pertanggungjawaban

Accountability Nominalization

Level 5

Pertanggungjawaban is a formal Indonesian noun derived from the compound root tanggung jawab (responsibility). It refers to the formal process of being held accountable or the act of justifying one's actions to an authority.

How It Works

1. Morphological Structure
This word is formed using the per-...-an circumfix applied to the compound root tanggung jawab. A key rule in Indonesian orthography is that when a compound word receives both a prefix and a suffix, the space between the words is removed. Therefore, it is written as one word: pertanggungjawaban.

2. Usage and Register
This term is common in legal, governmental, and corporate Indonesian, and can also occur in ordinary discussion of accountability. It is used to describe:

The obligation to explain or justify actions (Accountability).
Accountability expressed through a report, especially in the phrase laporan pertanggungjawaban (accountability report).
The moral or legal state of being answerable to others.

3. Nuance vs. Tanggung Jawab
Use tanggung jawab for the trait or duty itself (e.g., 'He is a man of responsibility'). Use pertanggungjawaban for the formal process or the 'accounting' of that duty (e.g., 'The committee must provide accountability for the budget').

Examples (4)

Pemerintah harus memberikan pertanggungjawaban atas penggunaan dana publik.
The government must provide accountability for the use of public funds.
Word by Word: Government must give accountability over use fund public.
Here, the word refers to the abstract concept of being answerable to the public.
Laporan pertanggungjawaban (LPJ) itu harus diserahkan paling lambat akhir bulan ini.
The accountability report (LPJ) must be submitted by the end of this month at the latest.
Word by Word: Report accountability that must be-submitted most late end month this.
In this context, it refers to a specific formal document common in Indonesian organizations.
Setiap tindakan pemimpin memerlukan pertanggungjawaban moral kepada rakyat.
Every action of a leader requires moral accountability to the people.
Word by Word: Every action leader require accountability moral to people.
This demonstrates the use of the term in a philosophical or ethical context.
Dia diminta untuk mempertanggungjawabkan keputusannya di depan rapat.
He/she was asked to account for his/her decision at the meeting.
Word by Word: He/she be-asked to account-for decision-his/her in front-of meeting.
This shows the related verb form mempertanggungjawabkan.

Common Mistakes

Writing the word with a space.
pertanggung jawaban
pertanggungjawaban
In Indonesian, when a compound word (tanggung jawab) receives both a prefix and a suffix, the two words must be joined together.
Using 'penanggungjawaban' instead.
penanggungjawaban
pertanggungjawaban
While 'peN-...-an' is a common nominalizer, 'pertanggungjawaban' is the standard form derived from the verb 'bertanggung jawab'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

pertanggungjawabanLevel 5Accountability Nominalization

Learn This First

Pertanggungjawaban is a complex nominalization of the compound 'tanggung jawab' (responsibility). To understand it, learners need to be familiar with the per-...-an circumfix used for institutional or abstract nouns and the underlying verbal concept of being held accountable.

mempertanggungjawabkanTo Justify or Account for
Understanding the verbal root and the concept of accountability/responsibility is necessary before learning the abstract nominalized form.
Level 5

Words in This Pattern

per- -antanggung jawabtanggung jawab

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