An Analysis of How Teenagers View the Regional Language of Besemah Pagaralam

Abstract

This study explores how teenagers in Pagaralam perceive the Besemah regional language by examining their attitudes, cultural pride, and patterns of language use. The preservation of regional languages is closely tied to the younger generation’s awareness and appreciation of their linguistic heritage. Using a quantitative descriptive correlational design, the research collected data through a structured questionnaire measuring teenagers’ views and behaviors related to the Besemah language. The findings show that teenagers generally express positive attitudes and strong cultural pride, although the frequency of language use in daily communication remains moderate. The analysis also demonstrates that both cultural pride and language use significantly influence language attitudes, with cultural pride emerging as the strongest contributing factor. These results highlight the importance of strengthening cultural identity as a strategic effort to support the vitality and continuity of regional languages among young speakers5 keywords must be written to describe the research scope observed, as well as the main terms undergirding the research.