PSYCHOLINGUISTICS : Language Acquisition in Early Childhood

(0-5 years old)

1
Suryani M. Sinaga, 2Bernieke Anggita Rista Damanik
1
[email protected], [email protected]
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris,
Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar

Abstract
The purpose of this study is to find out and gain knowledge about how children learn
language through learning what they hear and using the words they already know in
conversation. The descriptive method is used together with a note-taking technique based on
facts from the speakers' everyday life and the phonological aspects of children's language
acquisition process. The study's findings indicate that the subject is proficient with the vowels
[a], [i], [u], [e], [∂], and [o]. Additionally, the research participants could pronounce several
kinds of nouns, verbs, and adjectives. From the previous description, it can be concluded that
environmental influences, particularly those related to the family, have an impact on children's
language acquisition in the phonological domain. This is proved by the amount of vocabulary
that children acquire both within and outside of their family.
Keywords : Language acquisition, childhood, psycholinguistics, learning

I. INTRODUCTION
Language is a means of communication that humans have developed since birth. At the
early beginning of the newborn's life, he does not yet have the ability to communicate with
others. The language of a child that begins with the acquisition of the first language is often
referred to as the mother tongue. Language acquisition is a lengthy process that begins when a
child does not know a language and ends when he is able to speak. After then, the mother
tongue is gained, and at a given age, the kid learns another language or second language, which
is known as a treasure or new information. The mother tongue was the first language that
humans learned from birth through interaction with their families and the social environment
in which they grew. Language is an arbitrary sound symbols used by a social group to interact,
communicate, and identify. (Kridalaksana, 2002:121). Furthermore, Owen (Solehan) 2011)
describes how words can is defined as received code. Social or traditional systems To express
the concept through Use the desired symbols. And the combination of the symbols set. (by
provision). Maksan (1993:20) defines language acquisition as a process of mastery that occurs
instinctively, implicitly, and informally. According to Dardjowidjojo (2003), language
acquisition is the natural process of language mastering that a child goes through when learning
his or her mother tongue. It is impossible for someone to suddenly have comprehensive
grammar and mental norms. A child learns their first language in a series of phases, each
bringing them closer to adult grammar.
 The word acquisition refers to the concept of acquisition. This word refers to the process
of acquiring a new language as part of a person's early growth (Darmojuwono, 2005: 24).
Children will intuitively perceive language as a tool of communication with others.
The first language that a child learns is his or her mother tongue (Dardjowidjojo, 2003: 213).
According to Tarigan (1988:33), without participation in formal learning activities, language
acquisition is a process of acquiring language skills such as spontaneous understanding or
expression. Furthermore, Dardjowidjojo (2003: 213) asserts that when children learn their
mother tongue, they naturally go through a process of language acquisition, which is the
process of mastering a language. Salnita (2019:8) describes a child's language development as
a continuum from simple one-word speech to increasingly complicated combinations of words
and sentences. Language learning is typically distinguished from language learning. Language
learning, on the other hand, is the formal process of acquiring a language while following to
the relevant grammar rules. (Chaer, 2003:333). Language acquisition normally happens
organically, instinctively, and within the context of ordinary life.
According to Troike (Troike, 2006: 21), when learning a second language, all of the important
traits that are thought to exist in an early childhood language are also regarded to be present.
Learning a second language often begins when a child is three years old, and they learn it from
others around them who speak it.
In the activity of teaching a child, the primary goal is to develop a curriculum that is based
on the learning experiences that the child gains from playing and that is aligned with the child's
potential and growth goals (Uzer, 2019). Each child's development is unique and varies
depending on their age, environment, and personal circumstances. Language learning is
significantly influenced by the environment in which the child lives. Babies connect with their
social environment from an early age. When a mother allows her child to participate in social
communication, the newborn receives their first exposure to socialization, which teaches them
that the world is a place where people share their feelings. A child learns to be a part of society
through speaking his first language. In certain languages, first language is used to communicate
