PROMOTION OF NON-SUBJECT NOUN PHRASE TO SUBJECT IN CLAUSE OF SABU LANGUAGE, SABU RAIJUA REGENCY, EAST NUSA TENGGARA PROVINCE
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e-Journal of Linguistic
PROMOTION OF NON-SUBJECT NOUN PHRASE TO SUBJECT IN CLAUSE OF SABU LANGUAGE, SABU RAIJUA REGENCY,
EAST NUSA TENGGARA PROVINCE
I Nyoman Sukendra
Teacher Training Faculty
University of Dwijendra Denpasar
Ketut Artawa
Doctorate Program of Linguistics, Faculty of Letters, Udayana University
Aron Meko Mbete
Doctorate Program of Linguistics, Faculty of Letters Udayana University
I Nyoman Kardana
Faculty of Letters, Warmadewa University
Abstract
This study is a descriptive-qualitative one exploring the relation of non subject THAT was promoted to the slot of subject. From the syntactic point of view, two informants were considered adequate in the present study. The reason was that the Sabu language ‘Bahasa Sabu (hereinafter referred to as BS), as a langue, was homogenous in nature. The data needed were collected through observation and interview. The words, phrases, clauses and sentences focused on the topic of the study were note taken. In addition, the data were also collected by recording the speeches made by the BS speakers and the informants using a tape recorder and an electronic recorder. In this manner, it was possible to obtain as many data as possible. From the analysis, it was found that the clausal construction in BS could promote the non subject NP to the subject as the original subject could not be deleted. The other finding was that the promotion of the non-subject NP could be promoted to the slot of subject in the transitive and intransitive clauses. The clausal construction which could allow the promotion of the non-subject NP to the clausal construction was the clausal construction which had semantic roles as the MOTION, AFFECT, and CORPOREAL verbs. The clausal construction which could not allow the non-subject NP to be promoted to the subject was the instrumental clausal construction whose verb was realized by the verb hernabi ‘tutup’ [close].
Key words: semantic role, promotion of non subject NP, slot of subject, transitive, intransitive.
Dixon (2011: 451) states that the semantic role which is mostly relevant to make an activity successful is the syntactic subject relation. This can be illustrated by the word Mary in Mary sells sports cars ‘Mary menjual mobil balap’, Mary cut the veal with the new knife ‘Mary memotong daging dengan pisau baru’, Mary poured the custard (onto the pie) with the new jug ‘Mary menuangkan podeng dengan kendi baru’. If the adverbials such as quickly, easily, properly or well are added to the sentences above, they will be used to indicate how the subject does the activities – Mary certainly sells sports cars quickly, Mary cut the veal easily with the new knife, Mary didn’t pour the custard properly (onto the pie) with the new jug (but split some on the cloth).
Furthermore, (Dixon, 2011) states that in some cases the success is not caused by the subject but by several roles in the non-subject relation. In such cases, the role can be promoted to the slot of subject and the original subject is deleted from the clause. As some illustrations, Sports cars sell quickly (this reflects that the essence is attached to the car and therefore someone wants to buy it); The veal cuts easily (this means that the meat is not hard); The new knife cuts veal easily (the knife is good and sharp); the custard doesn’t pour properly (there are too many clumps in it).
There are two reasons why the O NP is promoted to the subject in Sports cars sell quickly. The first reason is that the promotion to the subject is available for several O NPs (as can be seen in Sports cars sell quickly; The veal cuts easily; The custard won’t pour properly); however, this is also made to be possible by the peripheral NP (as can be seen in The new knife cuts the veal easily; The new jug doesn’t pour custard properly). The second reason is that the promotion to the subject does not change the transitivity of the sentence; if NP, apart from the object, is promoted to the subject, then the subject will still remain after the verb. The O NP or the peripheral NP of the transitive clause is promoted to the A relation.
If the role of non-subject is promoted to the subject, the original subject then will be deleted. This cannot be classified as a peripheral constituent. The role of non-subject which is not promoted to the subject remains in its original position, that is, after the verb. In addition, no verbal marker is added to the construction where the promotion to the subject takes place.
Almost all the promotions to the subject involve transitive clauses; however, some also involves intransitive clauses.
