English, German and Indonesian nominalizations: a contrastive study and their application in teaching English to Indonesian learners of German

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the process of nominalization in English, German, and Indonesian, utilizing a contrastive analysis approach, and to apply the findings to teaching English to Indonesian learners of German. Design/methodology/approach This mixed-method study used an exploratory sequential design. The qualitative method used contrastive analysis to focus on the nominalization process in English, Indonesian, and German, and the quantitative method assessed student responses related to the developed English teaching material. Findings The study found similarities and differences in the nominalization process between the languages, with nominalization occurring by adding various affixations. Most students considered the learning materials developed based on the findings of contrastive analysis to help understand the nominalization process in English. Practical implications The study’s findings hold significant implications for the global application of foreign language teaching, particularly in English as the first foreign language (FL1) or as the second foreign language (FL2). The research suggests that an effective method of teaching English grammar involves providing examples equivalent to those used in the learner’s first language or other languages. These results may contribute to developing pedagogical practices and enhancing language learners' proficiency in FL1 and FL2 contexts. Originality/value This study contributes to the existing literature by comparing the nominalization process in German, Indonesian, and English and explaining how the results of contrastive analysis can be applied in teaching English to Indonesian students majoring in German.