wishes, emotions, and opinions. Furthermore, children are taught that certain behaviors are
inappropriate to members of their community, and that they should not always be honest about
their emotions.
According to Ni Putu Evi (2020), children's language development occurs through active
learning, observation, and understanding of how to communicate with others. The three stages
of language acquisition in children are detailed below: First, let us look at preschool
development. Preschool development is comprised of three stages: pre-linguistic development,
the single-word stage, and early combination speech. Children form self-concepts during their
prelinguistic development. He's attempting to distance himself from other subjects, people, and
his interactions with objects and behaviors. During the first phase, the child is constantly
striving to understand the names of everything and everyone he sees. Second, there is an
increasing use of blended languages. Third, consider year-over-year increase. This research has
the potential to be useful both theoretically and practically. In theory, understanding how
children learn their first language can help. Parents may also find this study useful in figuring
out their children's speech. The children will be satisfied if the parent understand what the child
says. Parents and children will have easy access to one another. Parents will have special bonds
with their children. Child psychology will gain advantages as a result.
 II. METHODOLOGY
The qualitative research was conducted using descriptive approaches. According to Tohirin
(2013: 3), qualitative research is defined as the use of words or sentences to explain distinct
occurrences encountered by research subjects. According to Nazir (2011: 14), a descriptive
technique examines a group of persons, subjects, or current thinking. Descriptive approaches
are utilized to offer a comprehensive summary of the data collecting outcomes, including
interviews with parents and children as well as direct field observations of the subjects' talks.
Researchers choose descriptive approaches because they provide the most accurate image of a
person, situation, language, symptoms, or group. This study represents data using words or
sentences from Early Childhood Language Mastery. A method in which the researcher acts as
the principal instrument in gathering data about a subject with the goal of interpreting events.
This study describes language acquisition using data from early childhood. Therefore, listening
to and recording young children's speech is one way that information on language development
in early childhood is gathered. Only at that point can the child's linguistic development be
explained.
The main method used in this study is observation of the child who is the topic of the
investigation. Because correct grammar cannot just abruptly form in a child's brain. The level
of first language mastery and a child's linguistic development are connected. This is because
a person acquires his or her first language during childhood. The methods this researcher
employs are recording and observation. Subsequently, the child's comments were recorded by
the researcher, who also listened to what the child had to say. Data is gathered by looking at
and comprehending the language that research participants use. The researcher will record
everything the study participant says, including every word. This study will run for about
three weeks. The data analysis part of this study is divided into three stages: First, decrease.
There are four reduction techniques: a)Transcribing speech data into written form. b)
Transcript result data is then identified. c) Classification is then carried out. d) Finally,
previously classified data is understood. The second stage is the presentation stage. At this
point in the presentation, the classified data is presented in a table format. Third, the stage of
drawing the conclusion. In this third stage, the process of re-verifying the original data is
completed (Huberman, 2014: 19).
III. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Language Development Period
Early childhood first language acquisition observations are divided in three periods, as
follows:

Prelingual Period (age 0-12 months old)

At this period children are still unable to pronounce "spoken language" as it is spoken
by adults, meaning they are not adhering to the rules of the language in question. During this
stage, the infant develops their own language, such as babbling, as a way of speaking to others.
For example :
Word Morfem
baba Papa
 mama Mama
tata Kakak
mammam Makan
mimmi Minum
tutu Susu

Early Lingual Period (1 to 3 years)

Children started to speak their first words during this time, however they weren't fully
formed yet. At this age, words of things, words of character, and words of acts are typically the
first words he learns. It is easier to track the progress of a child's first language when compared
to spoken words. The quantity of words that a child uses indicates the extent of their linguistic
development.
For example :

Word Morfem
matan Makan
num Minum
itut Ikut
okat Coklat
atit Sakit
uwe Kue
atik Cantik
itan Ikan
tabe Cabe
ate Tante

