English Education Study Program- STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat 2015
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AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN USING AFFIX (A Study at the Third Year Students of English Department of
STKIP PGRI West Sumatera in Academic Year 2015/ 2016)
, ,
English Education Program, STKIP PGRI West Sumatera, Jln. Gunung Pangilun 1) [email protected]
English Education Program, Padang State University, Jln. Gunung Pangilun 2) [email protected]
English Education Program, Padang State University, Jln. Kalawi 3) [email protected]
Abstract
Analysis of morphology is one of important thing in learning many words. Some words appear by mastering based word which is combined by other words is called affix.
Students who are be able to understand affix will be able to mastery a number of words and use it well. The purpose of this research is to know students’ ability in using affix either derivational prefix, derivational suffix, inflectional suffix or infix. Kind of this research is descriptive quantitative by 40 samples choosing randomly. The researcher use vocabulary affix test in multiple choices by 50 minutes consists of 12 items for derivational prefix, 17 items for derivational suffix, 16 items for inflectional suffix and five items for infix. Result of this research shows percentages students’ score ability are 37.5% for good classification, 55% for fair classification and 7.5% for poor classification.
Percentages of students’ ability in using are 41.7% for derivational prefix, 23.5% for derivational suffix, 81.5% for inflectional suffix and 0% for infix.
Analisa morfologi merupakan salah satu hal penting dalam pembelajaran banyak kata. Sebagian besar kata-kata baru muncul dengan menguasai kata-kata asli yang dikombinasikan dengan kata lain yang disebut affix. Mahasiswa yang mampu memahami affix juga akan mampu menguasai sejumlah kata dan menggunakannya dengan baik.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kemampuan mahasiswa dalam menggunakan affix baik derivational prefix, derivational suffix, inflectional suffix maupun infix. Jenis penelitian ini adalah deskriptif kuantitatif dengan 40 sampel yang diambil dengan random sampling. Peneliti menggunakan tes vocabulary affix berbentuk pilihan berganda dalam 50 menit 12 soal derivational prefix, 17 soal derivational suffix, 16 soal inflectional suffix dan lima soal infix. Hasil analisis data penelitian menunjukkan persentase kemampuan skor mahasiswa dengan klasifikasi kemampuan baik berjumlah 37.5%, kemampuan cukup berjumlah 55% dan kemampuan kurang berjumlah 7.5%. Persentase kemampuan mahasiswa yang sudah mampu menggunakan derivational prefix berjumlah 41.7%, derivational suffix berjumlah 23.5%, inflectional suffix berjumlah 81.5% dan infix berjumlah 0%.
Key words: students’ ability; affix
INTRODUCTION
Talking about language, it relates to produce words and express some ideas.
Expressing ideas through the words either spoken or written have to use a few words or know a lot of words. A person must be carefully in election and using words because the word can give a different interpretation of meaning. It can be said that words as basic which has to be mastered in a language. Actually it seems define that a word in a language is a group of sounds or letters that have a particular meaning. It tells the word consists of a group of sounds that represent and communicate the meaning of various essential for communication. For instance, to show personality, give the sense of strong, moderate and weak meaning. A basic unit of language both oral and written is started from a word. It is also supported by (Sukarno, 2008, p.56) who states that morpheme is the smallest unit of language. It means that actually a morpheme is a meaningful word or part of a word that cannot be divided into smaller meaningful parts. Examples include school, read, or re and ing in rereading. So, a morpheme is included a word that has its own significance meaning which can not be divided into smaller form.
Therefore, referred from the previous description that morpheme closely associated with the word about study either its structure or process of word formation.
Morpheme has several types which one of them as stated by (Katamba, 2008, p 41), one type of morpheme is the roots, affixes, stems and bases. The first, root is the irreducible core word, with absolutely nothing else watches for it. It means that the root is a term given to the form of words that are not able to be subdivided, analyzed and additional affixes. Many words have independent roots or single roots which are called free morpheme. The only root can be free morpheme but not all root means free morphemes. Some roots can not be detached and must be attached with another word- forming elements which are called bound morpheme. For example, there are two morphemes in ‘enlarge’ word which the prefix en- is as a bound morpheme and
‘large’ as a free morpheme. The word 'enlarge' appears as combination of an adjective as free morpheme and a prefix as a
bound morpheme. Combinations of the adjective and the prefix emerge a new meaning and change its function into a verb.
