FINAL SYNTAX

PHRASAL CATEGORIES
IN AMBON MALAY

BY
Taroci Margarita Salang
1301024116
C/ Reguler
PROGRAM STUDI PENDIDIKAN BAHASA INGGRIS
JURUSAN PENDIDIKAN BAHASA DAN SENI
FAKULTAS KEGURUAN DAN ILMU PENDIDIKAN
UNIVERSITAS NUSA CENDANA
KUPANG
2016

SYNTAX
PHRASAL CATEGORIES IN AMBON MALAY
Syntax is branch of linguistics which comes after phonology and morphology. It is a
content subject which studies about language structures that goes beyond word and phrasal
levels. More precisely this subject deals with how words are combined to form phrase and
clauses or sentences, rules that govern the information, and how elements in the formation
(structure) relates and interacts one with another.
Language of every part of Indonesian has its own characteristic because of the
different colonizer influence in the past. Ambon is a Capital city of Molucas Province (East
Indonesian) and the language almost same as Kupang malay.
Phrasal Categories are the projection of spesific lexical categories. NP (Noun
Phrase) and N (Noun Bar) go together with N in that they typically occur in structures, In
this case Ambon Malay has some phrases only understood by Ambonesse. For example
possesive pronoun; beta mama there is no verbs has/have, beta mama represents My in
English. The Native speaker knows the phrase means to.

1.

Adjective pharse
Antua bataria paling karas
S
NP
Pro

VP
V

AdjP
Deg

Adj

Antua bataria paling karas

Based on the tree diagram the sentence constructed by NP and VP, NP consists of
Pro Antua (she/he), VP consists of V bataria (srceam) and AdjP that consists of Deg Paling
(very) and Adj Karas (loudly).
Adjective phrase of the sentence Antua bataria paling karas is the underlined
words. Adjective Karas is the head and adverb Paling as a modifier that is modifying word
Karas.
2. Adverb Phrase
Akang taika kancang
S
NP

VP
V

AdvP

Akang taika kancang

As it is seen here shows that the sentence is constructed by NP Akang (It) and VP
consists of V taika (tied) and AdvP kancang (tightly) It is an exmple of Adverb Phrase
because kancang (tightly) modifying taika. The sentence has an adverb kancang functions to
modify verb taika as the head of the phrase.

3.

Prepotitional Phrase functioning as Indirect object

Prepotitional (P) is a group of closed class category which expresses relation
of place, direction, time or posesssion. Bellows are the example of Prepotitional
phrase as Indirect object in Ambon Malay
a). Alvin kase wortel par Kelinci
S
NP

VP
V

NP

PP
P

NP

Alvin kase wortel par kalinci

Based on the tree Diagram shows that the sentence constucted by NP Alvin
and VP consists of V Kase (gives) NP wortel (carrot) and PP consists of P par (for)
and NP kelinci (Rabbit)
The sentence has a prepotitional phrase Par Kelinci, Par functions to modify
the head noun kalinci .
b). Papa bali baju par beta
S
NP
N

Papa

VP
V

bali

NP

PP

N P

NP

baju par

beta

Based on the tree diagram above shows that the sentence constructed by NP
and VP. NP consists of N Papa, VP consists of V bali, NP consists of N baju and PP
consists of P par (for) and NP beta (me). par beta is prepotitional phrase, par modifies beta
as the head of the phrase.

c) Maya bilang akang berita par tamang-tamang.

S
NP

VP
V

NP
Det

PP

NP
N

Maya

bilang akang carita par

tamang-tamang

The sentence above shows that the sentence is constructed by NP and VP and NP
consists of N Maya, VP consists of V Bilang (says) NP;Det Akang (it) and PP; P par (to)
NP tamang-tamang(friends)
The sentence also has a prepotitional phrase, that is par tamang-tamang. Par modifies
tamang-tamang as the head of the phrase and functions as indirect Object.

4. Pre-Modifier

a) babarapa tamang kase Hanna sapasang sapatu

S
NP
DET

VP
N

NP

NP
DET

Babarapa

tamang kase Hanna sapasang sapatu

Based on the tree diagram above shows that the sentence constructed by NP and VP.
NP consists of DET babarapa (some) and N tamang (friends). VP consists of V kase (give),
NP Hanna; second NP consists of DET sapasang (a couple of) N sapatu (shoes). The Premodifier phrase includes Quantifier babarapa functions to modify noun tamang as the head
of the phrase.

b) Tiap orang kase dong mama satu kado

S
NP
Det

VP
N

NP
Poss

Tiap

NP
N

Det

Orang kase dong mama satu

N
kado

Based on the tree diagram above the sentence B paitua bali beta sapasang sapatu is
constructed by NP and VP, NP consists of Det Tiap (Each) and N Orang (person), VP
consists of V kase (give), NP; POSS dong (their) and N mama (mother), NP Det satu (one)
and N kado (gift). In the sentence has a pre-modifier Tiap functions to modify the head
Noun Orang.
5. Pre-Modifier
a) Noun Clause as Subject.
Apa yang se bilang voor beta itu benar
S
NP

