Understanding the Levels of the Balinese Language

In general, the Balinese language is divided into three levels: “Alus” (very polite), “Madia” (intermediate/between alus and kasar), and “Kasar” (slang/informal). Learning Bahasa Bali Alus is not only about mastering vocabulary and grammar, but also plays an important role in shaping students’ character.

One effective way to achieve this is by using wiracarita or traditional stories that are rich in moral, spiritual, and cultural values. Great epics such as the Mahabharata, Ramayana, as well as Balinese folktales present meaningful characters and events through which students can learn about satya (honesty), dharma (kindness), welas asih (compassion), and courage.

To measure students’ reflective understanding, I apply the value reflection method by giving them several different Balinese traditional stories. After reading, students are asked to identify and explain the moral values they can draw from each story.

In addition to improving their skills in Balinese language, the value reflection method also helps build students’ character and identity. Through this approach, they are trained to think critically while also being able to ‘bring to life’ the values within the stories—so that traditional tales are not just folklore, but become valuable lessons for everyday life.

By: I Wayan Suteja, EBPP Balinese Language Teacher