Jurnal Review Pendidikan dan Pengajaran (JRPP)
Vol. 9 No. 2 (2026): Vol. 9 No. 2 Tahun 2026

A PSYCHOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE "TIP OF THE TONGUE" (TOT) PHENOMENON AMONG BILINGUAL STUDENTS DURING ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Muhammad Zikran Ishak (Universitas Negeri Gorontalo)
Wiyanda Jaya Ismail (Universitas Negeri Gorontalo)
Maulida Ulfa Fadila Bisango (Universitas Negeri Gorontalo)
Aulia Mundok (Universitas Negeri Gorontalo)
Muziatun Mukadji (Universitas Negeri Gorontalo)



Article Info

Publish Date
25 Jun 2026

Abstract

The Tip of the Tongue (TOT) phenomenon is a condition when someone temporarily cannot recall a word even though they already know it. This phenomenon often occurs in bilingual speakers because two language systems are active at the same time, which can cause difficulties in lexical retrieval during speaking activities. In academic settings, especially oral presentations, students may experience TOT because of nervousness, language interference, and pressure while speaking spontaneously.This study aims to investigate the occurrence of the Tip of the Tongue phenomenon among bilingual students during oral presentations and to identify the strategies they use to overcome lexical retrieval difficulties. The study uses a descriptive qualitative method. The data were collected through observation and recording students’ oral presentations.The findings show that TOT frequently appears when students experience high cognitive load and speaking anxiety. To deal with these difficulties, students commonly use strategies such as phonological cues, semantic associations, and code-switching. These findings indicate that bilingual lexical processing plays an important role in students’ speaking performance. This study is expected to provide useful insights for improving students’ fluency and confidence in academic speaking contexts.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

jrpp

Publisher

Subject

Economics, Econometrics & Finance Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences Other

Description

Jurnal Review Pendidikan dan Pengajaran (JRPP) is a National peer-reviewes journal dedicated to the exchange of research and thinking in all aspects of education, especially basic education. Jurnal Review Pendidikan dan Pengajaran (JRPP) publishes research results relating to the theory and practice ...