The Analysis of Language Acquisition of Two Years Old Child (A Case

Study on Rama).

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Problems

Language is the media for humans to communicate in their life. Humans

can express their felling and their thought by using language. That is why
language is very important for socializing with others. On the other hand,
language is a tool of communication in society by using sounds, words,
gestures, sign or marks. Like Webster said that language is a systematic
means of communicating ideas or felling by the use of conventionalized
sign, gesture, marks, or particulate vocal sounds.[1]
In communication, language can be performed in two ways, namely
spoken and written language. Spoken language can be used by people
who want to communicate face to face directly, and on the other hand
people can use written language to communicate with others who far
away.
Language is as a tool of communication that has been got by humans
since they were child until adult. This situation is called language
acquisition. A child, when they are two years old has got so many
vocabularies, phonological system, and the grammatical system. In our
society, the writer often finds so many children that can communicate
with other people, however with adult people. sometimes, if some people
make communication with a child, for example a child who is two years
old, there will be some questions, the people will ask how the child can
get the vocabularies, and the child can understand the meaning of the
vocabularies, and how the child can arrange the grammatical system in
his or her communication.
Subyanto Nababan says that everyone has the faculties of mind that are
look like the parts of intellectuality in their brain and one of them is given
by their language acquisition. A normal person will get their mother
tongue quickly. This situation is caused by Language Acquisition Device
(LAD). A child does not need to memorize the vocabularies to master their
mother tongue. Most parents can hardly wait for their baby to say its first
word. This usually happens between nine months and a year. From about
two years, the child should be able to use simple phrases, and by three
he should be able to use full sentences. By four, he should be fully able to
talk, although he may still make grammatical errors. By five, he should
have acquired basic language.

The child begins to learn language from the day he is born. From the very
first moment it is the parents responsibility to lay a proper foundation
that will enable the child to acquire adequate language skills. Just like
parents must ensure that a child follows a healthy and balanced diet for
optimal physical development, they must take steps to ensure optimal
language development.
A branch of linguistics that studies about the relationship between
language and psychology is called psycholinguistics. According to Stefany
Jennedy, Psycholinguistics or psychology of language is the study of the
psychological and neurobiological factors that enable humans to acquire,
use, comprehend and produce language. Initial forays into
psycholinguistics were largely philosophical ventures, due mainly to a lack
of cohesive data on how the human brain functioned. Modern research
makes use of biology, neuroscience, cognitive science, linguistics, and
information theory to study how the brain processes language.[2] There
are a number of sub disciplines with non-invasive techniques for studying
the neurological workings of the brain; for example, neurolinguistics has
become a field in its own right.
Psycholinguistics is concerned with the nature of the computations and
processes that the brain undergoes to comprehend and produce
language. For example, the cohort model seeks to describe how words are
retrieved from the mental lexicon when an individual hears or sees
linguistic input. Psycholinguistics is interdisciplinary and is studied by
people in a variety of fields, such as psychology, cognitive science, and
linguistics. There are several subdivisions within psycholinguistics that are
based on the components that make up human language.
Rama is two years old child. He is a funny child; he can communicate with
other people with his language acquisition. He can say some words that
never he knows before. Rama learns language in one way only, and that
is by hearing language as the parents talk and talk to it. The more a
parent can talk to a child, often repeating the same words, the same
phrases, the same structures over and over, the sooner he will learn
language.
From this situation, the writer would like to know and to get research
about language acquisition. And the object of the writers research is
Rama. From this case the writer chooses the title The Analysis of
Language Acquisition of Two Years Old Child (A Case Study on Rama).
B. Limitation of the Problems
In this research the writer analyzes language acquisition of two years old
child. The object of this research is Rama who is two years old child.
C. Formulation of the Problems
Based on the background of the problem above, the formulation of the
problems could be formulated as follow:

1. What are kinds of phonological acquisition on Rama?

2. What are kinds of morphological acquisition on Rama?
3. What are kinds of syntactic acquisition on Rama?

D. Purposes of the Research

The purposes of the research are:

1. To find out what are the kinds of phonological acquisition on Rama.

2. To find out what are kinds of morphological acquisition on Rama.
3. To find out what are kinds of syntactic acquisition on Rama.

