3.7 Word Formation (Pembentukan Kata)
Key Takeaways
- Indonesian forms new words through four processes: afiksasi (affixation), reduplikasi (reduplication), komposisi (compounding), and pemendekan (shortening).
- Reduplikasi has three sub-types: penuh (anak-anak), sebagian (lelaki from laki), and berubah bunyi (sayur-mayur, kupu-kupu).
- Komposisi combines two free morphemes into a single semantic unit that resists insertion (rumah sakit → 'rumah sakit besar', not 'rumah besar sakit').
- Pemendekan has two sub-types: akronim (pronounced as a word or letter-by-letter, no periods: ASEAN, KTP, Pemilu) and singkatan (written with periods: S.H., dkk., dsb.).
- Initial-letter akronim pronounced as a word take a capital first letter (ASEAN); those pronounced letter-by-letter take all capitals (KTP, TNI); syllabic akronim take a capital first letter only (Pemilu).
Word Formation (Pembentukan Kata)
Quick Answer: Indonesian forms new words through four processes: afiksasi (affixation), reduplikasi (reduplication), komposisi (compounding), and pemendekan (shortening, including akronim and singkatan). UKBI items ask you to identify the process by which a given word was formed, or to spot a malformed akronim or reduplication.
1. Afiksasi (Affixation / Derivation)
Afiksasi attaches a prefix, suffix, or combination to a root to form a new word. The six affix types:
| Type | Example | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Prefix only | ber- + main → bermain | prefix added to root |
| Suffix only | makan + -an → makanan | suffix added to root |
| Prefix + suffix | meN- + tulis + -kan → menuliskan | both added |
| Circumfix | peN- + baca + -an → pembacaan | noun-forming pair |
| Insertion (sisipan) | gigi → gerigi (with -er-) | -er- inserted between first consonant and vowel |
| Confex (kombinasi) | per- + besar + -an → perbesaran | per- + -an |
The sisipan (infix) family is small but tested. The classic example is -er-: gigi → gerigi (serrated edge, formed by inserting -er- between the g and i of gigi). Other infixes (-el-, -em-) appear in only a handful of words, and modern Indonesian rarely produces new infix forms. UKBI may ask you to recognise gerigi as a sisipan from gigi.
2. Reduplikasi (Reduplication)
Reduplication repeats the root to mark plurality, repetition, or variation. Three sub-types:
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Penuh (full) | whole root repeated | anak → anak-anak, buku → buku-buku, orang → orang-orang |
| Sebagian (partial) | first syllable reduplicated with vowel change | laki → lelaki (la- → le-) |
| Berubah bunyi (mimicry / with sound change) | reduplication with phonological change | sayur → sayur-mayur, lauk → lauk-pauk, kupu → kupu-kupu, gerak → gerak-gerik, warna → warna-warni |
Partial reduplication is rare and limited; the canonical example is lelaki (from laki). Do not generalise — most "partial-looking" forms are actually full reduplications or borrowings.
Berubah bunyi includes onomatopoeic mimics (kupu-kupu), alliterative pairs (sayur-mayur, lauk-pauk), and contrastive pairs (warna-warni, gerak-gerik). The hyphen is mandatory.
3. Komposisi / Penggabungan (Compounding)
Two or more free morphemes combine to form a new word with a meaning not fully predictable from the parts. The result is written as two words (not hyphenated) and behaves as a single lexical unit:
| Compound | Parts | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| anak emas | anak + emas | favourite child |
| orang tua | orang + tua | parents (not "old person") |
| kereta api | kereta + api | train (not "fire carriage") |
| meja makan | meja + makan | dining table |
| rumah sakit | rumah + sakit | hospital |
| buah tangan | buah + tangan | souvenir |
| kambing hitam | kambing + hitam | scapegoat |
| batu bara | batu + bara | coal |
| dasar negara | dasar + negara | state foundation |
Compounds are written separately (as two words) but treated as a single semantic unit. They resist insertion: you cannot say rumah besar sakit for "big hospital" — you must say rumah sakit besar. This resistance to insertion is the diagnostic test for compound status.
Some compounds merge into single words over time, but the clearest modern merges are loanwords (aparat, sofa, kursi) rather than indigenous compounds.
4. Pemendekan (Shortening)
Pemendekan produces a shorter form from a longer expression. Two sub-types:
Akronim (Acronyms)
Formed from the initial letters or syllables of a multi-word expression, pronounced as a single word:
| Akronim | Stands for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ASEAN | Association of Southeast Asian Nations | pronounced as a word |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization | pronounced as a word |
| SIM | Surat Izin Mengemudi | pronounced as a word (driving licence) |
| KTP | Kartu Tanda Penduduk | pronounced letter-by-letter |
| TNI | Tentara Nasional Indonesia | pronounced letter-by-letter |
| Pemilu | Pemilihan Umum | syllabic acronym |
| Mabes | Markas Besar | syllabic acronym |
| Raker | Rapat Kerja | syllabic acronym |
| Sospol | Sosial Politik | syllabic acronym |
| Bappenas | Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional | mixed letter + syllable acronym |
Akronim are written as single words, no periods. Initial-letter akronim pronounced as a word (ASEAN, NATO) take capital first letter; those pronounced letter-by-letter (KTP, TNI) take all capitals. Syllabic akronim (Pemilu, Mabes, Raker) take capital first letter only.
Singkatan (Abbreviations)
Shortened forms written with periods after each cut element:
| Singkatan | Full form |
|---|---|
| S.H. | Sarjana Hukum |
| M.A. | Magister Administrasi |
| Dr. | Doktor |
| dkk. | dan kawan-kawan |
| dsb. | dan sebagainya |
| S.Ked. | Sarjana Kedokteran |
| jl. | jalan (in addresses, lowercase) |
Note: dll (dan lain-lain) is written without a period in modern usage, while dkk., dsb., and academic titles retain their periods.
How to Identify the Process in a UKBI Item
When asked which process formed a given word:
- Look for affixes first — does the word have a recognizable prefix (meN-, ber-, peN-) or suffix (-kan, -i, -an)? If yes → afiksasi.
- Look for repetition — is the root fully or partially repeated? If yes → reduplikasi.
- Look for two free morphemes — does the word split into two meaningful parts, neither of which is an affix? If yes → komposisi.
- Look for capitalisation pattern — all-caps or initial capital on a short non-root word suggests pemendekan / akronim.
Most pembentukan kata items reduce to these four checks.
Which word-formation process produces 'sayur-mayur' (assorted vegetables)?
Which of the following is a singkatan (abbreviation written with periods)?