VCE Indonesian First Language flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Ragam formal vs informal

Indonesian register distinction: formal uses 'Anda', full affixes and no contractions; informal uses 'kamu' or 'lu', shortened forms and looser affixation. Register must match audience and task purpose.

Kami versus kita

Both mean 'we', but 'kami' excludes the person addressed while 'kita' includes them. Choosing wrongly changes who is claimed to share the action or opinion.

Reduplication of nouns

Repeating a noun marks plurality or variety, as in 'buku-buku' (books) and 'sayur-mayur' (vegetables). Reduplication never encodes tense or aspect in Indonesian.

Address terms Bapak and Ibu

Titles placed before a name or used alone to address adults respectfully. Omitting a title can sound abrupt, so role-play and letter tasks require consistent use.

Politeness markers tolong and silakan

'Tolong' frames a request for help; 'silakan' invites or permits. Swapping them changes the illocutionary force, so match the marker to the communicative function required.

Self-introduction sequence

Modelled order: name, origin with 'berasal dari', occupation or study, then one interest. Following the sequence produces coherent spoken and written introductions in assessed tasks.

Ber- versus meN- verbs

'Ber-' typically marks states, possession or intransitive activity ('bersekolah', 'bekerja'); 'meN-' marks transitive action on an object. The choice affects whether an object is expected.

Greeting by time of day

'Selamat pagi' until roughly 11 a.m., 'selamat siang' midday, 'selamat sore' late afternoon, 'selamat malam' at night. Reply to 'Apa kabar?' with 'Baik, terima kasih'.

Report text structure

General classification of the topic followed by description by parts, functions or habits. Reports present generalised facts without personal opinion or narrative complication.

Procedure text sequencing

Materials are listed first, then steps in imperative form linked by 'pertama', 'kedua', 'setelah itu', 'akhirnya'. Goals are stated at the start of the text.

Explanation text conjunctions

Explanations answer why or how, using causal links such as 'karena', 'sebab', 'oleh karena itu' and 'akibatnya'. Sequence alone is insufficient without causal connection.

Passive di- in reporting

The prefix 'di-' foregrounds the process or object rather than the agent, as in 'Sampah diangkut setiap pagi'. Preferred in news and procedural writing where the actor is unimportant.

News lead paragraph

The opening paragraph answers what happened, who was involved, when and where. Quotations are introduced with 'kata' or 'menurut' before or after the spoken clause.

Cohesive devices for contrast

'Namun', 'tetapi' and 'sementara itu' signal contrast or simultaneity, while 'selain itu' adds. Varying these avoids repetitive 'dan' chains that weaken formal writing.

Hedging quantities

Expressions such as 'sebagian besar', 'hampir semua' and 'setengah' qualify claims. They replace unsupported absolutes like 'semua orang' in informational and argumentative texts.

Nominalisation in formal texts

Converting verbs into nouns with 'peN-...-an' or 'ke-...-an', as 'membuang' to 'pembuangan'. This condenses clauses and is characteristic of formal informational Indonesian.

Narrative text structure

Orientation establishes setting and characters, complication introduces conflict, resolution settles it, and an optional coda states a moral reflection. Assessed in imaginative writing tasks.

Lexical past marking

Indonesian verbs do not inflect for tense; past time is shown by adverbs and phrases such as 'pada suatu hari', 'ketika itu' and 'akhirnya'. Omitting them makes narrative time unclear.

Direct speech punctuation

Quoted words sit inside quotation marks with a comma before the reporting clause, as in '"Saya akan pergi," kata Ibu.' Reported speech removes quotation marks and shifts pronouns.

Relative clause with yang

'Yang' links a describing clause to a noun, as in 'seorang gadis yang tinggal di desa'. It allows characterisation without starting a new sentence.

Peribahasa and cultural values

Traditional sayings such as 'Air beriak tanda tak dalam' carry shared values. Analysing them requires stating the literal image and the moral or social message it conveys.

Ter- accidental prefix

'Ter-' marks unintended or involuntary states and actions, as 'terjatuh' (fell accidentally) or 'tertidur' (fell asleep). It contrasts with deliberate 'meN-' forms.

Gotong royong

A cultural value of mutual assistance, where community members share unpaid work for a common goal. Frequently examined as a theme in narrative and discussion texts about community life.

Musyawarah and mufakat

Deliberation aimed at consensus rather than majority vote. The pair often appears in texts about village governance and is used to illustrate Indonesian decision-making values.

Discussion text structure

The text states an issue, presents arguments for, presents arguments against, then closes with a conclusion or recommendation. Balance between the two sides is the key structural requirement.

Hortatory versus analytical exposition

Both argue a thesis with evidence, but hortatory exposition ends with a recommendation to act, while analytical exposition restates the thesis without urging action.

Concession and rebuttal frame

Patterns such as 'Memang benar bahwa..., tetapi...' acknowledge the opposing view before countering it. They demonstrate balanced reasoning and are rewarded in argumentative tasks.

Evaluative adjectives and stance

Words like 'efektif', 'merugikan' and 'berkelanjutan' reveal the writer's judgement. Neutral reporting avoids them so that facts are not presented as opinion.

Citation framing language

Phrases such as 'menurut data', 'berdasarkan penelitian' and 'sebuah studi menunjukkan bahwa' attribute claims to sources. Claims lacking such framing are treated as unsupported assertions.

Conditional markers jika and asalkan

'Jika' or 'apabila' introduces a general condition with a 'maka' result; 'asalkan' means 'provided that'. Using 'jika' where English 'when' is meant is a common error.

Debate functions in spoken Indonesian

Four assessed moves: menyanggah (rebut), menyetujui (agree), mengklarifikasi (clarify) and menyimpulkan (summarise). Each has conventional openers that signal the function to the listener.

Persuasive modality

Modals such as 'seharusnya', 'perlu' and 'harus' express degrees of obligation and recommendation. Stronger modals suit recommendations, weaker ones suit tentative suggestions.