E. Significance of the problems

This research is expected to give

1. The useful information about linguistics

2. Contribution to the writer, for society, the reader and the next
research.
3. Useful development of linguistics.

CHAPTER II
FINDING AND ANALYSIS

A. Phonological Acquisition on Rama

Phonology is one of aspects in linguistics that studies about phoneme.
Sounds that pronounces by Rama included in language acquisition.
According to Lyons in Slobin DJ; phoneme is two phonetic sounds that are
different and in the same situation or environment, and can help to
differentiate some words that are different.[3] For examples [I] and [r]
are difference phonemes in English because they differentiate some
words, for examples light, right, lot and rot. In Indonesian the examples
are buku and kuku.

In two years old, Rama has got and produced so many phonemes that
can differentiate the meaning of words that he pronounces. But in this
age, his phonological ability is still in pronouncing vowel sounds, for
example /a/ in words /mama/ and /papa/. These words are pronounced in
a lot of situation, for example when he wants to eat, to drink, to sleep,
and when he is crying he pronounces those words directly.
Here is the list of vowel phonemes that have been got by Rama:
NO

Day and Time

Phoneme

Word

Meaning
1

11-07-2010, 08.00 AM

/e/

Men

Permen (candy)
2

11-07-2101, 08.15 AM

/ue/

Ue

Kue (cake)
4

12-07-2010, 03.10PM

l\l

Iki

Ciki (snack)
5

12-07-2010, 03.30 PM

/u/

Uyung

Burung (bird)
6

12-07-2010, 03.40 PM

/a/

Ambu

Jambu (guava)
7

12-07-2010, 03.45 PM

lei

eyuk

Jeruk (oranges)
8

13-07-2010, 09.00 AM

101

odok

Kodok (frog)
9

13-07-2010, 12.05 PM

/u/

Upu-upu

Kupu-kupu (butterfly)
10

13-07-2010, 12.30 PM

/o/

opi

Topi (hat)
11

13-07-2010, 03.46 PM

/a/

angga

Mangga (mango)
12

13-07-2010, 03.59 PM

/e/

ebo

Kerbo (buffalo)
13

14-07-2010, 08.00 AM

/a/

andi

Mandi (take a bath)

15

14-07-2010, 08.30 AM

/i/

ikang

Ikan (fish)
16

14-07-2010, 08.35 AM

/u/

au

Mau (want)
17

14-07-2010, 09.00 AM

/i/

nis

Manis (sweet)
18

15-07-2010, 12.00 PM

/u/

uyuk

Buruk (bad)
19

15-07-2010, 12.23 PM

i\

isang

Pisang (banana)
20

15-070-2010, 01.00 PM

/a/

jan

Hujan (rain)
21

15-07-2010, 02.10 PM

/u/

ukan

Bukan (not)

Rama also gets some consonant phonemes, he has pronounced some

consonants, for example Bilabial and alveolar; consonant /p/ and /t/
preceded the other consonants. Velar consonants /k/ and /g/ have never
been heard by the writer except /k/ at the end, for examples; word
abang elek (abang jelek) and word jeyuki (jeruk). (Recorded on 12-072010)
In the beginning of the word, consonant /k/ can not be heard, but in the
middle of the word can be heard, for example in word ciki (a kind of
snack), consonant /k/ can be heard. (Recorded on 12-07-2010)
Consonant /p/ is often heard, for example in word pait, consonant /b/ in
word beci (besi). Consonant /m/ in word ayam, consonant /n/ in word
tepon (telephone), consonant /g/ in word aget (surprise). (Recorded
on 14-07-2010)
Consonant /y/ is ofter pronounced by Rama, for examples in words guya
(sugar), ayam (chicken), bayon (balloon), etc.
In this age, Rama can not pronounced consonant /r/, he can not
pronounce burung well, he change with buyung, he changes /r/
with /y/. (Recorded on 13-07-2010)
B. Morphological Acquisition on Rama
Most of words that pronounced by Rama are mono morphemic words. For
examples; /uit/: duit, /mu/: mau, /ajan/: jajan, /ue/: kue etc. words
that are pronounced by Rama have not depicted morphemes that can
differentiate the meaning of the words. The words stand alone, and in
morphology, the words that stand alone are called free morpheme.
Sometimes, Rama pronounces some bond morphemes. For examples; /tak
uit/ minta duit, /aju bayu/ baju baru, /eli alon/ beli balon from this
the writer can know that in two years old Rama can pronounces some
morphemes that look like sentences.
In his age, Rama can pronounce some words with suffix. For examples;
ma ukain aju (bu bukain baju), word ukain is come from buka and
with suffix in.
C. Syntactic Acquisition on Rama

