Mandailing Language Maintenance in the Era of Globalization: Challenges, Strategies, and Prospects

In the context of accelerating globalization, regional languages such as Mandailing face increasing pressure from dominant languages in education, media, and public life. This study investigates the current state of Mandailing language maintenance, identifying major factors threatening its sustainability, strategies employed by speaker communities, and prospects for revitalization. Drawing upon relevant literature from 2023‑2025, alongside qualitative interviews with Mandailing speakers in North Sumatra (n = 20), this research employs thematic analysis to discern domains of use, speaker attitudes, intergenerational transmission, and external pressures such as migration, media, and schooling. Findings show that while Mandailing language continues to be used informally in family, religious, and cultural domains, its use in formal education and media remains minimal. Younger generations exhibit ambivalent attitudes: pride in ethnic identity coexists with utilitarian preferences for Indonesian or global languages. Key strategies for maintenance include family language policies, community ceremonies and cultural events, and inclusion of Mandailing in social media content. However, without institutional support—especially in curriculum, public signage, and media broadcast—the language is at risk of shifting. The study concludes with recommendations for policy-makers, community leaders, and educators to integrate Mandailing more fully into public life, education, and digital media to secure its maintenance in the global era.