Inflectional Markers of Mandarese Language in Generative Morphological Perspective

Abstract

This study investigates inflectional markers of Mandarese language concerning generative morphology. It aims to describe the forms of the inflectional marker and its distribution in the Mandarese language. It deploys a generative morphological approach to analyse language based on linguistic knowledge or intuition of native speakers. It uses the descriptive qualitative method systematically, factually, and accurately describing language facts. It also uses the library research method and linguistic field method to obtain the data. The library research method used is to obtain basic concepts or relevant theories to the problem investigated (inflection of Mandarese language). Besides, the linguistic field method carried out is collecting the data in the location. Data collection techniques are elicitation, recording, note-taking, and documentation. Spoken data are obtained from native speakers, while written data are Mandarese folklores, magazines, and relevant studies. The result shows that there are three forms of the inflectional marker in Mandarese language, including inflectional affix with a repetitive marker (-i and -boi), inflectional affix with a comparative marker (si-), and inflectional affix with clitic marker in terms of completive aspect markers (mi, -maq, -moq), incomplete aspect markers (-pa, -paq, -pao, -pi), and continuative aspect markers (-dua, -duaq, -duao, -duai). The distribution of inflectional markers in Mandarese language generally has no impact on word class changes, and all widely distribute. In the morphological word formation, the inflectional marker forms tend to be located outside or far from the root.