An Analysis of the Developmental Process of Developing Competence in Kupang Malay language of a Sikkaness

Background
Nowadays, many people are trying to master more than one language. It is undeniable that having two or more languages may gain some benefits. Being a bilingualist or multilingualist would imply social and economical advantages. They would be commonly regarded as a group of people that has higher social status since the acquisition of other language requires a tremendous effort. A part from that, this skill may bring on an income or extra income if the possessors apply it in particular occupations such as interpreters, translators, or language teachers. However, it is also simply that a need of communication that brings someone into acquisition with other languages. It is very common to find someone from different background lives in a community with certain culture and language which is different with his own language and culture. This leads him to require the culture and the language in the need of communication in the community. Here, beside the effort needed for some purposes in the first paragraph, means conscious, there also a subconscious way in which the language competence is developed through natural way. This way is very common in a community with language which has no planned or structural way to be learned. Kupang Malay language is this kind of language. Kupang Malay is not a language that has such a written tradition like other well developed language like English, Latin, and etc. Then, acquisition should be the only way as learning needs such requirement like the written system. However, there is a common thing to find the stranger or the non native speaker speaks the language especially in this city where the language is almost used in every field of life. Students from other parts of this province such as Adonara, Alor, Lembata, Flores and Sumba are at a phase found them selves speak the language.

Theoretically, this must be acquisition process that brings them into the competence of this language. This process attracts me especially because of its unpredictable factors and its result on the competence owned by the users. For this, I want to perform a small research to note down some development process made by a beginner user of Kupang Malay and analyzed it base on the theory of Second Language Acquisition. For the limited time and other factors, this research is only taken for very little information taken day by day in the conversation and discourse with the subject of acquisition being analyzed. The subject of acquisition of Kupang Malay being analyzed is Fitri Latuan. She comes from Sikka regency of NTT province. She uses Sikkan Language from her childhood. All her study before entering university is taken place in Sikka regency. Now, she is studying in Chemistry Department of UNDANA in first semester, so she is the new user of Kupang Malay. She is chosen to be analyzed because we live in the same boarding house so that her development in the acquisition can be observed easier and that beginner speaker of Kupang Malay with Sikkan dialect is quite funny. From the background above, in great enthusiasm I want to present this small research and the result under the title: AN ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS OF DEVELOPING COMPETENCE IN KUPANG MALAY LANGUAGE OF A SIKKANESS.

Second Language Acquisition Theory

Second language acquisition theory seeks to quantify how and by what processes individuals acquire a second language. The predominant theory of second language acquisition was developed by the University of Southern Californias Steven Krashen. Krashen is a specialist in language development and acquisition, and his influential theory is widely accepted in the language learning community. There are five main components of Krashens theory. Each of the components relates to a different aspect of the language learning process. The five components are as follows:

The Acquisition Learning Hypothesis

The Monitor Hypothesis The Natural Order Hypothesis The Input Hypothesis The Affective Filter Hypothesis

The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis

This hypothesis actually fuses two fundamental theories of how individuals learn languages. Krashen has concluded that there are two systems of language acquisition that are independent but related: the acquired system and the learned system.

The acquired system relates to the unconscious aspect of language acquisition. When people learn their first language by speaking the language naturally in daily interaction with others who speak their native language, this acquired system is at work. In this system, speakers are less concerned with the structure of their utterances than with the act of communicating meaning. Krashen privileges the acquired system over the learned system.

The learned system relates to formal instruction where students engage in formal study to acquire knowledge about the target language. For example, studying the rules of syntax is part of the learned system.

The Monitor Hypothesis

The monitor hypothesis seeks to elucidate how the acquired system is affected by the learned system. When second language learners monitor their speech, they are applying their understanding of learned grammar to edit, plan, and initiate their communication. This action can only occur when speakers have ample time to think about the form and structure of their sentences. The amount of monitoring occurs on a continuum. Some language learners are overmonitor and some use very little of their learned knowledge and are said to under-monitor.

Ideally, speakers strike a balance and monitor at a level where they use their knowledge but are not overly inhibited by it.

The Natural Order Hypothesis

This hypothesis argues that there is a natural order to the way second language learners acquire their target language. Research suggests that this natural order seems to transcend age, the learner's native language, the target language, and the conditions under which the second language is being learned. The order that the learners follow has four steps: 1. They produce single words. 2. They string words together based on meaning and not syntax. 3. They begin to identify elements that begin and end sentences. 4. They begin to identify different elements within sentences and can rearrange them to produce questions.

The Input Hypothesis

This hypothesis seeks to explain how second languages are acquired. In its most basic form, the input hypothesis argues that learners progress along the natural order only when they encounter second language input that is one step beyond where they are in the natural order. Therefore, if a learner is at step one from the above list, they will only proceed along the natural order when they encounter input that is at the second step.