Children frequently employ a word's final letter, such as " tan, which means "makan,"
num, which means "minum," tut which means “ikut,” and so on. Children speak and understand
nouns, verbs, and character words that are similar to what they encounter in their daily lives.
Their parents are able to interpret the message, even though it is their last word.
The following are a few instances of early childhood words:
Word Kata Benda
(Noun) Word Kata Kerja
okat Coklat (makanan) (Verb)
uwe Kue (makanan) matan Makan
itan Ikan (hewan) num Minum
tabe Cabe (Tumbuhan) itut Ikut
ate Tante

Word Kata Sifat

(Adjective)
atit Sakit
atik Cantik
 A child can learn language from the people and things around him. For example, the
child responded "ate" (tante) right away when asked, "Siapa itu nak?" And when someone said,
"Apa itu nak?" With a gesture of his chocolate-filled hand, he added, "Okat." (Coklat), "uwe"
(Kue). At this time, there are still some letter combinations that are difficult to pronounce,
including r, s, k, j, and t.

First Language Acquisition Stage

A child's brain does not instantly have a systematic grammar. The child's language
development and the stage of first language acquisition are connected. The reason for this is
that an individual learned his first language as a child. There are six periods, according to
Ardiana and Syamsul Sodiq (Ardiana dan Sodiq, 2000):
• Acquisitions in the field of phonology
When it comes to phonology, a newborn child's language organ differs significantly from
an adult's. His brain is barely thirty percent of the weight of an adult. Tongue almost fills the
tiny mouth. The mouth will enlarge with age. This expansion provides children with more room
to make language sounds. Basic sounds acquisition is the first step towards learning language's
phonology or lexicon. The basic sounds of the human dialect are /p/, /a/, /i/, /u/, /t/, /c/, /m/, and
so on, according to Jakobson (Ardiana and Sodiq, 2000). The child then starts to replace such
noises with other noises when they are one year old. For example, /p/ and /a/ combined to
generate pa/, while /m/ and /a/ are combined to generate /ma/. The parents then identify the
"word" of the "pa" with the papa and the "ma" with the mama, despite the fact that it is unclear
what the child is required to it could just be an articulation exercise, for example. A child who
can make sound will eventually get better at doing so as time goes on. Speech, cognition, and
environment all have an impact.
• Acquisition in the field of semantics syntax

Semantic acquisition is an essential component for syntax acquisition. A child learns

meaning (semantik) instead of syntax as their first structure. The kids actively take up
information about their environment before they can even speak a word. The child gathers the
meanings of the words he is familiar with. The child's understanding and collection of
knowledge will form his understanding of their world. Language learning starts with an
understanding of meaning. Nomination is one of the earliest manifestations of children
dominance, particularly for those who are familiar with the environment. The research subject
in this study first gained expertise in nomination related to family members and close relatives.
Additionally, the subject has shown the ability to talk about nearby objects that they are
familiar with. The child starts mastering the verb in sections, moving from the generic verb to
the more complex or specific verb, after they have mastered the nomina in their immediate
environment. Words that are used in daily speech, such eating, washing, drinking, and Pi-Pin
(which indicates that the subject wants to watch Upin Ipin). The subject is also able to speak
the adjective word, the word "atik" which means beautiful. The child has already understood
about the adjective and understand the meaning of the good word.
• Acquisition in the field of syntax

