<![CDATA[This research was conducted diachronically. The object of this research is the PM phonemes which experienced retention and innovation in Melayu Tamiang language which observed the diachronic perspective. The data used in this research are 400 vocabularies. It was collected in Durian Village, Rantau District; Rantau Bintang Village, Bandar Pusaka District; Sekerak Kanan Village, Sekerak District and Bandar Khalifah Village, Tamiang Hulu District. The data was collected using listening and speaking method along with registering and recording techniques. The data were analysed using qualitative method. Diachronically, the result of the research showed that PM vowels, such as /*a/, /*ə/, /*i/ and /*u/ are still passed down by BMT until now. However, there are innovation occurred to *u < /U/ and *a < /ɔ/ vowels. Similarly, some PM consonants such as /*b/, /*d/, /*g/, /*h/, /*j/, /*k/, /*l/, /*m/, /*n/, /*p/, /* r/, /*s/, /*t/, /*w/, /*y/, /*ñ/, /*ŋ/ and /*ˀ/ are still maintained by BMT, while the consonant phonemes which experienced innovation are *h < Ø/ , *k < /ˀ/, *l < /ˀ/, *r < /R/ , *s < /h/ and *t < /ˀ/. ABSTRAKAbstrakPenelitian Protobahasa Melayik ini dilakukan secara diakronis. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mendeskripsikan fonem protobahasa Melayik (PM) yang mengalami retensi dan inovasi pada bahasa Melayu Tamiang (BMT) ditinjau dari persepektif diakronis. Data yang digunakan sebanyak 400 kosakata. Pengumpulan data dilakukan di Kampung Durian, Kec. Rantau, Desa Rantau Bintang, Kec. Bandar Pusaka, Desa Sekerak Kanan, Kec. Sekerak, dan Desa Bandar Khalifah, Kec. Tamiang Hulu. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan metode simak dan cakap dengan teknik catat dan rekam. Data dianalisis dengan menerapkan metode kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa fonem vokal PM seperti /*a/, /*ə/, /*i/, dan /*u/ masih diwariskan oleh BMT hingga kini. Namun inovasi terjadi pada vokal *u < /U/ dan *a < /ɔ/. Inovasi terjadi dengan sejumlah fonem konsonan PM, seperti /*b/, /*d/, /*g/, /*h/, /*j/, /*k/, /*l/, /*m/, /*n/, /*p/, /* r/, /*s/, /*t/, /*w/, /*y/, /*ñ/, /*ŋ/, dan /*ˀ/ masih dipertahankan oleh BMT sampai saat ini. Fonem konsonan yang mengalami inovasi adalah * h < Ø/ , *k < /ˀ/, *l < /ˀ/, *r < /R/ , *s < /h/ dan *t < /ˀ/.]]>
