THE USE OF DEIXIS IN THE
CHILD’S FIRST LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
By: Hendra
A. INTRODUCTION
In whole daily life, language constitutes a part of
humans and cannot be apart from their habitats. Language is a key in activity
and interaction. People communicate each other to be a mutual understanding and
interchangeable information. Without it, it would be difficult and complicated
for human kinds to develop and conceive the others. It is difficult to think of
many human activities that do not involve communication. They communicate their
knowledge and their ignorance, their anger and pleasure, their needs and our
intentions. A communication serves a variety of purposes and intentions. (Blakemore: 1992).
Human being is able to communicate from the beginning of
his birth (http://www.medem.com/search/article_display.cfm?path=n:&mstr=/ZZZC8N4W59C.html&soc=AMA&srch_typ=NAV_SERCH).
He was born crying that denotes many things. His crying indicates that there is
something wrong with his world; it may be that his belly is empty, his bottom
is wet, his feet are cold, he's tired, he needs to be held and cuddled and so
on. Soon we will be able to recognize which need the baby is expressing and
respond accordingly. In fact, sometimes what a baby needs can be identified by
his cry - for example, the "I'm hungry" cry may be short and
low-pitched, while "I'm upset" may sound choppy. This means that a
baby has his own language (pre-linguistics) that we can understand it. (Rice et.al:
www.ohio.edu/~linguist/soemarno/1270/notes/Igacqui550.htm)
Children learn new languages very easily, almost too
easily (http://iteslj.org/Articles/McGlothlin-ChildLearn.html). Most adults
find foreign languages quite difficult. They must toil and struggle and put in
long hours of hard work to make even small gains in their ability in a new
language. But a child seems to just pick it up out of thin air. To a child, it
is all play and no work (Einon: 2005) and the results of a child's language
play are superior to the results of an adult's language struggle. It does not
seem fair.
According to the theory, children learn a
new language easily and adults do not because the magic is limited to
childhood. With the magic gone, they find it a little easier to cope with their
difficult studies, knowing that now there is no other way for them to learn a
new language. (http://iteslj.org/Articles/McGlothlin-ChildLearn.html)
B. REVIEW
OF RELATED LITERATURE
The purpose of
the research is to know the deixis that used by a child aged two years in daily
conversation and how it is used successfully. It is better to identify what the
deixis is, for the research will be concerned with it. So knowing it clearly
and relating with the extent theories is essential in accomplishing this
research.
1.
Deixis
The term of deixis was derived from Greek which means
“pointing out” (Yule: 1996) any linguistic forms used to accomplish this
“pointing” is called deictic expression. When we notice a strange object and
ask, “What’s that? we are using a deictic expressions (“that”) to indicate
something in the immediate context. Deictic expressions are also sometimes
called indexicals. They are among the first forms to be spoken by very young
children and can be used to indicate people via person deixis (“me, you”) or
location via spatial deixis (“here, there”) or tie via temporal deixis (“now,
then”)
Deixis has as prototypical or focal exemplars the use of
demonstratives, first and second person pronoun, tense, specific time and place
adverbs like now and here, and a variety of other grammatical features tied
directly to the circumstances of utterance (Levinson: 1983). In this case, the
referent is identified on the basis of the environment n which the utterance
takes place (Blakemore: 1992). Deixis is clearly a form of referring that is
tied to the speaker’s context (Yule: 1996) for instance:
“Tom's interview
was about to start and he was feeling nervous about it”.
Here, from the context, we know that he
refers to Tom and it refers to the interview.
As mentioned above that
there are three kinds of deixis as such follows:
1.1 Person
deixis
Person
deixis clearly operates on the basic three-part division, exemplified by the
pronouns for the first person (“I”), second person (“you”) and the third person
(“he”, “she”, or “it”). In any languages these deictic categories of speaker,
addressee, and other(s) are elaborated with markers of relative social status
(for example, addressee with higher status versus addressee with lower status).
1.2 Spatial
deixis
Spatial
deixis is where the relative location of people and things is being indicated.
Contemporary English makes use of only two adverbs; “here” and “there” it is
the same as in Indonesian language “di sini” and “di sana
One
version of the concept of motion toward speaker (i.e. becoming visible), seems
to be the first deictic meaning learned by children and characterizes their use
of words like “this” and “here” (=can be seen). They are distinct from “that”
and “there” which are associated with things that move out of the child’s
visual space (=can no longer be seen).
In
considering spatial deixis, however, it is important to remember that location
from the speaker’s perspective can be fixed mentally as well as physically.
