CHAPTER I 
                                                          INTRODUCTION 
                                                                      
                                       This chapter introduces the nature of present study and theoretical 
                               foundation of the research. It begins with research background, focus of the 
                               study, the questions of the research, aims of research, significance of the 
                               research,    theoretical   foundation,   previous    research,    and  research 
                               methodology. 
                                  
                         1.1   Research Background 
                                      This  study  is  primarily  intended  to  capture  the  fossilized  error  of 
                               phonetic  in  English  Foreign  Language  (EFL)  learners  in  the  process  of 
                               learning language. EFL learners produce a type of language that is different 
                               from both mother tongue and the target language. This case deals with the 
                               American linguist Larry Selinker (1970) the term of Interlanguage (IL). He 
                               describes IL as “a separate linguistic system based on the observable output 
                               which results from a learner’s attempted production of a target language” 
                               (Selinker, 1974:214). Interlanguage has the system of own language that is 
                               different  from  mother tongue or language which is being learned (target 
                               language) and made as a system of natural language. There are several terms 
                               in interlanguage system: the first term is Transitional Competence, proposed 
                               by Corder (1977) to give focus to the reality that the language learners are 
                               developing the language knowledge that the system target is for a while; the 
                               second term is Idiosyncratic Dialect, given by Corder (1977) to emphasize a 
                               view that learner in a certain time using special dialect that is had by the 
                               learners, so that it is futuristic or special individually by the learners; the 
                               third  term  is  Approximative  System,  proposed  by  Nemser  (1971)  to 
                               emphasize that the learner’s language has own system that approximative. 
                                      In  developing  Selinker’s  hypothesis,  Adjemian  (1976)  add  three 
                               characteristics  in  IL  system,  such  as:  Systematically,  Permeability,  and 
                               Fossilization.  Systematically  is  emphasizing  to  hypothesis  that  IL  is  the 
                               natural language which is a language has structure and it can be analyzed 
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               systematically.  Permeability  explain  that  language  is  very  easy  to 
               intervention, because the system of mother tongue and the target language. 
               Fossilization  is  a  process  of  the  system  end  to  target  language.  The 
               Fossilization  happens  to  the  foreign  language  learners,  because  some 
               particular  errors  have  become  natural  (Selinker  and  Lakshamanan 
               (1977:197)).  Fossilization  occurred  unconsciously  and  spontaneously,  it 
               become crucial since the mastering of foreign language is measured with 
               how close the learner speaks to the target language. 
                  There  are  some  researchers  that  research  fossilization,  such  as: 
               Hasbun  (2007),  Wei  (2008),  Syarif  (2013),  Wangjinan  (2011),  Ghasemi 
               (2003), Santiago (2010), Nilawati (2008), Nozadze (2012), Rahal (2014), 
               Gardner  (2013),  Shroudner  (2009),  Fauziati  (2011)  are  some  of  many 
               people who study the implication of interlanguage fossilization in second 
               language  acquisition.  Then  the  other  researchers  that  research  errors 
               analysis and phonetic errors are: Iseni (2011), Luthfiyani (2014), Davidson 
               (2011), Lord (2008), Mennen (2006), Hansen (2007), Demirezen (2010), 
               Zhang (2007), Kahraman (2013) they are some people who study the errors 
               analysis and phonetic errors in second language acquisition learners. 
                  One  important  finding  from  research  suggests  that  “fossilization” 
               Selinker (1972), it is the fossilization happens to foreign language learners 
               because some particular errors have become natural for them. That is way 
               the researcher will explore further in this area especially about fossilization 
               in  EFL  learners.  Selinker  (1972),  says  that  “fossilizable  linguistic 
               phenomena  are  linguistic  item,  rules,  and  subsystem  which  speaker  of 
               particular native language will tend to keep in their interlanguage relative to 
               a  particular  target  language,  no  matter  what  the  age  of  the  learner  is  or 
               amount of explanation and instruction he receives in the target language”. 
                  This  study  is  to  investigate  the  fossilization  in  English  foreign 
               language learners. This research was motivated from the fossilized error of 
               phonetic, because the fossilized error of phonetic will confuse the speaker 
               itself and the hearer even though the conversation will not fail. It means that 
               in this case is included phonology and phonetic analysis. Phonology and 
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               phonetic  is  the  study  of  phoneme.  Phoneme  can  be  defined  as  smallest 
               sound unit that distinguish the meaning. Phonology is the study of sounds 
               system language or the rules that govern pronunciation and phonetics is the 
               study of speech that occurs in all human language to represent the meaning. 
               It  is  clear  that  to  explore  the  fossilization  of  phonetic  errors  in  English 
               foreign language learners is important, in order that they can practice and 
               communicate their English properly.  
                  The fossilized error of phonetic in English foreign language learners 
               explored deeply in this research has been done at MTsN Palimanan. MTsN 
               Palimanan is the Islamic school in Palimanan, Cirebon. The address is in the 
               area of Islamic boarding school KH. Romli Cholil, Balerante Palimanan. 
               The researcher has observed class VIII E of MTsN Palimanan. The research 
               observed  class  VIII  E  of  MTsN  Palimanan  because  in  this  class  the 
               researcher  can  self  monitoring  the  learners  when  the  researcher  teaches 
               them, and then the researcher can know the fossilized error of phonetic that 
               commonly produced by the learners in the learning process. The learners in 
               class VIII E of MTsN Palimanan have different background knowledge and 
               different purpose to study English. Of course, from the learners some of 
               errors have been produced by them and also the fossilized error of phonetic 
               have been found when they practice to speak English.  
                  Based on the reasons and statements above, the researcher tries to 
               identify  the  fossilized  error  of  phonetic  in  EFL  learners  of  MTsN 
               Palimanan. This study is needed to be researched in order to identify the 
               fossilized  error  of  phonetic  in  EFL  learners  of  MTsN  Palimanan  and  to 
               identify the fossilized error that change phoneme in EFL learners. 
                   
                   
                   
                   
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                         1.2   Focus of the Study 
                                      This research is focused on what the fossilized of phonetic errors are 
                               commonly  produced  by  English  foreign  language  learners  and  what  do 
                               fossilized errors change the phoneme of the EFL learners. The researcher 
                               intends  to  identify  the  fossilized  error  of  phonetic  in  English  foreign 
                               language learners at MTsN Palimanan class VIII E. There are many errors 
                               produced by the EFL learners when practice or speak English in the learning 
                               process, the fossilized error of phonetic is one of this important problems. 
                               We usually confused when the speaker or learner produce the fossilized 
                               error of phonetic then the hearer does not understand what the speaker mean 
                               even though the conversation not fail, but the hearer can misunderstanding 
                               because of the fossilized itself. 
                                      Based on the statement above, the researcher would like to limit the 
                               study in order to avoid the unfocused study. The researcher not only focuses 
                               on what the fossilized errors of phonetic are commonly produced by English 
                               foreign language learners and what do fossilized errors change the phoneme 
                               of the EFL learners. 
                         1.3   The Questions of the Research 
                                      Based  on  research  background  stated  above,  the  researcher  has 
                               questions then the questions answered in this investigation. The problems 
                               concern with the fossilized error of phonetic in English foreign language 
                               learners  at  students  of  MTsN  Palimanan.  The  problems  have  been 
                               summarized into two points: 
                               1)  What fossilized errors of phonetic are commonly produced by English 
                                    foreign language learners?  
                               2)  What do fossilize errors change the phoneme of the EFL learners?