Dense process nominalization

Level 5

The peN-...-an circumfix transforms verbs into nouns that describe the 'act' or 'process' of doing something. It is a hallmark of formal Indonesian (Bahasa Baku).

How It Works

The peN-...-an circumfix is primarily used in formal contexts like journalism, law, and academia. Its nasal alternations broadly parallel the meN- prefix.

1. Morphophonemic Rules:
The 'N' in the prefix changes based on the first letter of the root word:

t → n: terap (apply) → penerapan (application)
k → ng: kembang (develop) → pengembangan (development)
s → ny: sesuai (fit/adjust) → penyesuaian (adjustment)
p → m: pilih (choose) → pemilihan (selection)

2. Monosyllabic Roots:
If the root word has only one syllable, the prefix changes to penge-, similar to the menge- allomorph. For example: cat (paint) → pengecatan (the act of painting).

3. Dropping Verbal Suffixes:
When nominalizing verbs that use -kan or -i, these suffixes are almost always dropped. For example, menerapkan becomes penerapan (not penerapankan) and memanasi (to heat) becomes pemanasan (heating).

4. The 'Chain' Effect:
In formal Indonesian, writers can combine multiple peN-...-an nouns to discuss actions as concepts. This does not itself make a claim objective or authoritative. This is known as 'dense nominalization.' Instead of saying 'The government developed and applied the plan,' a formal text would say 'The development and application of the plan by the government...'

5. Nuance vs. ke-...-an:
Unlike ke-...-an, which usually denotes a state or condition, peN-...-an commonly denotes an act or process, but established meanings overlap. For example, kesadaran is the state of being 'aware,' while penyadaran is the act of 'making someone aware.'

6. peN-...-an vs. per-...-an:
It is important to distinguish between these two. Generally, peN-...-an corresponds to active meN- verbs (transitive processes), while per-...-an corresponds to ber- verbs (intransitive processes or results). For example, pengembangan is the act of developing something, whereas perkembangan is the resulting growth or development itself.

Examples (5)

Penerapan aturan baru itu memerlukan penyesuaian diri dari seluruh karyawan.
The application of that new rule requires self-adjustment from all employees.
Word by Word: Application rule new that require adjustment self from all employee.
This sentence uses two process nouns: 'penerapan' (from 'terap') and 'penyesuaian' (from 'sesuai').
Pengecatan pagar sekolah dilakukan untuk menyambut hari kemerdekaan.
The painting of the school fence is done to welcome independence day.
Word by Word: Painting fence school done for welcome day independence.
For the monosyllabic root 'cat' (paint), the prefix becomes 'penge-', resulting in 'pengecatan'.
Pemerintah fokus pada pengembangan ekonomi dan pemerataan kesejahteraan.
The government is focusing on economic development and the equalization of welfare.
Word by Word: Government focus on development economy and equalization welfare.
This demonstrates a chain of process nouns. 'Pengembangan' (active development) is contrasted with 'pemerataan' (the act of making equal).
Pemanasan global mengakibatkan pencairan es di kutub.
Global warming results in the melting of ice at the poles.
Word by Word: Heating global result-in melting ice at pole.
Note that 'pemanasan' is derived from 'memanasi' (to heat), where the '-i' suffix is dropped in the nominal form.
Penyusunan laporan itu terhambat oleh kurangnya data.
The compilation of that report was hindered by the lack of data.
Word by Word: Compilation report that hindered by lack-of-nya data.
'Penyusunan' (the act of compiling) functions as the subject, a hallmark of formal Indonesian nominal style.

Common Mistakes

Failing to apply nasalization rules (forgetting to drop the initial consonant).
pengkembangan
pengembangan
Just like the meN- prefix, the initial 'k' in 'kembang' must be replaced by 'ng' when adding the peN- prefix.
Splitting the derived noun pencucian.
Saya sedang melakukan pen cucian baju.
Saya sedang melakukan pencucian baju.
Write pencucian as one word. The corrected sentence is grammatical in conversation too; Saya sedang mencuci baju is a shorter alternative, not a correction to an otherwise forbidden noun.
Confusing peN-...-an with per-...-an.
perbatasan biaya
pembatasan biaya
'Pembatasan' is the act of limiting (process), while 'perbatasan' usually refers to a physical border (location).

How It Connects

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

Dense process nominalizationLevel 5

Learn This First

To understand the peN-...-an nominalization chain, a learner must first understand the individual peN-...-an process noun prefix-suffix combination. Additionally, they need to be fluent in the nasalization rules (allomorphs) that change based on the root's initial letter, as these chains often involve multiple complex roots. Finally, understanding how nouns are linked through juxtaposition (noun + possessor/modifier) is essential for parsing how these process nouns relate to one another in a sentence.

peN-...-anProcess Nouns with PeN-...-an
The chain is composed of multiple peN-...-an nominalizations, so the basic process noun formation must be understood first.
Level 3

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Words in This Pattern

peng- -an

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