The Balinese Languages
By Fred B Eiseman, Jr

In offering some basic linguistic rules and pronunciation hints, is to look at some of the aspects of the language that offer clues to Balinese culture and society - the distinctive "High" and "Low" modes of address, the words for time, direction, and measurement, and the characteristically Balinese use of euphemism.

Balinese is not the same language as Indonesian. Before they were united into one nation after World War II, each of the many cultures within the archipelago had its own language. Most were varieties of Austronesian, but the languages were, and still are, quite distinct. Since Malay had for centuries been the trading language of the Indies, when Indonesia achieved its independence the language was adopted, in a rather piecemeal fashion, as Bahasa Indonesia. It is spoken everywhere in Indonesia, but in most places it must be learned in the state-run schools. A Balinese child hears nothing but Balinese in his home. He first comes into contact with Indonesian when he goes to primary school.

As with most languages, Balinese as it is spoken today is great mixture. It contains many Sanskrit words, Chinese words, Parsi words, and Tamil words. And, because of colonial and commercial activities, many words as sekolah, dokter, and buku have Dutch origins. Portuguese influence has produced such words as kemeja, bola, and jendela. English expressions such as "stop," botol, and tiket are heard everywhere.

Balinese is primarily a spoken language. The Balinese, as a rule, are not great readers. Few families own any books at all and, if they do, they are likely to be written in Indonesian. Balinese literature is confined mostly to sacred religious works, which are generally not available to ordinary people. Some effort has been made to stimulate the writing of Balinese. Balinese is a required language for school children, and the first books that a student uses in school are written in his native tongue. A few books of stories written in Balinese have been published. Balinese may be, and usually is, written using the ordinary Roman alphabet known as Tulisan Bali. Tulisan Bali is a required subject in primary school, but most students forget it quickly.

An Attempt has been made by some authorities to standardize Balinese spelling, which varies quite a bit. But, since there is so little literature in this medium, the effects are scarcely noticeable. Balinese lacks the letters f,q,v,x, and z. Most dictionaries have almost no words with the initial h. The "h" sound is silent in Balinese except at the end of a syllable, such as the word belah, "break." It was formerly pronounced at the beginning of such suffixes as -a, -an, -ang, -e, and -in, as well as in other circumstances, but the loss of the pronunciation of the initial h (and "a" and "e") problem leads to such strange situations as the following equivalent spellings of the word for "group": seka, sekehe, sekaa, sakahe, and sekaha. The authoritative Dictionary of Balinese-English, by C. Clyde Barber, lists under initial "h" almost all words that begin with a vowel. Most other dictionaries and word lists do not follow this practice. Pronunciation presents no difficulty to the speaker of a Romance language and is largely phonetic. The few simple rules are summarized below:

Pronounciation
Pepet the a sound as in "sofa"
Taleng the a sound as in "date"
Suku the ou sound as in "you"
Ulu the ee sound as in "weep"
Note: An "open" syllable ends in a vowel; a "closed" syllable ends in a consonant.

Some Basic Rules:

1. A is pepet if it is in a prefix, such as pa-, ma-, ka-, sa-, or nga, or if it is the last letter in a word. Note: some preliminary syllables of this variety, such as the sa-I in saput, are not prefixes. Examples: palinggih, mapajar, babuten, lima, buta, niskala. A is pronounced as the a in "father" elsewhere, never like the a in "cat." Examples: Bali (it upsets me to hear people make this word rhyme with "alley"), dalem, niskala.

2. E is taleng if it is the last letter of a word. Examples: bale, rame. E is pronounced like the a in "bad," or e in "get" if in a closed syllable. Examples: kenken, daken. Note: the e in bale is taleng. It changes to pepet when suffix -ne is added; e of -ne is taleng. Example: balene.

3. I is ulu in an open syllable. Examples: Bali, milu, kikir. An i is pronounced like the i in "did" in closed syllable. Examples: sugih, pelih, kikir.

4. U is suku in open syllable. Examples: malu, ujan, ulu, tutup. A u is pronounced as "u" in "pull" in a closed syllable. Examples: mayus, saput, tutup. It is never pronounced as eau in "beautiful."

5. Ng- and -ng- are pronounced as the ng in "singer." Example: ngurah.

6. The combination -ngg- is pronounced like the ng in" single." Example: palinggih.

7. Final -d, -t, -k represent a glottal stop-as between the two parts of "Oh, oh"-and are symbolized by an apostrophe (') and not pronounced. Example: tida'= tidak.

8. The final -h is pronounced as a gentle puff of air. Example: kasih

9. Bh-,ph-,dh-,etc. appear in Sanskrit-derived words (the h is often omitted). If present, pronounce h separately. Examples: phala (pronounced like shepherd, never as f sound) Bharata, Dharsana.

10. C is always pronounced as ch- in "church"; never as c in "cow."

Balinese and Indonesians alike tend to de-emphasize such final consonants as -d, -k, and -t to the point where they are almost inaudible. Since these high frequency sounds are frequently sounds are frequently emphasized quite strongly by a Westerner, this practice may lead to an initial lack of comprehension.