Speakers temporary away from their home location will often continue to use
“here” to mean the (physically distant) hoe location, as if they were still in
the location. Speaker also seem to be able to project themselves into other locations
prior to actually being in those locations, as when they say “I’ll come later”
(= movement to addressee’s location)
Thus,
it does not mean very much in isolation. It is only when the some one knows
where the speaker is standing or what the speaker is indicating that the deixis
becomes truly meaningful. (Thomas: 1995)
1.3 Temporal
deixis
Temporal
deixis is reference to time relative to a temporal reference point. Typically,
this point is the moment of utterance. Like now, then, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
(http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsPlaceDeixis.htm)
The use of the
proximal form “now” as indicating both the time coinciding with the speaker’s
utterance and the time of the speaker’s voice being heard (the hearer’s “now”)
in contrast to “now”, distal expression “then” applies to both past and future.
Such as follows:
Ø November
22nd, 1963? I was in Scotland
Ø Dinner
at 8:30 on Saturday? Okay, I’ll see you then
2.
First
language Acquisition
According to Ellis (1985) that first language
acquisition is the study of how a learner learns his mother tongue. It began
when he was child. Language
acquisition is the process by which the language capability develops in a human
and first language acquisition concerns the development of language in
children.
Brown (1993) states that
principally many theories about first language acquisition such as behaviorist
approach which said that children come into world with tabula rasa, a
clean slate bearing no preconceived notion about the world or about language
and the children are shaped by their environment, slowly conditioned through
various schedules of reinforcement. The
second is Nativist approach which claims that children come into this world
with very specific innate knowledge; it includes not only predispositions and
tendencies but also knowledge of the nature of language and the world. The
third is Functional approach which claims that it is on the generative or
cognitive side of continuum. The generative rules that were opposed under
Nativistic framework were abstract, formal, explicit and quite logical, but
they dealt specifically with he form of language, that level where memory,
perception, thought, meaning, and emotion are all interdependently organized in
the superstructure of the human mind.
C. METHODOLOGY
OF THE RESEARCH
This study employs a
descriptive study design which sets out to describe and to interpret what is (Cohen
and Manion: 1994). It aims to observe
(1) how does the child use deixis in first language acquisition? (2) What kinds
of deixis does the child use more? It is undertaken at a small family consist
of Grand mother with her two grand children, father, mother and their daughter.
The writer only observes a son aged two years named Zaki. There are some reasons for he is the writer’s
own family and he lives with him. He can easily and directly collect the data
and observe his conversation and talks that occur among his family.
Data collection which
used is observation, interview, and document. The writer as a participant observation
observes and records what is going on in the daily conversation especially in
using deixis, he also interviews grandmother and his father then he makes a
document from what he has found.
D. FINDINGS
AND DISCUSSION
In this paper the writer would like to highlight the use
of deixis in a family daily conversation. In conducting this research, he only
directly describes how the deixis successfully used in their daily
conversation.
The followings are the conversation among Ayah (A), Zaki
(Z), and Eyang (E) which were recorded as mentioned in the table below:
Based on the kind of deixis, here is the analysis of its
categories as follows:
Table.1: Types of Deixis Used
|
No
|
Description
|
Person
Deixis
|
Spatial
Deixis
|
Temporal
Deixis
|
|
1
|
A: Zaki Naila mana?
Z: asuk elanya…….elanya anah…
(Nailanya asuk……Nailanya di
|
|
ü
|
|
|
2
|
A: zaki dari mana tadi?
Z: ana (disana)
|
|
ü
|
|
|
3
|
Z: apa entu ayah? (apa itu ayah?)
A: oh ini minuman…..mau?
|
|
ü
|
|
|
4
|
A: zaki pulang darimana?
Z: ari anah….najian…. (dari
|
|
ü
|
|
|
5
|
A: Tadi udah jalan-jalan kemana zaki?
Z: ana….Unpad. (
|
|
ü
|
|
|
6
|
A: ayah zaki dimana?
Z: Eja….ana…(kerja disana)
|
|
P
|
|
|
7
|
Z: Ayah eni apa? (menunjuk ke
kopi)
A: o..ini kopi
|
|
ü
|
|
|
8
|
Z: Eyang entu apa yang?
E: Kue, ini kue mau…..????
|
|
ü
|
|
|
9
|
Z: Eni apa.. eyang????
E: Ini susu
|
|
P
|
|
|
10
|
Z: Entu apa eyang????
E: ini punya the Duma
|
|
ü
|
|
|
11
|
A: zaki, Naila mana??
Z: Ana….. uduk (di
|
|
ü
|
|
|
12
|
Z: Apa entu? (menunjuk ke
lampu)
A: Ini lampu
|
|
P
|
|
From the table above, it reveals that spatial deixis were
used in the conversation.
#1 CONVERSATION
A: Zaki Naila
mana?
Z: asuk
elanya…….elanya anah… (Nailanya asuk……Nailanya di sana
In this
conversation, the child (Zaki) prefers to use spatial deixis instead of telling
the place. When he is asked about someone he answered with the word “there”.
