Journal Article

A Computational Dialectology Approach to Mapping Bidayuhic Varieties in Tayan Hulu Using Gabmap

Asfar, Dedy Ari, Yulianti, Yeni, Tjaraka, Ajeng Rahayu, Duantika, Prima, Febrianti, Binar Kurniasari, Irawan, Yusup, Wibowo, Sarwo Ferdi, Abdulmalik, Irmayani, Sutarsih, Setiyanto, Edi, Ramadini, Febyasti Davela, Lubna, Syarifah, Nurlina, Wiwin Erni Siti

2026

Overview

This study examines the linguistic variation of the Bidayuhic language in Tayan Hulu, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, through a computational dialectological approach using Gabmap. This study applies Levenshtein Distance to measure lexical and phonological differences in six observation sites, analyzing 491 lexical items. The findings show that the Bidayuhic language forms a linguistic continuum, where dialectal variation is not entirely aligned with geographical boundaries. Instead, lexical and phonological differences are influenced by language contact, social mobility, and cultural interaction. This study identifies the merger of the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian (PMP) phonemes R and l into /r/, /ɣ/, and /h/, reflecting phonological innovations in the Bidayuhic language. Furthermore, ablaut in verb morphology is observed, distinguishing between transitive and intransitive verb forms. Cluster analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) and probabilistic clustering revealed two main groups, confirming that variation is gradual rather than regionally segmented. Despite adding 0.8 probabilistic disturbances, the clustering remained stable, validating the effectiveness of Gabmap in dialect classification. These results emphasize that Bidayuhic variation is shaped more by sociolinguistic interactions than geographical factors. This study highlights the role of Gabmap in linguistic mapping, offering a methodological model for mapping local languages in Indonesia.