The second, an affix is a morpheme that only occurs when attached to some other morpheme or morphemes such as a root or stem or base. It explains that affixes added into one of morpheme. The third, stem is a part of a word that existed before any inflectional affixes (i.e those whose presence affixes required by syntax as workers of the singular and plural number in noun, verb tense, etc.) is often added. It tells that stem is part of a word before given additional inflectional affixes that at the end of the word will provide a variety of grammar without changes the part of speech and meaning drastically (inclined to predict) and the last is base as basic formin the process morphology, which affixes can be added;
both inflectional and derivational affixes.
Derivational is derived words formed part of the process through the addition of affix. In other words, that all the roots are also base.
It can be said that the morpheme in the science of morphology examines the processes associated with the formation of words through the addition of another word which is called affixes process.
Furthermore, according to (Katamba, 2008, p. 44) states that there are three types of affixes: prefixes, suffixes and infixes. A prefix is attached before the root and base such asun- and in-. A suffix, (part of being plural and tense markers) are affixes attached after root and stem or base like un- ,-ly, er, -s, -ed and -ing. Infix is inserted into the root affixes itself. It clearly tells that the prefix is placed at the beginning of words to modify or change its meaning. When the prefix is added to the root of the word, to form new words, it can be put a word in combination with the word-based and alter the function or part of the speech. In addition, the suffix means the end of the word-based and also change the part of speech. In addition, infix added to the pre and post-root or in the root. In short, most of the addition of prefixes, suffixes and infixes are affixes that can change its a part of speech, such as verbs, adjectives, nouns and adverbs and affect the interpretation of its meaning.
Thus, using of affixes increases a number of words in mastering of language.
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Affix encourages new words formed than words that have known. Ability of some people mastery language can be seen by how they mastery of glossary. In this research, the researcher will see students’ ability in using affix especially at the third year students in academic year 2015/2016. Affix includes into vocabulary which some words come from combination of affix and other word so affix appears new glossary and new meaning.
Based on a few informant at the third year students English that most of them are less understand using affix. Yet, through handwritten documents of the students is found mistakes and correct in using affix.
Some of the sentences are correct and others are not. It makes the researcher want to investigate in depth about their ability in using affix. it can be said that affix requires to be understood by the students, especially at the third year of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera academic year in 2015/2016 as an important matter that must be developed and mastered by the students. The students can use language either spoken or written especially English if they mastery glossary.
Mastering of the affix can be seen by using them. Purpose of this research is to investigate students’ ability in using affix at the third year students of English Department of STKI PGRI West Sumatera in academic year 2015/ 2016.
RESEARCH METHOD
Kind of this research is descriptive quantitative. The students were chosen at the third year of English Department in academic year 2015/ 2016. Total of the students are 241 students. The researcher took 40 students who could be taken is 16.6% of the number of total the students.
The researcher selected four or five students randomly in each of session and are collected to become one class. The researcher got source of data from students’
test in affix form. The test was made based on indicator of theory in chapter two and then researcher made blueprint which was direction to make questions for prefix, suffix and infix. The questions were gotten from one of book SNMPTN which was arranged by an English teacher group, the questions also were gotten from TOEFL book of Deborah Philips, and examples questions of
Google which discussed about affix. The researcher prepared a number of questions which contained blank sentences and asked the students to choose one of the best answers; it was done and suited by the number of questions. The researcher provided 50 items of questions test by 12 items for derivational prefix, 17 items for derivational, 16 items for inflectional suffix and five items for infix. The questions were checked by a validator for suitability of the questions. The researcher was given permit and validation sign to share the test. The researcher checked how much the number of questions was correct. The result could describe how the students use affix in vocabulary test. The researcher checked the mistake of the student’s test. Each correct answer was given score one point and incorrect answer will be given zero point.