The Affective Filter Hypothesis

This hypothesis describes external factors that can act as a filter that impedes acquisition. These factors include motivation, self-confidence, and anxiety. For example, if a learner has very low motivation, very low self-confidence, and a high level of anxiety, the affective filter comes into place and inhibits the learner from acquiring the new language. Students who are motivated, confident, and relaxed about learning the target language have

much more success acquiring a second language than those who are trying to learn with the affective filter in place.

A Final Point on Grammar

According to second language acquisition theory, the role of grammar-rules/effectivegrammar-instruction in language acquisition is useful only when the learner is interested in learning grammar. Otherwise, Krashen argues that studying grammar equates to language appreciation and does not positively influence language acquisition. Beside the five theories, I think it is also important to include one factor which influences second language acquisition and which I supposed would be important to analyze the data collected.

The Role of First Language

The role of the first language performance is often referred to as interference. It can cause errors, substitution of L1 rules to the L2 and transferring of rules. First language interference happens because the second language user has not had enough time and input to build enough competence in using acquired competence.

Data
There are some data which is collect in every day conversation with the object of research, Fitri Latuan. Those data collected are grouped into some parts base on the similarities in the special character of Sikkan Language and dialect included in the data collected. Those data are: 1. Di 2. Kah 3. Ngeri

Di
Di is an additional word in Sikkan language and the Indonesian of Sikkan people which is influenced by the Sikkan language. In Indonesian dialect Sikka there are some terms which are commonly found like: Dia tidak pergi di (it is pity that he didnt go), mereka tipu di (in case, they lye on us), mereka makan di (it is pity that they it it). In Sikkan language itself, it can be found some terms like: nimu eleraintang di (unbelievable, he doesnt know), nimu bile poi di (it is pity that she only keep silent=does not talk). Here, the di is meant by: it is pity. The di is used to regret the statement before di. For example, dia tidak pergi di: it is pity that he didnt go. The real situation is that he didnt go. But the speaker regrets it or does not suppose it happen. The di from local Sikkan dialect is still found when Fitri uses Kupang Malay. There are some data collected in this sense. Dong son pi di (it is pity, they didnt go) Jony su makan di (it is pity, Jony has eaten it) Be son dapa di (it is pity, I didnt get any)

Here, the speaker uses his own dialect in the new language she is acquiring. This is what is meant by substitution of L1 habit into L2. The term di is still used when the speaker perform the other language. It is a term of L1 which is added into L2.

Kah

Kah is also additional word used to ask for something. It is Indonesian dialect Sikka which uses this word in almost every forms of asking something. It can simply be understood as: please. It is commonly found some requirement like: Beli kue kah (buy cake, please) Jangan marah kah (dont be angry, please) Pulang kah (go back, please)

This habit influences the Kupang Malay when the user is acquiring it. This additional or substitution in Kupang Malay results in such sentence like the sentences above. However, Kupang Malay has its own term in parallel with kah in Sikkan: ko or do. So, the right sentence of the same sentences above in Kupang Malay context should be: Beli kue do (buy cake, please) Jangan marah ko (dont be angry, please) Pulang do (go back, please)

The evidence that the speaker still uses kah in Kupang Malay context should be caused by the interference of the L1. It is also because the performer have to talk to early before she has had the time and input to build enough competence to use acquired competence.

Ngeri
Ngeri is firstly derived from Indonesian word for terrific. However when it is used in Sikkan dialect, it has also meaning as: very. For example, Sikkan says: Cantik ngeri (very beautiful) Baik ngeri (very kind) Sopan ngeri (very polite) Jahat ngeri (very mean) Ganteng ngeri (very handsome)

The evidence that the performer still perform it in the context of Kupang Malay shows that the L1 still interfere the Kupang Malay. By the claim of expert as seen in the theory, it can be said that the performer has to talk too early before she has the time and input to build enough competence to use acquired competence.

Conclusion
It is accepted that the performers, Fitris, competence in Kupang Malay language is developed through subconscious way. She picks the language in every day conversation and discourse. So, it is acquisition. As an acquisition process, it need time and input to be better day by day. For the beginner of that kind of second language acquisition the performer still making some errors which are the cause of her first language interference in that L2. The error, as the expert claims, should be exist as the performer has to talk too early before she has the time and input to build enough competence to use acquired competence. In our discussion, it is found that the influence of the first language is still found in the performer. Here, the substitution takes a big part. By more acquisition in Kupang Malay, the influence will be reduced and a good performance on Kupang Malay language can takes place. The paper will be more complete if it includes the analysis of the stage in the development as suggest by Pienemann & Johnston (1987:75). However the limited time and space lead to make the small research as presented. Therefore the following research should be made on the acquisition especially in this type of developmental research. That is all and it is hoped that this small research can be useful in the discourse of second language acquisition.