The analysis of syntactic acquisition on Rama consists of how the

development of language that produced by Rama. Sentences that are
produced by Rama are still very simple. The sentences that are produced
are still not complete and sometimes Rama produces sentences with bad
pronunciation specially in pronouncing phonemes. But the result of his
sentences can be understood. In discussion of sentences that are
produced by Rama will be started in two words, three word and multi
words.
1. Declarative sentences.
The declarative sentence or declaration, is the most important type, and
often will write entire essays or reports using only declarative sentences,
and you should always use them far more often than the other four types
of sentences (declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory). A
declarative sentence simply states a fact or argument, states an idea,
without requiring either an answer or action from the reader, it does not
give a command or request, or does it ask a question. You punctuate your
declarative sentences with a simple period.
Declarative sentences consist of a subject and a predicate. The subject
may be a simple subject or a compound subject
In two years old, Rama can produce so many simple sentences that have
complete meaning. To know how the style or the form of declarative
sentences that produced by Rama, we can see these sentences:
Rama

: Mama, Rama mau mam.

Mama

: Makan pakai apa?

Rama

: Pake ikan ama ayu (makan pakai ikan dan sayur)

In the other situation when his father called him:

Papa

: Rama sedang apa?

Rama

: Mam, es,
( and then Rama continued withi imperative sentence)

Rama

: Bapa, beli cucu (bapak beli susu Rama)

Papa

: Apa lagi Rama?

Rama

: Oti baka, ama men (roti baker sama permen)

(Recorded on 15 July 17, 2010, 12.45PM)

From those sentences, the writer can conclude that the sentences that
are produced by Rama are still in the parts or cut off and the
pronunciation is still not perfect. But grammatically, those sentences can
be called complete sentences. The writer can see there is the subject (S)
+ Verb (V), the form of S+V in his language acquisition can be called as
sentence and almost complete.

In sentence pake ikan ama ayu can be understood grammatically, by

seeing the forms of the questions before, so the answer can be called as
complete answer. The same thing, the writer can see from the second
conversation, the grammatical system is almost perfect, and however
Rama can not pronounce the perfect phoneme.
The other conversation: (Recorded on 17 July 2010, 10:00 Am)
Rama

: Ma, ama mu mandi.(ma, Rama mau mandi)

Mama

: bentarya

Rama

: Ukain aju, ma(bukain baju, ma)

Mama

: Iya, sini..

Rama

: Abang ano ma (abang mana ma)

Mama

: Abang mu lagi main di tempat Rifki.

From the conversation, the writer found S+V in sentence Ama mu

Mandi. In this sentence, ama is the subject and mau is the verb.
From the sentences, the writer can conclude that Rama can produce
perfect sentence.
Rama

: num teh , ma

Mama

: iya, bentar mama buatin ya.

Rama

: ma, the dak anis (Ma, tehnya tidak manis)

Mama

: Sini mama tambah gula.

The conversation above is recorded on 17 July 2010, at 03.05 Pm, in the

conversation, the sentence Ma, teh dak anis this sentence is nominal
sentence. Rama explained to his mother that the tea was no sweet. He
expressed his felling when he drunk the tea, he felt that the tea was not
sweet.
Rama

: (crying)

Mama

: ngapo Rama?

