Pemerolehan morfologi dan sintaksis dalam kalangan kanak-kanak Melayu pada Peringkat Menjelang Tatabahasa Dewasa

Abstract

Based on Mentalist Theory as concept, this research will try to seek the development of producing speech among Malay Children at the level of adult grammar. Genetic Cognitive Theory was used as the measuring tool for this theory. This theory was introduced by Chomsky (1959) and it brought a radical change in the development of psycholinguistic. As a result, the Transformation Generative Theory came into existence. This research was carried out among children in the visiting of Sri Serdang. The rational to choose this location is mainly to the fact that these children come from families who speak Malay language which is not influenced by dialects and states of origin. Through the observation method, the researcher will observe the lan-guage acquisition spontaneously i.e. when the child interact with an adult. Simultaneously, the researcher will chit-chat and conduct a ques-tion-answering session with the child. To encourage the child to inter-act with the researcher and his or her friends, concrete objects such as pictures and existing objects in the child's environment are used. The out come shows that collaborative activities in the interaction of lan-guage between the child and parent yield the best context to learn a language. Through this activity, the child further masters the language elements and grammar formulae which exist in his or her mother tongue. Besides that, the child also masters the language elements found in the society and customs. In short, the child also learns the way to select the proper words and proper speech applicable to the topic and the context of his or her conversation.