Experiential and Logical Structures within Karo Batak Nominal Groups: A Study in Systemic Functional Linguistics

Abstract

This article studies the ideational function within the Nominal Group (NG) in Karo Batak Language (KBL) which is dominantly spoken in Karo Regency, North Sumatra Province (Indonesia). This paper specifically discusses the experiential and logical structures in KBL. The perspective of this study is of course related to Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). Halliday (1986, 2004) argues ideational function can be divided into two subfunctions; the first is the experiential function which is concerned with deictic, numerative, classifier and epithet, thing, and qualifier. The second refers to logical one which is related to modifier, premodifier, and post-modifier. The objectives of the study are to describe the experiential and logical structures within NG and to describe word classes forming NG. The results show that experiential structures within NG have some formations and can be seen as follows: (1) Entity ^ Classifier ^ Deictic ^ Numerative ^ Epithet, (2) Entity ^ Classifier ^ Deictic ^ Epithet ^ Epithet ^ Numerative ^ Epithet, (3) Numerative ^ Entity ^ Classifier ^ Deictic ^ Epithet, (4) Entity ^ Classifier ^ Epithet ^ Deictic ^ Epithet, (5) Numerative ^ Entity ^ Classifier ^ Deictic, (6) Entity ^ Classifier ^ Deictic ^ Epithet ^ Epithet ^ Numerative ^ Epithet. Whereas, the logical structure owns some simple formations such as (1) Thing ^ Modification, (2) Modifier ^ Thing, (3) Thing ^ Modifier, (4) Modifier ^ Thing, and (5) Premodification ^ Thing ^ Post-modification.