93 A Study on Positions and Functions of Wh-Question Words in Amanatun Dialect of Meto Language Sahan, Anselmus 1), Kamlasi, Imanuel 2) 1English Lecturer of FIP of Timor University, Kefamenanu E-mail: [email protected] 2 English Lecturer of FIP of Timor University, Kefamenanu E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: This study is a descriptive study which mainly deals with the positions of WH-question words in Amanatun dialect of Meto language. The purposes of this research are to identify the positions of WH-questions words in sentence constructions and propose the best way for teaching English to the Meto background students. Analyzing the data, it used translation instrument by asking them to translate sentences of Indonesia into Amanatun dialect. The findings analyzed by using syntactical analysis show that sa (what) takes the initial and the final that function to ask object (choice), reason subject (condition), and gets one variation, that is, sa to sa’a because of its initial position. sekau taking the middle position, functions to ask for object and possession, and the final position functions to ask for object. esme (where) getting ten (10) variations depending on the subject of the sentences takes the final position to ask for place (location). However, esme gets changes on its form because of the subject of the sentences, dialect and tradition of Meto speakers. Its variations are etme/esme, alme/neome, and nbime, elme/esme, onme/meome, meome, and mbime, alme/onme, neome and etme/esme/alme. leka (when) just gets one variation, that is, lek‟at. It happens because the subject is between lek’at and verb mnao (go) while lek‟at takes the front position. Nansa (why) gets some variations, such as nansa, neosa, nak’onme, and ’moe’na’ onme. It takes the initial and final position and functions to ask questions about reason. Onme (how) functions to ask about manner, condition and opinion. Fauk (How many/how much) asks questions about many, much and old. Keywords: question words, position, function, Amanatun, Meto ELT- Lectura: Jurnal Pendidikan, Vol 4, No 2, Agustus 2017 94 1. INTRODUCTION These differences on the positions of Each language has different system. WH-question words between English and The system of language is exposed Meto can bring problems to the Meto through its grammatical patterns and background students learning English at patterns are expressed orally and all levels of education. that can run the communication among 2. METHOD speakers smoothly. To stress the This study is aimed at finding out importance of language for its speakers, and explaining the Question Words used Gumperz in Mariani and Mu‟in (2007: 3) by the speakers of Amanatun Dialect of state that language is a set of rules Meto Language in the daily enabling speakers to translate information communication. On the basis of the data from the outside world into sound. characterics, this study applied a Indonesian as one of the world descriptive qualitative method. According languages is built on the basis of some to Best (1981: 106-107), Nunan (1992: 4) vernacular languages spread over 32 and Merraim (1988: 25-27), descriptive provinces. The vernacular languages have research as a way of describing fact in different systems. One of the vernacular qualitative research is nonexperimental, languages is Meto. It is spoken by its for it deals with the relationship between speakers in Timor island (an island of nonmanipulated variables in a natural, Nusa Tenggara Province), covering an rather than artificial, setting. It advocates area of Belu Regency (called Dawan R), use of qualitative methods, concerned North Central Timor Regency, South with understanding human behaviour Central Timor Regency and Kupang from the actor‟s own frame of reference, Regency. naturalistic and uncontrolled observation, In Meto, the way and the positions of subjective, close to data: the „inside‟ WH-question words to ask question are perspective, grounded, different. They may be in the middle or in discovery-oriented, exploratory, the final positions of sentences and/or expansionist, descriptive, and inductive. utterances having different functions. While in English and sometimes in 3. Finding and Discussion Indonesian, the grammatical patterns of On the basis of the analysis of questioning are generally shown by using findings above, this part presents the WH-question words in initial position position, function and patterns of the then followed by question mark (?). For seven