Consider John jumped with the pogo stick ‘John loncat dengan tongkat togo’. The result can be good as John is very good at that. As an illustration, John jumped well with the pogo stick ‘John melompat dengan baik dengan tongkat pogo’, or it is possible that the stick pogo has a good jump in that event. As another illustration, That pogo stick jumps well ‘Tongkat pogo itu meloncati dengan baik’. The examples show that the non subject NP of the transitive clause or intransitive clause can be promoted to the slot of subject; the transitivity of the clause is not affected.
There are several clear differences between the promotion to the subject and the passive construction. The differences are that the prepositional object can only be the subject in the passive construction if there is no direct object; that the preposition leaves it object after the clause, and that the original transitive subject can be left in the by phrase. As an example, This knife has been cut with by John ‘Pisau itu telah dipotongkan oleh John’. The prepositional phrase can be promoted to the subject if there is direct object (which can be deleted), the preposition can be deleted, and the original subject can be deleted as well, as exemplified by This knife cuts (veal) easily.
Based on what was described above, the focus of analysis in the present study is how the role of non-subject is promoted to the subject in BS.
The present study was conducted in Sabu island, Sabu Rijua Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province from March 2011 to March 2012. The oral data were obtained from several informants and the written data were obtained from the documents of BS. The instruments used to collect the data were the researcher, syntactic questionnaire, and a tape recorder.
The method used to collect the data were observation (field linguistics), which included (1) direct elicitation, (2) recording, and elicitation checking method (Mithun, 2001). In field linguistic research, the direct elicitation method is the main method used. In the present study, this method was used to collect the language data which was initiated by preparing the list of questions or questionnaire related to words, phrases, and
clauses/sentences. The questionnaire was made in Indonesian so that it could be easily understood by both the researcher and the informants/speakers.
The second method used in the present study was the recording method. It was used to record the speeches in BS made by the informants. This method was supported by a tape recorder and an electronic recorder so that various daily conversations could be recorded.
The third method used in the present study was the elicitation checking method. It was used to check constituents if there were several clausal structures which were not clear. In this case, the researcher made several clauses to check whether the clauses produced by the speakers were grammatical or not, and whether there were other clauses which could be used to give the same information.
The third methods were supported by observation and interview methods. Further note taking technique was used to record the data obtained from the direct elicitation, recording and elicitation technique. The observation method was used to observe how the language was used (Sudaryanto, 1988).
The interview method in the present study involved the contact between the researcher and the speakers (Sudaryanto, 1993: 137).
The collected data were analyzed using direct division of elements technique. It was used to identify the basic clauses in order to identify the functions and roles of the constituents as the direct elements forming the clauses. Using this technique, (1) the intransitive clauses, that is, the clauses which were made up of the subject and predicate, and (2) the transitive clauses which were made up of the subject, predicate and object, could be identified.
Based on what was described above, the promotion of non NP subject in BS could be realized in the MOTION, AFFECT, GIVING, and CORPOREAL verbal constructions; however, the promotion of non NP subject in BS could not be realized in the instrumental construction.
The non-subject in BS could be put in front of the clause using the MOTION verbs such as mage ‘tuang’ [pour], dede ‘angkat’ [lift], kepa ‘tangkap’ [catch], tebe ‘jinjing’ [carry] as illustrated in the following examples.