#2 CONVERSATION
Z: apa entu
ayah? (apa itu ayah?)
A: oh ini
minuman…..mau?
In this case, Zaki wants to know something new for him, there is no
other way for him except by saying “What’s that, father?” He asked using “that”
because he does not know the thing he means.
#3 CONVERSATION
A: zaki pulang
darimana?
Z: ari anah….najian…. (dari sana
When Zaki is asked where he is from, he answers from “there” instead
of the place of Islamic doctrine (pengajian)
#4 CONVERSATION
A: Tadi udah
jalan-jalan kemana zaki?
Z: ana….Unpad. (sana
In this conversation, zaki tries to explain more about something he
is asked, when he is asked where he went, he answers “there” and then followed
by “UNPAD” as an explanation.
#5 CONVERSATION
A: ayah zaki
dimana?
Z: Eja….ana…(kerja
disana)
When zaki asked where his father is, he answers that his father
works “There” instead of the place (in Jakarta
#6 CONVERSATION
Z: Ayah eni
apa? (menunjuk ke kopi)
A: o... ini kopi
Zaki wants to know something that he knows nothing about it, and
then he asks by using “what’s this”.
#7 CONVERSATION
Z: Eyang entu
apa yang?
E: Kue, ini kue
mau…..????
In this case, again Zaki uses the word “that” to ask something.
However, actually he has known the thing (food) but he goes on to use “that” to
ask something.
#8 CONVERSATION
Z: Eni
apa.. eyang????
E: Ini susu
Again he asks something that he has known by using “What’s this?”
Zaki actually knows “milk”, but he continuously asks his grandmother what in
the glass is.
#9 CONVERSATION
Z: Entu apa
eyang????
E: ini punya the
Duma
Zaki is curious to know what his grandma has, he asks “what is that,
grandma?” grandma does not answer his question but she answers it is for Duma
(his elder sister). It is because grand ma knows that Zaki does not merely asks
something but he wants to get something namely food, milk and so forth.
#10 CONVERSATION
A: zaki, Naila
mana??
Z: Ana…..
uduk (di sana
In this conversation, Zaki uses “there” to answer the question and
followed by “sitting” as an explanation. He wants to enhance his answer by
using both “there” and “sitting”.
#11 CONVERSATION
Z: Apa entu?
(menunjuk ke lampu)
A: Ini lampu
It is a genuine question from Zaki as a child. He asks something
strange for him, he directly asks by using “what is that?” (Denoting to “lamp”)
#12 CONVERSATION
A: Zaki, Naila
mana?
Z: asuk
elanya…….elanya anah… (Nailanya masuk……Nailanya di sana
In this conversation, Zaki is asked where Naila is. Then Zaki
answers that she enters the room and he adds that she is “there” (in the
room).
E. CONCLUSION
Having analysed these findings, it can be concluded as
follows:
1.
In the
whole conversation it is found that the child, who aged two years old, employs the
spatial deixis at all to acquire his first language.
2.
The child
uses the deixis to get something new as his strategy to negotiate meaning and
it is a genuine question. When he does not know the thing he usually uses the
deixis, in particular spatial deixis.
3.
The child
sometimes uses the spatial deixis as if he does not anything about something he
asks. In fact, it is his strategy to keep his communication going on.
4.
The child
prefers to use deixis instead of telling the meaning. It is because he does not
recognize the word and name of something.
5.
The child
does not employ the person deixis and temporal deixis because he has not
recognized more about them. Moreover, he is still young enough and has a little
vocabulary to use.
F. SUGGESTION
The teachers can apply these findings to teach their
students in second language learning. It will be rewarding as they can take
benefits and make comparison between first language acquisition and second
language learning then apply it in developing students’ second language
learning.
References:
Blakemore, Diane.1992. Understanding Utterances.
USA
Brown. H. Doughlas. (1994). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. San Francisco
Cohen, Louis and Manion, Lawrence. (4th
Edition) 1994. Research Method in Education. New York
Einon,
Dorothy. 2005. Permainan Cerdas Untuk Anak (Things to do: Play and learn by
Hamlyn Octopus). . Jakarta
Ellis,
Rod. 1994. Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford :
Oxford University
Levinson, Stephen C. 1983. Pragmatics. : Cambridge University
Rice, et. al: (www.ohio.edu/~linguist/soemarno/1270/notes/Igacqui550.htm)
Thomas, Jenny. 1995. Meaning in Interaction. New York
Yule, George.1996. Pragmatics: Oxford University
(http://www.medem.com/search/article_display.cfm?path=n:&mstr=/ZZZC8N459C.html&soc=AMA&srch_typ=NAV_SERCH)
(http://iteslj.org/Articles/McGlothlin-ChildLearn.html)
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