The practice of using the Sanskrit consonants bh-, dh-, and ph- is variable. Even when they occur in their proper places Balinese do not pronounce these sounds any different ly than they do the ordinary b-,d-, and p- sounds. And so their use is of questionable value except to show their Sanskrit origins.

Although everyday household, family, and village conversation is relaxed, informal, inevitably full of slang and abbreviations, a great change is effected when the slightest excuse presents itself for formality. Such would occur when speaking to an audience, such as at a village banjar meeting, or when speaking to a stranger, an acquaintance of higher caste, a person of high status and importance, or a pedanda priest. This is also the case upon those few occasions when Balinese people have to write documents using the Balinese language, such as in formal announcements like invitations. In these cases the speaker or writer adopts a very artificial, formal style, full of flourishes and decoration. Very often the form is much more evident than the substance. Balinese are generally conscious of the symbolism of sound. Formal speeches are delivered with an inscrutable, mask-like smile. Sentences are intoned rather than spoken, and it is obligatory to end each one with a rising inflection.

In the old days the lower people would have to it on the floor when speaking to those of higher status, using stylized hand gestures. This is still done to a reduced extent when speaking to a pedanda. In the extreme case, as for example when reading sacred texts or performing wayang kulit or shadow puppet plays or drama of some sort, the speaker uses a peculiar whining voice, a sign that he is declaiming lines spoken by gods or other refined people, as compared with the harsh, guttural exclamations of the coarse characters.

There is no gender in Balinese. In fact, even when gender is inherent in the subject of conversation, it may not be expressed. For example, the third person pronoun "ia" or "ipun" can mean either "she" or "he," and there may not even be a referent as to which it does mean. Verb are conjugated, but not in a complex fashion. The conjugation has nothing to do with tense, but rather, indicates whether the verb is transitive or intransitive, active or passive, and if the verb is active, the ending may indicate the location of the action. Two common examples will suffice, but it must not be assumed that this same pattern is observed elsewhere:

Time is usually indicated by verb tense and a variety of adverbs. The Balinese language is more capable of expressing these relative times than English. For example, in the Low form of the language:

The Balinese equivalents of "not yet" and "already" are often used to indicate action that is incomplete or that has been completed. The words are:
ALREADY = Sampun (medium) = Suba (Low)
NOT YET = durung (medium) = tonden (Low)

The Balinese use the "this" and "that" adjectives much more than is common in Western languages. The words are:
THIS = Puniki (medium) = Ene (Low)
THAT = punika (Medium) = ento (Low)

In some conversations practically every noun is followed by a "this" or a "that," sometimes even when the article is used. There is no indefinite article. The definite article takes the form of a suffix "-n", which signifies that noun is intimately connected with the pronoun or noun that follows. For example guru means "teacher" or, in Jimbaran, "father of." Gurun Aris, the polite form of Budi's name, means "Father of Aris." Seka is group. Sekan barong is the barong's group.

One of the most obvious differences between Balinese and English is that Balinese has "levels," a fact which has been pointed out repeatedly in these volumes. And it is frequently mentioned in guidebooks and in the literature in general. Although they do not always accurate representations in the literature may make this seem quite complicated, from the point of view of the average Balinese householder, the level rules are quite straightforward. He uses variations of one kind of speech to talk to his wife, family and friends. We can call "Low Balinese." He uses another variety to talk to people of higher caste, strangers or people of status and importance. This is Medium Balinese. He uses yet a third style, High Balinese, to speak to pedandas. Few Balinese know much High Balinese, for the simple reason that they seldom have any occasion to wishes to ask the pedanda for holy water or to participate in a ceremony, the group simply takes along one of the few people in the village who is fluent in High Balinese.

The differences in these levels are quit marked, however. It is not a matter of changing the pronunciation of a few words, the substitution of few polite personal pronouns, or the change of an accent here and there. In many cases the Low, Medium, and High words are etymologically distinct. For example, the words for "he" or "she" in the three levels are, "yeh", "toya", and "tirtha."

Caste and its accompanying system of difference and respect is something that Westerners almost instinctively recoil from, but it is imbedded in Balinese society in deep, complicated, and not necessarily "bad" ways. Interesting things happen when people of different status engage in a conversation. High caste people talk to low caste people in Low Balinese. And low caste people talk to high caste people in Medium or High Balinese. Let us suppose that there are three people, a pedanda, an Anak Agung and a sudra, having a conversation.

1. SUDRA SPEAKING TO KSATRIYA: "Ambilang Ida lanjaran." = (Take the cigarettes for the pedanda.)
The sudra is using Medium Balinese, since he is speaking to a person of caste-lanjaran is the Medium and High word for "cigarette", "ambil" is a high form of "take."

2. SUDRA SAYS TO Pedanda: "Titiang jagi ngaturan lanjaran puniki ring Ida." = I will give these cigarettes to you
The sudra is using High Balinese, since he is speaking to a pedanda-ngaturan is the high form of the verb "give"; "puniki" means "these" in High or Medium Balinese.

3. KSATRIYA SAYS TO SUDRA: "Aturin Ida lanjaran puniki." = Give the cigarettes to the pedanda.
The ksatriya uses Medium Balinese, even though he is speaking to a sudra, because he is talking about the pedanda.