VP

SUB

S2

NP

VP
V

Pro
Apa yang

se

AdjP

bilang

NP
PP

voor

beta itu

batul

Based on the tree diagram above the sentence is sonctructed by NP and VP. NP
consists of SUB Apa yang and The second sentence (S2) consists of NP, PrO se (you) and
VP consists of V bilang (told) and NP that consits of PP voor (to) and N beta (me). VP
consists of V itu (is) AdjP batul (right). The noun clause apa yang se bilang voor beta
funtions as the subject.

b) WH-determiner
Sapa pena-pena yang ada didalam kotak?
S
NP
Det

VP
N

WH

PP
P

NP
DET

Sapa

pena-pena

ada

di

akang kotak?

Based on tree diagram above is constructed by NP and VP. NP consists of DET-WH

sapa (whose) and N pena-pena (pens). VP consists of V ada (are), PP consists of P di (in)
and NP consists of DET akang (The) and N kotak (box). The sentence has a WHDeterminer sapa functions to modify the head noun pena-pena.
6. Possesive Phrase
Dia Tas suw rusak
S
NP
Det

VP
N

NP

su

rusak

Poss
Dia

Tas

The tree diagram above is constructed by NP and VP. NP consists of Det-POSS dia
(Her/His) and N tas (bag). VP consists of V su (had) and NP Rusak (broke). Possesive phrase
in the sentence is Dia tas (her bag), Dia functions to modify the head noun Tas. The bag
belongs to Her/him.

c) Evi rumah su baru

S
NP
Det

VP
N

rumah

su

AdjP

POSS
Evi

baru

Tree Diagram above shows that the sentence constructed by NP and VP. NP
consists of DET-POSS Evi (her) and N Rumah(house). VP consists of V su (is) AdjP baru
(new). It has a possesive phrase Evi rumah, rumah as the head and Evi as the modifier. Native
speaker understand Evi rumah means Evis house not Evi is a house.
7. Adjectives Phrase
Akang rumah tu paling bagus
S
NP
DET

VP
N

AdjP
Deg

Akang

rumah

tu

paling

Adj
basar

The tree diagram above shows that it is constructed by NP and VP. NP consists of
Det akang (The) and N rumah (house). VP consists of V tu (is) and AdjP consists of Deg
Paling (very) and Adj Basar (big). The sentence has an adjective prhase paling basar. Paling
funtions to modify the head adjective basar.

8. Post-Modifier
a.) Prepotitional phrase
Antua Jhon kajar badak deng tiga kaki
S

NP
Det

VP
V

NP
DET

N
N

PP
P

NP
NUM

Antua Jhon tangkap

satu

badak

deng tiga

kaki

Based on tree diagram above shows that the sentence is constructed by NP and VP.
NP consists of Det Antua (Mr). VP consists of V tangkap (cathes), NP consists of DET satu
(one) and N. N consists of N badak (rhinoceros) and PP. PP consists of P deng (with)
and NP. NP consists of Num tiga (three) and N kaki (legs).
The prepotitional phrases antua and deng tiga kaki function to post-modify the head
noun Jhon and badak respectively. At a higher level It is the subject and object of the
sentence. We can test that the prepotitional phrase form part of the noun phrase by
substituting the pronouns Dia for Antua Jhon and akang for badak deng tiga kaki
respectively: Dia tangkap akang (he catches it)

b.) Relative Clause

Satu cewe yang pakai akang gaun merah tu cantik
S

NP
DET

VP
N

AdjP

gaun tadi malam tu

cantik

S2
NP
REL

VP
V

NP

NP
DET

s at u

cewe

yang

pakai

Based on tree diagram above, it shows that the sentence is constructed by NP and VP.
NP consists of DET satu (one) and N. N consists of N cewe and S2. S2 consists of NP-Rel
yang(who) and VP Consists of V pakai (wears), NP gaun (dress) and NP consists of Det tadi
(this) and N malam. VP consists of V tu (is) and AdjP cantik (beautiful).
Relative Clause is yang pakai gaun tadi malam post-modifies the noun head cewe.
This means that the NP satu cewe and the relative clause yang pakai gaun tadi malam both
function together at the higher level as one constituent.

CONCLUSION
Based on my discussion above some phrasal categories are happened in Ambon
Malay, some phrases have same structure of elements that build up a sentence. Such as;
Akang in Ambon malay has same meaning in English It.
Language plays or serves a very important role in the totality of human life. We are
human beings cannot live and survive in the world without language that is why we have to
know and learn the language of a place that we will come in. Every place has their language
characteristic. By the language a culture, ethnic, race is known. As a result an Ambonesse
who speaks and uses their language we know where they from are by her /his language in this
case Ambon Malay.