Interlanguage development among the learners of Indonesian language in Paris

Abstract

A greater comprehension of the learning process and the difficulties encountered by non-native learners is imperative given the increasing interest in learning Indonesian, especially among non-native speakers. This study looks at the interlanguage of beginning French learners of Indonesian as a Foreign Language. The main goal is to look at the several kinds of grammatical, syntactic, and lexical errors that appear in their written sentences. This research attempts to determine how learners' native language affects their learning of Indonesian by concentrating on typical mistakes in prepositional usage, adverbial application, word/phrase organization, vocabulary selection, and spelling/capitalization. The study employed a three-phase approach: data collection, data analysis, and interpretation. Data were gathered from written texts produced by beginner-level learners at the Indonesian Embassy in Paris, all of whom had completed at least one semester of instruction. The analysis identified and categorized the language inaccuracies, highlighting the frequency of errors and their correlation with the learners’ interlanguage development. The findings reveal that lexical errors, particularly in spelling, were the most frequent (35.84%), followed by syntactic errors in vocabulary selection (30.18%) and word/phrase arrangement (13.83%). Grammatical errors related to preposition (7.05%) and adverb (5.03%) usage were also significant. These errors are not isolated; rather, they reflect the learners' attempts to internalize Indonesian while being influenced by their native French linguistic structures. Examples such as the misuse of "di" for "ke" and "sudah" for "sedang" underscore the challenges learners face in differentiating between Indonesian and French grammar. This study concludes that these inaccuracies are indicative of the learners’ developing interlanguage, where their understanding of Indonesian rules is still evolving. The insights gained underscore the importance of contrastive analysis, targeted feedback, and adaptive teaching methods to help learners overcome these challenges. By addressing these issues, educators can enhance the effectiveness of BIPA programs, fostering greater proficiency in Indonesian among non-native speakers.