4. KSARIYA SAYS TO SUDRA: "Jemakang beli rokone ento." = Give me those cigarettes.
The ksatriya uses low language because he is talking to a sudra about himself-roko is the low word for "cigarette"; "beli" refers to the Ksatriya "man", who is older than the sudra; "ento" means "those."

One would think that, living on such a lovely island, literally immersed in natural beauty all their lives, the Balinese would have evolved a rich vocabulary to describe their environment. That is not the case. About the best they can come up with is luwung -"good." This applies to scenery, statues, sunsets, TV shows, paintings, and meals. There is no Balinese word for "art" or "artist." The word 'seni' is used. For example, with respect to the annual Art Festival in Denpasar. But 'seni' is Indonesian, not Balinese. Art, as an expression of individual creativity, is not native to Balinese thought. The Balinese refer to an artist or craftsman as a "tukang", roughly translated as "workman." A painter is a "picture workman." A stone carver is a "stone workman." A woodcarver is a "wood workman."

Although the concept of musical key is crucial to the performance and understanding of music in the West, Balinese musicians have no understanding of this idea and no word that expresses it. The principal instruments that are used in Balinese musical groups have only five notes per octave, and so they cannot be played in any key except the one dictated by their construction.

Differences in language can result from different attitudes, different standards of behavior, different customs. Central to Balinese cultural practice are the concepts of pramada, "insubordination," and tulah, "divine revenge." It is insubordinate, pramada, for anyone to say or do anything that puts him in a higher or more prestigious position than is his rightful due, and it risks to question matters involving mystical forces. This concept has had a great influence upon Balinese vocabulary. The habit of addressing individuals of higher status indirectly, not using their real names, is a result of the doctrine of pramada. As in the large number of euphemisms-innocent and non-controversial terms used to refer to sacred or powerful people, objects, and gods. For example, people in Jimbaran refer to our Barong, a powerful character in the famous dance, as Pelawatan-"a dance costume animated by people."

The Balinese have a terrible time deciding what word to use for "you." If too high or too low a word is used, this is pramada. Self deprecation is common in everyday conversation. When entertaining a guest, the host must apologize for the low quality of food that he serves and the inadequacy of his home. He should mention that he is poor and cannot afford anything better, and he regrets that the guest has to accept what little there is. For his part, the guest constantly praises the same objects for which his host apologizes and indicates how much better they are than those that he himself can afford. It is a game both have played many times. And there is a standard language that is involved. Nobody takes it seriously, but everybody plays it.

The same "later" word, "benjang-benjang", is the proper way to refuse an offer. Saying "No" to an offer involves another kind of game. One must never say to a seller, not even to a peddler, "I don't want anything, please go away and don't bother me." This would be very impolite. It would mean you have elevated yourself-inappropriately-into a position of importance greater than the seller. This is rude. You must say :"I don't have any money right now, and I will consider the matter benjang-benjang." Of course the seller knows exactly what you mean.

There simply are no words in Balinese for "please" and "thanks" and "Have a nice day." Guides and hotel people are trained to say those things, but it is a strain. I still am a little upset when I give someone a nice gift and get not a word of appreciation-ever. It is simply not a part of Balinese thinking.

The English "it," used as an interferential pronoun, is a source of endless confusion to the Balinese who are trying to learn English: What time is it?
It is four A.M.
It is hot.
It is red.
It is raining
It is humid and sticky

English is a language that privileges syntax; it is linear and forward directed. We know trouble with conditions-like time, weather, etc.-because we need a subject and a predicate, a thing and an action, before we can call a construction a "sentence." But who or what is time? "It." The Balinese are quite comfortable with conditions, and fell no need to invent a pronoun to serve, for example, as a temporary personification of clock time. The Balinese equivalents of the above are:
Jam kuda? = Clock (hour) how much?
Jam pat = four o'clock
Panes = Hot
Punika barak = That red
Ujan = Rain
Ungkeb = Humid and sticky

There are so many common English expressions that are meaningless to the Balinese and vice versa, that to attempt a complete list would be folly. I can only list a few interest me.

In Bali, one cannot "have a good time," for example at a party. One can translate these four words literally, but nobody will understand. One must have "good feelings" about the party or anything else.

The Balinese use exactly the same word for "teach" and "learn," and the same word "search" and "find."

Humor is one of the most difficult aspects of a culture for an outsider to appreciate. Much Balinese humor is rather direct and unsubtle. Bawdy jokes and allusions are parts of daily conversations. But one must be an insider to appreciate such humor as is involved with my baldness. It is not unusual for a Balinese, upon seeing my shining pate, to say :"Buung ujan"-"The rain has been canceled." Or he might say, "Sing meli TV"-"I don't want to buy a TV." The first of these gems compares a bald head to the clear sky; the second refers to the smooth face of a TV tube.

The passive voice is found more frequently in Balinese than in English. We would say, "I bought a book and it was given to my wife"; A Balinese would say "In bought a book and it was given to my wife." The passive is used after negative commands, such as those beginning with "Don't." The Balinese are quite content to accept the obvious conclusion of an action.