The number of score gotten by students was change in rating scale conversion. After that, the researcher classified students’ score gotten. After the researcher classified the students’ ability, the researcher determined percentage of students’ ability
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
After doing checked about percentage of students’ mistake, it was found that 15 students got good mark and others got fair and poor mark. It can be said that there were 62.5% students had not thoroughly understood about affix and 37.5 % of total sample had understood about affix commonly. It was put in this chart below:
Furthermore, describing all the students at the third year was a half of the number of them had not thoroughly understood about affix. It was showed of the test result that
37,5% 55%
7, 5%
Percentage of classification of students' sbility in using affix
Fair Good Poor
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derivational prefix and suffix had been understood by more than a half the number of students but they had not been thoroughly understood about all items provided. It was showed by the number of item which were more than a half items provided were answered right by more than a half of the students but they still answered wrong less than a half of the number of items. In addition, most of samples answered correct for inflectional suffix. It was showed the only one item was answered by just few students (5 students). It can be said that the students had understood about inflectional suffix. Beside, infix it was almost more than a half of samples was wrong to answer the questions. Only a few of students answered right for four items of 5 items. It meant that the students had not understood about infix.
Thus, it can be concluded that the students at the third year in academic year 2015/ 2016 had understood about inflectional suffix and had not thoroughly understood about derivational either derivational prefix or derivational suffix and they also less understood about infix.
The students had been able to answer derivational prefix more than six of twelve items. It can be said that the students had understood but they had not thoroughly understood. Second, there were suffix ly-, al, -able, -ion, -nt, -en, -age that were able to be answered by the students. It was same or more than a half of total sample. It meant that the students also had been able to answer derivational suffix but it had not thoroughly. Third, the students had understood for inflectional suffix provided on the table but there was one inflectional suffix that answered less than of a half of total sample. Fourth, most of the students were not able to answer for infix but there were found a few of them who could answer as like as the table. It was proved that infix was little understood by the students.
Percentage of students’ ability in each types of affix for excellent and good classification was 41.7% derivational prefix, 23.5%
derivational suffix, 55% inflectional suffix and 0% infix. It explained that the students had been able to use affix for derivational prefix, derivational suffix, inflectional suffix, but they had not been able to use thoroughly about affix. It was proved by there were students got fair classification,
poor classification for derivational and inflectional affix and poor and very poor classification for infix.
In this section, the researcher gave the final result of the students’ difficulties in using affix. As explanation before that affixes process were happened to create new words. Production words could be appeared through derivational and inflectional in mastery glossary especially English. It was supported by (Aronoff and Fudeman, 2011, p. 47) who say that inflection involves the formation of grammatical forms-past, present, future; singular, plural; masculine, feminine, neuter; and so on- of a single lexeme. A lexeme is a word with a specific sound and a specific meaning. Derivation involves the creation of one lexeme from another such as selector or selection from select. It meant that new words was produced by through derivational which changed part of speech and meaning drastically meanwhile inflectional tended to be predicted and did not change the meaning of words drastically. More than a half of students as sample had not thoroughly understood about derivational. Yet, more than 20 students had understood and are able to use inflectional. It can be said that they had understood about inflectional. However, most of students had not been able to use infix. It was absolutely difficult for them because infix was rare found in English. It relates to (Katamba and Stonham, 2006, p.
45) who says that infixes are common in some languages however infixing is rare in English. It told that infix was found in English but it was rare. It was genuine most of students had not been able to use infix thoroughly. So, based on the 50 items which are tested for 40 students as sample are gotten that 15 students as good classification. It was about 25% of the number of samples that had understood and had been able to use affix.
Based on the data gotten from the classification of students’ ability and the number of items which are answered correct by the students were less than a half of samples had understood about affixes. Yet, they had been able to use inflectional suffix nd have been not thoroughly for derivational prefix, inflectional suffix and a little comprehension for infix. Hence, the students
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who had not been able to use affix will difficult in mastery the language because some words appear from affix.
CONCLUSION
The third year students of English department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera prove that a few students have good ability in using affix and the other students have fair and poor ability in using affix. It tells that they still less understand in comprehension of affix. The conclusion can be showed in the qualification of students’
ability in using affix and the number of items which are correct to be answered by them. It shows that more than half of the samples have not been thoroughly able to use affix.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Researcher would like to express the deepest gratitude and appreciation to advisors; Suharni, M.Pd and Sesmiyanti, S.S, M.Pd, thanks a lot for giving patiences, guidances, and supports in writing this thesis covered yet should be continue to be research.
REFERENCES
Aronoff, Mark and Fudeman, Kirsten. 2011.
What is morphology? Oxford:
Wiley-Blackwell.
Katamba, Francis and Stonham, John. 2006.
Morphology. New York: Palgrave Macmillan
Sukarno. 2008. Introduction to Linguistics.
London: Longman York Press.