(1a) Ya’a do mage kowi
‘ITG PERF tuang kopi’
Saya (sudah) menuangkan kopi’
[I have poured the coffee]
(1b) Ya’a do mage kowi nga heweka
‘ITG PERF ruang kopi dengan cepat’
‘Saya (sudah) menuangkan kopi dengan segera’
[I have poured the coffee quickly]
(1c) Kowi do mage nga heweka
Kopi PERF tuang dengan cepat
‘Kopi tertuang dengan cepat’
[The coffee was quickly poured]
(2a) Ro d’ede meja la kama
3JM angkat meja PREP kamar
‘Meja angkat ke kamar dengan cepat’
[Move the table to the room quickly]
(2c) La kama d’ede meja nga heweka
PREP kamar pindah meja dengan cepat
‘Ke kamar pindah meja dengan cepat’
[To the room move the table quickly]
(3a) Ya’a ta kepe bola
wowiu
Saya IMPER tangkap bola baru
‘Saya mau tangkap bola baru’
[I want to catch the new ball]
(3b) Ya’a ta kepe bola wowiu nga woie
ITG IMPER tangkap bola baru baik
‘Saya mau tangkap bola baru dengan baik’
[I want to catch the new ball well]
(3c) Bola wowiu ta kepe nga woie
Bola baru IMPER tangkap dengan baik
‘Bola baru tertangkap dengan baik’
[The new ball is well caught]
(4a) Ya’a nab’e kelewa
ITG lempar kelewang
‘Saya melempar kelewang’
[I throw the sword]
(4b) Ya’a nab’e kelewa nga heweka
ITG lempar kelewang dengan mudah
‘Saya melempar kelewang dengan mudah’
[I throw the sword easily]
(4c) Kelewa nab’e nga heweka
kelewang lempar dengan mudah
‘Kelewang terlempar dengan mudah’
[The sword is easily thrown]
Clauses 1a, 2a, 3a, and 4a are basic clauses, and clauses 2b, 3b, and 3b are clauses with adjuncts/adverbials such as nga heweka ‘dengan cepat’ [quickly] in clauses 1b, 2b,
and 4 b, and nga woie ‘dengan baik’ [well] in clause 3b. Semantically, the adverbials added to clauses 1b, 2b, 3b, and 4b are used to explain how the subjects present their activities. The role played by the non-subject or O NP kowi ‘kopi’ [kopi] in clause 1b can be promoted as the subject; as a result, the original subject (ya’a) in that clause can be deleted without adding any marker to the verb in clause 1b, and the clause becomes clause 1c Kowi ta mage nga heweka ‘Kopi tertuang dengan mudah’ [the coffee is easily poured]. That fact shows that the transitivity in clause 1c does not change. The same explanation applies to clauses 3b and 4b.
Unlike clause (2 ), clause (2a) is a clause which is completed with non-subject locative, namely, la kama ‘ke kamar’ [to the room]. The role of the non-subject locative la kama ‘ke kamar’ can be promoted to the subject as clause (2c) in which La kama d’ede meja nga heweka ‘Ke kamar terngakat meja dengan cepat’ [To the room the table is quickly lifted]. It is identified in that clause that the role of non verbal (Direct Object) which is promoted to the subject meja ‘meja’ (table) remains after the verb (2c), in which the verb is not marked,, and the original subject ro ‘mereka’ is deleted after the promotion to the subject (2b and 2c) takes place. That fact shows that the Direct Object (table) remains after the verb (2c) when the non-subject NP is promoted to the subject showing that construction (2c) is still a transitive clause.
The affect verbs in BS are the verb pare ‘potong’ [cut] which causes Manip to appear, and the verb pemou ‘clean’ which causes Target to appear which then can be promoted to the subject. This takes place in BS. The following is the Manip (tool) which is promoted to the subject as presented by the following examples.
(5a) Ro pare aj’u nga woie ri ketaka nani
3JM potong kayu dengan baik PREP kapak PEN
‘Mereka motong kayu dengan kapak itu’
[They cut the wood with the ax]
(5b) Ketaka nani pare aj’u nga woie
‘Kapak itu memotong kayu dengan baik’
[The ax cut the wood well]
Clause (5a) is completed with the argument ro as the subject which at the same time also functions as the agent (Dixon, 1994: 7; Artawa, 1998: 13; Arka, 1998: 17; Verhaar, 1996: 183-185), aj’u as the object and kataka ‘kapak’ [ax] is the Manip. In clause (5b) ketaka ‘kapak’ [the ax] is promoted as the subject and the original subject ro ‘mereka’[they] is deleted. The direct object aj’u remains after the verb, indicating that the construction is still a transitive clause in which the verb is not marked.
The promotion to the subject can also be found in the role played by the target as presented in the following examples.
(6a) Ya’a ta pemou worai nga woie ri kehapu na’de
ITG IMPER bersih lantai dengan baik PREP sapu ini
‘Saya mau membersihkan lantai dengan baik dengan sapu ini’
[I want to clean the floor with this broom well]
(6b) Kehapu na’de ta pemouworai nga wole
Sapu PEN IMPER bersih lantai dengan baik
‘Sapu ini memberikan lantai dengan baik’
[This broom cleans the floor well]
The verb used in this clause is pemou ‘bersih’ [clean], in which kehapu na’de ‘sapu ini’ [this broom] (6a) as the non-subject NP can be promoted to the subject as seen in clause (6b). The non-subject NP worai ‘lantai’ [the floor] which functions as the direct object remains after the verb, indicating that the clause is a transitive one.
