A SEGMENTAL PHONOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CONSONANT SYSTEM OF THE SABU LANGUAGE

Abstract

This study investigates the consonant sound system of the Sabu language (Hawu) within the framework of segmental phonology, aiming to provide a systematic and theory-driven phonological description. Sabu (Hawu), a regional language spoken in one of the provinces of Indonesia, East Nusa Tenggara, has received limited phonological attention, particularly with respect to its consonant inventory and distributional patterns. A comprehensive description of its consonantal system is essential not only for advancing linguistic research but also for supporting ongoing efforts in language documentation and preservation. The objectives of this study are: (1) to identify and establish the consonant phoneme inventory of Sabu, (2) to analyze the distribution of consonant phonemes according to syllabic positions— namely word-initial, medial, and final positions—and (3) to describe the phonological characteristics of Sabu consonants based on articulatory features, including place of articulation, manner of articulation, and voicing. In addition, the study examines phonotactic patterns related to consonant occurrence within the syllable structure of the language. The theoretical framework is grounded in contemporary segmental phonology, which conceptualizes phonemes as abstract units defined by distinctive features and their contrastive functions in meaning differentiation. The analysis adopts recent developments in phonological theory as presented by Carlos Gussenhoven and Jacobs (2024), emphasizing the interaction between segmental structure, phonemic distribution, and phonological environments. Articulatory classification and phonetic interpretation are supported by modern phonetic-phonological approaches (Ladefoged & Johnson, 2015), while phonetic transcription follows the standards established by the International Phonetic Association (2015). This research employs a qualitative descriptive method. The data consist of spoken Sabu language collected from native speakers through controlled elicitation, linguistic interviews, and recordings of natural speech. Informants were selected based on strict linguistic criteria, namely native competence and active daily use of the language. The recorded data were transcribed using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and analyzed using distributional techniques, including minimal pair analysis and identification of phonological environments, to determine the phonemic status of each consonant. This study are expected to yield a systematic and theoretically grounded description of the Sabu consonant system, contributing to the broader field of Austronesian and regional language phonology. Moreover, the results are anticipated to serve as a valuable reference for further linguistic research and as a foundational resource for sustainable language documentation and preservation initiatives.