64 Language Interference of Batak Angkola-Mandailing Language To
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Passage2015, 3(2), 64-76 Language Interference of Batak Angkola-Mandailing Language to Indonesian: A Case Study Lita Rizki Fauziah English Language and Literature Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia [email protected] ABSTRACT This research aims to investigate the common characteristics of Indonesian pronunciation deviations made by undergraduate college students from Batak Angkola and to observe the factors that contribute to the interference. The participants are two female Batak Angkola undergraduate students who have been living in Bandung for four years and are active speakers of Bahasa Indonesia and Batak Angkola-Mandailing language. To compare the results, four other participants who come from Jakarta and Bandung, have the same age and gender, and are not active speakers of any Indonesian local languages are also recruited. Based on the pilot test conducted prior to the research, the phonemes that are investigated are /e/, /ə/ and plosives (/b/, /d/, /g/, /k/, /t/, /p/). The data are collected through two types of assessment, which are a reading task, and pronunciation tests in the form of three word lists. By using software Praat, the deviations analysis and a further acoustic phonetic analysis of vowel and consonant duration are conducted. In general, there are two types of pronunciations deviations made by the participants: devoicing and allophonic shift that occurs between /ə/ into /e/ and /e/ into /ə/. The factors that contribute to the interference are speaker bilingualism background, language distant, anxiety, empathy and group solidarity. Keywords: Language interference, pronunciations, acoustic phonetics, Batak Angkola-Mandailing language. 64 Lita Rizki Fauziah Language Interference of Batak Angkola-Mandailing Language to Indonesian: A Case Study INTRODUCTION speakers, for example, are often Indonesia is a complex multilingual called ‘ndeso’ (‘villagers’) or and multicultural nation in which ‘medok’, which have unpleasant several languages coexist and often connotations, when they speak influence each other. The process, Indonesian that is heavily influenced which is also called as language by Javanese accent. Another instance contact, causes several inevitable is Batak language speakers who are linguistic phenomena including stereotyped as loud or even rude and language interference (Offiong, uncivilized (Bruner, 2006). These 2005; Houmanfar, Hayes, and stereotypes may discourage the Herbst, 2005). Language interference speakers to speak regional languages refers to “deviation from the norms or Indonesian since the correctness of either language which occurs in of pronunciation affects the the speech of bilinguals as a result of appropriateness of communication. their familiarity with more than one In general, there are two language” (Weinreich, 1953). opposite views regarding effects of One of the types of language interference. Some find that language interference can be found interference, especially the in pronunciation. The phenomenon is knowledge and structure of first particularly apparent in a language, fosters the learning of multilingual society such as in second language (Masinde, 2012) Indonesia since the speakers are and even enhances cognitive control exposed to at least two languages functions (Festman, Rodriguez- that are frequently and Fornells, Münte, 2010). On the other simultaneously used in daily hand, Randall (1997), Eltrug (1984), activities. It thus creates diverse and Richard, Platt, and Platt (1992) pronunciation varieties of the find that interference plays a major languages. The varieties of role in the errors that are produced in pronunciation can cause some one of the languages. Furthermore, difficulties that may be encountered Ellis (1997) states that the further by its speakers. Some Javanese apart two languages are structurally, 65 Passage2015, 3(2), 64-76 the higher the instances of errors found are caused by mother tongue made in the second language. Errors i.e. Javanese, slang language and here refer to a systematic and foreign languages such as Arabic, consistent deviation of language; it is English and Dutch. Unfortunately, not something coincidental or there have not been many studies randomly made (Norrish, 1983). conducted on language interference Errors are important to be that occurs in Indonesian context investigated since errors can provide which involves Batak Angkola- an understanding or evaluation on Mandailing language. This research how someone learns a new language will focus on analyzing the common (Corder, 1967). characteristics of Indonesian There have been many pronunciation deviations made by studies conducted on language undergraduate college students from interference. For instance, Alonso Batak Angkola and observes the (1997) analyzes errors that beginner factors that contribute to the Spanish students make when learning interference. English as foreign language and it is found that most errors are caused by METHODOLOGY interference of structures from the Research Design Spanish to the English language. Consistent with the nature of the Baloch (2013) also conducts a study research questions, the research on how Arabic (the mother tongue) employs a descriptive qualitative interferes in the learning of English approach, in particular case study (the second language) in terms of research design supported by spellings. The author finds that the descriptive quantification. replacement of ‘b’ with ‘p’ and vice Qualitative research is suitable for versa occurs because of the mother this research since it fits the natures tongue interference. Furthermore, of qualitative research; there is no Erwina (2011) conducts a study of absolute 'truth' and it attempts to language interference in Indonesian explain, describe and analyze data context and finds that the errors 66 Lita Rizki Fauziah Language Interference of Batak Angkola-Mandailing Language to Indonesian: A Case Study (Phillips, 1990; Andi-Pallawa and are recruited as the participants of the Alam, 2013). research. In addition, four native The form of case study that Indonesian speakers from Jakarta and is employed in this research is Bandung are also recruited to descriptive case study. Descriptive compare the results. Purposive case study aims to present a detailed sampling technique is used in this contextualized understanding of a research to avoid sampling error and particular phenomenon. Therefore, because the research focuses on this design is in line with the aims of describing a phenomenon based on this research which are to observe the an-in-depth analysis. All of the common characteristics of participants are female and have Indonesian pronunciation deviations been staying in Bandung for more made by undergraduate college than four years. The four other students from Batak Angkola and participants that are recruited (P3, investigate the factors that contribute P4, P5, and P6) are not active to the interference. speakers of any Indonesian local languages. Research Site and Participants Bandung is chosen as the setting of Data Collection Techniques and the research since Bandung is one of Data Analysis the metropolitan cities in Indonesia The data are collected through two where many ethnic groups meet and types of assessment, which are a many languages are used. Although reading task, and pronunciation tests many languages are used, most of the in the form of word list. All of the people tend to use Indonesian to ease data are recorded by using a voice their communication with people recorder. A reading task and a word from such diverse backgrounds. list are used as the instruments of the Two Batak Angkola college research to obtain natural yet students who speak and use Batak controlled data. In the reading task, Angkola-Mandailing language and the participants are asked to read a- Indonesian fluently in daily activities 146-word text. The text is in the form 67 Passage2015, 3(2), 64-76 of a fable entitled “Balas Budi Sang it is also important to make sure that Semut” written by Ernes (2013). the words that are selected are Reading task is conducted to obtain frequently used by Indonesians. In the participants’ pronunciation in a addition, the participants are also continuous speech. instructed to read a list of a three- Prior to the actual data letter closed syllable words. This collection session, a pilot test is word list is made to investigate conducted to predict the possible further the participants’ sounds that are going to be pronunciation of plosives and to investigated. Based on the pilot test, accommodate the fact that one- the phonemes that are investigated syllable words in Indonesian are are /e/, /ə/ and plosives (/b/, /d/, /g/, rarely found. The words consist of /k/, /t/, /p/). To investigate the voiced plosive sounds in the initial participants’ pronunciation of the position, five Indonesian vowels (/a/, phonemes, pronunciation tests in the /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/) in the medial form of word list are also conducted. position, and all plosive sounds in There are three types of word list: the final position. two list of actual words in Indonesian After collecting the data, and a list of a three-letter closed the data are transcribed and analyzed syllable words. The first word list by using software called Praat. Praat (Word list 1) is used to collect the is an open-source software used to participants’ pronunciation of vowel analyze, synthesize and manipulate /e/ and /ə/ while the second word list sounds (Boersma and Weennink, is used to collect the participants’ 1999). Prior to