Analysis of Psycholinguistics in Young Children's Language Development

Submitted by Zahra Zainuddin, Andi Nur Aisyah Ramadhani, Nurul Imanina Maizan,
Cahya Qolbi Ramadhani, and Nuraswira Puspitasari
English Literature Study Program, English Department
Faculty of Language and Literature
Universitas Negeri Makassar

ABSTRACT

In this study, researchers will explain and describe the psycholinguistic methods used
in language development for children. From the title, we can already guess how
language is developed with the use of psycholinguistics. In psycholinguistic methods
there are 3 methods, namely language acquisition, language production and
understanding, and experimental methods. These methods make the use of language
in children more meaningful, which is seen to develop from a time when children are
only able to produce babble - babble that has no meaning whatsoever, to become a
word by word, then into a sentence that has meaning and meaning. The
psycholinguistic theory used is a theory derived from research conducted by Khan &
Perveen (2019), in which they convey that psycholinguistic language has an
important role in the teaching and learning process of children at school, especially
the learning process which can be considered complex. The qualitative method is the
method used by us as researchers because this method is considered to be the most
powerful method in explaining and describing an event. The data that we have in this
study is data obtained from each researcher so that then the data can be summarized
again to produce new data from our thoughts. The procedure for collecting data that
we do is by observing, then we collect data, analyze the data, and then conclude the
results of the data we have received. The analysis technique we use is by reducing the
data first and then displaying it again to verify the truth of the data.

Keyword: Language, Psycholinguistic, Language Development, and Children.

A. Introduction

Language is a tool or way for humans to convey what they mean. This
language has various kinds, such as body language, voice language, and other
languages. From research conducted by Fabbro et.al (2022), language is an
invention by humans that is declared the most important, due to its nature that
allows us as individuals to share our imagination with other individuals. It is not
only about individuals, but also about ideas, or thoughts that allow us as humans
to develop to the next level by exchanging imaginations or thoughts with other
humans. In using language as a tool to develop, it also allows us to work together.
As in the research by Nasution et.al (2022), that language is not only used to
cooperate, but also by humans and their communities as a tool to interact and
identify themselves. From research conducted by Younes (2021), that language is
a tool that distinguishes us humans from non-human animals, and this language
also determines human humanity. Of course, language is not only issued through
the mouth which makes it a voice language, but humans who have special
limitations certainly have their own language, such as voice language.

Language in culture is a tool that has a great influence. Quoting from

research by ÇEKİN & Çalişkan (2020), that language is our natural tool as
humans to transmit our cultures, which in turn, the transmission of culture
through language can shape our identity as a society. The culture conveyed by
this language will affect our development as humans. From research conducted by
Cahyono et.al (2021), that language is a symbol of society that is able to convey
ideas, messages, and feelings of society, whether it uses written or spoken
language. This language is also not arbitrary - the words we put out, but we also
must know and understand the meaning that is in the words we put out.
According to Kilroe (2019), language is formed by basic structures such as
sounds, words and sentences and also rules, which must be used in their
combination. This combination is done to express meaning, which is obtained
through exposure to the speech community.

B. Review of Related Literature

Language in its development has influences from many sources. From

research conducted by Benati (2020), language development is a process that can
be considered regular and has stages that are influenced by the input. This
language development plays some knowledge of an individual's innate language,
and instruction in playing its limited role. Language development is often
associated with children. Because at the age of children, they must be able to
learn language quickly so that they can be declared ready to interact with their
peers in kindergarten. Quoting from Piasta et.al (2020), that language
development in children is able to increase their awareness in phonological and
interaction in writing activities. However, this cannot be said to have an impact
on the literacy skills of these children.

Psycholinguistics is one example of a way to develop language in children. As

the name suggests, psycholinguistics is the study of the relationship between
language and psychology. From Roy (2019), Psycholinguistics is the link between
linguistic factors and psychological aspects. Psycholinguistics helps us
understand and produce language, this way can apply to education, philosophy,
and the process of human understanding. From this quote, it can be said that
psycholinguistics can help humans in the field of education, for example the
teaching and learning process in kindergarten or elementary school. According to
Khan & Perveen (2021), psycholinguistics has an arguably important role in
understanding the teaching and learning process in children, especially a fairly
complex process. This is also what helps teachers in teaching. As children, of
course they will say the same thing that we as parents say to them, so
psycholinguistics is needed to overcome these mistakes. As said by Dey &
Sawalmeh (2021) from their research, the psycholinguistic method is a learning
method that considers language as an individual understanding process which
certainly involves the dimensions of the individual himself and his social. This
method also helps children in understanding and overcoming language learning
errors.

C. Research Method

In this study, the researchers decided to use a qualitative method in explaining

language development in young learners by using psycholinguistic methods. This
qualitative method is used because it is in accordance with research conducted by
Creswell & Creswell (2023), that this method is a method used in digging deeper
into the problems caused by an individual or group.

D. Results and Discussions

After conducting in-depth observations on language development using

psycholinguistics in young learners, researchers finally found aspects based on
research conducted by R & Gold (2023), which reads psycholinguistics is a
supporter of understanding the intrinsic challenges in the acquisition, creation and
instruction of language.

1. Language Acquisition
In this data acquisition method, psycholinguistics has a function in how
young learners/children acquire their own first language. There are 3 stages
involved in this process. The first is the Babbling stage or the stage from an
infant's babble to the formation of the first word. Second, the pronunciation of
the first word at the age of 1 year, and third, the words they have learnt, they
can already combine into a sentence.
 So, the babble uttered by a baby will gradually transition into a word over
time and age. This is a form of explanation that is helped by the generative
grammar model, where the model helps explain how the words produced by
baby’s transition to form sentences that are in accordance with our grammar.

2. Language and Production and Comprehension

In this case, psycholinguistics has the function of examining how children
produce and understand their speech. This includes things like speech
production, which is an explanation of how children produce grammatically
correct sentences and are able to express their thoughts. In addition,
comprehension of speech is necessary for children to be able to understand
spoken language, process the syntax, and interpret the meanings contained in
the words.

3. Experimental Method
In the use of psycholinguistics in children's language development, there
are methods that must be used with children. The first method is observation,
where we as parents or teachers observe how the natural organization of
language use is applied by children. The second is experimental design, where
in this case we are required to conduct regular experiments to explore things
that occur in certain linguistics used by children. Third is the On-Line
Method, where this method is the action of parents by tracking the real time of
language processing by using movements in the limbs of the eyes, as well as
measuring the behaviors of a child.

E. Conclusion

The conclusion that can be drawn from this research is that the use of
psycholinguistics in language development in children is said to be quite
necessary by parents or teachers. The reason is, the nature of psycholinguistics is
able to make us as parents and teachers more able to limit the words issued by
children, so that children do not issue unnecessary words to those around them.
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