. One of the factors influencing the emergence of Indonesian nationalism is the similarity of language. Language, especially the print language makes everyone who uses it has a similarity of shadows that make it connected to each other. The print language that encourages the emergence of Indonesian nationalism was "Bahasa Melayu Pasar" (Bazaar Malay language or Malay language). This language is widely used in various newspapers in Indonesia in the early twentieth century. The development of Malay language in Indonesia was related to the development of the press. The development of the press was supported by the development of print capitalism in the Dutch East Indies. Print capitalism enabled a variety of printing products including press to spread to various regions of Dutch East Indies. The press changed Malay language from a mere lingua franca to a language with ideological and political meaning. The used of Malay language in various press made it as a common identity that united the diversity of various ethnic groups in Indonesia. This is the important role of language and the press as a lighter in the emergence of Indonesia's national consciousness in the early twentieth century.