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| Total population | |
| 1,877,514 (2010 census)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Indonesia (West Java) | |
| Languages | |
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| Religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
The Cirebon or Cirebonese (Wong Cirebon; Urang Cirebon) are an indigenous ethnic group native to Cirebon in the northeastern region of West Java Province of Indonesia. With a population of approximately 2 million, the Cirebonese population are mainly adherents of Sunni Islam. Their native language is Cirebonese, which combines elements of both Javanese and Sundanese, but with a heavier influence from Javanese.[2]
A recognized ethnic group
Initially, Cirebonese ethnicity was closely associated with that of the Javanese people and Sundanese. However, its presence later led to the formation of its own culture, ranging from a variety of coastal batik that does not follow the standards of the Javanese palace style commonly known as interior batik, until the emergence of traditional Islamic patterns that came about following the construction of the Cirebon palace in the 15th century, which was fully based on Islam. The existence of the Cirebonese ethnic group that does not consider themselves as Javanese people or Sundanese was finally answered in the 2010 population census whereby a column that specifically mentions Cirebonese was made available. This meant that the existence of the Cirebonese ethnic group has been recognized nationally as a separate tribe, according to Erna Tresna Prihatin:-
The indicators (Cirebonese tribe) seen from the local language used by the Cirebonese is not the same as with the Javanese or Sundanese people. The Cirebonese community also has a distinct identity that makes them feel as they are their own ethnicity. Other indicators that characterizes a person as a Cirebonese is the name, which is unlike of those Javanese and Sundanese people. However, there have been no further research that could explain the characteristics identity of the Cirebonese. In order to search for a person's ethnicity, it can be done through the biological patrilineal lineage. In addition, if a person identifies him or herself with the area (Cirebon) in soul and in spirit, then he or she is entitled to feel as part of the tribe in question.[3]
Another indicator of Culture
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Language
In the past, Cirebonese was used in coastal trade in West Java from Cirebon which was one of the major ports, particularly in the 15th century until the 17th century. The language is influenced by Sundanese culture since the Cirebonese are located adjacent to the Sundanese cultural region; especially Kuningan and Majalengka, and also influenced by Chinese, Arab and European culture.[4] This is evident in words such as "Taocang" (pigtail) which is a loanword from Chinese language (Hokkien language), the word "Bakda" (after) which is from Arabic language, and then the word "Sonder" (without) which is the absorption of European languages (Dutch language).[5] The Cirebonese language also maintains ancient forms of the Javanese language such as phrases and pronunciation, for example, "Ingsun" (I) and "Sira" (you) are words that are no longer used by the Baku Javanese language.
Debate
The question about Cirebonese as an independent language from the Sundanese and Javanese language has been a fairly long debate, and has involved political government, cultural and linguistic factors.
As a Javanese dialect
Studies made by using questionnaires as a benchmark to indicate vocabulary and basic culture (eating, drinking, and so on) based on Guiter's method showed differences in Cirebonese vocabulary with Javanese in Central Java and Yogyakarta was up to 75 percent, while differences with the Javanese language dialect in East Java was up to 76 percent.[6]
Although linguistic research to date suggests that Cirebonese is "only" a dialect (for according to Guiter's observation, it is said that to be a separate language it must have as much as 80% differences from its closest language), to date the 5th Regional Regulation of West Java Provincial, 2003 still recognizes Cirebonese as a language of its own and not as a dialect. According to the Head of Language Bandung, Muh. Abdul Khak, it is legitimate because the regulation is based on political assessment. In the world of language according to him, a language can be recognized based on three things. First, based on the recognition by its speakers, second based on the political, and the third based on linguistics. Language is based on politics, other examples can be seen in the history of the Indonesian language. Indonesian language which stems from the Malay language, should be named the Indonesian dialect of the Malay language. However, based on political interests, eventually, the development of the Malay language in the country of Indonesia by the Indonesian government was claimed and named as Indonesian language. In addition to political reasons, the recognition of Cirebonese as a language can also be viewed from within its geographical borders. Abdul Khak mentioned that Cirebonese is regarded as a dialect if viewed nationally with the involvement of the Javanese language. This means, that when regulations were first made only within the area of West Java, Cirebonese was not regarded as significant in comparison to the Javanese language. What's more if compared with Betawi Malay and Sundanese, Cirebonese is indeed different.[7]
As an independent language
With the revised legislation it has allowed various linguistic arguments. However, a greater interest of which is considered from the political standpoint are the Cirebonese speakers, who do not want to be regarded as Javanese or Sundanese people. Chairman of the Institute of Cirebonese Language and Literature, Nurdin M. Noer said that Cirebonese is a mixture of Javanese and Sundanese. Although in conversations, Cirebonese people can still understand some of the Javanese language, he said Cirebonese vocabulary continues to develop and does not only "depend" on the vocabulary of the Javanese nor the Sundanese language. He mentioned:
In addition, there are many dialects of the Cirebonese language. For instance the Plered, Jaware, and Dermayon dialect.