kinds of the question words in example, to ask the doer of an action, it Amanatun Dialect of Meto language. always starts with this: “Who made you They are sa (what), sekau (who), cry?”, or to ask name of a stranger man, etme/esme/mbime/neome (where), leka “What is your name?”, or to ask reason, (when), nansa/neusa (why), onme (how) “Why do you come late?” and fauk (how many and how much). ELT- Lectura: Jurnal Pendidikan, Vol 4, No 2, Agustus 2017 94 5. Ho meup’ matane neo sa? 1. Sa (What) Pron V Adv Conj QW In both English and Meto, sa (what) is You work hard for what? used to ask question about things or (LT) something as the subject or the object in Why did you work hard? (CL) the sentences. The following data might What for did you work hard? (CL) show different positions of sa in Meto 6. Ho mepu lenane in leokna’ and therefore carry different functions. et sa? 1. Nane sa? Pron V Det Pron Adv Det. QW Prep QW That what? (DT) You work that it good What is that? (CT) for what? (LT) 2. a) Ma’tane et sa? What is interesting from your job? (LT) Adj. Det. QW The data show that there are three Difficult that what? (DT) sentences (2.b., 3.b., and 4.b.) that place What is is difficult? (CT) sa (what) in the initial, while six b) Sa’a et ma’tane? sentences (Numbers 1, 2.a., 3.a., 4.a., 5, QW Det. Adj. and 6) place sa in the final, but none is in What that difficult? (DT) the middle position. Although sa takes What is it difficult? (CT) the same position, it in fact carries 3. a) In nloim sa? different functions. sa that takes the final Pron V QW position in sentence numbers 1, 3.a., and He likes what? 4.a., functions to ask object; sa in (DT) sentence number 2.a., functions to ask What does he like? (CT) object, sa in sentence number 5 functions b) Sa’a et in nlomie? to ask reason, and sa in sentence number QW Det. Pron V 6 functions to ask subject. What that he likes? sa in sentence numbers 2.b., 3.b., and (DT) 4.b. gets change to its form from sa to What does he like? (CT) sa’a because of their position that can be 4. a) Ho mloim sa? altered from the final to the initial Pron V QW position. However, they carry different You like what? (DT) function. Sentence 2.b functions to ask What do you like? (CT) subject condition, while sentences 3.b. b) Sa’a et ho mlomie? and 4.b. function to ask object choice. QW Det S V 2. Sekau (who/whom/whose) What that you like? Sekau in Meto language functions to (DT) ask for subject, object and possession. What do you like? (CT) However, this function is mainly determined by its position. The following ELT- Lectura: Jurnal Pendidikan, Vol 4, No 2, Agustus 2017 95 data can explain this phenomena. Pron V QW Conj.Adv. T 1. Sekau ini’? You inform who for meeting tomorrow? QW Pron (LT) Whose? Who did you invite for the tomorrow 2. a) Ho mu’euk sekau? meeting) (CL) Pron V QW In the data above, sekau (who) takes You meet who? (DT) four initial positions (sentence numbers 1, Who do you meet? (CT) 2.b, 4.a., and 5), four middle positions b) Sekau et na’euk ko? (sentence numbers 3.a., 4.b., 6, and 7), QW Det. V Pron. and two final positions (2.a. and 3.b.). Who that meet you? Although sekau takes the position, it gets (DT) different function. sekau that takes the Who meets you? (CT) initial position in sentence 1 functions to 3. a) Ho mok sekau et om? ask for possession, sentence 2.b. Pron Conj. QW Det. V functions to ask for subject, sentence 4.a. You with who and 5 function to ask for subject. that come? (DT) In the middle position, sentence With whom do youcome? (CT) numbers 3.a., 6, and 7) function to ask for b) Ho om mok sekau? object, while sentence 4.b. functions to Pron V Conj. QW ask for possession. In the final position, You come with who? both sentences 2.a. and 3.b. function to With whom do you come? (CT) ask for object. 4. a) Sekau in lene? QW Pron N 3. Esme (Where) Who he garden? (DT) esme (where) is Meto language gets Whose garden? ten (10) altering forms depending on the b) Lene nane sekau ini’? subject of the sentences. It is used to ask N Det. QW Pron about place (location). The following Garden that who he? data can describe their positions and (DT) functions. Whose garden is that? (CT) 1. In ume etme/esme? 5. Sekau et namas? Pron. N QW QW Det. Adj. He house where? (DT) Who that beautiful? (DT) Where is his/her house? (CT) Who is beautiful? (CT) 2. Ho mutua etme/esme? 6. Ho mok sekau esam nao? Pron V QW Pron Conj QW Adj V You live where? You with who go? (LT) Where do you live? With whom will you go? (CT) 3.