Phonosyntactic Acquisition of Children’s Bilingualism: A Case Study in Sasak Language – Indonesia

Abstract

Language acquisition in bilingual children is a process of transferring two languages simultaneously to children by both parents or the environment. This is what happened to Nadira (pseudonym -a Sasak child aged three years and four months), who was often taught two languages (Sasak Indonesian) in the process of her growth and development. As a result, Nadira’s speech has a distinctive phonosyntactic effect due to the simultaneous incorporation of the Sasak and Indonesian languages. This effect includes the Sasak language’s Indonesianized structure, Sasakized Indonesian phonology, and the process of sound changes in morphs. The aim of this research is to describe various aspects of language acquisition in bilingualism in the Sasak tribe. Meanwhile, the assessment theory used was Chomsky’s view. Data collection was carried out using the listening and skill method as well as basic and derivative techniques, observation techniques, and documentation. The collected data was analyzed using a qualitative descriptive method, which aims for systematic description, categorization, and patterning. As a result, a unique and distinctive reality of language acquisition occurs in the speech of children in the Sasak tribe.