Rama

: ama digit cemutma (rama digigit semut)

Mama

: cupcup diem yo, mano semutnyo

(mana semutnya)
Rama

: ni.. (ini)

(Recorded on July 17, 2010, 04.00PM)

In the conversation above, there is a sentence, ama digit cemut. The

sentence is passive sentence. in the sentence Rama is the subject got
effect from the action that is done by the ant.
2. Imperative Sentence
An imperative sentence gives a command. It usually end with a period,
but it may also end with an exclamation point (!).
In two years old, Rama can produce imperative sentences. The sentences
are:
Ma, bukain kuncinya (bukain kuncinya)
Num teh, ma!
ma, ama mu andi
idupin tipi, ma! (hidupkan TV, ma)
eliin pemen, ma! (belikan permen, ma)
The imperative sentences that were produced by Rama have perfect
meaning. The writer has explained that until now, Rama can not
pronounce the phonemes well, the form of imperative sentences have not
been perfect based on the regulation in imperative sentence.
But, if the writer saw the situation where Rama produced the sentences,
all of the situations were non formal situations. So, it was natural in
language acquisition of two years old child.
Rama spent his time with his mother that is why most of the imperative
sentences used word ma. He asked his mother to do what he wanted,
and as a mother, his mother tried to do what her son wanted.
3. Interrogative Sentence
An interrogative sentence is a type of sentence which usually asks a
question and uses a question mark (?). They may ask for information or
for confirmation or denial of a statement. They typically begin with a
question word such as what, who, or how, or an auxiliary verb such as
do/does, can or would.
For example:

Do you speak French?

Will you go to the supermarket for me?

How can I do that?

There are four types of interrogative sentences.

Yes/No Interrogatives
Yes/No questions usually will be answered by yes or no.
For example:

Will you bring your book?

* => Answer: Yes or No)

Did she pass the test?

* => Answer: Yes or No)

Alternative Interrogatives
Alternative interrogativse offer two or more alternative responses:
For example:

Should I telephone you or send an email?

Do you want bear, wine, or whisky?

Yes/no interrogatives and alternative interrogatives are introduced by an

auxiliary verb.
WH-questions
For example:

What happened?

Where do you work?

Tag Questions
They are sometimes tagged onto the end of a declarative sentence.
For example:

* David plays the piano, doesn't he?

We've forgotten the milk, haven't we?

Interrogative sentences made by Rama sporadically. One day, Rama took

a nap and then got up in the afternoon. At the time, the weather was
cloudy, and when he got up, he asked about his father sporadically, Bapa
mana ma?
This sentence is often said by Rama when he get up. his mother answers,
bapak kerja. From the conversation between Rama and his mother, the
writer concluded that Rama can produced interrogative sentences without

thinking first. He can say interrogative sentence spontaneous and the

sentence was easy produced by Rama.
the other examples of interrogative sentence that was said by Rama is
mana obilan (mana mobilan), from this example, the writer concluded
that Rama can produced good interrogatives sentences.
The other examples are:
Rama

: Ma, ama mu mandi.(ma, Rama mau mandi)

Mama

: bentarya

Rama

: Ukain aju, ma(bukain baju, ma)

Mama

: Iya, sini..

Rama

: Abang ano ma (abang mana ma)

Mama

: Abang mu lagi main di tempat Rifki.

In the conversation above, there is a sentence Abang ano ma?, in this

sentence, Rama asked where his brother was, he can produced the
sentence with perfect form, however the phonemes could not be
pronounced by him well. His mother could understand with his sentences,
so the purpose of the communication could be got by Rama and his
mother.
CHAPTER III
CONCLUSIONS

After analyzing language acquisition on Rama, stated in phonological

acquisition, morphological acquisition, and syntactical acquisition, the
writer concluded:

1. In two years old, a normal child can produce phonemes, and the
limitation of the words based on the environment and the things that the
child met around him/her. And the child often cut off the word in
pronouncing the word, and still there so many mistakes in pronouncing
the words.
2. Rama can bundle the words to be simple sentences, and the forms of
the sentences are declarative sentence, imperative sentence, and
interrogative sentence.
3. Rama, in two years old, can make declarative, imperative, and
interrogative sentences with perfect meaning, with good syntactical form,
but the problem is only in pronouncing the phonemes.

4. In his child, the language acquisition on Rama depends on his

environtment, his mother who usually with him, and the things that he
meets in his environment.