Inalienable and Alienable Possession of Body-Part Lexemes in Acehnese: A Case Study of the Pidie Dialect

The concept of inalienable and alienable possession of body parts highlights unique linguistic phenomena frequently used by Acehnese speakers, particularly in the Pidie dialect. These phenomena exhibit distinct control within clause structures, especially regarding alienable possession. Although similar cases have been explored in various languages, they have not been thoroughly examined in Acehnese. Previous studies have not identified significant differences in inalienability, particularly concerning the semantic role of body parts as autonomous agents. This study aims to systematically investigate the possession of body parts in Acehnese, focusing on these distinctions as the primary objective of the research. Employing a qualitative approach, the study uses descriptive methods to analyze grammatical phenomena based on Van Valin's Role and Reference Grammar (RRG) theory (2005). The research identifies relevant parameters, including the use of Acehnese prefixes teu- and meu-, adjectives, and verb types as predicates in sentence structures involving body parts. Data were collected through observations and interviews. The findings indicate that certain body parts can function as both autonomous and non-autonomous subjects across different sentence structures. Furthermore, the study reveals that these two models of body-part possession are influenced by cultural norms and are expressed in both normative and phraseological clauses. By exploring the role and significance of inalienable possession, this research provides valuable insights into how Acehnese speakers conceptualize and express body-part-related speech patterns, contributing to a deeper understanding of the language and its cultural context.