PANOPTICON: Journal of English Studies
Vol. 3 No. 3 (2025): PANOPTICON: JOURNAL OF ENGLISH STUDIES

From Sounds to Meaning: A Case Study of Linguistic Development in a Preschool-Age Indonesian Child




Article Info

Publish Date
07 Jul 2025

Abstract

This study investigates the phonological, morphological, and semantic aspects of spontaneous speech in a four-year-old child, aiming to uncover developmental patterns and common linguistic challenges during early language acquisition. Employing a qualitative case study approach, naturalistic data were collected through audio and video recordings of the child's daily conversations. The transcribed speech was analyzed to examine articulation, word formation, and meaning construction. The findings revealed systematic phonological processes such as consonant substitution (/r/ to /l/), simplification of consonant clusters, and omission of final consonants. Morphological observations included frequent use of reduplication and overgeneralized application of the derivational suffix -in. Semantically, the child demonstrated an emerging lexicon with early signs of conceptual confusion and limited categorical differentiation. These developmental characteristics suggest that while the child is actively internalizing language rules, the acquisition process remains error-prone and exploratory. The study highlights the importance of meaningful interaction, corrective input, and exposure to rich linguistic environments in supporting children’s language growth. The insights gained are relevant for parents, educators, and speech-language practitioners in designing age-appropriate strategies that nurture early communicative competence.

Copyrights © 2025






Journal Info

Abbrev

PNP

Publisher

Subject

Arts Humanities Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

PANOPTICON: Journal of English Studies is a scholarly journal published by English Letter of Universitas Pamulang. It was founded in 2024, with registered number E-ISSN: 3047-8693. PANOPTICON has commitment to exchange and share ideas as well as research findings from researchers. Also, it provides ...