Language Variations Based on Social Structure : a Case Study in Toba Batak Marriage

Language variations refer to regional, social, or contextual differences in the ways that a particular language is used. Every society or ethnic group has its own language patterns and rules that differ from other societies or groups. This thesis focuses on the appearance of language variation in the Batak Toba community based on social structure. Language variations that appear in the Batak Toba community are the result of the existence of a social structure in the Batak Toba, known as Dalihan Na Tolu. This thesis will explain why hula-hula, dongan tubu, and boru do not speak in the same way, especially in use of umpasa. Umpasa is a Toba Batak poem consisting of two, three, four or more arrays that can be compared with karmina, ordinary verses, and talibun types in old Indonesian Literature. Umpasa is a form of expression of thoughts and feelings of the Toba Batak people that always appears in various events of community life including joyful or sad events and big or small events.They have different language characteristics. Boru will not be able to use the language characteristic used by hulahula or dongan tubu, and vice versa. From some of the speech samples that I have analyzed, there are 29 verses spoken by hula-hula, which contain the giving of blessings, 16 verses spoken by dongan tubu, which show cooperation or show a connection and unity with each other, and 16 verses spoken by boru, which are respectful, and humble. If the verses used contain blessings, it is certain that the verses come from hula-hula. If the content of the verses used cooperation or shows a connection and unity with each other, it is certain that the verses are used by fellow dongan tubu. If the verses used are respectful and humble, it is certain that the verses come from boru.