The role of the GIVING verb, that is, Gift NP can be promoted to the subject. The verbs used in this clause are the verb pewie ‘jual’ [sell], and the verb pija ‘pijam’ [borrow] as shown in the following example.
(7a) No ta pewie oto nani nga heweka
-
3TG IMPER jual mobil PEN dengan segera
‘Dia mau menjual mobil itu dengan segera’
[He wants to sell the car quickly]
(7b) Oto nani ta pewie nga heweka
Mobil PEN IMPER jual dengan cepat
‘Mobil itu terjual dengan cepat’
[The car is quickly sold]
(8a) Ana hekola pija buku li jawa egi heweka
Murid pinjam buku bahasa Indonesia agak cepat
‘Murid meminjam buku bahasa Indonesia agak cepat’
[The student borrows Indonesian book rather quickly]
(8b) Buku li jawa pija egi heweka
Buku bahasa Indonesia pinjam agak cepat
‘Buku bahasa Indonesian terpinjamkan agak cepat’
[The Indonesian book is borrowed rather quickly]
In clause (7a) oto nani ‘mobil itu’ [the car] is the gift argument which can be promoted to the subject; as a result, clause (7b) Oto nanai ta pewie nga heweka ‘Mobil itu terjual dengan cepat’ [The car is quickly sold] is produced. The car is quickly sold means that, due to its quality, many people want to buy it. In clause (8a) the non-subject NP buku li Jawa ‘buku bahasa Indonesia’ [the Indonesian book] is promoted to the subject as clause (8b) in which the subject is deleted. The clause means that, as acknowledged by the librarian, many buku li jawa [Indonesian books] are borrowed.
The substantial role of the verb can be promoted to the subject. The verb is realized by the verbs dele ‘telan’ [swallow] and nyame ‘kunyah’ [chew], as presented in the following examples.
(9a) Ya’a dele pe nga heweka
ITG telan pil dengan mudah
‘Saya menelan pil dengan mudah’
[I swallow the tablet easily]
(9b) Pil dele nga heweka
Pil telan dengan mudah
‘Pil tertelah dengan mudah’
[The tablet is easily swallowed]
(10a) Ya’a nyame hed’ai egi gapa
ITG kunyah daging agak gampang
‘Saya kunyah daging agak gampang’
[I chew the meat rather easily]
(10b) Hed’ai nyame egi gapa
Daging kunyah agak gampang
‘Daging terkunyah agak gampang’
[The meat is rather easily chewed]
Pe ‘pil’ [tablet] in clause (9a) is the argument non-subject NP which can be promoted to the subject in clause (9b), in which the original subject ya’a ‘saya’ [I] is deleted. Similarly, hed’ai ‘daging’ [meat] in clause (10a) is the argument non-subject NP which can be promoted to the subject (10b) in which the original subject ya’a ‘saya’ [I] is deleted.
The instrumental construction with the verb henabi ‘tutup’, the argument nonsubject NP cannot be promoted to the subject. This can be observed in the following example.
(11a) Walu henab’I
j’enela ri b’alla
NAMA tutup j’enela PREP kain
‘Walu menutup jendela dengan kain’ [Walu closed the window with cloth]
(11b) J’enela Walu henab’I ri b’alla
J’enela NAMA tutup PREP kain
‘Jenela Walu tutup dengan kain’
[The Walu’s window is closed with cloth]
(11c) *J’enela henab’I ri balla
J’enela tutup PREP kain
[The window is closed with cloth]
(11d) Balla Walau henab’I la j’nela
Kain NAMA tutup PREP jenela
‘Kain Walu tutup ke jendela’
[Walu’s cloth closes to the window]
(11e) *Balla henab’I la j’enela
Kain tutup PREP jenela
‘Kain tutup ke jendela’
[Cloth closes to the window]
Walu functions as the subject of clause (11a). J’enela ‘jendela’ [window] is the non-subject NP (direct object), balla is the non-subject NP (Oblique). If j’enela ‘jendela’ [window] as the non-subject NP (Direct Object) is promoted to the subject, the original subject Walu cannot be deleted (11b). Similarly, if balla ‘kain’ [cloth] as the non-subject NP (Oblique) is promoted to the slot of subject, then the original subject Walu cannot be deleted (11d). If the original subject is deleted (11c) and (11e), then the two clauses will not be acceptable. According to Artawa (1998: 70), in construction (11b) the promotion of Direct Object to the slot of subject without any deletion, the original subject is
referred to as topicalization, and the promotion of oblique to the slot of object without deleting the original subject is termed as fronting.
