Baby Talk Analysis_DIAN IRAWAN 0713042022

ANALYSIS OF BABY-TALK RECORDING

(A Second Language Acquisition Assignment)

By

Dian Irawan

0713042022

 

FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND PEDAGOGY

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAMME

THE UNIVERSITY OF LAMPUNG

2010

1. Background

Language acquisition is the process of learning a native or second language. The acquisition of native languages is studied primarily by developmental psychologists and psycholinguists. In his native language there are certain norms in pronunciation and syntax
that may differ from those of the second language and interfere with his or her use of the new
language. On the other hand, native language literacy and cognitive development in the native
language will help a student to learn a new language by a transferring of concepts from one
language and applying them to the new one.

In addition to being affected by L1 factors, second language acquisition (L2) is also affected by the amount of exposure to and availability of language models. The affective filter (emotional conditions that affect learning - i.e. fear, anxiety, poor self image, lack of motivation) of the
learner is especially important, particularly as this affects the child's tolerance for his/her own
errors, and the degree to which the child develops self-confidence to engage in L2.

These issues need to be considered within the context of various language situations,
particularly when drawing conclusions regarding the child's language proficiency in either
language.

Although how children learn to speak is not perfectly understood, most explanations involve both the observation that children copy what they hear and the inference that human beings have a natural aptitude for understanding grammar. While children usually learn the sounds and vocabulary of their native language through imitation, grammar is seldom taught to them explicitly; that they nonetheless rapidly acquire the ability to speak grammatically supports the theory advanced by Noam Chomsky and other proponents of transformational grammar.

Baby talk is more effective than regular speech in getting an infant’s attention. Studies have shown that infants actually prefer to listen to this type of speech. Some researchers, including Rima Shore (1997), believe that baby talk is an important part of the emotional bonding process between the parents and their child that help the infants to learn the language.

More than one language can also be learned because eventually the child will be clever enough to distinguish the languages. It is easier to learn languages as an infant than as an adult. Other researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and The University of Wisconsin confirm that using basic “baby talk” helps babies pick up words faster than usual. Infants actually pay more attention when parents use infant-directed language, which has a slower and more repetitive tone than used in regular conversation. This research is proposed in order to identify how adults communicate with baby using baby talk.

2. Research

The research was done on 28^th October 2010. The child’s name is Gilang. He is a son of a married couple Rais Ahmad and Maesaroh. He is 4 years old. The taping was done in researcher’s house.

Adult : Gilang anaknya siapa lang..?

            Siapa hayo nama bapaknya Gilang..?

            Sini deket abang…

            Abang pangku sini

            Gilang anaknya siapa….

Baby : g tau…

Adult : kok g tau..

            Emang Gilang g punya bapak..

Baby : punyalah…….

Adult : siapa namanya….

            Gilang anaknya bapak………… rais….

            Coba ngomong yuk, Gilang anaknya bapak rais

Baby : anaknya bapak lais….

Adult : itu pinter … kalo ada yang nanya anak nya siapa bilang gimana?

Baby : anak lais….

Adult : tertawa…….

            Bapak Gilang mana..?

Baby: ke teluk…..

Adult : ngapain ke teluk…..

Baby : kerja…….

Adult : kerjanya ngapain, Gilang tau g??

Baby : nyupil mobil

Adult : Gilang pernah ikut bapak kerja g???

Baby : pernah sama ibu….

            Jalan-jalan ke teluk lame orangnya yang naek mobil bapak….

Adult : enak g jalan-jalan ke teluknya ….

Baby : enaklah…

            Gilang mingu kemalen ulang tahun…

            Kok abang g dateng….

Adult : abangnya g dikasih tau..

            Emang kemana ulang tahunnya……

Baby : jalan-jalan ulang tahun nya….

Adult : jalan –jalan kemana?

Baby : ke laut…..

Adult : Kelaut…. Enak dong…

            Laut mana……?

Gilang ke lautnya sama siapa aja ….

Baby : sama bunda, bapak, ibu….. banyak pokoknya

Adult : bude marlis diajak kelaut g?

Baby : diajak lah..

Kan kelautnya naek mobilnya bude….

Adult : o…… naek mobilnya bude….

            Ngapain aja Gilang di laut……

            Maenan pasir y……

Baby : banyaklah…….

Maenan sama teman2 Gilang…

Nyanyi-nyanyi…

Potong kue….

Makan-makan enak deh pokoknya…..

Adult : siapa aja temennya yang ikut….

Baby : temen ita…

Adult : ha…. Siapa…?

            Memey ya temennya Gilang…..

            Kalo si adung siapanya tino…

            Kakaknya tino y??

Baby : banyaklah pokoknya….

            Gilang mau minum susu dululah….

            Bu…bu…bu……

            Minum susu……….

            (berlari kearah ibunya……)

Ibu : minum susu ..

            Jangan di acak-acak dong susunya…

            Ibu buatin dulu ya susu nya…….

Baby : Susunya masukin botol ya bu……..

Ibu : iya……..  Diabisin ya susunya……….

Baby : abang-abang……. Susu…….

Adult : susu apa itu dek………

            Enak g susunya……..

Baby : enak lah…….

            Susunya di beliin bude kemalen ………..

Adult : kok dibeliin bude……..

Baby : iya olang kemalen peginya sama bude .

            Ke indomalet……

bang tadi ada temen Gilang jatoh…….

            Olang lali-lali di jalan tus jatoh….

Adult : nangis temennya Gilang….

Gilang bantuin g …..

baby : nangis……….

            Diketawain olang-olang Gilang jg ikut ketawa….

Adult : kok diketawain bukannya dibantuin……..

Baby: g tau….

            Gilang mau bantuin tapi udah lame olang

From the conversation we can analyze their characteristics when the adult communicated or talked with toddler, as follows:

1. The adult communicate with Gilang in short, simple and clear patterns in order to make him easily understand.
2. The adult sometimes could not get what Gilang said. He asked him to repeat in order to know what Gilang actually said. So, as an adult we should make use of our patience when toddler is trying to say something you do not understand. If the child tries several times to communicate something to you yet you still do not understand him, ask him to show you what he actually means.
3. Besides, we also can analyze that the adult tried to attract Gilang’s attention when he began to communicate with him. This helped him heard what the adults were saying, and helped him learned to pay attention when others talked to him. Moreover, the adult was kneeling or sitting on a low while talking to Gilang because getting down to his level to talk face-to-face with toddler will also get his attention, and indicate that you are interested in him and in what he has to say.
4. Finally, we can conclude that in interacting with toddler, in this particular case four years old, adults use short and simple terms to communicate with toddler. The adults also should get toddler’s attention when they want to talk to the toddler. It could be done by getting down to his level to talk face-to-face with toddler or using gestures. This will help the toddler to hear what the adults are trying to say and help him learning to pay attention when others talked to him. Next, the adults can encourage toddler to talk by asking open-ended questions which require more than “yes” or “no” answers.

Adults who care for children have a responsibility to create and maintain positive and healthy relationships with them. One of the most practical and mutually rewarding ways to achieve this goal is through positive communication.