Linguistic Incorporation in the Mandailing Language: Analyzing Instrumental and Objective Incorporation for Language Structure and Education

Linguistic incorporation occurs when phrase components merge into a single verb, creating a more complex meaning. This study examines instrumental incorporation, where a tool or instrument integrates into the verb, and objective incorporation, where the object of a sentence is directly embedded into the verb. The research aims to identify and analyze instances of instrumental and objective incorporation in the Mandailing language. Data were collected using purposive sampling and interviews with native Mandailing speakers in Sibuhuan, Padang Lawas. The results show that objective incorporation occurs in words like marsidoka (giving alms), makkobari (advising), and mardahan (cooking rice), which are more concise because the object merges into the verb. Instrumental incorporation is observed in mangarabi (harvesting with a sickle) and manaba (cutting with a machete), where the instrument modifies the verb’s meaning and structure. This study contributes to linguistics and language education by highlighting how incorporation enhances efficiency, sentence structure, and language preservation.