Dixon (2011: 448) states that most examples of promotion to the subject involve transitive clauses, only a few examples involve intransitive clauses. However, he further states that the non-subject NPs which involve both transitive and intransitive clauses have the potential to be promoted to the slot of subject. What happens in BS? Consider the following examples involving intransitive clauses in BS with the verb kewaji ‘loncat’ [jump].
(12a) Neru kewaji nga aju kajji nani
NAMA loncat dengan kayu tongkat PEN
‘Neru loncat dengan tongkat kayu itu’
[Neru jumped using the wooden stick]
(12b) Neru kewajjji nga woie nga aju kajji nani
NAMA loncat dengan baik dengan kayu tongkat PEN
‘Neru loncat dengan baik dengan tongkat kayu itu’
[Neru jumped well with the wooden stick]
(12c) Ayu kaji nani kewajji nga woie
Kayu tongkat PEN loncat dengan baik
‘Tongkat kayu itu meloncati dengan baik’
[The wooden stick jumped well]
Clause (12a) shows that Neru functions as the subject who does the jumping activity using aju kajji ‘tongkat kayu’ [tongkat kayu]. As the subject is highly good at jumping using the wooden stick as revealed by the adverbial nga woie ‘dengan baik’ [well], it is shown through clause (12b); or as aju kaiji ‘tongkat kayu’ [wooden stick] has a good jumping, the non-subject NP (aju kajji ‘tongkat kayu’) is promoted to the slot of
subject (12c). All the constructions are acceptable in BS. Based on that fact, it can be identified that BS has the promotion of non-subject NP in the intransitive clause. Thus, what is stated by Dixon (2011) that the non-subject NP which involves the transitive and intransitive clauses has the potential to be promoted to the subject is acceptable in BS.
3.4 Conclusions
The semantic role is highly relevant to make the activity successful in syntactic subject relation. However, in certain cases, the success can result from several roles in non-subject relation. Thus, the role of non-subject relation can be promoted to the slot of subject. If the non-subject role is promoted to the subject, then the original subject is deleted. It cannot put under category of peripheral constituent. The non-subject role which is not promoted to the subject remains in its original position after the verb. In addition, no marker is added to the verb in the construction of promotion to the subject. Based on the analyses in 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5, three conclusions can be drawn; they are (1) in general, the promotion of non-subject NP is found in BS. The promotion of non-subject to subject in BS is found in the construction using the MOTION verb, which is realized by the verbs mage ‘tuang’ [pour], dede ‘angkat’ [lift] in point (3.1); in the construction using the AFFECT verb which is realized by the verbs pare ‘potong’ [cut] and pemou ‘bersih’ [clean] in point (3.2); in the construction using the GIVING verb which is realized by the verbs pewie ‘jual’ [sell] and pija ‘pinjam’ [borrow] in point (3.4); in the construction using the CORPOREAL verb which is realized by the verb dele ‘telan’ [swallow] and the verb nyame ‘kunyah’ [chew]; (2) in the construction of the instrumental clause, point (3.5), the non-subject NP cannot be promoted to the subject as in the process of promotion, the original subject, if identified, cannot be deleted; if the subject is deleted, the clause will not be acceptable; (3) based on what was analyzed in (3.6), it can be identified that the promotion to the subject in BS can be potentially done both in the transitive and intransitive clauses.
REFERENCES
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Artawa, Ketut. 1998. Ergativity and Balinese Syntax. Nusa Linguistic Studies of Indonesiann and other Language in Indonesia Volloma 44,1998.
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Acknowledgements
In this opportunity, I would like to thank Prof. Drs. Ketut Artawa, M.A., Pd.D, as supervisor, Prof. Dr. Aron Meko Mbete, as co-supervisor I, Dr. I Nyoman Kardana, M.Hum., as co-supervisor II, and the board of examiners: Prof. Dr. I Wayan Pastika, M.S., Prof. Dr. Drs. Ida Bagus Putra Yadnya, M.A., Prof. Dr. I Ketut Darma Laksana, M.Hum., Dr. Ni Made Dhanawaty, M.S., Dr. A.A. Putu Putra,. M.Hum., for their comments and suggestions.
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