The Second International Conference on Education and Language (2 nd ICEL) 2014 ISSN 2303-1417 Bandar Lampung University (UBL), Indonesia II-254 DISTINCTIVE FEATURE OF PHONEME IN SAVUNESE LANGUAGE Rudolof Jibrael Isu English Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Sciences, Universitas PGRI Kupang- Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia Corresponding email: rudi_ling@yahoo.com Abstract Savunese language later shortened (Sl) is a regional language used by East Nusa Tenggara people particularly Sabu and Raijua. The area of using Savunese language can be found in Ipi/Ende regency, Aimere/Ngada regency, Melolo/East Sumba regency, Kupang city, Kupang regency, Soe regency, Kefa regency and Belu regency; the function of Savunese language as introductory language for Savunese people in the overseas still functions properly because of traditional lifestyle of the group based on the origin and interest which is still very dominant. In this paper I attempt to appoint the mistery of the distinctive feature of phoneme in Savunese language, is a concern to bring back the uniqueness of Savunese language which has undergone a lot of developments. The determination of consonant features according Optimization Theory based on the following criteria: (1) classification based on place of articulation , (2) classification based on the sound , (3) classification based on nasality , and (4) classification based on continuity (continuation). While the determination of vowel in Savunese language. Structural or transformational-generative idiology uses high, mid, low, front, back, round, and non round in classifying vowel. Unlike the Structural ideology, Generative ideology describes vowel by using distinctive features [high], [back.], [round.], and [low]. Keywords: feature, consonant, vowel 1. INTRODUCTION Savunese language later shortened (Sl) is a regional language used by East Nusa Tenggara people particularly Savunese and Raijua. The area of its use is quite extensive and not restricted to the island of Savu and Raijua, but spread throughout the East Nusa Tenggara province. This extensive spread is caused by the number of Savunese people who immigrated to other areas such as; Timor island, Flores, and Sumba which lasted since Dutch colonial era. This displacement does not cause them to forget their native culture. We can find them in Ipi/Ende regency, Aimere/Ngada regency, Melolo/East Sumba Regency, Kupang city, Kupang Regency, Soe Regency, Kefamenanu Regency and Belu Regency; The function of Savunese language as introductory language for Savunese people in a foreign region still functions properly because of traditional lifestyle of the groups based on the origin and interest, which is still very dominant, thus in these areas can be found many places’ name which called “Kampung Sabu” or Savunese Village (Padje, Daud., Padje, G. R. H., and Akiko Kagiya, 2007; Dictionary of Sabu – Indonesia – Inggris). Despite the efforts to keep the tradition is going well, but in its development, the influence of Indonesian and local languages has led to the emergence of cultural transformation, which results in the emergence of Savunese language with local dialect. Therefore, I attempt to uncover the mistery of the distinctive feature of phoneme in Savunese language, which is a concern to bring back the uniqueness of Savunese language that has undergone many developments.