Some Notes on Indonesian Word Formation: A Study Based on the Derivational Morphology Approach

Abstract

This study aimed to provide an in-depth analysis of the complex process of word formation in the Indonesian language using the principles of derivational morphology. The study examined the intricate mechanisms of creating new words and highlighted the various processes and patterns that contributed to forming new lexemes. By extensively categorizing and analyzing the different types of derivational affixes and their roles in generating words, this investigation aimed to contribute to a deeper understanding of the Indonesian language and its linguistic evolution. The findings showed (1) the intricate details regarding the changes in the use of affixes such as in prefix {di-} and colloquial suffix {al-}, the semantic transformation of words such as the words that were marked by prefix {per-}, and how societal attitudes and perceptions had influenced language evolution such as in colloquial suffix {-ken} despite the standard suffix {-kan}; and (2) the functions and communicative effectiveness of derived lexemes in the Indonesian language had revealed that they played a crucial role in communication by contributing to discourse cohesion such as in the form of {seru} and {menarik}. The results of this study were expected to shed new light on the underlying mechanisms of word formation in the Indonesian language and provide a valuable reference for linguists and language researchers to explore the nuances of this language further.