THE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN USING DERIVATIONAL SUFFIXES IN WORD FORMATION

Abstract

This study is aimed to describe the students’ ability in using derivational suffixes in word formation. Word formation is one of the important aspects in vocabulary building because the students can know how to create new
words through kinds of processes, by using compounding, blending, clipping, acronyms, affixes, etc. The design of the research is descriptive quantitative. This study assigned 58 students of the second semester of English Department
in academic year 2014/2015 as the population and sample of the study. Data of this study were the students’ scores in vocabulary test about derivational suffixes used in word formations. The vocabulary test as the instrument of the
study was in the form of written test in the type of short essay test. Relying on descriptive quantitative design, the data obtained were analyzed by using descriptive statistics which were focused on mean score and rate percentage.
The research revealed the following findings: (1) The students’ ability in using derivational suffixes in word formation of the second semester of English Department of University of Kutai Kartanegara in academic year 2014/2015
was good. This fact was supported by the students’ mean score was 67.89 which was on B grade (good level); (2) The scores distribution of the students’ ability in using derivational suffixes in word formation of the second semester of
English Department of University of Kutai Kartanegara in academic year 2014/2015 were in five criteria ranged from A to E grade. It was found that 11 or 18.97% of the students got A (excellent) level, 2 3 or 39.66% of the
students obtained B (good) level, 15 or 25.86% of the students gained C (fair) level, 6 or 10.34% of the students got D (poor) level, and 3 or 5.17% of the students got E (failed) level. It meant that from 58 students, 49 or 84.49% were
successful, and 9 or 15.51% of the students were fail in using derivational affixes in word formation.

Keywords: Affixes, Derivational Suffixes, Word Formation, Ability, Vocabulary Building