Phonetic-Phonological and Lexical Comparison Between Bukittinggi and Sijunjung Sub-dialect of Minangkabaunese

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the phonetic-phonological and lexical differences and similarities between the Bukittinggi and Sijunjung sub-dialect of Minangkabaunese. Although both sub-dialects are part of the same language family, there are geographical differences between these sub-dialect. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method with data collected through direct interviews. A total of 216 words, based on the Swadesh List, were used as research instruments, and data were obtained from 10 native speakers of each sub-dialect. The findings show that 132 of the 216 words exhibit variation, with 111 representing phonetic-phonological changes and 21 showing lexical differences. Prominent phonetic-phonological patterns include the substitution of the phoneme /r/ in Bukittinggi sub-dialect  into /w/or /ɣ/ in Sijunjung sub-dialect, vowel shifts such as /a/ in Bukittinggi sub-dialect becoming /ɔ/ or /ə/in Sijunjung sub-dialect, and the deletion of /h/ in final position in the Sijunjung sub-dialect. Lexical variation also exists, with different vocabulary used for the same meaning. Based on Guiter’s dialectometric formula, the percentage difference between the two sub-dialects is calculated at 61,1%, categorized as dialect variation. The outcomes of this research contribute to a deeper understanding of Minangkabaunese dialectology.