If revisions were to be made to the regulations mentioned, there would most likely be a protest from the speakers of the Cirebonese community. Linguistic expert, Chaedar Al Wasilah assessed that with the native speakers being more vocal, changes to the recognition should not be done. Therefore, what is needed is to protect the Cirebonese language from extinction.[7]
Vocabulary
Most of the original vocabularies of this language have nothing in common with the standard Javanese language (Surakarta-Yogyakarta region) neither morphology nor phonetics. Indeed, the Cirebonese language used in Cirebon and with those in Indramayu, although are part of the Javanese language; have huge differences with the "standard Javanese language", which is the language taught in schools that held to the Solo Javanese language. Thus, before the 1970s, textbooks from Solo could no longer be used because it was too difficult for students (and perhaps also, the teacher). Therefore, in the 1970s, textbooks were replaced with Sundanese textbooks. However, it turns out that the idea was a misconception (of the Cirebonese language) until movement emerged to replace the textbook in the language used in the region, namely the Cirebonese dialect of the Javanese language.[8] Nevertheless, publishers that supported regional language to be taught in schools did not include the word "Javanese language of the Cirebonese dialect" again in the following year, but instead used the term "Cirebonese language". It has also been done on published books by supporters of Cirebonese as a teaching subject in 2001 and 2002. "Cirebonese Language Dictionary" written by Sudjana did not put the words "Javanese language of Cirebonese dialect" but only "Cirebonese Language Dictionary". So it was with the publishing of "Wyakarana - Cirebonese Grammar" in 2002 that no longer shows the existence of Cirebonese as part of the Javanese language, but instead as an independent language itself.
Vernacular Cirebonese
Following is a comparison between Cirebonese with other languages that are considered cognate, such as Serang Javanese (Bantenese), Tegal and Pemalangan dialects of the Javanese, as well as Standard Javanese (Surakarta-Yogyakarta dialect) of the Bagongan (vernacular) style.
| Cirebonese & Dermayon[9] | North Banten | Banyumasan | Tegal-Brebes | Pemalang | Surakarta-Yogyakarta | Surabaya-Malang | Indonesian | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kita / reang / isun | kyta | inyong / nyong | inyong / nyong | nyong | aku | aku | aku / saya | I |
| ira | sire | ryka | koen | koe | kowe | koen / kon / awakmu | kamu / anda | you |
| pysan | pisan | banget | nemen / temen | nemen / temen / teo | tenan | men | sangat | very / truly |
| kepryben / keprywe | keprimen | keprywe | kepriben / priben / pribe | keprimen / kepriben / primen / prime / priben / pribe | piye / kepriye | yaopo | bagaimana | how |
| ora / beli | ore | ora | ora / belih | ora | ora | gak | tidak | no |
| rabi | rabi | kawyn | kawin | kawin | kawin | kawin | kawin / nikah | married |
| manjyng | manjing | mlebu | manjing / mlebu | manjing / mlebu | mlebu | mlebu | masuk | enter |
| arep / pan | arep | arep | pan | pan / pen / ape / pak | arep | katene | akan | will |
| syng | sake | sekang | sing | kadi / kading | seko | teko | dari | from |
Cirebonese dialects
According to Mr. Nurdin M. Noer, chairman of the Institute of Cirebonese Language and Literature, there are at least a few Cirebonese dialects, some of which are Cirebonese Dermayon dialect or also known as Indramayuan dialect, Cirebonese Jawareh dialect (Sawareh Javanese) or Javanese Separuh dialect, Cirebonese Plered dialect and Gegesik dialect (northern region of West Cirebon; today it is divided into Kedawung and Tengah Tani districts).
