Digital Humanities: Prototype Development for Balinese Script

Abstract

In Indonesia there are more than 600 ethnic groups and 719 mother-tongue languages spoken. A significant 13 Indonesian mother-tongue languages have vanished and been forgotten as they are no longer used for daily communication. When a language is forgotten, not only is the structural aspect of the language lost, which becomes the main focus of the linguistic domain, but also the cultural and historical knowledge that is attached to the language. The Balinese language is a mother-tongue spoken on the islands of Bali and Lombok, and the Balinese script (Aksara Bali) is a traditional script that is used to write the Balinese language in the form of Balinese short stories, history (itihasa), proverbs, poetry, music, and spells (mantra) on the top of palm leaves (lontar). Recently, fewer members of the young generation of Balinese are able to speak this language due to its complexity and the widespread use of the national language (Bahasa Indonesia) in all levels of formal education. This study aims to preserve, protect, and continue the use of Balinese language and script by adopting modern technology that can be utilized by the younger Balinese generation. In this study, a physical non-QWERTY keyboard specifically for Balinese script has been designed, developed, and tested to work for multiple devices (e.g., computer, tablet, and smartphone), diverse operating systems (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android), and various applications (e.g., Word processor, instant messenger, and social media applications). Through consultation with professors from Udayana University with expertise in Balinese language and script, a total of 89 out of 185 Balinese scripts are included in our IT artefact that can be utilized for daily use.