Phenomena of Phonological Changes in the Formal Speech of Sixth Grade Students

Abstract

This study aims to identify the types of phonological errors that appear in the speech practices of elementary school students and to understand the factors that influence these errors. The background of this study is driven by the gap between the expected speaking skills in Indonesia language learning and the fact that many students still experience unclear pronunciation when giving speeches. The research was conducted at a public elementary school in the city of Serang using a qualitative descriptive method. Data were collected through documentation and observation using the Simak Bebas Libat Cakap (SLBC) technique, which involved recording the oral speech practices of 39 sixth grade students. The recordings were then transcribed using note taking techniques and analyzed by classifying the types of phonological errors in each utterance. The results showed that the most common phonological errors were sound simplification, particularly final sound deletion, assimilation, and monophtongization. In addition, several other forms of changes, such as dissimilation, metathesis, dipthongization, syncope, apocope, and paragoge, also appear although not consistently. These findings show that daily language habits and pressure when performing in public are factors that influence the accuracy of students pronunciation. This study emphasizes the importance of phonological guidance in speech training to minimize pronunciation errors, The learning of speaking skills needs to be designed more comprehensively by emphasizing articulation accuracy through pronunciation models, repetitive exercises, and the use of voice recordings for self-reflection.