Jawareh dialect
The Jawareh dialect also referred to as Sawareh (meaning "partial", or literally "half") Javanese is a dialect of the Cirebonese language that is used around the borders of Cirebon Regency and Brebes Regency, or the borders of Majalengka Regency and Kuningan Regency. The Jawareh dialect is a combination of part Javanese language and part Sundanese language.[10]
Dermayon dialect
The Cirebonese Dermayon dialect is widely used in the area of Indramayu Regency, according to the Guiter's method, the Dermayon dialect have about 30% differences with the Cirebonese language itself. The main characteristic of Dermayon dialect speakers is to use the word "Reang" as a term for the word "I" instead of using the word "Isun" as those used by Cirebonese language speakers.
Plered dialect
The Cirebonese Plered dialect that is used in the west side of Cirebon Regency, is known its strong use of "O" characteristic. For example, in standard Cirebonese language the word "Sira" in western Cirebon Regency dialect is translated as "Siro", which means "You". The word "Apa" in Cirebonese language becomes "Apo" (means, "What") in western Cirebonese dialect, likewise the word "Jendela" becomes "Jendelo" (means, "Window"). For instance, "anak saya masuk teka" will be translated as "anak kita manjing ning teko". Besides that Cirebonese Plered dialect has its own unique accent such as the usage of additional words like "jeh" or "tah" in any conversation. Dialect speakers who occupies the western region of Cirebon Regency tend to express themselves with the title "Wong Cirebon", which is very much different from the standard Cirebonese language (Sira) used by the residents of Cirebon city to refer to themselves as "Tiyang Grage"; although both "Wong Cirebon" and "Tiyang Grage" have the same meaning that is "Cirebonese".[10]
Gegesik dialect
Gegesik is a dialect that is spoken in the northern region of West Cirebon and around Gegesik district, the Cirebonese Gegesik dialect is often used as the intermediary language in Pewayangan from Cirebon by the Dalang (puppet master) himself and there is a possibility that this is a finer dialect compared to the dialect of the "Wong Cirebon" itself.[11]
Comparison of dialects
| Standard Cirebonese | Indramayu dialect | Plered dialect | Ciwaringin dialect | Indonesian | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ana (vernacular) | Ana | Ano | Ana | Ada | There is |
| Apa (vernacular) | Apa | Apo | Apa | Apa | What |
| Bapak (vernacular) | Bapak | Mama' / Bapa | Bapa / Mama | Bapak | Father |
| Beli (vernacular) | Ora | Beli | Beli / Ora | Tidak | No |
| Dulung (vernacular) | Dulang | Dulang | Muluk | Suap (Makan) | Feed (To eat) |
| Elok (vernacular) | Sokat | Lok | Sok | Pernah | Ever / Did before |
| Isun (vernacular) | Reang | Isun | Isun / Kita | Saya | I |
| Kula (loosed) | Kula | Kulo | Kula | Saya | I |
| Lagi apa? (vernacular) | Lagi apa? | Lagi apo? | Lagi apa? | Sedang apa? | What's up? / What are you up to? |
| Laka (vernacular) | Laka | Lako / Langko | Laka | Tidak ada | Don't have |
| Paman (vernacular) | Paman | Paman | Mang | Paman | Uncle |
| Salah (vernacular) | Salah | Salo | Salah | Salah | Wrong |