At the age of 18 months, an average child begins to form syntax for the first time. However,
some children come out as early as one year old, while some appear as late as two years old. A
child's ability to communicate themselves through sentence structures or arrangements is
known as syntax. A pair of words are used at the beginning of the construction. The child
arranges these two words in certain ways in order to represent something. The child can express
himself in target language and convey his meaning. The child has learned the class of words
and is able to creatively vary their functions if they use and alternate between certain
dictionaries in the same spot. As examples, "papa datang." Another phrase to say it is "papa
pergi" or "mama datang."
• Transitional phase
Children's language sounds are meaningless at this stage. Although their sounds resemble some
vocals or consonants, they don't usually relate to a specific word or meaning. This phase lasts
from birth to the age of 12 months.
a. The child only makes reflecting noises to communicate hunger, pain, or discomfort
between the ages of 0 and 2 months. Even if the noise has no linguistic significance, it
can nonetheless become material for the future transitional.
b. The child starts to make vocal noises that sound like consonants between the ages of
two and five months. Usually, he makes these noises in reaction to his mother or another
person's smile or words.
c. The child starts to make more sounds that last longer between the ages of four and seven
months. Either the vocal similarity is more variable or the sounds are similar to
consonants.
d. The child starts to babble between six and twelve months of age. Consonants and the
same voice as in /ba ba /, /ma ma ma /, and /da da / are repeated throughout.

• One word phase

The child goes through this stage between the ages of 12 and 18 months. At this moment, the
child uses one word that sums up the entire concept. In strict definitions, a single word can
represent one or more sentences. As a result, another name for this term is the holofrasis stage.
Researchers are now working on this one word's spelling. The research subject is starting to be
able to converse with nearby objects and people.
• Two words phase

The child goes through this stage between the ages of 18 and 24 months. Children's
grammar and vocabulary developed quickly during this time. The children began speaking with
two words. It is becoming telegraphic. It implies that a child only uses basic words of action,
character, and object when speaking. Words that are unnecessary are removed, just like in
telegram writing.

• Word combination phase

This stage continues for the child's three to five years old, or even until school starts. The
child starts to have longer periods and a more regular language system by the time they are
three or four years old. The child now uses three words or more instead of simply two. A child's
language resembles the language of an adult by the time they are five or six years old.
 Factors Affecting Language Development
• Health
Children in good health learn more quickly than those in unhealthy conditions because they
are more motivated to interact with others and form social groupings. If a child is in constant
discomfort throughout the first two years of life, they may exhibit delay or trouble in
developing the ability to speak.

• Intelligence

Children with high intellect are better learners, talk more fluently, and show mastery of the
language than those with low intelligence.
• Social-Economic of the Family

Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds have less developed language skills
than children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, according to a number of research
on the subject. This disorder is most likely brought on by learning disabilities, opportunities
for learning (poor families are said to pay less attention to their children's language
development), or both.

• Family Relations

Children who have healthy relationships with their parents will have more opportunities
for their language to develop, whereas children who have bad relationships may face
challenges or delays in their language development.

• Family Size

Children from small families or single children typically speak earlier and more fluently
than those from large families. since parents have more time to dedicate to teaching their
children to speak.

• Relationships with Peers

The stronger the children's desire to be accepted as members of their peer group and
the stronger their drive to learn to speak, the more positive their relationships with their
peers are.

• Personality
Children with good adaptation skills typically had superior speaking abilities, both in
terms of quantity and quality.

IV. CONCLUSION

The study's findings support the theory that a child's brain goes through a process called
language acquisition when he takes their mother's language. A child learns their first language
in early childhood. Families and their surroundings have a big impact on how well a child takes
their first language. The subconscious mind of a person will absorb the social and cultural
values associated with language. Then, when the child grows older and experiences other social
environments and cognitive levels during the learning process, the child will pick up a language
other than the one that his mother taught, possibly a second, third, or even higher language.
Language learning is the focus of the second language, whereas language acquisition is related
to the first. According to the results of the study, the first language acquisition of a child named
Zayna Falisa Humaira at the age of one year was quite successful in terms of morfological
development. The vocal letters [a], [i], [u], [e], [] and [o] are all well-versed in by the subjects.
This child has developed her linguistic skills excellently at the age of one year old, and she is
able to utilize the things in her environment. A few words, verbs, and qualities can also be
communicated by the research subjects.

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